It is our pleasure to welcome you to the web site of Good Shepherd Montessori School.  Hopefully, you will find all the information necessary to make one of the most important decisions a parent can make - where their child or children will attend school.  Good Shepherd Montessori School is unique in a number of ways.

GSMS is a Christ-centered environment that is an extension of the home and church.  In addition, the school is dedicated to providing high standards for intellectual and spiritual learning.  Our goal is to guide and nurture each individual child using the Montessori Method of education, a highly successful approach to education that was developed by the first woman physician in Italy, Dr. Maria Montessori.  This approach focuses on the individual development of the child socially, emotionally, physically and (at Good Shepherd) spiritually, as well as academically within a multi-age classroom.  Each class is led by members of our staff of trained educators who are degreed and certified through either AMS or AMI training programs.

Through years of observation, Dr. Montessori formulated her educational methodology based on the natural stages of human development, divided into approximately 6 year age spans and subdivided into 3 year segments.  Each stage is characterized by distinctive "sensitive periods" or critical learning periods when a child can most easily master a particular learning task.  From the Toddler community to the Middle School, prepared exercises offer practical experiences and lessons involve the manipulation of materials.  Both encourage the child to use his or her intelligence to explore, analyze and problem solve.  Skills are taught in small groups or individually.  The child experiences well-planned practical life, sensorial, mathematical, musical, artistic, linguistic, and scientific activities.  The Montessori curriculum lays the foundation for lifelong, joyous and creative learning.

The many aspects of an education at Good Shepherd Montessori School are presented here on our web site, but we invite you to our monthly tour of the campus to get a real feel for the love and caring that surrounds each of our children as they prepare for the future.

Laurann Sutton

Head of School