About Montessori School at Lone Tree

Welcome!

For over 40 years, The Montessori School at Lone Tree has nurtured children to grow into students with a love for learning and deep respect for life. Our school is knit together with experienced faculty and invested parents creating an extraordinary community dedicated to Montessori principles.

One of the unique characteristics of The Montessori School at Lone Tree is the quality and expertise of our teaching staff and administrators. Our teachers are committed to the Montessori philosophy of education. As such, their strongly held beliefs in the capability and dignity of each child lead to a learning community based on respect. We have a broad diversity of our community and we are proud to be a school that makes every person feel welcomed and appreciated. It is an environment characterized by cooperation, collaboration, kindness, and a sense of purpose.

A warm and welcoming feeling in our schoolhouse comes from the sense of trust that is shared between the students, teachers, and families. The teachers, also known as guides, bring joy to their classrooms because they are participating in meaningful and fulfilling work. Our students and teachers experience an influential sense of satisfaction from experiencing the learning and growth that takes place each day. We value knowing each child individually and treating them individually. Following the Montessori Method, we believe that each child should have a personalized learning experience in which the level of challenge is appropriately set for each child. Children experience the precise level of challenge, in an environment with high expectations, so they continue to progress. We are personally invested in the success of each child and the fulfillment of each parent.

The culture of The Montessori School at Lone Tree embodies peace, kindness, and respect for all living things, as foundational values. The quality of The Montessori School at Lone Tree comes from our teachers and families who work hand-in-hand together to provide our children with the very best opportunities to learn and grow.

Lori Kalisch

From our Director

At the Montessori School at Lone Tree, we strive to fosters a love of learning in all children.  Our environments are meticulously prepared by trained Montessorians and seasoned assistants.  The Practical Life, Science, and Cultural/Geography areas change each month.  These themes entice the children and their curiosity, excitement, and motivation.   In our classrooms, we strive to constantly create environments that keep this joy of discovery kindled. As educators, we observe them through their developmental stages and guide them during these most important scaffoldings of their growth. Mathematics and Language Arts also expand to become more challenging by this time of year.  Children develop scientific and critical thinking skill while working with these well-designed Montessori materials.

We follow the child and respect their individuality as they develop their characters, beautiful manners, curiosity, creativity, and unique personalities.   We strive to make every day a new day of discovery.  Research has shown that the Montessori Method develops Executive Functioning.  “These are the cognitive abilities needed to control our thoughts, emotions and actions. This topic aims to increase understanding about how these functions develop, their role and their impact on a person’s social, emotional and intellectual life, from early childhood to adulthood.”  It is quite amazing to realize that Dr. Montessori developed this philosophy and method of education that is vital to the development and success of these children who will become our future.

Montessori School at Lone Tree was founded by Jean Pilon in 1985.  Miss Jean was a person that embodied Dr. Maria Montessori in all ways.  Montessori School at Lone Tree is her legacy and I am humbled, proud, and honored to serve as Head of School.  The solid and unwavering foundation she set will continue for many, many years to come. 

MSLT History

In 1985, Jean Pilon created Montessori School at Lone Tree out of her passion for Montessori education. Already an experience Montessori Directress, she bought a small piece of land in what was then unincorporated Littleton, helped create the design for the building, and began the small two-classroom Montessori school. Her vision included adding two more classrooms in the future. Her little Montessori school grew so quickly that the two new classrooms were built the very next year. At that time, MSLT was the only Montessori school in the south Denver area. Of course, now the city of Lone Tree is flourishing and growing. And our little Montessori school is now in the middle of a big subdivision.

Having little money and big dreams early on, Jean did not take a salary from the school. Her family members were called upon to help in any ways they could. Jean’s husband ran the books and Johnny and Jackie did odds and ends like cleaning the school.

Each spring in the first several years the school was open, Jean invited all of the Kindergarten group and their parents to have a Campout Sleepover on the school playground to celebrate the end of their experiences at MSLT. There was cooking on a grill, running and playing, singing songs, and yes, a campfire for roasting marshmallows. The search for good sticks for roasting marshmallows went on endlessly throughout the neighborhood with Jean leading the search! One year, after everyone was snug in their sleeping bags and tents, the automatic sprinklers came on!! Can you imagine the chaos?

While Jean still loves to visit Montessori School at Lone Tree, she is no longer part of the day-to-day operation. The school’s reputation for safe, nurturing, and quality Montessori continues. Our staff remains consistent with the average number of years of experience here being over 12 years per staff member. In fact, two staff members who started shortly after the school was established remain today. Jean’s warmth, love and respect for all people, and her unrelenting faith in Montessori have permeated the school for all of these years. It continues to thrive and provide the very best quality education.

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