Our School
provides an enriched learning environment that enables students in preschool through sixth-grade to learn, develop and grow to their unique potential.
We have the privilege of guiding curious students from across the North Shore as they develop their love of learning through the Montessori curriculum.
Our primary goal is that all students become confident life-long learners, with a deep respect for themselves, others and the world in which they live.
Our focus in applying Montessori principles is for each child to feel nurtured, educated and inspired. If you would like to learn more about our values, academics and teaching staff, please get in touch.
Historical Timeline
May 1, 2007 ~ Margaret Henry establishes North Shore Montessori School, bringing with her 22 years of teaching experience in Children’s House classrooms in Florida and Massachusetts.
September 7, 2007 ~ North Shore Montessori School opens its doors with six students enrolled in Children's House. The school is located on Route 1 in Rowley. It offers important key features in a Montessori education. The full complement of Children's House materials, as recommended by the American Montessori Society, fill the Math, Language, Cultural, Sensorial and Practical Life areas. A fenced-in play area offers the children a safe space to play and appreciate nature.
June 2008 ~ The school's inaugural year is a success, having grown to a 14-student enrollment.
2011 ~ As more families choose a Montessori education and join the school community, Margaret envisions a larger building and more outdoor space for the children. The school relocates to Wethersfield Street in Rowley. A three-bay garage sees an architectural transformation into a beautiful school building with natural light, situated on two acres of land.
2014 ~ Parents of the Children's House class of 2013 plead with
Margaret to open a Lower Elementary classroom for first- through third-graders. A lead teacher for LE joins the staff, and families make a commitment to the school community to remain through their child's sixth-grade graduation.
September 2017 ~ Upper Elementary opens to accommodate the fourth-graders who have successfully completed the Lower Elementary program. A lead teacher for UE joins the faculty.
January 2018 ~ North Shore Montessori School becomes a not-for-profit organization.
September 2018 ~ The school opens a newly-built wing to accommodate the growing enrollment in Lower and Upper Elementary. The wing features two beautiful classrooms filled with natural light, two handicap-accessible bathrooms, a cubby room large enough to double as a private meeting space, and a utility room with a big sink for cleaning art materials. Children's House moves into a larger classroom, and a Common Room opens as a shared space for the school library and music education. A full-time assistant LE teacher joins the faculty to work alongside the LE lead guide.
March 2020 ~ The lead teachers in Children's House, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary successfully pivot to online education as a pandemic begins to sweep the world.
September 2020 ~ Margaret envisions a school year in which CH, LE and UE are in-person learning full days; she caps enrollment in each classroom to ensure there are small cohorts of students. An IQ-Air filtration system is placed in each classroom. The school remains open the entire year while other schools shift to week-on and week-off cohorts or online learning.
June 2022 ~ The school celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding at the end-of-school celebration!
September 2022 ~ North Shore Montessori School begins its 16th year with a renewed commitment to providing families with the best Montessori education North of Boston.
April 2023 ~ The school envisions, creates and plants a Peace Garden for children, teachers and families to enjoy!
June 2023 ~ Families gather for the end-of-year celebration at which they enjoy a concert, observe a moving-up ceremony and celebrate Children's House and elementary graduates.
Reviews
"NSMS has provided a stimulating kindergarten experience for our daughter. In kindergarten, she has learned math, writing, and reading at a fast pace, while getting ample exposure to art, music, and outdoor physical activity. She has started to learn Spanish and French. The telltale is how much she loves going to school and how positively she talks about it. It has been a gem find.”
-Ben (NSMS Parent)