For ages 3 through 6 years
Our Primary/Kindergarten Program at Somerset Hills Montessori includes Pre-K and Kindergarten. This program gets eager youngsters ready for grade school education in an environment that fosters the wonder of exploring the world with an independent spirit.
By the time they come to Pre-K, children have a foundation in skills and social interaction through previous experiences. This program focuses on guiding and nurturing their talents into more conscious and confident abilities, developing interest and enjoyment in school, and building friendships. During the Pre-K year, children are engaged and enriched through learning about science, nature, geography, art, music, mathematic, and language. Additionally, our unique Peace program introduces children to mindfulness and helps them to connect to the joys of living.
Our individually paced Pre-K II and Kindergarten programs provide a creative and positive learning experience that allow children to hone skills in academics and become exposed to wider areas of interest. These special interests include art, music, outer space, dinosaurs, sewing, cooking and theater. Because our students are enabled to self-direct their choices of activities, interests in various topics will emerge and be encouraged.
Our Primary/Kindergarten classes are designed to foster a strong sense of community and citizenship. Children learn peacekeeping, good manners and proper etiquette, creating a social community of their own that is both respectful and friendly. With their teachers as guides, the children are at the center of their own learning destinies, ready to live up to their fullest potential.
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher...is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'”
Testimonials
Our 3-year old daughter attends Somerset Hills Montessori School. The school is truly a “home away from home” for her. The teachers are exceptional and the personalized attention that she gets is unmatched. We’ve seen growth in her vocabulary and learning more everyday. We are so grateful to have found this school and truly appreciate everything the teachers are doing for her each and everyday.
The team at SHMS was like a second family for my children. The atmosphere was fun, caring and fostered academic, personal, social growth and development. The Montessori education allowed my children to learn at their own pace and by the time they entered Kindergarten they were much further along than many of their peers. My children looked forward to school every day.
Simply AMAZING! Our daughter is in the kindergarten class now and has been with the school since she was 2. She can’t wait to go to school each morning and doesn’t want to leave. It never ceases to amaze us how much they teach her, not just academically but socially as well. The teachers have all been there for years and are truly committed and passionate about what they do. We had visited many day cares in the area before, but SHMS really stood out for us. We are so glad that a friend recommended this school to us. Our younger son is also there now and we are confident that he will get the same strong foundation that the school provided and continue to provide his sister. To top it off, it is very reasonably priced. WE LOVE the school and can’t thank the teachers enough for what they have done and continue to do for our kids.
We have two children who attended SHMS in both the Kindergarten and the three-year old classrooms. The teachers are wonderful… not only they are great at inspiring learning in our kids but they are also very care while they teach. The Montessori method is by far the best for our family, my children are far ahead of any academic expectations we had initially at the beginning of our time at this school. This is because they aren’t forced to sit at a desk all day but are encouraged to follow their individual interests while they learn. I appreciate that the school is smaller in size and more like an extended family, even teachers that are not ours are familiar with our kids and their personalities and needs. I also appreciate that children are taught mutual respect between classmates and with adults, manners are reinforced and kindness is the key theme that carries across schoolwork and playtime. I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a caring, intimate and nurturing environment that also does an equally excellent job at providing a place where children enjoy learning.
The SHMS family has been instrumental in the personal and educational development of my three children. I can’t speak highly enough about the overall educational and social teachings the school provides to the children. The staff is very caring and I have witnessed firsthand how the children thrive on the personal enrichment that is given to each child.
This is an amazing group of genuine caring women who go above and beyond on a daily basis. The school operates like a ballet without a beat missed. I am truly grateful to have each one of these women in my son’s life and mine! It is a wonderful thing knowing my son is growing and learning in trusting and loving hands. I love SHMS!