Education For Life
Pacific Crest School offers Montessori education for children from three years of age continuing through the eighth grade. Our teachers and classrooms are designed to respond to the first three developmental stages:
Early childhood: 3 - 6 year olds, Primary program
Childhood: 6 - 11 years olds, Elementary program
Adolescence: 11 - 14 years old, Middle School program
All of our classrooms and our school community are based upon:
Respectful and caring environments
Commitment to the support of human development
Belief in the potential of each and every child
Support on the path to independence
Montessori Education for Life combines the child’s natural love of life and learning with the values of hard work and self-discipline. Our students leave Pacific Crest with a capacity for self-knowledge, independence and the ability to chart their course to adulthood. A cornerstone of Montessori philosophy is the understanding that children’s development progresses through a series of unique stages. The program levels at Pacific Crest reflect these stages of development by meeting the needs and interests that are unique to each stage.
Our school was founded in 1985. From that initial class of 25 young children that met in a church basement, we have grown to a school of over 200 children and adolescents located on our beautiful urban campus on Bright Street. In 2003 we acquired our Farm on Vashon Island to provide essential outdoor opportunities for our children. Our students now extend their learning and their sense of place to include both the urban and rural neighborhoods.
Pacific Crest is accredited through the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools(NAAS). The accreditation process requires a six year cycle of self study that involves initial consultations with Pacific Crest staff, NAAS consultants, outside educators, and current and former parents. Selected areas of study become the focus of ongoing work during the six year cycle.
All of Pacific Crest’s Primary and Elementary teachers are trained through AMI training centers. Our Middle School teachers attend Montessori trainings for the adolescent level; these are offered by the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA) in partnership with AMI.
