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September 2026

  /    /  September

A blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, Let’s talk about the real-life moments when the tablet feels like the easiest (and sometimes only) solution. Playdates Car rides Restaurants Rainy days These are the situations where even the most intentional parents start eyeing the glowing screen like it’s a life raft. I’ve been there. And while our MPO6 kids grew up before tablets were a constant option for little ones, we still had to figure out how to get through long drives, restaurant waits, and indoor days without turning every quiet moment into screen

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Childhood is filled with meaningful moments that can be easy to miss in the rhythm of everyday life. Picture Day gives us an opportunity to pause and capture one of those moments, preserving a glimpse of who each child is right now. This fall, our photographer will visit our three California campuses: Cabrillo Montessori, Crescent Montessori, and Peak Ave Montessori. Individual portraits and classroom photos will be taken throughout the morning while our guides preserve the familiar rhythm of the children’s day. In Montessori, we recognize and respect the individuality of every

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Exploring How California’s Public TK Has Evolved and Why Montessori’s Proven Approach Offers Consistency for Young Learners Welcome back to our monthly series on early learning choices in California. Last month we covered the big picture: TK is optional, full of potential, and one of several good paths available to families. This month, we take a closer look at the heart of any program, the curriculum, and how it supports (or sometimes challenges) the natural development of 4 and 5 year-olds. Our goal remains the same: to share clear, respectful information so

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A Blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, After surviving the first big “No iPad!” meltdown, the next question I always hear is: “Okay Colleen… so what are the rules supposed to be?” Great question. Because vague ideas like “less screen time” sound nice until you’re standing in the kitchen at 7:15 a.m. with a tired toddler and a phone in your hand. I’m not here to hand you a rigid rulebook written by people who’ve never met your child. I’m here to share simple, age-appropriate guidelines that actually stick; the kind that work in real

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Walk into any of our classrooms this month and you will find children practicing how to push in a chair. That small moment is one of the first lessons we give, and one of the ones we care about most. Grace and courtesy is the part of our Montessori curriculum where children learn how to move through a room and how to treat the people in it. Our guides give lessons on sitting at circle time, pushing in a chair, carrying a water pitcher down the hall without spilling a drop, and

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(For parents of young children who are currently living through the great screen standoff) A blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, We have all been there. You’re in the car. The morning is already running five minutes behind. Your two-year-old is strapped in, and the second the engine starts, they ask, “Phone? Cartoon?” in that sweet little voice that somehow carries the weight of a full courtroom demand. Or worse… you’re walking into school, and that same tiny human has their face buried in your phone, eyes glued to a cartoon, completely missing

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Our California kindergarteners spent Friday morning at San Jose Fire Station 16 with the C Shift Crew. They arrived at 10:00 AM in their field trip shirts and the most excited look on their faces. The crew was waiting at the open bay door. Our children got close to the engine and looked over the gear that hangs ready beside it. Why This Trip, and Why Now August on our cultural calendar belongs to "Me and My Community," our geography topic for the month. Right now the concept of community helpers is fresh

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