MSOSV Parenting Laugh Track: Topic Overview – What, No iPad?
Hey parents, welcome to the conversation we all secretly dread (and then secretly love). You know the moment. The one where your child looks at you like you just canceled Christmas, birthday, and ice cream for the rest of their life combined: “What? No iPad?!” Cue the dramatic sigh, the floppy dramatic collapse onto the floor, and the Oscar-worthy performance of “I’m so bored I might actually die.” In this topic series, we’re going to laugh our way through one of the biggest modern parenting battles, screens; while keeping it real, light, and
Navigating Early Learning Choices in California: What Every Parent Should Know About TK and Montessori
Empowering Families with Clear Information for the 2026–2027 School Year As a parent or caregiver in California, you want the very best start for your young child. With the continued expansion of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) in public schools, many families feel overwhelmed by mixed messages, enrollment deadlines, and questions about what truly supports healthy development at ages 3–6. This is the first in a monthly series designed to help you cut through the noise. We’ll explore the realities of public TK programs alongside the proven benefits of a full-day Montessori 3–6
The Story Behind So Many New Families at MSOSV
Ask many MSOSV families how they found us, and the answer rarely starts with an online search. It starts with a conversation. A neighbor mentioned it. A coworker's child loved it. A friend at a birthday party could not stop talking about it. That is how this community has grown, campus by campus and family by family. Many new families arrive with a familiar face already in their corner, and their children often have a friend on day one. Our Caring Connections Referral Program exists to celebrate that. When you refer a
Welcome to the MSOSV Parenting Laugh Track!
Reflections by Colleen Noll. Hey there, fellow parents, guardians, and professional snack distributors! I’m Colleen Noll; founder of MSOSV, Montessori lover since 1992, and the slightly sleep-deprived mom who opened her first school in 2000 when my oldest was still in diapers and I clearly had no idea what I was getting myself into. Since then I’ve opened five schools across the Bay Area and Austin, Texas, and teamed up with my partner Michael Harding (who jumped on this crazy train in 2016). Together we’re raising our blended crew of two
What Our Teaching Teams Do When the Classrooms Are Quiet
On Friday, August 14th, our campuses closed for a Staff Development Day, a classroom prep day that got every campus ready for the new school year. Because MSOSV is a full day, full year program, our guides spend their entire day with the same group of children. That kind of consistency is one of the things families count on, but it also means our teaching teams rarely get uninterrupted time together. Staff Development Days are the exception. With children out of the classroom for the day, our teams held an all hands
Looking Forward to August 17th
Every year, the first day of school marks a return to rhythm. Children step into their classroom, find their favorite work on the shelf, and settle back into a routine built around their own pace and curiosity. This year, our first day of school is Monday, August 17th. It also brings back one of the things families love most: your window into the classroom. Lessons return to Transparent Classroom that week, so you can follow along with what your child is discovering each day. Progress reports will run from the first
Getting Ready for the Kindergarten Work Period
Kindergarten in our Montessori classrooms looks different from a typical kindergarten year, and we want every incoming family to appreciate that difference firsthand. Each kindergartner has their own designated space in the classroom, complete with a pencil box of tools built for their work period. This is where independence takes root: children choose their work, return their materials, and move through their day with a sense of ownership over their own learning. Families who attend Kinder Orientation will see that space in person, along with the kindergarten field trip shirt, kinder journal,
The Habitats That Shaped Our Summer
Every summer at MSOSV, our curriculum takes children somewhere new. This year, that somewhere was four habitats: forest, ocean, desert, and rainforest. Each two week session gave our children hands-on materials, stories, and activities built around a single habitat. Children gathered leaves and sticks to create art, learned how animals survive desert heat, and explored what makes a rain forest so full of life. Weekly messages from our lead guides also offered families ways to continue the learning at home, from neighborhood nature walks to color matching games outdoors. This kind of
Summer Habitats 2026: A Grand Finale in the Rainforest
What a vibrant and joyful journey we have shared! As our Summer Habitats Curriculum comes to a beautiful close, we celebrate two unforgettable weeks exploring the lush, layered, and colorful Rainforest Habitat, and the incredible growth we’ve witnessed across every age group. From soft crinkle leaves and bright tissue-paper flowers to layered garden beds, sprinkler “rain” play, and final touches on keepsake books and dioramas, our children have immersed themselves in the magic of the rainforest. The energy, creativity, and wonder in our classrooms have been truly inspiring. What Each Age Group
Summer Habitats 2026: Discovering the Desert
We have just completed two sunny and fascinating weeks exploring the Desert Habitat! From gritty sand and warm pebbles to clever animal adaptations, our children across all age groups have been discovering how life thrives in hot, dry places through joyful, hands-on Montessori experiences. Whether they were sprinkling colored sand, building pebble collages, feeling dry vs. wet contrasts, or adding a new layer to their dioramas, every child experienced the desert in ways that matched their age and curiosity. What Each Age Group Explored in the Desert Nido (9 months – 2 years) Our