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Our Cantera Kindergarteners took their learning beyond the classroom on Friday, October 23rd with a field trip to Sweet Eats Farm Pumpkin Patch. The children had the opportunity to explore the farm together and experience the sights of the season firsthand. Field trips like this give our Kindergarteners a chance to connect classroom learning with the wider world while practicing independence, grace and courtesy, and responsibility as a group. We’re glad our older children could share this fall experience with their classmates. Take a look at a few moments from their visit!

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Fall is a wonderful time to bring our community together, and we are excited to invite our Cantera families, friends, local businesses, and Georgetown neighbors to our upcoming Trunk or Treat celebration on Thursday, October 29th! This festive event is an opportunity for children to dress in their favorite costumes, explore creatively decorated trunks, collect treats, and enjoy fun seasonal activities. Most importantly, it is a chance for families to come together, build friendships, and create lasting memories within our school community. Help Bring the Fun to Life! We invite our Cantera families

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A Blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, We’ve talked about the kids’ meltdowns, age-appropriate rules, car rides, restaurants, rainy days, the gift of boredom, and even our own MPO6 stories with refrigerator boxes and Art Night. Now it’s time for the part that often feels hardest: US! Because here’s the truth no one likes to say out loud, it’s much easier to set screen limits for our children than it is to put our own phones down. I’ve been there. You sit down for two minutes, reach for your phone “just to check one thing,” and

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Fall is a season filled with wonderful traditions, creativity, and opportunities to come together! At Cantera Montessori, we are excited to welcome our families for our annual Harvest Festival, an afternoon dedicated to celebrating the season, enjoying time with friends, and creating special memories within our school community. Little Hands, Lasting Memories The excitement of Harvest Festival begins long before the celebration itself! Across our Montessori classrooms, children have been busy preparing their very own festival bags, each one a special reflection of their creativity, individuality, and growing independence. For our youngest

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A blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, Last time we talked about why boredom feels uncomfortable at first; and why that restless stretch is actually the beginning of something good. Today I want to show you what that “something good” can look like in real life. These are a few true stories from our own MPO6 household. No perfect parenting here. Just regular family life, a little creativity, and a lot of ordinary moments that turned out better without screens. The Refrigerator Box That Took Over Summer One summer a large refrigerator box made its

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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. On Friday, October 9th, our photographer will visit Cantera Montessori for Picture Day. 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 child. Some children may approach

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A Blog by Colleen Noll Hey Parents, Let’s be honest for a second. When your child declares “I’m booooored” in that long, dramatic, slightly accusatory tone, it doesn’t feel like a beautiful learning opportunity. It feels like a problem that needs fixing, preferably in the next 30 seconds. And if we’re being even more honest, boredom can feel uncomfortable for us too. We live in a world that constantly offers something to watch, scroll, or listen to. Sitting with empty space feels strange at first. Almost itchy. So why does boredom feel so painful in

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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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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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