Why Families Choose Redbud Montessori School

Some things can only be built slowly.

Montessori gives us the method. Over four decades in one place, with teachers who never left, is what makes it feel special.

our teachers

Most of them were here before your child was born.

One of our teachers arrived in 1985, a year after the school opened. Another came in 1989. Two more in 2001 and 2006. Between them, our seven teachers have spent well over a century on this property.

What that means on an ordinary morning: your child drops their backpack inside, walks out to the backyard, and finds teachers who have done this a thousand times.

They know what a hard drop-off looks like, and they'll sit and hold a child on the bench for as long as it takes.

They stay because they're part of this community, not employees of it — which the founders wrote down as a commitment in 1984, and the families have kept.

A middle-aged woman with brown hair standing outdoors in a park, wearing a bright green blouse and black pants, with trees and sunlight in the background.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and light skin, wearing a gray patterned top, outdoors on a sunny day with green trees and foliage in the background.

Ms. Karen
Director | Sensorial and Geography

“For over 40 years, Redbud Montessori has been more than my work, it has been a huge part of my heart and my life. I’ve had the incredible privilege of watching generations of children grow, learning from them as much as I hope they’ve learned from me, and building lifelong relationships with so many wonderful families. I am deeply grateful for every child, every family, and every precious memory.”

Ms. Shelly
Teacher | Practical Life & PE

“The Redbud staff have become family over the years. We are all very supportive of each other. I feel that anyone that might say that they could never do this job would be surprised that it is not so hard when you factor in the daily hugs and “I love you’s” the children express. Lightbulb moments are fantastic to witness. The children move on from Redbud with a love of learning that I’m proud to be a part of.”

Ms. Janet
Teacher | Language Arts & Science

“One thing that might surprise parents is that Redbud Montessori is so much more than a daycare or preschool. It is a place where children gain independence, build social skills, and foster a lifelong love of learning through the environment our teachers create.”

Ms. Michelle
Teacher | Math & Culture

“I have a true passion for the Montessori Philosophy! I love observing the children grow into life long learners and discover their own potential. I also love the strong Redbud Montessori community! It’s like a family!”

A smiling woman outdoors with a background of trees and sunlight, wearing a red and white striped button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves.
A woman with glasses and dark hair smiling outdoors, wearing a blue sweatshirt with a floral pattern, with a blurred background of trees.

Ms. Aumu
After School Supervisor

“I love seeing a child’s joy and sense of achievement as they develop their motor skills through working with origami, it motivates me to bring them more fun and advanced origami projects.”

Ms. Autumn
Teacher

“I love reading with the kids, teaching the kids, and making them laugh, but my favorite moments are when I'm singing with them and they know the line I'm going to sing next.”

A young woman with long black hair standing outdoors in front of trees and foliage, wearing a loose tie-dye gray T-shirt with text and light gray pants, smiling with her hands in her pockets.

Ms. Charlotte
Teacher

“One of the most amazing things is to witness the family growth at Redbud; from the time they join with their siblings and babies to growing up and becoming volunteers themselves. It is quite a unique feeling for me as I have witnessed other children take the same route I did.”

A woman with brown wavy hair wearing a pink short-sleeve shirt, standing outdoors with blurred trees and greenery in the background.
A woman with long dark hair smiling outdoors, wearing a black top with a front knot, a necklace, and a smartwatch, standing in front of trees and foliage.

"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."

— Maria Montessori

the grounds

Come see where the days unfold.

The school sits on six and a half acres at the edge of town. You park, cross a small footbridge, and the road noise is gone.

A woman with long dark hair and a black blouse sitting on the floor, smiling and engaging with a group of young children seated around her in a bright room.
Two young girls playing in a backyard mud kitchen area. One girl is standing, wearing a yellow hoodie and shorts, while the other girl is squatting, wearing a pink top and shorts. There are plastic dishes and utensils in a container and on a table ne
Children sitting at picnic tables outdoors in a wooded area, having lunch with lunchboxes and food
Child playing with a red toy gun with colorful balls attached, held by a caregiver, in a room with a blue chair and a wooden table.
A teacher holding a book and standing in front of a group of young children seated at tables in a classroom.
A young boy with blond hair concentrating on assembling a toy on a wooden table, with colorful plastic pieces and a green tray in front of him.
Redbud_Exterior_Trike Track_03.jpg
Children inside a classroom with a woman in a yellow shirt near a shelf, and children playing outside through an open door with additional children gathered outside.
A group of children sitting in a circle outdoors on a grassy field, playing with a rainbow-colored parachute, under a large leafy tree on a sunny day. 
the cooperative

A school its families run.

Children playing on a playground swing set, some running on the ground, and others sitting on a bench in the background, with trees and a shed nearby.
Children playing on a playground swing set, some running on the ground, and others sitting on a bench in the background, with trees and a shed nearby.

22 families started Redbud in 1984. They raised the money themselves and built the furniture by hand. It has been a nonprofit parent cooperative ever since, with a board made up of 6 parents and 2 staff members.

That structure is behind almost everything families love here. Tuition stays lower than it would otherwise, because parents do work a school would otherwise pay for. Decisions get made by the people whose children are affected by them. And the families know each other — not in the vague way that school families usually do, but actually, because they've spent Saturdays together raking pine needles and wiping down lunch tables.

Your child's friends' parents become your friends, which is the part that surprises people.

parent participation

About 35 hours a year.

Here's the co-op commitment, plainly written, because it's important to know. Each family contributes about 35 hours over the school year. The jobs are chosen by parents — and most of them are built for those with full-time work. They are things you can do in an evening, on a weekend, or from home.

The founders were explicit about this from the start. They believed parents could be genuinely involved even while working full time, and they built the job structure to ensure that was possible.

Most of our families have two working parents. It's very manageable. It's also, according to almost everyone who's done it, the reason they still have friends from Redbud ten years after their child left.

Five beige stars of varying sizes against a black background. 
kind words from our parents

  • "Redbud is a school that sees your child as a unique individual, nurtures a lifelong love of learning, and surrounds your family with an incredibly caring community. Our children didn't just learn to write or do math, they learned to be curious, kind, confident, and joyful learners. As someone who went through a Montessori education myself, I know those are gifts they'll carry with them for the rest of their lives."

    Irene

  • "Redbud teachers are special for sure. My oldest child was a very sensitive preschooler who needed to withdraw from social interactions at times. Miss Karen recognized this in my child and designated a special spot in the afterschool room where he could go and seclude a bit when needed. Miss Karen also encouraged me to have my child draw pictures to work out his emotions because he was very engaged in art and spent a lot of his time drawing. Miss Karen’s approach told me that she really saw my child and wanted to use creative tools to build a school environment in which he could thrive."

    Emily K.

  • "We regularly recruit families and tell folks how amazing Redbud is. The magical grounds under the redwood trees, the amazing teachers who show love, kindness and understanding each and every day and truly show us how much they love to teach and nurture! 10/10 recommend!"

    The Simpson Family

  • "I tell every friend with children about Redbud. I can’t recommend it enough. I love Redbud and will be forever grateful my daughter got to experience it. My only regret is that it doesn’t continue on for more grades as we are so so sad to leave."

    The Murray Family

A young boy in a blue shirt lying face down on the sandy ground at the beach, drawing or playing with the sand. 
second generation

Some of our parents were Redbud kids.

It happens more than you'd think — parents who attended this school as children now enrolling their own kids. They remember it well. The trees, the long mornings, the feeling of being genuinely known by the adults around them. And when it came time to choose a school for their own child, they wanted them to have the same thing.

They are still greeted by some of the same teachers who taught them decades ago.

come visit

Meet us.

Photos are only so useful. Come walk the property, meet the teachers, and see what morning here actually looks like.

Book a tour