Montessori/IB Lingo & MSR Traditions

Infant - six weeks to 15 months
Toddler (T) - 15 months to 3 years
Children's House (CH) - 3 years to kindergarten
Lower Elementary (LE) - Grades 1 - 3
Upper Elementary (UE) - Grade 4 - 6
Middle School (MS) - Grades 7 - 8
Upper School (US) - Grades 9 - 12

As part of the tuition package, auxiliary Programs offers a before- and after-school care package called All-Day Miners to families with students in Infant - Grade 6 on the Lead Mine Campus. 

Brier Creek Campus, Durham with students Grades 7 - 12; International Baccalaureate (IB) program

Ben's Field - soccer field on Lead Mine Campus; playground area for elementary students

Butterfly Garden - Certified pollinators garden on the Brier Creek Campus

Cycle Shack - hands-on building area on Brier Creek Campus

East Playground - Children's House playground on the East side of the campus, behind the gym

Humanities building - Brier Creek Campus building that houses humanities classrooms

STEAM building - Brier Creek Campus building nearest the parking area; houses all STEAM classrooms

Watson Center - Building E on Lead Mine Campus; library, auditorium, art, music, and Spanish classrooms

West Playground - Children's House and Elementary playground on the West side of the campus, behind Building D

Williams Building - Building D on Lead Mine Campus; Lower Elementary program, student support services

Room Parents, parent volunteers in each classroom (or division at Brier Creek), request small donations for the yearly Class Fund, which is used to buy birthday, holiday, and other notable gifts throughout the year for faculty and staff. 

When speaking about peace education, we use terms such as "grace and courtesy" to demonstrate how to approach situations. 

Teachers in Montessori classrooms are called Guides as a way to demonstrate their role in a child's educational journey.

Integrated into every child's academic experience at MSR, students have interdisciplinary classes including: art, music, physical education, Spanish, and technology.

Outdoor education curriculum at the Brier Creek Campus. Sustainability and cultivation are taught through hands-on activities and student-led initiatives. 

Lead Mine Campus, Raleigh with students Infant - Grade 6; Montessori program

During the academic year, parents and employees receive the weekly school newsletter, Miner Details, to keep up-to-date on school events and curriculum.

Montessori Model United Nations; program offered to students in Grades 4 - 9. The MMUN program builds on the tradition of teaching students about international diplomacy and the United Nations by emphasizing Dr. Montessori's principles of peace, service, and global interconnectedness.

Beloved by our students, the school's mascot, Monty the Miner, brings school spirit throughout the year at special events.

The Montessori Parent Staff Association

Each classroom on the Lead Mine Campus has between 1 - 3 Room Parents, parent volunteers that work directly with the teachers to coordinate volunteer opportunities, events, and support for their child's classroom. The Brier Creek Campus has 1 - 2 Room Parents for the entire campus.

After-school enrichment programs offered to students in Children's House - Upper Elementary. Studios classes run for around 6 weeks every semester; Studios Plus classes run for more than one semester. 

Montessori classroom activities that students accomplish are called "works."

Every child enrolled in Early Childhood program (Infant, Toddler, and Children's House) are given a blue bag upon arrival on campus. This blue bag will journey with each child during their years in the Early Childhood program. Used as a consistent and dependable carrier by all students, it's a symbol of the independence and responsibility of our youngest students. Every day at drop-off, Toddlers and Children's House students carry their own supplies for a successful day ahead.

Dr. Maria Montessori's birthday, August 31, takes place soon after the school year begins and is the perfect time for students, employees, and guests to come together to mark the beginning of another academic year. Students in Kindergarten - Grade 12, faculty, staff, trustees, and guests gather in the Lead Mine gym. There are short speeches by both administrators and student leaders, the Upper School Book Signing Ceremony takes place, and a moment to honor Dr. Maria Montessori's legacy is shared. 

Following Convocation, students have the opportunity to spend quality time together enjoying popsicles on Ben's Field.

All students joining the MSR Upper School participate in a book signing event each fall during Convocation. The Upper School Book contains the names of all the students who have attended the Upper School. As part of the commencement ceremony, graduates will place a stamp next to their name in the Upper School Book to mark their status as a graduate of MSR and signify the successful completion of their high school experience.

During Convocation, Upper School students process across the school rug as they approach the Book of the School. The block pattern design on the rug represents the planes of development MSR students experience from early childhood through high school. At the end-of-year commencement ceremony, graduating students will once again make their mark in the Book of the School, bringing closure to their time at the school. In addition, students journey across the school rug one last time to tie a tassel onto the end of the rug, marking the end of their journey at MSR and the beginning of their next chapter.

Peace Poles stand on both campuses as a symbol of the global peace education all students receive at MSR. International Peace Day in the fall is marked by student groups reflecting, singing, and reciting around the Peace Poles on each campus. 
 

Fall and Spring Garden Days are hosted on our campuses and provide an opportunity for parents and students to work together to beautify their outdoor classroom and campus spaces. 

These favorite elementary grade-level events are a fun and educational way to deepen student understanding and inspire a love of learning. A special twist on Halloween, Mystery History has students in grades 1-3 choosing from an assigned category of educational significance—such as renowned peace leaders, endangered animals, historical figures, mythology, literary characters, etc. Students research, write a report, and make  a presentation to their class while dressed as their chosen person, animal or thing.  Mystery History culminates with a costume parade for parents and younger students.

Parade of Heroes for students in grades 4-6, is the culmination of their semester of themed-study in a specific topic area. Each student choses a hero to research and then prepares a presentation about that hero. 

Since 2020, MSR conducts a commencement ceremony each year to celebrate and acknowledge the members of its graduating class. Commencement takes place in late-May and is an opportunity to recognize the graduates for all they have accomplished, all they contributed to life at MSR, and all they have learned about themselves, the world, and their place in it. 

Provided to Middle and High School students the week prior to Thanksgiving Break, Exploration Week is a MSR signature program giving students a week off from traditional academics to explore in depth a topic that may not be found in traditional curriculum. These experiences are often a key memory for students and provide a springboard for learning about new topics outside of the classroom.

In keeping with the Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) approach to learning, making connections through real-world experiences is what MSR field trips and educational travel are all about. Designed to give students in Kindergarten - Grade 12 age-appropriate experiences beyond the confines of the classroom, these off-campus experiences range from local strawberry farm visits to an annual D.C. trip, and international travel.