Our Mission
We are committed to serving the whole child, guided by the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, dedicated to nurturing the child’s love of learning, preserving the child’s sense of wonder, encouraging independence and fostering respect for our world’s social and cultural diversity.
History
The seeds of Litchfield Montessori School were planted by Mary Loyer, who moved to Litchfield with her family in the early 1970’s. Mary wanted her children to continue their Montessori education, but there weren’t any Montessori schools close by, so she decided to start her own. Mary had immediate success recruiting families by hosting curriculum sessions for parents, where she displayed Montessori materials and encouraged participants to experience the power of those materials for themselves.
The first classroom was in a church basement, and from those small beginnings in 1972, our school has blossomed to welcome families from throughout the Litchfield Hills and Naugatuck Valley. In 1987, the school purchased the light, airy Marcel Breuer-designed building in Northfield (that used to house the Northfield Elementary School). Its rural location, adjacent to fields and woods, provides a natural learning environment that is easily accessible from each classroom.
While the school has certainly grown in size since its humble beginnings, LMS remains small enough to have the ability to focus on each and every child. Our small community boasts a strong and loyal parent group who welcome and encourage the interests of new families. One of the ways the school becomes an incredible resource for new families is by offering educational programs for parents which help them understand the Montessori philosophy, as well as a general understanding of how young children learn and grow.
