adolescent community

(middle school)

Adolescence is defined as the period when a child transitions from childhood to young adulthood. Beginning at age 12 or 13, the young adolescent’s work is to create personal mission and vision. As we know, "to be a successful adult, you must be learning from adults.” This period is a time of “valorization,” where the student should be valued and “seen” within their classroom community throughout all aspects of their educational journey.


As the student enters and engages in the 2-year cycle of the Montessori Adolescent Community, his or her experiences support not only the academic process, but social, emotional, and physical growth as well. As students are held to a high level of accountability, they develop a great sense of responsibility and from within this process comes much freedom.

the htm middle school experience

Middle School ushers in a new level of independence, which is encouraged in the Montessori environment through work cycle, choices, and planning. Within this overview, the student has open time to collaborate on both self-initiated and instructor-initiated projects and lessons. Large group presentations also are included for community building and learning.


The following curriculum areas are offered in the Montessori middle school:

Social sciences, science, geography, language arts, mathematics, micro-economies, practical life experiences, fine arts, humanities, and farming/outdoors.


Service programs are also a big component of the Montessori middle school experience. These include “going out” experiences such as working in a soup kitchen, farming as a community venture, mentorships in the workplace, and more. These experiences provide the adolescent a combined vocational and liberal arts curriculum with a particular emphasis on economic enterprise. Traveling as a community is valuable for the extended independence of the adolescent as each one begins to grow and separate from their daily environment and parents/families.


At Holy Trinity Montessori, our Adolescent Community experiences a space that is second to none. Students enjoy a beautifully prepared classroom, a full kitchen, garden beds, a farm element (chickens and goats), and thirty-eight acres of land to explore, including hiking trails, a creek, and a student-created maker space.