Authentic Montessori
Montessori de Santa Cruz Charter School is a public school that is free to all students. It also has an excellent tuition-based preschool program that offers a nurturing learning environment and childcare for young children in our surrounding communities.
The Montessori de Santa Cruz academic program aligns with the Arizona State Academic Standards using the methods and learning materials unique to a Montessori education. The classrooms are fully equipped with Montessori materials and expand to include current trends in education.
Built into the philosophy is the belief that education should be more than memorization, repetition, and standardized testing. The Montessori approach to whole child education allows the development of critical-thinking skills and intellectual curiosity that fuels success in the classroom and beyond.
Montessori de Santa Cruz at a Glance
The child is in a constant state of metamorphosis. Like a seedling or a butterfly, the child goes through periods of steady or rapid development.
-Maria Montessori
Curriculum Overview
The academic program aligns with the Arizona State Academic Standards using the methods and learning materials unique to a Montessori education. The classrooms are fully equipped with Montessori materials and expand to include current trends in education. Built into the philosophy is the belief that education should be more than memorization, repetition, and standardized testing. The Montessori approach to whole child education allows your child to develop the critical-thinking skills and intellectual curiosity that fuels success in the classroom and beyond.
Preschool & Kindergarten
Our preschool is a traditional Montessori primary class made up of students ages 3-5 and includes Kindergarten.
Lower Elementary / Grades 1-3
The Montessori Lower Elementary curriculum inspires students to become independent learners who appreciate and understand their world.
Upper Elementary / Grades 4-6
The Upper Elementary curriculum is designed to be responsive to the social, emotional, and academic needs of students ages 9 -12 years old.
Middle School / Grades 7-8*
*New Program for the 2022-2023 School Year* The Middle School Program helps 7th and 8th graders develop real-world skills that they will need when they continue on their educational journey.
Gardening Program
The Gardening Program offers a unique environment that fosters our students’ academic, social, and emotional development. The students learn practical aspects of organic, sustainable gardening as well as enrichment in the sciences.
Music Program
The Music Program goals are for the child to respond to music, perform music accurately, and eventually create music for the public, so as to create, perform and promote cultural understanding and diversity through the love of musical expression.
School's Out, Make it Count!
Montessori de Santa Cruz is a participating member of School's Out, Make it Count! from the Arizona Center for After School Excellence. We signed a pledge to promote excellent out of school time programs in keeping with our Mission and Vision at MdSC. Our pledge is to Learn, Implement, Fine-Tune and Teach — LIFT! our programs to new heights of quality. Studies show that kids who participate in high-quality out of school time programs including tutoring reap benefits in academic, social, and physical well-being.
From the FY21 AFR:
Average salary of all teachers employed in FY 2021: $47,896
Average salary of all teachers employed in FY 2020: $42,060
Increase in average teacher salary from FY 2020: $5,836
Percentage increase: 13.9%
From the FY22 Budget:
Average salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2022: $48,871
Average salary of all teachers employed in prior year 2021: $47,896
Increase in average teacher salary from the prior year 2021: $975
Percentage increase: 2.0%