Welcome!

We are very proud of our school and would love to share our love of learning with your child. Our school provides a rich and supportive community for children’s growth and development as students. Through the educational methods developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, Canandaigua Montessori School seeks to encourage the acquisition of skills and attitudes that will form the basis of a love and desire for life-long learning and discovery. In addition, we hope to guide children to become independent, self-fulfilled, responsible individuals, and members of their communities.

Established in 1973, our non-profit organization is devoted to promoting standards of excellence in Montessori education. With five staff members, Canandaigua Montessori School now serves a total of 50 children, ages 18 months through 6 years of age. We currently offer toddler, primary, and kindergarten programs. Our curriculum covers a variety of subjects including math, science, literature, the arts, history, social issues, and the study of technology. Weather permitting, our children will have ample time for outdoor physical activity and fun.

If you have been wondering about a Montessori Education Program or already know about Montessori and want to see if our school is right for your child, please contact us for more information and to set up a tour of our school.

CHARTERED BY THE NYS BOARD OF REGENTS
LICENSED BY NEW YORK STATE
FOLLOWS THE CANANDAIGUA SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDAR

WHAT MAKES MONTESSORI GREAT ?

Your child learns at their own pace and at their own interest level.
Multi-age grouping results in children learning, teaching, and helping each other.
Independence: everything is accessible to your child so they can do as much as they are able and want to do for themselves.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, age, or disability.

The most important period of life is not university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to six.
The more fully the needs of one period are met, the greater will be the success of the next.
Dr. Maria Montessori

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My oldest (now 7 and in first grade at Canandaigua Primary) did Kindergarten with Mrs. Wadsworth during the 2021-2022 school year. This was after starting in the primary class when he was 2-almost-3 in 2018 and moving through the Montessori program. We had been in constant communication with his teacher about when to start Kindergarten given his fall birthday. The Covid year cemented the decision and his teacher and I agreed that he should have an extra year of the Primary class at age 4-almost-5. This allowed him to start Kindergarten at age 5-almost-6 and he EXCELLED. The consistency of the Montessori program allowed him to quickly learn how to read and write as well as develop socially and emotionally. He moved through the math curriculum and by the end of the 2021-2022 school year he was starting on division. Division!! In Kindergarten! I was never in doubt of Mrs. Wadsworth’s ability to stay ahead of him and keep him challenged while also giving him a great Montessori education and allowing freedom of choice in the works he chose. He has been VERY well prepared for starting 1st grade at Canandaigua Primary. He’s now in enrichment classrooms for both literacy/reading and math.

My second son also moved through the Toddler and Primary programs at CMS (1.5 yr age gap between my two older boys). However, he has been doing Kindergarten at Canandaigua Primary and there is a definite difference in the approach to learning how to read and write and the daily activities. I credit CMS for giving my second son a baseline in reading and writing, which gives him a marked advantage compared to his Kindergarten peers. He already knows his letter sounds and can read at an end-of-kindergarten level. Canandaigua Primary is a great place to learn, but CMS is better. The differences are easily seen in the approach to reading. CMS focused on letter sounds and figuring out the words on the page. It seems as though Canandaigua Primary’s focus is on sight words. Which sight words do have their benefits and we did practice some at CMS, but it feels very akin to memorizing an answer to a problem rather than learning how to figure out how to solve the problem. The smaller atmosphere, the Montessori approach, and the amazing teachers make CMS the must have Kindergarten experience.

My youngest (currently age 2 and in the Toddler program) also has a fall birthday and I have no doubts that he will be spending his time at CMS through his Kindergarten year.

Current Parent

When the time came to register our daughter for preschool, it was an easy decision. As a 1977 graduate of the Canandaigua Montessori School, my husband and I knew that we wanted Alison to have a strong academic start and be immersed in an environment that cultivates enthusiasm for life long learning. CMS has exceeded our expectations in every aspect of our child’s development. Alison has thrived here because of nurturing teachers and her joy of learning thrills us. What an amazing start to her life journey!

Alison joins a long legacy of proud Prull graduates!
Prull Family Graduates:
Tamara A. Prull, M.D. – 1977
Heather Prull Ross – 1979
David W. Prull II – 1981
Sydney M. Ross – 2012
Brady C. Ross – 2014
Alison T. Makovec – 2019
Mackenzie A. Makovec – Future Class of 2023!