About Us
Goals and Objectives
Our Mission is to Prepare Children for Life.
Hands-On Montessori School is an inclusive, cooperative community of children, families, and educators dedicated to nurturing each child’s independence, confidence, creativity, and sense of purpose. Rooted in the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori and supported by developmentally appropriate, innovative practices, we guide students to become joyful, engaged learners and compassionate global citizens.
We honor the dignity and potential of every child and are committed to social responsibility, academic excellence, and a culture that celebrates diversity in all its forms.
Emily Miller
Head of School
Core Values
- Inclusivity: We celebrate diversity and strive to welcome all children and families with respect and compassion. We aim to meet the needs of each child while being mindful of the resources and structure that support a successful Montessori experience.
- Independence: We nurture each child’s ability to think, choose, and act with confidence and responsibility.
- Joyful Learning: We foster curiosity through hands-on exploration, discovery, and meaningful work that inspires a lifelong love of learning.
- Community: We grow together as a cooperative community built on trust, empathy, and shared purpose among children, educators, and families.
- Respect for the Whole Child: We support every child’s intellectual, emotional, social, and creative development with dignity, care, and intentional guidance.
- Global Citizenship: We cultivate empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of responsibility for the world around us through meaningful connections and purposeful learning
Developing Intellectual and Social Skills
Our goal is to help children develop:
- Independence through purposeful tasks
- Initiative through intelligent free choice of activities
- Age-appropriate maturity through being a member of a mixed-age group
- Self-confidence achieved through accomplishment in activities that challenge their capabilities
- Self-discipline through movement and activities that absorb them in their work
- Self-esteem by being part of a loving atmosphere
- Social awareness through participation in a group setting
- Comprehensive academic skills through use of the unique Montessori didactic materials
- A sense of responsibility and its relationship with freedom through caring for themselves and their environment
Land Acknowledgment for Hands-On Montessori School
At Hands-On Montessori School, we respectfully acknowledge that the land on which we gather in Mansfield, Massachusetts is the traditional territory of the Wampanoag people. The Wampanoag Nation, whose ancestral language is Wôpanâak, has lived on and cared for this land for thousands of years.
We honor their deep and enduring relationship with the land and the cultural and spiritual significance carried through their language, stories, and traditions. We recognize and support the Wampanoag people's ongoing efforts to revitalize their language and preserve their ways of life.
As a Montessori community rooted in peace, respect, and care for the Earth, we are committed to listening, learning, and walking in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. We pay our deepest respects to Wampanoag elders—past, present, and emerging—and to all those who continue the work of healing, teaching, and remembering.
At Hands-On Montessori School, we provide a foundation for personal and academic growth and success. We encourage students to become engaged and excited with their schoolwork through active learning. Students are encouraged to pursue studies in all areas of their spontaneous personal interest using hands-on “experiential” learning through concrete manipulative learning materials, experimental discovery, and group experiences. Hands-On Montessori School is committed to both high standards of individual academic achievement while, at the same time, respecting the child’s human dignity and well being.