History

In 2007 Keri Garavaglia moved with her husband to Whatcom County, Washington with a dream of starting a Montessori school. Keri’s grandparents, Aubra and Dorothy Tilley, generously offered to help her fulfill this dream. They joined together with other local Montessorians and Pioneer Meadows Montessori School (PMMS) was born. PMMS moved to its current location in the fall of 2008 with a temporary building. The next fall, Salmonberry Montessori in Bellingham, led by Alexandra Sands, became part of Pioneer Meadows. PMMS’ first permanent classroom was built in the fall of 2009 and our new 10,000 sf school was completed in the fall of 2011. Our grounds now include a barn, spacious playgrounds and outdoor learning areas, as well as raised beds for gardening.

Pioneer Meadows Montessori School became a nonprofit organization in 2010. In 2019 our school became known as Meadows Montessori School (MMS). We have hopes of expanding our programs in the 2020/2021 school year to include a young children’s community.

MMS classroom lead guides are all Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) certified Montessori teachers. The school received AMI recognition in the spring of 2016 and continues regular consultations to hold our school to the highest AMI standards. MMS is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The school is located on 5.6 acres in Ferndale, WA adjacent to 20+ acres of open space. Our school is home to a small flock of sheep and laying hens – all of which are collaboratively cared for by our children and staff.

MMS offers an authentic Montessori setting with a nurturing environment designed to respect the natural growth of the children. We are a dynamic school seeking to help create a healthy community of children, families, staff, and community members. We seek to fulfill this goal.