Our History

 Guadalupe Montessori School (GMS) was founded in 1979 to provide the best in Montessori education for children ages 18 months to 12 years in Grant County. After several decades, GMS still serves the children and families of Grant County, maintaining a strong commitment to educational excellence, cultural and economic diversity, and affordable tuition.

We strive to support our students in becoming citizens who care about themselves and their community, and can make meaningful contributions to society. Internally, the school employs a highly talented and dedicated staff. Locally, GMS contributes to many community efforts and provides young community leaders. Nationally, GMS is viewed as a model school for Montessori-based education.

We value the development of the whole person, academic excellence, positive social skills and problem-solving abilities. We see children who early in life are motivated to learn, explore, question, and work cooperatively make the most successful choices later on, avoid problems common to their peers, become leaders socially and academically in their high school and community.

 GMS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Board of GMS holds the fiduciary responsibility of the school and governs policy and procedures. The School Director administrates the school's policies, manages the staff and defines the school's programs. The faculty and staff implement the school's programs directly with students and parents. The parent body is an integral part of the school community, taking an active role in the education of their child. Parents are responsible for maintaining close communication with school faculty and staff, as well as for supporting the operations of the school through volunteer hours. 

Organizational Endorsement

 It is the stated policy of GMS to: maintain recognition from AMI/USA, a widely respected international Montessori  organization, and uphold AMI Montessori principles; maintain a safe, stimulating and pleasing environment for all associated with the GMS community; provide for ongoing staff development; educate the community about the school and Montessori education; and to promote interaction with the community through service and educational events. We also maintain licensing with the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department. 

 The Guadalupe Montessori School is dedicated to delivering an accessible, authentic, high-quality Montessori education in a peaceful, supporting learning environment. We provide an accessible, high-quality choice that meets the needs of families and children in Grant County. AMI trained guides deliver our curriculum, supported by a skilled staff. Our board, faculty, and staff reflect the diversity of our community. We adhere to evidence-based pedagogy and strive to foster a life-long love of learning in all children. We provide the guidance and freedom for students to develop their current interests and discover new ideas. Our curriculum is built upon the core values of academic excellence, diversity, and social responsibility. We recognize that a highly trained, skillful staff is essential to our program, and we are committed to deep and integrated professional development that empowers our staff to grow personally and professionally.

In adopting evidence-based Montessori teaching methods, GMS has adopted a framework that supports academic excellence, social and emotional development, safety, and quality. Our program is flexible enough to address each child's developmental stage and learning style, while ensuring academic breadth and depth. We promote independence and self-confidence and recognize that every child has diverse strengths rooted in their unique family, culture, heritage, language, beliefs and circumstances. We also honor each child’s entelechy, a vital agent or life force that emerges only through individual exploration, expression, and purposeful effort. When the entelechy is honored, potential becomes realized and the individual becomes self-actualized.