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ABOUT US         

Lupine Community Montessori Charter School is a public charter Montessori school for children aged 2 ½ to 14. We provide an authentic & high-quality Montessori program to all our students. Our staff has a combined total experience of over 100 years in Montessori education. We are led by AMI Montessori-trained administrators, our teachers are all Montessori-trained and Oregon licensed or Charter School Registered, and most have Master’s degrees.

We loyally follow our mission: to be a public Montessori community where peopel can connect, contribute, learn, and grow. We are also committed to providing an open and welcoming environment for all members of our community that is free from discrimination

Critical to these outcomes is the development of the whole child: intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically.

Our AMI accredited Guides help students to:

  • develop independent thought
  • build resourceful problem-solving skills
  • prepare students to become positive world citizens.

We are also a non-profit organization that attracts and serves our community. We actively seek partnerships with other like-minded non-profits and government agencies to provide the best for our students and to better serve our local communities.

School History

Our school was founded by our community. Many years ago, several families came together to create a new educational opportunity for their own children and others in the Gresham area. In the spring of 2006, the founding committee received a federal grant to develop a proposal for a new elementary charter school in the Gresham-Barlow School District incorporating a Montessori curriculum. In the spring of 2008, the District Board voted unanimously for our approval, and our school was born.

Lupine Community Montessori Charter School, then Lewis & Clark Montessori Charter School, opened in the fall of 2008 with two younger elementary classrooms and a kindergarten classroom. In June 2012, the District approved a five-year charter, including expansion through the 8th grade. By the fall of 2013, the Lewis & Clark Montessori Adolescent Corps (MAC) opened to middle school students.

By its tenth year, the school had grown to almost 400 students from families who live as far away as Mollala, West Linn, SE Portland, and Corbett and come from 13 different school districts. 

During the 2023-2024 school year the school conducted a campaign to select a new name which better acknowledged our community. Lupine Community Montessori Charter School was officially renamed in the 2024-2025 school year. 

In 2025 LCMCS completed the purchase of two buildings to house our Primary and MAC programs. 

Today, Lupine Community Montessori Charter School is the largest public Montessori school in Oregon and serves over 400 students from 225+ families.  LCMCS includes two tuition-based  Children’s House classrooms for students ages 3-6 years and 12 tuition-free classrooms as part of our public charter: four Younger Elementary classrooms, four Older Elementary classrooms, and a middle school program. 

ABOUT US         

Lupine Community Montessori Charter School is a public charter Montessori school for children aged 2 ½ to 14. We provide an authentic & high-quality Montessori program to all our students. Our staff has a combined total experience of over 100 years in Montessori education. We are led by AMI Montessori-trained administrators, our teachers are all Montessori-trained and Oregon licensed or Charter School Registered, and most have Master’s degrees.

We loyally follow our mission: to be a public Montessori community where peopel can connect, contribute, learn, and grow. We are also committed to providing an open and welcoming environment for all members of our community that is free from discrimination

Critical to these outcomes is the development of the whole child: intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically.

Our AMI accredited Guides help students to:

  • develop independent thought
  • build resourceful problem-solving skills
  • prepare students to become positive world citizens.

We are also a non-profit organization that attracts and serves our community. We actively seek partnerships with other like-minded non-profits and government agencies to provide the best for our students and to better serve our local communities.

School History

Our school was founded by our community. Many years ago, several families came together to create a new educational opportunity for their own children and others in the Gresham area. In the spring of 2006, the founding committee received a federal grant to develop a proposal for a new elementary charter school in the Gresham-Barlow School District incorporating a Montessori curriculum. In the spring of 2008, the District Board voted unanimously for our approval, and our school was born.

Lewis & Clark Montessori opened in the fall of 2008 with two younger elementary classrooms and a kindergarten classroom. In June 2012, the District approved a five-year charter, including expansion through the 8th grade. By the fall of 2013, the Lewis & Clark Montessori Adolescent Corps (MAC) opened to middle school students.

By its tenth year, the school had grown to almost 400 students from families who live as far away as Mollala, West Linn, SE Portland, and Corbett and come from 13 different school districts. 

During the 2023-2024 school year the school conducted a campaign to select a new name which better acknowledged our community. Lupine Community Montessori Charter School was officially renamed in the 2024-2025 school year. 

In 2025 LCMCS completed the purchase of two buildings to house our Primary and MAC programs. 

Today, Lupine Community Montessori Charter School is the largest public Montessori school in Oregon and serves over 400 students from 225+ families.  LCMCS includes two tuition-based  Children’s House classrooms for students ages 3-6 years and 12 tuition-free classrooms as part of our public charter: four Younger Elementary classrooms, four Older Elementary classrooms, and a middle school program. 

Our Mission

We are a public Montessori community where people can connect, contribute, learn, and grow.

Our Vision

We will unleash human potential by cultivating curious minds so that students will be confident in who they are and discover their roles in the global community.

 

Our Strategic Priorities

Safety and Belonging

We create and actively maintain an environment where every community member thrives and feels secure and valued.

  • We wholeheartedly commit to liberating human potential by focusing on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.  
  • We foster a compassionate environment where basic needs are met and dignity is respected. 
  • We maintain consistency and predictability while offering the freedom for each individual to be and become their authentic self.

Community and Connection
We nurture active members of society who understand their role as citizens of the world, building a strong foundation for lifelong community engagement and social responsibility.

  • We promote meaningful community engagement beyond school walls through education events, field experiences, and family conferences.
  • Students learn to participate in their communities, developing the awareness and skills needed to understand current events and contribute positively to the world around them. 
  • We nurture an understanding of the connection between all living things and the planet, promoting a responsibility to care for the earth.
  • We are thoughtfully creating and maintaining a sustainable organization that supports the interconnectedness of the school’s program levels across the Montessori planes of development.

 

High-Fidelity Montessori Education
Our commitment to deliver high-quality Montessori education creates opportunities for children to think, learn, and grow in ways that honor their natural development at every stage from primary (preschool) through adolescence. 

  • We actively recruit and invest in highly trained and credentialed Montessori guides through continuing education, peer collaboration, and coaching support.  
  • We deliver academic standards without sacrificing the fidelity of Montessori pedagogy.
  • Our guides facilitate each child’s individualized education, actively supporting holistic growth with a focus on mind, body, and spirit.
  • Students develop practical skills for life through purposeful activities, which develop greater coordination, concentration, and a sense of responsibility for care of self and the environment.
  • We integrate creative expression throughout our curriculum, allowing students to explore art and music in all aspects of their learning environment.
  • We prioritize a primary program, recognizing that it provides the foundation for the elementary and adolescent programs with an intentional focus on equitable funding options and accessible enrollment.