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About Us

 

Lupine Community Montessori Charter School (LCMCS) is a public Montessori charter school serving children ages 2½ to 14. We provide an authentic, high-quality Montessori education to all students. Our staff brings more than 100 years of combined Montessori experience, and our school is led by AMI-trained Montessori administrators. All teachers are Montessori-trained and Oregon-licensed or Charter School Registered, with many holding advanced degrees.

We remain deeply committed to our mission: to be a public Montessori community where people can connect, contribute, learn, and grow. We strive to create an open, inclusive, and welcoming environment for every member of our community—free from discrimination and grounded in respect.

Central to our work is supporting the development of the whole child—intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically.
Our AMI-accredited Guides help students:

  • Develop independent, critical thinking

  • Build adaptable and resourceful problem-solving skills

  • Grow into compassionate, engaged global citizens

As a nonprofit organization, we also invest in our broader community. We actively collaborate with mission-aligned nonprofits and public agencies to expand opportunities for students and strengthen the families we serve.

 

School History

LCMCS was founded by members of our community. In the early 2000s, several families joined together to create a new educational option for children in the Gresham area. In 2006, the founding committee received a federal grant to develop an elementary charter school proposal for the Gresham-Barlow School District that centered on Montessori education. In 2008, the District Board unanimously approved the charter, and our school was created.

Originally named Lewis & Clark Montessori Charter School, the school opened in fall 2008 with two Lower Elementary classrooms and one Kindergarten classroom. In 2012, the District approved a five-year charter renewal that included expansion through 8th grade. By 2013, the Montessori Adolescent Corps (MAC) opened to serve middle school students.

Within ten years, enrollment had grown to nearly 400 students from 13 school districts, reaching families from areas including Molalla, West Linn, SE Portland, and Corbett.

In 2023–2024, the school community participated in a renaming campaign to select a name that better reflected our identity and values. Beginning in the 2024–2025 school year, the school officially became Lupine Community Montessori Charter School.

In 2025, LCMCS completed the purchase of two buildings to support our Primary and MAC programs—an important milestone in securing long-term stability and expanding our capacity.

 

LCMCS Today

LCMCS is now the largest public Montessori school in Oregon, serving over 400 students from more than 225 families. Our programs include:

  • Two tuition-based Children’s House classrooms for ages 3–6

  • Twelve tuition-free charter classrooms, including:

    • Four Younger Elementary classrooms

    • Four Older Elementary classrooms

    • A full middle school program (MAC)

 

LCMCS Logo containing a Lupine Flower

 

 

A multi-story building with shops on the ground floor and apartments above.

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.

 

Lupine Community Montessori School
1326 NW Civic Dr.
Gresham, Oregon 97030
Phone: +1 503-427-0803