Independent
Young child putting their art on the wall

“No one can be free unless [they are] independent. Therefore, the first active manifestations of the child's individual liberty must be so guided that through this activity he may arrive at independence.”

At Montessori School of Durham, the child is in the process of becoming.

MSD graduates become

Prepared
An Early Childhood student works with a math lesson on formation of numbers.

"We do not say that we want to prepare a school for the children, we wish to prepare an environment for life, where the child can develop a life." -Maria Montessori

Modern neuroscience confirms that classic Montessori methods promote problem solving, independent thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

Why Montessori? Prepare your child.

Transformed
Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world.

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform [them] into the world." -Maria Montessori

This transformation begins in our prepared environments that foster the
development of order, concentration, coordination, and independence in a gentle atmosphere of respect, care, grace, and courtesy. 

Explore our transformative programs.

Upcoming Events

Recent News

Sign up to attend MSD's screening of "Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition" This new version of the original Screenagers movie addresses issues that elementary school aged kids, parents and educators are facing, i.e., smartwatches in class, unhooking from and monitoring video gaming, social media pressures, exposure too young and what research shows is a healthy amount of screen time. The documentary offers many solutions to these and other challenges.

Hurricane Relief Donation Drive

To support Western North Carolina following the devastating hurricane Helene, the Upper Elementary class and MSD’s Community Connections Committee is coordinating a donation drive. Donations collected at MSD will be delivered to Triangle Mutual Aid, a partner of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, for transport up to Western NC.

Urgent Relief Donation Needs:

  • Water!
  • Baby Formula
  • Food, esp. nonperishable
  • Menstrual products
  • Fans
  • Bleach
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Big plastic bins
  • Charged phone power packs
  • Generators
  • Charcoal, no-fluid starter
  • Flashlights
  • Tents, tarps for unhoused

You and your child can drop donations in collection bins at arrival/dismissal points on campus.

    MSD admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, family structure, age, citizenship, military status, and genetic information to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. MSD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, family structure, age, citizenship, military status, and genetic information in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan program, hiring policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.