History                                            
Many of Monroe's most promising and talented students leave the county in order to complete their high school education; others stay in the county but receive an education that is less challenging and satisfying than their experience at Meadow Montessori School (MMS). Meadow Montessori High School (MMHS) was founded in September 2004 to provide academically talented students an alternative in Monroe.

Meadow Montessori School was founded in 1984 and is affiliated with the Association of Independent Michigan Schools, American Montessori Society, and Association Montessori Internationale.

Structure                                        
The Meadow Montessori High School (MMHS) program is a three-year program. The core of the program is an individualized educational plan with an emphasis on high academic performance, unique experience, and opportunities for leadership and service.

Each student is assigned a mentor (with a limit of 10 students to one mentor). The role of the mentor is to guide his/her students both philosophically and practically. The mentor spends time each day with students in discussion and academic support. The mentor is also responsible for coordinating the student's schedule, assisting with college selection and applications, and always--ALWAYS--searching for and exploring additional educational opportunities.  

Background                                   
Montessori schools are organized from preschool through high school in three-year age spans. MMS added 9th grade in 1995, making our middle school program a three-year program. Our high school program is designed as a three-year program. There are only a handful of Montessori high schools in North America.

Partnerships                                  
MMHS has developed a significant partnership with Monroe County Community College (MCCC). Students in their 2nd and 3rd year of high school take many of their core academic courses (especially mathematics and science) at MCCC. However, students in the 10th grade may, if qualified and applicable, also participate in course work at MCCC.

Students participate in other non-core academic classes (music, art, drama) at Monroe High School and other area schools.   This opportunity affords our students access to a larger social group without having to compromise academic excellence. MMHS also maintains its own highly talented teaching staff.

Our current staff (2005-2006) includes teachers who hold degrees from the following institutions:

• Bates College
• Cornell University
• University of Michigan
• University of Wisconsin

Curriculum                                  
There are four distinct parts to our curriculum:

• Academics
• Global View
• Community Action and Leadership
• Practical Life

1) Academics
Students have a well-rounded and complete liberal arts/college preparation curriculum. Our students work at the advanced placement level in most areas and/or take college level courses.

The graduation requirements are distributed in the following six categories:

• Group 1: Literature and language arts
• Group 2: Foreign language
• Group 3: Individuals and Culture, which would include history, geography, economics, social and cultural anthropology, information technology, business and management
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics and Computer Science
• Group 6: The Arts

2) Global View: Citizens of the World
Building on the groundwork already in place from the Montessori elementary and middle school curricula, high school course work stresses the understanding of people and events through a historical, national, and international perspective.

3) Community Action and Leadership
Ongoing community action/involvement is an important part of the high school program. Leadership is a skill that is both taught and developed.

Community service at MMS begins at the elementary level and continues through the middle school program. In high school, community service becomes community action. For example, a first-year high school student might coach an MMS tee-ball or soccer group. But leadership truly occurs when a person starts something new-- a new service, club, or activity.

Start Something New is a graduation requirement.

4) Practical Life
We recognize that education involves real life skills. In the Montessori world, real life skills are taught from the earliest ages, so it only makes sense that we continue this practice in high school. The following practical life activities will be required for graduation:

• Driver's training (including basic mechanics)
• Basic culinary skills
• Personal finance
• Consumer education
• Physical education / activity
• Health

Independent Study        
Each student completes a year-long independent study each year that involves, but is not limited to, a research paper. The students present their work work each May in a formal academic setting.

Higher Education           
MMHS has had only three high school graduates; however, graduates of Meadow Montessori School's elementary/middle school program have attended the following four-year institutions:

Alma College
Bard College
Bowling Green University
Case Western Reserve University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Eastern Michigan University
Hillsdale College
Kenyon College
Michigan State University
Michigan Technological University of Houghton
Sarah Lawrence College
St. Mary College / Notre Dame
Stanford University
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of Michigan - Dearborn
University of Pennsylvania
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University