guided by deep roots. growing toward tomorrow.
In 1981, a handful of families and their children gathered in a living room in Mt. Rainier, MD — and the school that would become Oak Grove Montessori began.
These first families shared a simple conviction: that their children, and their neighbors’ children, deserved an education that nourished them in body, mind, and spirit.
More than four decades later, that living room has grown into a grove: a community of families, teachers, and children rooted in faith, in the Montessori approach, and in each other.
Today, Oak Grove Montessori (formerly Christian Family Montessori) is an AMI-accredited school for kids in preschool through 8th grade that pairs child-centered learning with spiritual development, making joyful, whole-child education radically accessible to families across the DMV.
While much has evolved since our founding, what hasn’t changed is why we started — the belief that children are already whole, already capable, and deserve an education that treats them that way.
We didn’t set out to build a school.
We set out to build a community.
45
years of joyful learning
100+
students enrolled from preschool through 8th grade
40%
of students receive tuition assistance
61%
of families come from other or no faith traditions
53%
of families from D.C.
the beliefs that guide us
We believe childhood is sacred.
That learning should feel like discovery, not pressure.
That children are not empty vessels to be filled—but whole people, already rich in spirit, capable of leading, loving, and creating.
We believe school can be different.
Rooted in wonder, not worry.
Formed by faith, not fear.
Driven by purpose, not performance.
In a world that has traded play for productivity, stillness for screens, and meaning for metrics,
we restore what matters most:
-
Joyful learning
-
Spiritual depth
-
Compassionate community
-
And the God-given dignity of every child.
This is not school as usual.
This is education, made whole.
Come join us.
Oak Grove Montessori is a diverse community of parents, children, and staff working together to provide an affordable Montessori education that prepares children to meet the academic, social, and moral challenges ahead and to grow in a loving relationship with God through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Our Mission
Kindness: We reflect Christ’s unconditional love of all people.
Curiosity: We nurture independence, self-direction, and joyful learning.
Community: We work together in a welcoming, inclusive, diverse community.
Our Values
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is our approach to spiritual formation — a Montessori-based practice that trusts children to wonder, ask, and make meaning for themselves as they encounter the stories of Scripture. No memorization, no lecturing: just a space where a child’s natural sense of the sacred is taken seriously.
welcoming, inclusive, diverse — by design
At Oak Grove, we believe a good education has to include everyone. We welcome families of every race, ethnicity, and religious background, and we affirm children and families of every sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Every person in our community — students, families, faculty, neighbors — brings something different, and we believe that’s exactly what makes us stronger.
We also know that bias shows up everywhere, including here, so we don’t pretend otherwise. We talk about it openly, we work to notice it in ourselves, and we teach our kids to do the same — because raising children who treat people with fairness and kindness starts with the adults around them leading by example.
Why "Oak Grove"
A grove is never just one tree. It’s many trees, growing side by side, roots intertwined, holding each other up — a community, not a collection of individuals.
That's what this school has always been. And in 2026, we gave that community a new name: Oak Grove Montessori.