Raintree was founded in 1978 by a small group of dedicated people with a vision of a special place for all children. The vision was for a beautiful place where children could go about their task of self-construction, a place lovingly and intentionally prepared for children. The vision included finding and preparing adults for this most noble work, who were willing to humble themselves and, as Dr. Montessori had admonished, “have the faith to follow the child.” Their qualities of being life-long learners, having an enduring sense of humor, holding a profound respect for children as well as their ability to function without enough sleep (at least in those early years) have helped to see the vision to fruition.

Raintree is a beautifully prepared environment physically, both indoors and out and is staffed with carefully and lovingly prepared adults who uphold the ideals of the Montessori philosophy. It is the love shared among the children and adults as well as the love that we all feel toward our prepared environment that is the foundation of the spirit of Raintree, inevitably felt by anyone who spends any time in the community that is our school. We have from the beginning been dedicated to providing working families with not only the finest in early childhood and elementary education, but with the security that they were able to go to work full in the knowledge that their children were getting the very best and most loving care available outside their immediate family.

~This text was written by Connie Black, one of Raintree’s founding teachers.