Adolescent (Middle School & High School)

Cultivating Growth Through Meaningful Work and Real-World Experience

“Education should therefore include the two forms of work, manual and intellectual, for the same person, and thus make it understood by practical experience that these two kinds complete each other and are equally essential to a civilized existence.”

Maria Montessori
From Childhood to Adolescence

Our Adolescent Program is thoughtfully designed around the developmental needs of middle and high school students, with a spiral curriculum that deepens understanding over time and reinforces meaningful connections across disciplines.

As students progress, they cultivate a holistic perspective—integrating knowledge, character, and leadership through purposeful work and engagement within the community.

Pillars of the Adolescent Program

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engagement in work

Students will:

• demonstrate initiative.
• develop a personal attachment to work.
• acquire the skills to work independently.
• complete work and tasks in a timely manner.
• focus on quality of work and strive for excellence.

investment in community

Students will:

work in a collaborative and cooperative manner.be welcoming, polite, and considerate of others.
work to resolve conflicts with others peacefully.
show empathy and understanding towards others.
recognize and appreciate others’ gifts.
be positive contributors to the school community, passing on knowledge and expertise to other students.
serve others in the school and larger community.

care for place

Students will:

demonstrate care and respect for their environment.
be good stewards of the school resources.
appreciate the efforts that go into working the land.
develop an understanding of the interconnectedness of the natural world and our work in it.

self-knowledge

Students will:

develop the habit of self-reflection
become aware of their gifts and challenges
discern their place in the community
use feedback to improve
learn to self-advocate
demonstrate adaptability

love of learning

Students will:

maintain an attitude of wonder and curiosity.
ask questions and seek answers.
solve problems in creative ways.
civilly discuss questions and ideas.
acquire the habit of going in-depth with work.
initiate further studies of topics presented.
see the connections between what we study.
appreciate the contributions of those who have come before us.
find joy in meaningful work.

spiritual development

Students will:

develop a relationship with God.
show an appreciation for Sacred Scripture.
demonstrate piety and a knowledge of the faith.
aspire to acquire virtue and seek wisdom.
develop and cherish friendships.
pursue the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Adolescent Curriculum

Academic Work

The St. Helena Montessori Adolescent Program (Middle School and High School) realizes Dr. Maria Montessori’s full vision for the third plane of development, that of adolescence. Montessori’s plan of work and study makes possible the integration of body, mind, and soul in the emerging adult.

The farm is foundational for Montessori’s “pedagogy of place”, the grounding upon which an adolescent community can build, in both work and study. On the farm, adolescents naturally encounter the realities of the adult world, a place where work is essential and community is integral, a place where freedom and responsibility are indispensable. On the farm, opportunities for personal growth as well as growth as an individual in community abound.

The core academic curriculum is steeped in the classics of Western Civilization and provides a cohesive framework from which to understand the world. Within this framework, many areas of study are explored, and individuals are given the freedom to seek out and find areas that they want to further understand according to their interests. The curriculum is spiral in nature, returning to previously covered topics, enabling students to go more in-depth each year in the program.

Community Work

The overarching goal of the Adolescent Program is to provide a healthy social environment where young people are able to thrive. To that end, we provide opportunities for social life in a real context, one where each member’s contribution is valued and helps to build up our community. Along with these opportunities, we coach students in how to best work together harmoniously to achieve common goals and objectives. We seek to graduate young people who are independent, have a good work ethic, are able to care for themselves and others, and, ultimately, approach life with a grateful spirit.

Students are always working in one way or another in building up our culture in positive and constructive ways, including daily community work: