Organizers behind the proposed Good Shepherd Montessori School in Farmington say interest is growing as they work through state licensing and prepare to open a Catholic-Montessori primary program for children ages 3-6 in September.

The proposed school is a joint effort of St. Joseph and St. Rose parishes in Farmington and Jay, respectively. It would operate at St. Joseph Center, 130 Quebec St. It would combine Montessori education with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Catholic faith formation program designed for young children. Organizers said the effort emerged from years of parish discussion, educational planning and community consultation focused on creating new education options for rural Maine families.

“We are currently accepting registrations with a deposit with a goal of 14 children by July 1st,” the Rev. Paul Dumais wrote. “We can accept as many as 20 children.”

The school would offer a three-hour Montessori work cycle from 8:30-11:30 a.m. five days per week during a 36-week school year. Tuition for the 2026-27 school year is listed at $4,140.

Organizers said the Montessori model emerged after parish leaders spent more than a year consulting with educators, reviewing potential school models and evaluating how a Catholic school could operate sustainably in rural western Maine.

Dumais said the parishes were already familiar with Montessori-style learning through eight years of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programming for children.

“The parishes have been using a Montessori method of religious education for eight years and its reception by children ages 3-6 and 7-9 has been positive,” Dumais wrote. “We also saw the feasibility of multiage classrooms as an advantage for rural Maine.”

Another Montessori-based school, Maine Mountain Children’s House, has been open since 2006 and operates in Kingfield. It accepts students from parts of Franklin and Somerset counties.

The Good Shepherd proposal describes Montessori education as an approach centered on child development, independence and hands-on learning. In the classroom, children choose activities based on their developmental readiness and interests while teachers, known as guides, provide individualized instruction and observation.

“Teachers and staff must share in a sense of wonder for the child as inspired by Maria Montessori who affirmed children’s capacity for self-direction,” Dumais wrote. “The teacher, often called a guide, exercises keen observation of the child and serves the child in the process of education more like a midwife than an instructor.”

The school’s classroom has been renovated with volunteer support, Montessori furnishings and child-size learning materials designed to encourage independence and self-directed work. Organizers said the environment reflects core Montessori principles in which children can independently access classroom materials and move comfortably through the space.

Alison Gingras, who chairs the implementation committee, said the Montessori environment immediately stood out to her when she first visited a classroom.

“The first time I stepped into a Montessori classroom, I immediately felt that this was something profoundly different from anything I had previously experienced in education,” Gingras said. “It was peaceful and purposeful. I was struck by the deep respect shown to children and by the way the environment fostered independence.”

Gingras said volunteers and parish support helped transform the space into a functioning Montessori classroom.

“With volunteers and the generosity of the parishioners at St. Rose of Lima and St. Joseph, families will soon have access to child-centered education rooted in Montessori principles,” she said. “This is an exciting step forward for children and families in Farmington and the surrounding area.”

The proposed program incorporates Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, often referred to as CGS, a faith formation approach rooted in Montessori principles and reflective learning. According to the school handbook, children would participate in scripture and liturgy-based lessons in a dedicated atrium space designed for quiet contemplation and hands-on engagement.

Participation in the religious component would be voluntary, according to organizers. Families who choose not to participate would continue in the standard Montessori classroom program.

Organizers emphasized that the school is intended to serve the wider community, not only Catholic parishioners.

“Good Shepherd Montessori does not aim at a proselytizing environment,” Dumais wrote. “Good Shepherd Montessori School seeks to serve children ages three-years-old to six-years-old from the entire community.”

The proposal comes amid continued interest in alternative and homeschool education options in Maine following the COVID-19 pandemic. Proposal materials cite a Sun Journal report stating 251 students were being educated at home locally in 2025.

One prospective parent, Amelia, who did not want to give her last name, said the school’s focus on practical life skills and character development appealed to her family.

“I want my children to have the opportunity to continue to learn values and life lessons while at school,” Amelia said. “The atmosphere of Montessori education teaches crucial life lessons including manners, kindness, communication, tidiness and much more all in a way that is natural and not forced.”

Proposal documents say organizers hope the school can eventually expand into ages 7-9 and 10-12.

The school is working through licensing with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services as a nursery school and is targeting a September opening.

“We are providing professional Montessori training from Northeast Montessori Institute in Cambridge, MA as well as Catholic Montessori Institute in Bismarck, ND,” Dumais wrote.