Childpeace Family Education Events

Montessori Mornings

Second Wednesday of Each Month • 8:45 - 10:00 AM • Childpeace Conference Room

September 10, October 8, November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13

After drop off please stay and visit with our Early Childhood Program Director, Venus Zaron. She will share Montessori philosophy and method and then open it up for questions and dialogue.

Montessori and the Science of Literacy with Guest Speaker, Jess Fraley

Thursday, November 13 • 4:00 – 5:30 PM • Childpeace Conference Room

Jess Fraley will be here at Childpeace to give a presentation on Montessori and the Science of Literacy, followed by an opportunity to ask questions and engage in further discussion. Jess serves as both an AMI Primary (3–6) Trainer and Executive Assistant at Montessori Northwest. Drawing on her experience working directly with Primary-aged children and guiding adults in Montessori practice, she brings a unique perspective to early childhood education.

Cosmic Education in the Elementary Years

Tuesday, December 2 • 4:00 – 5:00 PM • Upper Elementary Classrooms

Please join Elementary Guides Rachael Hillery and Daniel Withers as they share key aspects of Cosmic Education, presented through the Great Stories and Key Lessons. The Great Stories open the doors of imagination and inquiry into the physical sciences, biological sciences, human history, and the stories of language and mathematics. The Key Lessons build on these narratives, providing the framework for the more detailed lessons and presentations offered in the classroom.

Cosmic Education is Montessori’s plan for children in the second plane of development, ages 6 to 12. But what does that mean? Grounded in close observation of the elementary child, Cosmic Education begins with presenting the whole universe as the foundation for exploration. By offering this “big picture,” children begin to see the interrelatedness of all things and to integrate their experiences across subjects. In Montessori classrooms, the adult offers the Great Stories and Key Lessons as a guide and point of departure. From there, the child’s curiosity leads the way. What they discover and learn extends far beyond what the adult presents.

Cooking with Toddlers

Thursday, December 11 • 4:00 – 5:00 PM • Oak Room

Please join Analyn Nguyen (Oak Room Guide) for a fun and practical event that will support you in involving your young child in cooking at home. For the first half of the event, parents will attend a short presentation on how to support their child in the kitchen and encourage independence. During the second half the children will join their parents in the Oak Room to prepare their own snacks. Analyn will guide the children with simple lessons accordingly for their age and abilities. This event will be an enjoyable and hands-on experience for both parents and children.

Silent Journey & Discovery

January 23–24, 2026

Details to come.

Toilet Learning: Montessori Style

Thursday, October 23 • 4:00 – 5:00 PM • Childpeace Conference Room

Join Toddler Community Guide Jennifer Lyons to hear how we support toilet learning at Childpeace Montessori School. While using the toilet is something only the child can actually do, we use many supportive techniques to encourage and reinforce this important skill of independence!

Preparing for the Emerging Adolescent

Tuesday, October 21 • 4:00 – 5:30 PM • Metro Building

Please join Metro Program Director Chara Stamp and Upper Elementary Guide Kaelee Kress for a presentation on preparing for adolescence through independence, real-world learning, and social responsibility. They will share how our approach supports adolescents’ physical, emotional, and social growth by offering meaningful work, collaborative environments, extended opportunities for self-directed learning, and guidance rooted in respect rather than rigid instruction.

Adolescents occupy a unique stage of life: no longer children, yet not fully oriented as adults. To support their ongoing self-construction, the guidance of adults (family members, trusted friends, and teachers) must be grounded in a deep understanding of their characteristics and needs. Maria Montessori identified two critical needs of the adolescent: “These two needs of the adolescent; for protection during the time of difficult physical transition, and for an understanding of the society which he is about to enter to play his part as a man, give rise to two problems that are of equal importance concerning education at this age.” -Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence

What About Kindergarten?

Tuesday, October 14 • 4:00 – 5:00 PM • Cedar Room

Join us to learn about the leadership year in the Children’s House, the Montessori alternative to traditional kindergarten. In this presentation, Stephanie Wiant (Children’s House Guide) and Pam Bishop (former Children’s House Guide, current Licensing and Compliance Specialist) will share about the final year in the Children’s House when children reap the benefits of their foundational years in the classroom and thrive in leadership opportunities. You will also hear from Sara MacRae, one of our Lower Elementary Guides. We offer a robust experience that exceeds the academic, emotional, and social opportunities of traditional kindergarten!

Our Whole Lives: Middle School Parent/Caretaker Orientation

Wednesday, October 1 • 6:00 – 7:00 PM • Metro Building

Families new to Metro please join us for an important meeting to learn about one of the core elements of the Metro curriculum, Our Whole Lives (OWL), which is our comprehensive human sexuality program. We will share an overview of the curriculum and seek your explicit written consent for your adolescent’s participation in OWL. This orientation is required for families new to Metro. Families whose Metro alumni have participated in OWL in previous years are welcome to join us but not required to attend. An OWL permission form can be shared with you via email. Please note that this is an adult-only event and that only one caretaker per family is required to attend but all caretakers are welcome. If you are unable to attend, please contact Jon to arrange an alternate orientation.

Metro's High School Information Night

Monday, September 29 • 5:00 – 6:30 PM • Metro Building

All Metro families (adults and adolescents) are invited to attend this event at Metro to learn how to navigate the high school application process and to meet representatives of local independent schools. The event will begin with a mini-high school fair, between 5 and 6 PM, with admissions representatives from St. Mary’s Academy, Catlin Gabel, Northwest Academy, and OES confirmed to attend, along with Metro alumni who attend their schools. Jesuit and Central Catholic have also been invited, as well as representatives from Grant and Franklin, and we hope they will join us! At 6 PM, we will share an overview of key information for Portland area high schools (public and independent), preview the high school application process for independent schools, and answer your questions. More details will be shared the week before the event.