Sunstone Montessori Middle School offers an educational experience designed with the specific needs of early adolescents at its heart. This period of life is filled with profound transformation—physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually. Students are developing a new sense of identity, becoming more aware of their place in the world, and seeking meaningful ways to express themselves. In recognition of these developmental realities, Sunstone has created a learning environment that nurtures students while challenging them to stretch, explore, and grow.

Montessori education is particularly well suited to this age because it honors the natural ways adolescents learn. Rather than expecting students to adapt to a rigid academic structure, Sunstone’s program begins with who they are: curious, energetic, socially driven, and eager to do work that feels purposeful. This philosophy comes to life through Sunstone’s Plans of Study & Work curriculum—interdisciplinary projects that weave together academic content and real-world skills. These cycles, each lasting a few weeks, guide students through rich explorations of ecology, applied mathematics, humanities, arts, food systems, and more.

Whether caring for goats, building cold frames for the garden, carving wood at the Milwaukie Community Center, or designing products to sell as part of their micro-economy, students gain both practical skills and deep academic insight. These experiences strengthen executive functioning, critical thinking, and collaboration—competencies that form the foundation of independence later in life.

The school’s expansive 12-acre campus amplifies this learning in ways few middle school environments can match. Students engage daily with the land: preparing communal lunches, cultivating gardens, maintaining natural spaces, caring for animals, and partnering with neighboring communities.

These responsibilities create a natural rhythm of work and reflection, shaping responsibility, self-discipline, and interdependence. As adolescents navigate decisions—what to cook for lunch, how to manage weekly chores, or how to care for animals—they practice essential life skills: negotiating differing opinions, compromising, planning, managing time, and working for the good of the group.

These lessons support both social development and emotional maturity.

Alongside these hands-on experiences, Sunstone provides strong academic instruction. Students engage in math, English language arts, Spanish, music, digital media, and applied arts with specialists who bring depth and passion to their subjects. Academic lessons may stand alone or integrate with the Plans of Study & Work, creating a rich and balanced educational foundation. This blend ensures students are prepared for high school and beyond—not only meeting academic expectations but often exceeding them with confidence and clarity about their strengths.

One of the most distinctive features of Sunstone’s middle school is the intentional culture of belonging it fosters. Adolescents need a community where they feel safe being themselves, where they can try on new identities, and where they are encouraged to take healthy risks. Sunstone’s guides support this journey by knowing each student deeply. Through an advisory system that pairs each student with an advisor, young people set personal, academic, and social-emotional goals, reflect on their growth, and stay connected to their own development. Advisors, students, and parents form a collaborative “advisory triangle,” ensuring consistent communication and shared understanding throughout the year. This personalized guidance helps students build self-awareness and confidence—qualities essential for thriving in the turbulent adolescent years.

Parents frequently describe remarkable transformations in their children during their time at Sunstone, noting how they become more grounded, joyful, confident, and socially connected.

Families regularly express gratitude for the way Sunstone supports students through the complexities of adolescence, offering a place where they can grow academically, socially, and emotionally in a setting that feels both safe and inspiring.

Compared to traditional middle school environments, Sunstone offers a profoundly different model—one that blends intellectual rigor with meaningful work, freedom with responsibility, and personal exploration with community engagement.

Students are not only learning academic content; they are learning how to think, plan, communicate, collaborate, and contribute. This is education closely tied to human development, giving students a practical and purposeful foundation for high school and beyond.

Sunstone Montessori Middle School is more than a school—it is a thriving community where adolescents discover their abilities, build lasting relationships, and experience learning that feels relevant and deeply engaging. It is a place where young people are known, supported, and encouraged to become the most confident and capable versions of themselves.

To learn more or schedule a tour, families are invited to visit the Sunstone website and see firsthand how the school is thoughtfully shaping the middle school experience with intention, warmth, and a clear commitment to student well-being.