Business Details
45 Years
experience
Montessori School in St Helena, CA | Sun and Stars Montessori
Sun and Stars Montessori has been dedicated to early childhood education since its founding in 1981. Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong love of learning through a nurturing Montessori environment that supports children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth. With a team of experienced educators, we provide structured programs for toddlers, preschoolers, and transitional kindergarten students, emphasizing independence, sensory development, and cultural awareness. Our approach fosters holistic development through practical life activities, language enrichment, and social-emotional learning.We maintain strong partnerships with families to create a cohesive educational experience. The school's lead teachers collectively bring over four decades of Montessori expertise, ensuring individualized attention and a commitment to Maria Montessori's philosophy of child-centered learning. Our programs operate in a carefully prepared environment that encourages exploration, creativity, and community building.
Services
Preschool Programs
Toddler Programs
TK Classes
Practical Life Activities
Sensory Development
Language Enrichment
Social-Emotional Learning
Cultural Education
Outdoor Play
Parent Workshops
Details
- Year established: 1981
Highlights and features
- Our lead teaching staff has over 40 years of combined Montessori experience.
- We implement Maria Montessori's proven methodology for child-centered learning.
- Our child-sized environments promote autonomy and developmental milestones.
- We maintain low teacher-to-child ratios for personalized attention.
- Our curriculum integrates practical life skills with academic preparation.
Services
Preschool Programs
Our Montessori preschool programs serve children aged 3 to 6 years through structured, child-led learning experiences. The curriculum includes practical life activities, sensorial materials, mathematics, language arts, and cultural studies. With mixed-age classrooms and extended work periods, children develop independence, problem-solving skills, and social competence while preparing for future academic success.
Toddler Programs
Designed for children aged 18 months to 3 years, our toddler programs focus on motor skill development, language acquisition, and socialization. Through carefully prepared environments with child-sized materials, toddlers build confidence in self-care activities, fine motor coordination, and respectful peer interactions while establishing foundational learning habits.
Language Enrichment
Our language curriculum integrates English and Spanish through storytelling, vocabulary building, and tactile learning materials. Children develop communication skills using sandpaper letters, phonetic objects, and interactive books while gaining cultural awareness through multilingual experiences that support cognitive development and early literacy.
Practical Life Activities
Montessori practical life exercises teach essential self-care and environmental care skills through real-world tasks. Children practice pouring, sweeping, dressing frames, and plant care to develop fine motor coordination, concentration, and independence while building confidence in daily living activities.
Parent Workshops
We offer educational workshops to strengthen family-school partnerships through Montessori principles. Parents learn about child development, classroom practices, and home environment preparation to support consistent learning experiences that reinforce our educational philosophy and promote child autonomy.
People
Tammy Harbison
Executive Director
Tammy has led Sun and Stars Montessori since 2008, combining her personal Montessori education experience with administrative expertise. She ensures high-quality programming while maintaining the school's founding vision of nurturing self-directed learning and child development.
Maria Garcia
Lead Montessori Teacher - Suns
With over 40 years of Montessori teaching experience, Maria specializes in creating responsive learning environments that adapt to children's evolving interests while maintaining consistent Montessori principles and fostering natural curiosity.
Nelida Jacobo
Lead Montessori Teacher - Stars
Nelida has dedicated nearly two decades to Montessori education, focusing on toddler development. Her approach emphasizes emotional intelligence and social skills through patient guidance, creating secure environments where young children thrive.
Lucero Guzman
Lead Montessori Teacher - Little Dippers
Lucero specializes in early toddler education, guiding children through critical developmental milestones. Her community-focused approach builds strong family connections while supporting children's growing independence and self-expression.
Johanna Muessel
Lead Teacher - Suns
Johanna brings international teaching experience from five countries to her Montessori practice. With a BA in Early Childhood Education, she integrates global perspectives into classroom activities while maintaining core Montessori methodologies.
Questions
What age range do you serve?
We accept children aged 18 months (starting July 2025) through six years old, offering toddler, preschool, and transitional kindergarten programs.
What Montessori credentials do your teachers hold?
Our lead teachers have decades of combined Montessori experience, with specialized training in early childhood education and ongoing professional development in Montessori methodologies.
What program options are available?
We offer full-week (Monday-Friday) and part-time schedules with half-day (9:00 AM-12:00 PM) or full-day (9:00 AM-3:00 PM) options for all age groups.
How do you involve parents in the educational process?
We provide parent workshops, regular communication channels, and collaborative planning opportunities to maintain strong family-school partnerships aligned with Montessori principles.
What curriculum areas do you emphasize?
Our curriculum focuses on practical life skills, sensory development, language acquisition, mathematics, cultural studies, and social-emotional learning through Montessori materials and child-led exploration.
