Mission
Oak Meadow School is rooted in the child-centered Montessori philosophy, which fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and cultural awareness while nurturing children’s spirits. A diverse community of life-long learners, we cultivate confident, independent, and compassionate human beings by providing the tools and experiences needed to embark on rich, meaningful journeys as responsible citizens of the world.
Philosophy
Based on overwhelming evidence, we believe the Montessori approach provides the best possible foundation for teaching and learning. Because we believe it is our job to meet each student’s individual needs, we also incorporate the best and most current available educational research and thinking into our teaching. We teach our students to experiment, test, analyze, observe, and practice in their own educations; we, too, approach our school as a laboratory for ongoing learning. We believe a complete, systematic approach to education – ever-evolving, yet rooted in timeless wisdom – produces sophisticated thinkers and wise individuals.
History
| 1977 | With 13 Children’s House students and a space in the basement of a Boxborough church, Michelle DuBois founds Oak Meadow. |
| 1980 | The program grows to include a Lower Elementary program. |
| 1988 | As the school begins to flourish, the church grows too small for the students and faculty of Oak Meadow, so they pack up their classrooms and move to a larger space on Tyler Street in Littleton, at which point the Upper Elementary program was added. |
| 1991 | The school continues to grow and moves to its present location on Old Pickard Lane in Littleton, where they rent a portion of the building that had been an egg production facility for Cobb’s Chickens. |
| 1995 | Oak Meadow takes over the entire Old Pickard Lane building and adds the Middle School program. |
| 1999 | The School purchases the property. |
| 2000 | Though the egg production facility was a wonderful space, it is time for a face-lift at Oak Meadow. A multi-phased renovation begins, which eventually leads to the addition of two Children’s House classrooms and a Middle School wing. |
| 2008 | Oak Meadow completes its accreditation with the Association of Independent Schools of New England and the American Montessori Society. |
| 2009 | Construction is completed on The Rizzi Center for Athletics and Performing Arts. The school also adds a fine arts studio, as well as several community gathering spaces and administrative offices. |
| 2016 | In 2016, the school completes an ambitious renovation of its outdoor spaces, creating new play fields, a sports court, a nature-based learning center, and multiple outdoor classrooms. Oak Meadow also adds a Beginners program to serve toddler-aged children. |
| 2017 | Oak Meadow celebrates its 40th anniversary! |
| 2018 | We welcome our next Head of School, Jay Scheurle. |
| 2020 | With the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, Oak Meadow School evolved in one week to embrace innovative online learning practices that kept students on track academically, while also supporting the development of their social/emotional skills, from our toddlers through 8th grade. |
Oak Meadow School does not discriminate in admission, financial aid, or administration of its educational policies and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religious affiliation, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or status as a qualified handicapped individual.
