Ridgeline Revealed
February 2026
How Do We Know We’re Doing Montessori Well?
An Outside Review of Our Program
What you all have created at Ridgeline is something very special; it is very unusual for a school to score "strong" in all domains of the rubric. Brava!
— Seth Webb, National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector
THE BIG PICTURE
This fall, Ridgeline contracted with the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (NCMPS) to conduct an Essential Elements Review (EER)—a third-party, onsite evaluation of our Montessori fidelity (how well we implement Montessori in practice) and our long-term sustainability as a public Montessori program. Seth Webb, Director of School Services and a Montessori instructor and coach, conducted the review and provided follow-up consulting services.
WHAT IS NATIONAL CENTER FOR MONTESSORI IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR?
The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector is a national organization focused on strengthening equitable, accessible, sustainable public Montessori programs. NCMPS supports schools through services, tools, professional learning, and research—helping public Montessori sites grow strong and stay authentic over time.
Seth Webb holds AMS Elementary I–II and AMI Adolescent credentials, a Montessori MAEd from St. Catherine University’s Center for Contemporary Montessori Programs, and Colorado licensure as both a teacher and principal.
WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS REVIEW (EER)?
An EER is a structured, multi-day review that typically includes:
classroom observations,
review of school documents and systems,
focus groups with staff, families, students, and leadership,
rubric-based ratings across key Montessori domains,
and a written report with recommendations for continuous improvement.
WHY WE INVESTED IN A THIRD PARTY REVIEW
A third-party review helps us:
name what we’re doing well and protect it,
identify where we’ve drifted so we can realign,
build shared clarity across a K–8 program,
and ensure our day-to-day practices match our mission and values.
KEY RESULTS
Ridgeline received Strong Implementation ratings across all five Essential Elements domains:
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Adults
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Montessori Learning Environment
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Family Partnership
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Leadership & Organizational Development
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Assessment
The review uses a rubric to rate implementation for each standard within a domain across four levels:
- Limited Implementation,
- Partial Implementation,
- Strong Implementation, and
- Exemplary Implementation.
Ridgeline measured Strong Implementation overall in every domain—a meaningful affirmation of our long-standing strengths, while also highlighting clear opportunities to keep improving, especially in how Montessori practice evolves as students get older.
HIGHLIGHTS WE'RE PROUD OF
The Essential Elements process affirmed many strengths that reflect your daily commitment, professionalism, and care for students and one another. Organized by domain, the findings highlight what is working well and what we want to intentionally protect as we continue growing.
1. Adults
Ridgeline’s staffing and professional culture were identified as a significant strength. All lead teachers hold Montessori credentials for the level they teach, and trained Montessori assistants support students across environments. Observations described adult interactions as calm, respectful, warm, and responsive, contributing to a culture of dignity, belonging, and engagement. The report also noted staff’s ongoing work to deepen understanding of identity, equity, and bias through structured reflection and professional learning.
2. Montessori Learning Environment
Classrooms and shared spaces were described as clean, orderly, and inviting, with thoughtful organization and décor. Students were observed to be friendly, curious, and engaged, and classrooms provide access to a full complement of Montessori materials. Multi-age groupings and class size distributions were noted as supportive of independence, collaboration, and community.
3. Family Partnership
The review identified Ridgeline’s family partnership as a major asset. Strong communication systems, community events, and intentional outreach structures help families feel welcomed, informed, and connected. This alignment between school and home supports student success and strengthens the overall school community.
4. Leadership & Organizational Development
The report describes a strong foundation of leadership systems and a clear commitment to Montessori principles. Existing supervision, observation, and goal-setting structures support staff growth, and staff feedback reflected a strong sense of belonging and confidence in leadership. Staff focus groups also conveyed a deep commitment to Ridgeline’s core values and an appreciation for colleagues within a growth-oriented professional environment. Together, these systems and cultural strengths position the school well to continue strengthening coherence and alignment across levels.
5. Assessment
In addition to academic measures, the report recognized the school’s use of Montessori-aligned observation tools to support classroom observation, reflection, and goal setting. These tools help ensure we measure what matters most in a Montessori environment: student engagement, independence, developmental alignment, and the quality of the prepared environment alongside traditional indicators.
Student outcomes were also identified as a strength, with Ridgeline students performing above district and state peers on recent state assessments. At the same time, the report invites an important Montessori reflection: how do we maintain strong academic outcomes through faithful Montessori practice—without gradually trading away core features such as choice, exploration, deep work, and independence as students get older?
These strengths are the result of intentional work over many years and reflect the collective commitment of this professional community.
PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Across the report, several themes surfaced consistently, and we have already begun translating that feedback into clear priorities and next steps. Following the visit, Administration and the Instructional Leadership Team engaged in an additional working session with Seth to review findings across each Essential Elements domain and begin identifying priority areas, goals, and actionable steps.
Current focus areas include:
strengthening shared K–8 Montessori agreements (what Montessori looks like across levels)
continuing to build distributed leadership structures
exploring targeted Montessori coaching and pedagogical supports to promote consistency and growth
re-centering Montessori materials and lessons
strengthening consistent self-directed engagement
expanding interdisciplinary and integrated learning
supporting deeper engagement by shifting from completion-driven work toward curiosity, courage, and purposeful learning
The Middle School team also participated in a dedicated working session with Seth focused specifically on the adolescent level and will continue receiving consultation support through the end of the school year to help refine level-specific priorities and implementation planning.
This process will continue through spring, with the goal of identifying Montessori-grounded priorities that will guide our collective work for the 2026–27 school year.
HOW FAMILIES CAN SUPPORT THIS WORK
A few high-impact ways families can partner as we strengthen Montessori across the continuum:
Lean into Montessori at home: independence, responsibility, real contributions, and follow-through.
When your child describes schoolwork, try prompts like:
“What did you choose today—and why?”
“What was challenging?”
“What did you stick with, even when it was hard?”
Participate in parent education opportunities when available and read Ridgeline Revealed—shared language across school and home makes Montessori stronger.
GO DEEPER
If you would like to read the full Final Essential Elements Report you can find it here.