Lewis and Clark Montessori Public Charter School is a public charter Montessori school for children aged 2 ½ to 14. We provide an authentic & high-quality Montessori program to all our students. Our staff has a combined total experience of over 100 years in Montessori education. We are led by AMI Montessori-trained administrators, our teachers are all Montessori-trained and Oregon licensed or Charter School Registered, and most have Master’s degrees.

We loyally follow our mission: to foster healthy human development and a life-long love of learning in our community by providing a holistic approach to education. We are also committed to providing an open and welcoming environment for all members of our community that is free from discrimination

Critical to these outcomes is the development of the whole child: intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically.

Our AMI accredited Guides help students to:

  • develop independent thought
  • build resourceful problem-solving skills
  • prepare students to become positive world citizens.

We are also a non-profit organization that attracts and serves our community. We actively seek partnerships with other like-minded non-profits and government agencies to provide the best for our students and to better serve our local communities.

School History

Our school was founded by our community. Many years ago, several families came together to create a new educational opportunity for their own children and others in the Gresham area. In the spring of 2006, the founding committee received a federal grant to develop a proposal for a new elementary charter school in the Gresham-Barlow School District incorporating a Montessori curriculum. In the spring of 2008, the District Board voted unanimously for our approval, and our school was born.

Lewis & Clark Montessori opened in the fall of 2008 with two younger elementary classrooms and a kindergarten classroom. In June 2012, the District approved a five-year charter, including expansion through the 8th grade. By the fall of 2013, the Lewis & Clark Montessori Adolescent Corps (MAC) opened to middle school students.

By its tenth year, the school had grown to almost 400 students from families who live as far away as Mollala, West Linn, SE Portland, and Corbett and come from 13 different school districts. 

Today, Lewis & Clark Montessori is the largest public Montessori school in Oregon and serves over 400 students from 225+ families.  LCMCS includes two tuition-based Oregon CCD-licensed Children’s House classrooms for students ages 3-6 years and 13 tuition-free classrooms as part of our public charter: a Montessori Foundations class, four Younger Elementary classrooms, four Older Elementary classrooms, and a middle school program.