Welcome

Founded in 1995, Sedona Charter School is the oldest charter school in Arizona.  Over the years, this school has established a place of honor within the educational reform movement and among families who value excellence in education.

Sedona Charter School Entrance

Built in 2001, our campus is designed for Montessori education

After six years in temporary locations, we  moved into our permanent campus in 2001.  Located on nearly five acres in a quiet West Sedona neighborhood, and adjacent to the public library, the campus was designed from the ground up to support a Montessori educational environment for up to 160 students in grades one through eight. Our kindergartners attend school at our affiliate for three-to-six-year-olds: Sedona Montessori School.  In this small-school atmosphere, our students reach high levels of academic achievement, scoring well on standardized tests, winning in national and regional language, arts, science, and math competitions.  They also gain the skills they need to go on to become leaders and high-performing students in high schools and universities across the country.

The Montessori method forms the foundation of the Sedona Charter School curriculum. It has been said that teachers in other schools can quickly spot Montessori-educated students in their classrooms due to their ability to think, solve problems, exhibit self-motivation, and self-manage. They know what questions to ask to get help quickly to start and complete projects.

Maria Montessori was a brilliant, innovative physician who revolutionized educational thinking a century ago. Her approach emphasizes individualized, self directed learning in which students choose from a variety of materials and processes to help them master a subject or concept. Other key elements of Montessori include:

  • Respect for self, others, and the environment
  • Presentation of concepts from the global to the specific
  • A daily learning journal and weekly contract

Our children are taught by an intensely focused teaching team in multi-age, multi-grade classrooms. Each team is guided by an experienced Principal Educator formally trained in the Montessori method. The teachers work to ensure that each student has the opportunity to excel, both academically and as a good citizen, in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for all children. We follow guidelines established by the American Montessori Society, in which we have maintained membership since 2005.

Multi-age Classrooms

Multi-age classrooms reinforce personal responsibility and responsibility to the community.

Our low student-teacher ratio, which ranges between 10:1 and 15:1, enables the students to receive ongoing individualized assistance. In addition, our teachers have developed elaborate planning and monitoring systems that provide continual feedback to students, parents, and teachers.

“Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world.”

Maria Montessori