Flathead Valley Montessori Academy offers a challenging academic experience that is an integrated and developmentally based approach to educating adolescents. Advisors facilitate all studies in a thematic nature allowing students to make connections between their own experiences and prior knowledge with the newly learned material. Themes are broad based and are carefully chosen to reflect issues important to early adolescents. A natural progression toward lesson specialization occurs as student’s knowledge base grows. While projects are student driven on an individual basis, group seminars are used frequently to promote new material.

The environment builds on the pre-primary experience, reflects a new stage of development, and offers an integration of the arts, sciences, geography, history and language that evokes the imagination and abstraction of the adolescent child. The presentation of knowledge as a part of a large scale narrative which unfolds the origins of the earth, of life, of human communities, of empires and of modern history, always in the context of the interrelatedness of life. The presentation of the formal scientific language of zoology, botany, anthropology, geography, geology, etc., exposes the child to accurate, organized information which reflects the child's intelligence and interests. (Seldin & Paul Epstein PH.D, 2003). The young people at FVMA experience "going outs" as and ongoing use of the community resources that extend beyond the four walls of the classroom.

Social Science:

Focusing on human interaction and cultural exploration, students give particular attention to psychology, anthropology, philosophy, ethics, economics, history and human geography.

Science:

Building upon natural curiosity, the science program hones students’ research, observation, and recording skills. Geology, life science, and physics are the primary areas of study.

Mathematics:

Applying math in “every-day life” is the most effective way for students to retain newly learned skills. Students focus on problem solving in a traditional manner and reinforce their new skills with a variety of manipulatives. Pre-algebra, algebra, probability, and geometry set the frame work for students to explore within.
The math curriculum is presented with concrete materials which simultaneously reveal the arithmetic, geometric, and algebraic concepts.

Language Arts:

Designed to enhance the students’ skills in reading, comprehension, writing and speaking; and to provide connections with all areas of the curriculum, studies focus on written expression, speech and debate, vocabulary, foreign language, and cultivating the importance of reading for pleasure.

Artistic Expression:

The cultural importance of artistic expression is explored as students experience poetry, dance, drama, music, art history, sculpture, and the use of various media on canvas and paper.

Life Skills:

Many skills are integrated throughout the entire curriculum. These include the use of educational technology, proper etiquette, and culinary arts. Our mentoring program and internships facilitate both ends of the world interraction spectrum.

Internship:

To stress the importance of community, all students spend time working with local businesses and organizations to further their understanding of various career fields.

Physical Education:

Exercise aids in the natural developments of both the psychic and physical components of the child. Every day starts with a “Warm-up” for the body and the brain. Students participate in team sports such as basketball and soccer, as well as solo sports like Aikido and rock climbing. Intramural and private school leagues will offer school teams a chance to increase their skills by playing against others.