Southbridge Christian Montessori is a private school offering a three-day homeschool hybrid academy and a five-day private academy, serving kindergarten through sixth grade. Two schedules, one school, one classroom community.
Both programs share the same classrooms, teachers, and heart. Here is how they differ.
| Feature | 3-Day Homeschool Hybrid | 5-Day Private Academy |
|---|---|---|
| School days | Monday through Wednesday | Monday through Friday, with Fridays ending at 1:00 PM |
| Enrollment path | Your family registers as a Minnesota homeschool. It is surprisingly easy, and we guide you step by step. | Southbridge enrolls your child and handles all the district paperwork. |
| Core subjects taught in our classroom | ||
| Learning continued at home | A few light "bridge subjects" finish at home. The younger the child, the lighter it gets. | Not needed. Every subject is fully taught at school. No homework. |
| Yearly standardized test | Your family arranges it. We give you plenty of options, and it is painless. | Done in the classroom. We take care of everything. |
| Art and music specialists | ||
| Spanish and gym | ||
| Aligned with Minnesota state standards |
Not sure which fits? Come tour and talk it through with us. There is no wrong door.
Every subject at Southbridge is taught the Montessori way: hands-on materials first, ideas made concrete before they become abstract, and each child moving at the pace that fits them.
Reading instruction is matched to each child's stage, from first phonics sounds to deep comprehension and discussion. Grammar and writing are learned by doing: building sentences, taking language apart, and finding a voice worth sharing.
Montessori math starts with real materials children can touch and count, so quantities make sense long before symbols do. From there, each student climbs toward abstract work at their own pace, with genuine understanding at every step.
Science begins with observation: asking questions, running experiments, and getting outside to explore God's creation firsthand. We nurture the habit of noticing, wondering, and testing that real scientists never outgrow.
Through timelines, maps, and hands-on studies, children discover how people across the world and throughout time have met the same fundamental needs. History becomes a story they belong to, not a list of dates.
Children explore Bible stories and a verse of the week, with room for honest questions and real conversation. Faith here is lived out in kindness, forgiveness, and how we treat one another every day.
Students in both programs learn from dedicated art and music specialists each week. Creativity is not an extra at Southbridge. It is part of how children express who God made them to be.
Our Spanish teacher brings language to life through songs, games, and conversation, building comfort and curiosity with the sounds of another language.
Practical life is classic Montessori: real work like caring for the classroom, preparing food, and managing oneself, which builds independence and focus. Gym adds movement, games, and plain old fun to the week.
Montessori classrooms group children by age band, so younger students learn from older ones and older students lead. Grades are approximate on purpose.
For children five and six years old. Bridge to Kindergarten offers a gentle two-year cycle for young fives who would benefit from an extra year before traditional kindergarten.
For children roughly six to nine years old, approximately first through third grade.
For children roughly nine to twelve years old, approximately fourth through sixth grade.
Within each classroom, every child is met where they are. A student who is ahead is given harder work, not busywork. A student who needs more time gets it, without ever being made to feel behind. Learning is individualized within a real classroom community, where children grow together.
Both programs follow the same calendar.
A tour is the first step for every new family. Walk the classrooms, meet our directors, and watch how Montessori works up close.
