History

Hilltop Montessori School was founded in 1972 thanks to a group of intensely-committed parents who wanted to provide quality pre-school education for their children. The head teacher hired for the new job happened to be Montessori-trained, and from this humble beginning a new kind of school was born.

Hilltop has grown from a pre-school serving 20 students, to a fully accredited Montessori school by the American Montessori Society, AMS, and a State of Vermont accredited toddler, pre-K, elementary, and middle school with 130 students, summer camps, and a variety of before and after school programs. It is a vital member of the southern Vermont education community and a stable and experienced institution.

Hilltop’s highly trained faculty average more than 10 years of service apiece to the school.

Our beautiful new campus, on a 43-acre parcel of land within five minutes of downtown Brattleboro, provides ample space for gardens and playing fields as well as hiking trails and woodlands to serve as outdoor classrooms. Our energy-efficient indoor classrooms and administrative offices, theater and gymnasium support a culture of continued educational excellence.

Tom Griffith, Upper Elementary teacher, and Kevin Campbell, past Head of School, join in the dedication of the new lower school building, the Wheeler House, to Tonia Wheeler, Founding Head of School.