A Montessori school on the hill, since 1988
Mills Montessori sits on Hillside Boulevard above South San Francisco, a few minutes from the biotech corridor and half an hour from most of the Peninsula. It has been teaching the same method in the same place since 1988, to children from age two through fifth grade.
A small school that does one thing
Mills is not a chain, a franchise, or a daycare that added a curriculum. It is a Montessori school that has been running long enough to have gotten quite good at it.
- Established 1988Teaching the Montessori method since 1988, teaching the same method.
- Ages two through fifth gradeOne continuous path. Most Montessori schools within reach of here stop at kindergarten — leaving families to start again at six.
- Nonsectarian and independentNo religious affiliation and no parent company.
- Open 7:30 am to 6:00 pmBecause a school day that does not cover a working day is a problem you have to solve twice.
- Tuition published in fullEvery rate and every fee is on the tuition page. You should not need to book a tour to learn a price.
Licensed, and easy to check
Any school can describe itself well. A license number is something you can verify without taking our word for it.
California licensing
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Licensing body | California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division |
| Facility number | 414002135 |
| Status | Active |
| Licensed capacity | 120 children |
| Ages served | Two through fifth grade |
Look it up — and look up any other school you are considering. California publishes licensing records, including inspection history, for every licensed facility in the state.
Our teachers
What a Montessori teacher actually does all day, and the questions worth asking about training at any school you visit.
Read moreWhere we areOur community
The school on the hill, the biotech corridor below it, and the families who drive up it every morning.
Read moreIn their wordsWhat families say
Reviews and letters from parents, including one who has been driving past for 24 years.
Read moreWhat people ask about the school
- How long has Mills been open?Since 1988. The school has been teaching the Montessori method on Hillside Boulevard for more than three decades, which is long enough that former pupils now write to us as adults.
- Is the school licensed?Mills Montessori School is licensed by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division as facility number 414002135, with a licensed capacity of 120 children. You can look the license up yourself, and we would encourage you to look up any school you are considering.
- Who runs the school?Simin Fallah is the Administration Director. The school office is open through the school day — call 650-616-9000.
- Is Mills religious?No. Mills is a nonsectarian private school.
- How big is the school?Ask on a tour — it is the kind of thing you should see for yourself rather than read. Come and see the rooms rather than taking a number for it — the size of a school is one of the things a tour tells you immediately.
Twenty-five years later
I attended Mills Montessori many, many moons ago, in the 1990s. While I only attended for three or four short years, those years were a central part of my development as a person. The atmosphere and culture of the school fosters enrichment and individual learning in a way that is inclusive and open. Mills Montessori prepared me for a successful academic career, and I am extremely grateful for the years I spent there.
A former studentSan Antonio, TXFrom the reviews the school publishes on its own siteCome see a morning at Mills
Tours run during the school day, year-round, by appointment.