Student Center

At Harborlight Montessori, we believe that every child deserves an education that meets them where they are while continually challenging them to grow. Our Montessori philosophy, thoughtfully designed curriculum, and individualized approach to learning work together to ensure that each student is engaged, supported, and making meaningful academic progress every day.

Individualized learning is not simply about allowing children to work at their own pace. It is about ensuring that their time is purposeful, their goals are appropriately challenging, and their learning experiences are responsive to their individual strengths and needs.

Led by Elisa Pitkin, Director of Education, Harborlight's faculty works collaboratively to create and continually refine each student's academic journey. Through careful observation, ongoing assessment, and a deep understanding of child development, teachers identify where students are academically, establish meaningful learning goals, and provide the lessons, materials, and guidance needed to help them reach the next level.

Our Montessori classrooms are intentionally designed to make this possible. Specialized hands-on materials allow students to explore concepts concretely before moving toward abstract understanding. Individual and small-group lessons provide teachers with opportunities to introduce new skills, assess understanding, offer additional support, and extend learning when students are ready for greater complexity.

Equally important are our large, uninterrupted blocks of learning time. Rather than moving every student through the same lesson at the same time, teachers can work directly one-on-one or in very small groups while other students engage in purposeful, increasingly independent work. With two teachers to every classroom, this structure allows children to concentrate deeply, practice and apply new skills, and take increasing ownership of their learning.

For a student who needs additional practice, teachers can provide targeted instruction and reinforcement without the pressure of keeping up with an entire class. For a student who is ready to advance, teachers can introduce more sophisticated concepts and greater academic challenges without requiring that child to wait for the rest of the group.

Read on to discover the supports and resources that help make this individualized approach to learning successful.

The Student Center works in partnership with families, classroom teachers, and, when helpful, trusted community providers in behavioral health and related therapeutic fields. These relationships help families understand a student’s needs, consider supportive next steps, and identify appropriate referrals for evaluation, counseling, occupational therapy, speech and language services, or other individualized care. (See partnerships below)

Beginning in Pre-K 4, students participate in periodic assessments throughout the academic year, typically once each trimester. Jamie, Harborlight’s Learning Specialist, completes these assessments and uses the results to help teachers understand each child’s developing skills and plan meaningful next steps.

Jamie works especially closely with students in Kindergarten through Grade 3, when early literacy, numeracy, and learning habits are taking shape. Her support may include classroom-based strategies, individual or small-group instruction, and consultation with teachers and families. Assessment-informed Student Center support is included in Harborlight tuition.

In Upper Elementary, Ann, Harborlight’s dedicated Education Specialist, works within the classrooms to provide individualized instruction and small-group support. Her regular presence allows her to respond in the moment when learning feels tricky—offering another explanation, a useful strategy, or reassurance before frustration builds. By noticing and addressing small obstacles early, Ann helps students remain engaged, capable, and ready to continue moving forward.

Social-emotional well-being is an essential part of student support at Harborlight. Each morning, Emily, Harborlight’s School Counselor, greets Grade 1–8 students at the door as they begin their day, creating a welcoming point of connection.

Emily builds relationships through individual meetings, small social-skills groups and Lunch Bunches, and ongoing collaboration with teachers and families. She also co-teaches Personal World, Harborlight’s signature Grade 7–8 course, where students explore identity, belonging, relationships, and the skills needed to support one another.

For students who benefit from more intensive, individualized instruction, tutorials and targeted academic strategies may also be available. Fees for these services are determined according to each student’s learning profile and anticipated use of the Student Center.

 

In partnership with Peer Projects, Harborlight offers speech/language screenings twice per year (fall/spring). This information is valuable in that it supports each student’s learning by identifying strengths and any areas of weakness and supports the teacher’s ability to with each individual learner in the classroom.

 

A screening takes about 15 minutes and will seamlessly happen at a designated time during the student’s school day. Upon completion, parents receive the results along with any relevant recommendations or resources. If needed, a speech/language evaluation (more advanced than the initial screening) at the Peer Projects clinic will be conducted prior to initiating services to determine a student’s areas of need and targeted goals moving forward. There is a small fee for screenings.

 

 

Families can enroll their child for speech/language therapy each trimester. Each student will be seen during school time for 30-minute weekly sessions - either individually, in a small group, or in the classroom - based on their unique needs. Services will include communication and collaboration with the classroom teachers for optimal carryover and therapeutic progress. Communication with parents, guardians, and teachers by email, phone call or Zoom, is also available at any time upon request. Families are responsible for the fee for Speech and Language Therapy paid directly to Peer Projects.

 

Peer Projects, Therapy from the Heart

800 Cummings Center, Suite 160U, Beverly, MA

 

In partnership with Peer Projects, Harborlight offers occupational therapy screenings twice per year (fall/spring). This information is valuable in that it supports each student’s learning by identifying strengths and any areas of weakness and supports the teacher’s ability to with each individual learner in the classroom.

 

A screening takes about 15 minutes and will seamlessly happen at a designated time during the student’s school day. Upon completion, parents receive the results along with any relevant recommendations or resources. If needed, a full evaluation (more advanced than the initial screening) at the Peer Projects clinic will be conducted prior to initiating services to determine a student’s areas of need and targeted goals moving forward. There is a small fee for screenings.

What is Occupational Therapy?
Fine Motor Skills: How efficient are your child’s grasp patterns on tools, pre-writing or writing skills, scissor skills, and manipulative skills (i.e., how well the child manually handles items)?
Visual Motor Integration (VMI): VMI involves visual perceptual skills (the ability to correctly perceive a form in order to correctly replicate it) and motor control.
Motor Planning: Involves your child’s ability to problem solve and move over, under, and around the environment efficiently; it requires fine motor and gross motor skills along with the ability to automatically plan out, organize, and carry out a novel action while coordinating both
sides of the body together.
Upper Limb Coordination: Is your child able to coordinate arm and hand movements while visually tracking?
Postural Control: The ability to maintain efficient body alignment while upright in space; involves muscle strength, muscle tone, reflex integration, and joint stability which are required for mature equilibrium responses.
Sensory Processing: The ability to take in information from the environment and the body, automatically make decisions about what is important, and organize it into appropriate motor and social responses. Sensory Processing skills form a foundation for higher level skills such as
attention, arousal, social skills, and cognitive skills.

 

 

Families can enroll their child for occupational therapy on campus at Harborlight each trimester. Each student will be seen during school time for 30-minute weekly sessions. Communication with parents, guardians, and teachers by email, phone call or Zoom, is also available at any time upon request. Families are responsible for the fee for Occupational Therapy paid directly to Peer Projects.

 

Peer Projects, Therapy from the Heart

800 Cummings Center, Suite 160U, Beverly, MA