The school is based on the instructional philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, a physician and educator from Italy. Dr. Montessori's pedagogy blossomed in the United States in the early 1900s. At the heart of its philosophy is the premise that children naturally learn through specific materials presented by the teacher, student choice and a careful development of concrete to abstract concepts in the academic and social areas.

Children are grouped in three-year age spans. Our primary students range in age from 3 to 6 years old. Our elementary program has two groupings; ages 6–9 is known as lower elementary while upper elementary is comprised of students ages 9–12.

Students work within the same classroom for a three-year cycle. Students are enrolled at the Montessori Magnet School through an application and lottery process. Children turning 3 prior to December 31 of a school year must apply by the end of March in the previous year. The lottery is held in April and only those students selected can enter in the Fall. Transfer applications are only accepted from students currently attending a Montessori program elsewhere.

Our school is accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). All of our classroom teachers have an AMI diploma and also must be certified as a teacher by the State of Connecticut.

To serve the needs of families, Montessori Magnet School offers both before and after school care programs. The school also features a beautiful outdoor learning environment, library media center, and a variety of art, music and physical education programs.