History

In 1980, a group of parents met to establish support for a public Elementary Montessori Program in the Surrey School District. After many meetings and a great deal of research this group of parents made a presentation to the Surrey School District. In the spring of 1981 the Surrey School Board gave approval for the first Montessori classroom, which opened with 19 students in a portable at the rear of Dawn School in White Rock. Later in 1981 the Surrey Montessori Society (SMS) was formed to support the public Montessori program in Surrey. 

The parents realized that the key to a successful and authentic Montessori program would be dependent on the teachers that would be hired for the program. The School Board allowed a great deal of parental input on this matter. The Surrey Montessori Society raised funds to pay for scholarships for BC certified teachers to receive Montessori elementary training which was not available in Canada. One teacher received his intermediate Montessori training in Italy.

Tynehead Elementary housed the Montessori program since 1990. There were 179 students enrolled at Tynehead in the 2003/2004 school year and it remains to be the only publicly funded “single track” Montessori Program in the City of Surrey.

The program relocated in September 2004, to 15225 98th Ave, Surrey, BC. Canada. and has been renamed  Mountainview Montessori Program, currently the program is home to approximately 300 students.