Riverbend Mission Statement
Within a collaborative and respectful community, Riverbend develops curious, self-confident, and independent lifelong learners by using Montessori principles to help each child flourish socially and thrive academically.
Riverbend’s Start
Riverbend School, founded in 2010, is an independent Montessori school serving toddlers — 8th grade in South Natick, MA. Accredited by AISNE, our individualized Montessori-based approach cultivates independence and inspires students to achieve their highest potential.
Riverbend Today
Riverbend currently serves over 200 students, ages 15 months to 8th grade, and employs 55 staff members who come from over 30 towns.
Riverbend attracts families from over 20 Metrowest communities including Natick, Wellesley, Weston, Natick, Needham, Dover, and more. Our talented faculty are highly qualified — over 46% of faculty hold advanced degrees. And many of our toddler through elementary teachers have been trained through accredited programs and granted American Montessori Society (AMS) or Association of Montessori Internationale (AMI) teaching certificates.
Approximately 20% of the school’s students and 25% of the school’s staff identify as ethnically or racially non-white, and Riverbend provides financial assistance to 20% of its families, which is higher than the national average for independent schools. In addition to the regular school day, after-school enrichments and summer programs are offered to Riverbend students and the community at large. Riverbend also hosts free monthly adult learning sessions for Riverbend families and the greater MetroWest community. Additionally, Riverbend has thriving partnerships with many other groups and nonprofits with aligned missions and similar target demographics.
In Summer 2024, a generous bequest of property – including two homes and five acres of park-like gardens – allowed Riverbend to realize its 2018 Strategic Vision to “become a beacon of Montessori excellence” by establishing The Sheila and Frank Magullion Education and Retreat Center. The Center and its surrounding properties have significantly enhanced Riverbend’s existing outdoor education programs and will soon provide a reflective space for symposia and events for educators. Through the Center, Riverbend also will further its commitment to increasing equity and accessibility in teacher education by creating a Teacher Training Fellowship Program to directly serve individuals otherwise unable to access or afford training in the Montessori Method.
Riverbend is led by a Head of School who directly oversees a six-person senior administrative team that in turn manages 48 faculty and staff. The Head of School reports to the 21-member Board of Directors. The Board has an Executive Committee consisting of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Governance Committee Chair, an active Governance Committee, and many other standing and ad hoc committees that meet monthly throughout the year.
