The concept of starting a charter Montessori elementary school in central Contra Costa County began in 1998 with a dedicated group of Montessori parents who didn’t want their Montessori experience to end when their children completed kindergarten. Once enough parents were committed to working on a charter school, community members, Montessori educators and consultants were recruited and together they rolled up their sleeves and began researching the process, honing their vision and mission, writing the charter, and getting it approved. Working closely with district personnel, a group of 10 to 15 people met regularly, divided various tasks, and rode the roller coaster with dedication and determination until the charter was approved in March 2000 by a unanimous vote of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District School Board.

Once the charter was approved, the hard work began of securing a facility, hiring staff and recruiting students. It took more than a year to find a suitable facility to house the new school. Thanks to the generosity of the members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Concord, enough space was leased at the church to open the first two lower elementary classrooms in September 2001 with an enrollment of 60 students. In November of that year, voters in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District passed Measure C, a multi-million dollar bond measure for school construction. The timing was right for Eagle Peak and the charter school was included in the bond measure. Plans were approved to build a new campus for the charter school in Walnut Creek at the former site of Castle Rock Elementary School, closed in the late 80′s and demolished in 2003. Eagle Peak remained housed at the church site while construction took place at the new campus. The move was made to the new, permanent campus in August 2004.

Throughout the first four years of the school, one classroom was added each year until we reached full capacity with three lower and two upper elementary classrooms in the fall of 2004. Today enrollment stands at 170 students in grades 1 through 5. Lower elementary classrooms serve children in grades 1 through 3 while the two upper elementary classrooms serve children in grades 4 and 5.

Eagle Peak Montessori School’s charter was renewed for another five-year term in the spring of 2005 by a unanimous vote of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District School Board.