Our Spanish Bilingual Montessori Preschool

At Holding Hands Montessori, we offer a Spanish bilingual Montessori preschool program in Concord, California, for children ages 2.5 to 6. Our nurturing classrooms promote independence, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning – while alternating weekly between English and Spanish instruction to support true bilingual development.

We maintain a low student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1, ensuring each child receives the individual attention and guidance they need to thrive – academically, emotionally, and socially.

Our Story

Holding Hands Montessori was founded to meet a growing need in our community: access to high-quality, affordable early education – with an equal commitment to valuing and fairly compensating educators.

Our Executive Director, Julia Wolfe, previously founded A Step Ahead Montessori in Oakland. Inspired by the overwhelming demand for a Spanish bilingual Montessori preschool in Contra Costa County, she joined forces with a dedicated board of directors to bring that vision to life.

We found the perfect home within the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where we were welcomed into a warm community space with a cozy classroom and a large outdoor play yard. In January 2025, Holding Hands Montessori opened its doors to its first families – launching a mission-driven school committed to lasting impact on children, families, and educators alike.

Why Montessori?

Montessori education is more than a teaching method – it’s a philosophy rooted in respect for the child as an individual, capable learner. It nurtures a child’s natural desire to explore, create, and understand the world around them.

Dr. Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, developed this approach in the early 1900s after observing how children learn best when given freedom within a structured environment. She discovered that children are naturally motivated to learn when they can choose meaningful work, use their hands, and move at their own pace.

Today, Montessori classrooms around the world follow her timeless principles – fostering independence, concentration, empathy, and a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

At Holding Hands Montessori, we honor this legacy by creating prepared environments where children are free to explore with guidance and purpose. Our mixed-age classrooms encourage mentorship and community, and our materials are designed to meet the developmental needs of each stage – from early practical life to abstract reasoning.

We also integrate the principles of Conscious Discipline, a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach that helps children build self-regulation, empathy, and problem-solving skills – starting from within. Through social-emotional learning embedded into daily routines, children learn how to manage emotions, resolve conflicts, and care for others in a safe, nurturing environment.

By choosing Montessori, you’re giving your child a foundation that supports academic success, emotional resilience, and real-world readiness – all while respecting their individuality and inner potential.

Our Montessori Programs

We provide three thoughtfully designed programs that support each stage of early childhood development:

Preschool (Ages 2½ – 4)

Our Spanish bilingual preschool program introduces children to the Montessori environment, focusing on practical life skills, sensory exploration, and foundational language and math concepts. Young learners build independence, coordination, and confidence through hands-on discovery.

Pre-Kindergarten (Ages 4 – 5)

In our Spanish bilingual pre-kindergarten program, students deepen their academic and social skills through advanced Montessori materials and peer collaboration. The curriculum emphasizes language, mathematics, science, and cultural studies – all within a supportive and child-led framework.

Kindergarten
(Ages 5 – 6)

Our Spanish bilingual kindergarten program offers a complete Montessori experience that prepares children for first grade and beyond. Students engage with increasingly complex concepts in literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking, while continuing to grow socially and emotionally.

Spanish Bilingual Approach: Weekly Language Rotation

We are a Spanish bilingual program, not immersion. Our classrooms alternate weekly between full English and full Spanish instruction. This consistent pattern helps children naturally acquire a second language – whether it be English or Spanish – through repeated activities and routines that build clear language associations.

This bilingual model:

Encourages language acquisition through rhythm and repetition.
Promotes cognitive flexibility and early bilingual fluency.
Supports both English and Spanish speakers equally.

Montessori Learning Areas

All students explore the core Montessori domains, including:

Practical Life – Building independence, coordination, and care for self and environment
Sensorial – Refining the senses through materials that explore size, texture, color, sound, and more
Mathematics – Developing number sense, sequencing, and early arithmetic
Science – Encouraging curiosity and observation through hands-on exploration of nature, plants, animals, weather, and basic physical science concepts
Art and Music – Fostering creativity and expression through open-ended art projects, exposure to diverse musical styles, and rhythm-based activities in both languages
Language – Strengthening vocabulary, reading, writing, and communication in both English and Spanish
Cultural Studies – Discovering the natural world, geography, art, and global cultures

A Nonprofit School Community That Puts People First

Holding Hands Montessori is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit preschool dedicated to serving our Concord community with integrity, care, and purpose.

Being a nonprofit allows us to operate with lower overhead – keeping tuition affordable for families, while prioritizing our staff and school culture.

We provide fair, sustainable wages for teachers and staff
We offer health benefits and paid time off.
We support career development through paid certifications and higher education assistance.
We foster a collaborative, inclusive environment for both families and educators.

We believe that when teachers are supported and families are welcomed, children thrive.