Principal's Welcome

Hello Current and Prospective Parkside Montessori Families, 

My name is Nima Tahai and I have been Parkside Montessori’s Principal since 2019. What attracted me to Parkside was the dedicated staff, active parent community, and the unique gift a Montessori education provides in helping a child reach his or her potential. San Mateo is also my hometown and I love that can give back to this vibrant community and also raise my kids here. 

Our commitment to a Montessori education
As we expand our program from TK to 7th and eventually 8th grade, our teachers and staffs first commitment is to implement this Montessori program with fidelity. This involves a commitment to the five essentials of a Montessori classroom including multi-age classrooms and uninterrupted work periods. We are also striving to ensure our teachers are all trained in key fundamentals of Montessori teaching such as observation and responding to student needs with appropriate individualized guidance and instruction. Finally, we have taken the steps to supplement our program to meet district and state public school standards.

Our students
Our program emphasizes the development of every aspect of a child's intellectual, social, and creative abilities, using hands-on materials and structured learning environments. Importantly, the Montessori method emphasizes attitudes and skills which inspire lifelong learning and help our children navigate an ever-changing world. These are just some of the reasons why I enrolled my son and will eventually enroll my daughter at Parkside.

Come into any one of our classrooms, and you will see students learning how to cooperate, complete math problems using gold beads, make their own pollinators in a science lesson, or write a personal narrative about a day in their life. More importantly, you will see them developing independence, concentration, responsibility, and empathy.

Our families
We could not provide this amazing program without our wonderful parent and family community. Their volunteer time, community involvement, financial support and collaboration help Parkside Montessori continue to grow and thrive.