Breaking Ground: The Abba's Orchard

The Abba's Orchard started on the plateaus of Bukidnon with 12 Casa (pre-school) children. From the very beginning, it espoused the principles and ideals of one of the more prominent educators of our time, Dr Maria Montessori. It was envisioned as an orchard of the Abba Father, where teachers are privileged gardeners who nurture children to become the fulfilment of their chosen roles..

Moving To Cagayan de Oro City

Nestled on top of a hill overlooking the Macajalar Bay and right behind, a towering Malasag Forest Park, The Abba’s Orchard's first official campus offered a secure sub-urban location at the Alwana Business Park.

Offering of Complete Pre-School & Elementary Montessori Programs and Enrolling 200 Students

The school’s proponent had trained with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), specifically with its training institutes in Phoenix AZ, in San Diego CA, and in Denver CO, for the Casa, the Elementary Program, and the Assistants to Infancy Programs respectively, and with the Loyola University in Maryland for the Montessori Masters degree. Equipped with a total of  three (3) Montessori Diploma Courses and a masteral degree in Montessori Education, the proponent presently handles the In-House Faculty Development Program of the Abba’s Orchard.

Erdkinder: "To Venture or Not To Venture?"

The school faced a major fork in the road whether or not to venture into the Montessori Adolescent Program called the Erdkinder (German for “children of the earth”). In the global Montessori movement, it is a path less travelled because of the huge hardware and software resource needed to put up and sustain a farm-based program.

First Asian to be Certified by NAMTA for Adolescent Studies

The other school proponent completes the very first  Montessori Adolescent Training Program in Ohio.  NAMTA stands for the North American Montessori Teachers Association and is a national AMI-mover based in the US, which initiated and developed in 2000 a successful farm-based prototype of the Adolescent Program as Dr Montessori wrote in her Appendices to the book “From Childhood to Adolescence.”

Breaking Ground at La Granja Estates, Baungon, Bukidnon

The school broke ground to establish a 4-hectare farm campus in Pualas, Baungon, Bukidnon, the very first of its kind in Asia-Pacific, and quite possibly the second in the global movement of Montessori Adolescent education.

Expanding in Mindanao

From North Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro City, the school sowed seed south of the region, particularly in Davao City, with its senior teacher as head of school.

Trail Blazing From Mindanao to Luzon Region

From Mindanao, the school started up planting ‘orchards’ in the National Capital Region (NCR), particularly in Blue Ridge, Quezon City, with its senior teacher as head of school.

Going National: Mindanao, Luzon, and then the Visayas

Completing a national presence, a campus was birthed in Cebu City. Another senior teacher was appointed as head of school.

But Wait! There's More!

The sixth campus was started up at the Mckinley Hill in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

It Won't Be Our Last

On its 14th year, the seventh (7th) hub campus opened at Vista City in Las Piñas City. Transferred to West Gate in Alabang in 2017,  it offers the following programs: Infant Community (14 months to below 3 years old), Casa (3-6 years old), Level 1 Elementary (Grades 1 to 3), and Level 2 Elementary (Grades 4 to 6).

The eighth hub campus started up at Antipolo City.   It presently offers the Infant Community and the Casa Programs.   For Erdkinder,  the campus offers Grades 7 to 11.    A level will be added each year to grow the complete spectrum of Infant Community – Casa – Elementary (Grades 1-6)  –  Erdkinder (Grades 7 – 12).

2016

The eleventh campus location opened along Bayani Road in Taguig City. It offers both the lower and upper levels of the Elementary Program, while the Infant Community and the Casa Programs remain at nearby Mckinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio.

2017

This SY 2017-2018,  the school opens its twelfth campus location along the Sta. Rosa - Tagaytay road  in Sta. Rosa City. On its start-up, the campus will offer the Infant Community and the Casa Programs and the Lower Elementary (Grades 1 - 3).

The Abba's Orchard School

stands to this day as the only Montessori school in Asia-Pacific, situated in major cities of the Philippine archipelago, equipped, trained and experienced to offer a high-fidelity Montessori curriculum for children from infancy to adolescence, enrolling close to 1,200 students in all its twelve (12) campus locations.