Willow Oak Montessori

1476 Andrews Store Road
Pittsboro, NC 27312

www.willowoakmontessori.org/public-charter-school

Charter School 283 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

Willow Oak Montessori is a public charter school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Operating on the principles of the Montessori method, the school emphasizes a student-centered approach that prioritizes individual pacing, hands-on learning, and the development of self-directed work habits. By utilizing multi-age classrooms, the school aims to foster a collaborative community where students can learn from one another while mastering core academic subjects through personalized instruction and experiential discovery.

Beyond traditional academics, Willow Oak Montessori places a strong focus on social-emotional growth and the cultivation of personal responsibility. The school’s curriculum is designed to encourage critical thinking, independence, and a sense of stewardship toward the local and global environment. As a tuition-free public charter, it offers families in the Chapel Hill area a distinct educational alternative that seeks to balance high academic standards with the foundational Montessori philosophy of "following the child" to promote lifelong learning.

283

Total Students

25.4

Full-Time Teachers

11.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Willow Oak Montessori
Demographic	Student Count
White	218
Hispanic	22
Black	3
Asian	10
Two or More	28
American Indian	2

White
218 (77.0 %)
Two or More
28 (9.9 %)
Hispanic
22 (7.8 %)
Asian
10 (3.5 %)
Black
3 (1.1 %)
American Indian
2 (0.7 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Willow Oak Montessori
Phone:	(919)240-7787
Website:	http://www.willowoakmontessori.org/public-charter-school
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	283
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	25.4
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.1
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 32

Grade 1 39

Grade 2 41

Grade 3 40

Grade 4 33

Grade 5 31

Grade 6 26

Grade 7 27

Grade 8 14