Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School

Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School is a public charter school located in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Like most public schools, we rely on grants and gifts to help us provide special programs and resources for our children.  This year, CMES is hoping to raise $4,000 to continue funding for a COMPAS Artist in Residence.  COMPAS is a non-profit arts organization bringing art and artists to the community.  We have been able to use COVID funds to bring an artist into our classrooms once each month and OUR KIDS LOVE it!  We can continue this program with your help!

Our mission is to support children from culturally and economically diverse backgrounds living in or near St. Paul’s East Side through a rigorous and high-impact Montessori program that empowers them to make positive decisions, develop self-discipline, and create a true sense of responsibility for themselves and others in their community.  

Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School (CMES) is a public school where children choose challenging work on their own, support each other in a collaborative learning community, and stretch their imaginations working with dynamic hands-on materials.

Cornerstone’s Montessori curriculum naturally supports each child’s social, emotional, and academic growth, so that their innate love of learning is translated to academic success. Day by day, we see our students becoming the confident, competent, and responsible leaders of tomorrow. 

We opened in fall of 2011 and now serve grades K-6.  We are pleased to be authorized by the University of St. Thomas (UST).  

“How did I become the person I am today? Well, when I was little I was really shy. I wouldn’t talk to anybody but then I grew out of my shyness by talking to people and coming to Cornerstone. Coming to CMES opened me up… Now I am smart and confident about myself. I feel like I’m going to be successful on my journey of growth.” - 6th Year Student