Honeypot Montessori in Newark, New Jersey reopened this fall, carrying with it a story of resilience, persistence, and growth. “Honeypot is my love letter to Newark—the progressive, culturally rich city that shaped me as an adult and as an educator,” says founder and Head of School Dr. Deja Jones. To re-emerge with the embrace of Newark behind her is a celebration not only of persistence but of the city’s shared investment in Honeypot’s future.

This fall, as new Wildflower schools open across the country, we’re taking a moment to go inside the story of one. Born of deep partnership and shared purpose, Mountain Laurel Montessori embodies a radical idea: educators stay in the classroom, families are co-creators, and nature and Montessori are central.

This year, our 12th and largest cohort brings 14 new Wildflower schools—from our first middle school in D.C. to a rural public charter in Colorado, a bilingual school in Puerto Rico, and our first in Arkansas and Tennessee. Together, they join 77 schools across 20 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C., reimagining what school can be.