History

The History of Harmony Montessori and Forest School:

Harmony began with a vision rooted in love for children, nature, and the Montessori philosophy.
After several years teaching in local Montessori schools, Wilana Anderson opened her own program in 2004, welcoming the first group of children into her Sausalito home alongside her 9-month-old daughter, Paige Avalon.

In 2005, Rania Bassous joined Wilana, and the school moved to Shell Road in Mill Valley, where it flourished for the next thirteen years. Together, they nurtured a thriving community of families who shared a deep commitment to child-led learning and respect for the natural world.

After a lengthy search for a new home that would ensure the school’s future and allow for continued growth, we were able to enter into an agreement with the Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary to renovate Rosie’s Cottage and the Willow Classroom, while securing a 25-year lease.

Nature education, exploration, and discovery have always been a very big part of our program, so to be given the opportunity to share these beautiful eleven acres with the Audubon Society was a dream come true.

We began the 2018–2019 school year in our newly renovated classrooms and welcomed two new members to our team: Kevin Anderson (Wilana’s husband), who supports the classroom, maintains our facilities, and brings a spirit of creativity and collaboration to all he does, and Lensi Jimenez, who completed her Montessori training and became our lead teacher in 2023. While Lensi has since left the classroom, we are fortunate to continue collaborating with her in meaningful ways, keeping her connection to Harmony alive. Rania Bassous, who played a foundational role in building Harmony, has now retired, but her contributions are woven into the fabric of Harmony and will forever remain part of who we are.

In 2024, when the opportunity arose to absorbed a local forest program, created by Evelyn Nichols, it felt like a natural progression of our philosophy—and thus Harmony Forest School was born.

Then, in 2025, We added the Young Child Community to serve our youngest learners.

Today, Harmony’s three programs—the Young Child Community, Harmony Montessori, and Harmony Forest School—each offer unique environments that complement and enrich one another.