Montessori Children’s House (MCH) recently earned Pillar 3 status as determined by the U.S. Department of Education, and the Redmond school also took home the coveted 425 Best Preschool award.

MCH, an accredited American Montessori Society school, worked hard to build on the Pillar 2 award they earned in 2016, the school said in a press release. This year, the school that serves student from 6 weeks to sixth grade made a concentrated effort to create healthy lifestyle choices for their staff and students by using green-approved cleaners and growing their own snack food in their centrally-located, organic garden. A state representative from the U.S. Department of Education presented the student-led Green Team with the award in an intimate ceremony on their elementary playground – which is made of repurposed wood (such as downed trees) and recycled drainage pipes.

Two weeks later, the Early Childhood Program at MCH won Best Preschool as voted by 425 magazine readers.

“Offering an authentic Montessori education with an emphasis on nature is absolutely what we’re all about here at MCH,” says Head of School Jennifer Wheelhouse. “So to win another pillar by the U.S. Department of Education and then to be recognized as the Best Preschool on the Eastside, I think these two honors absolutely have to do with one another. We are very proud — I am so thankful for everyone who voted for MCH in 425’s Best Of.”