MST High School Project: End-of-Year Update

As the 2024-2025 school year comes to a close, MST is happy to share a comprehensive update on the development of our future high school—an exciting and meaningful next step in our school’s evolution.

This has been a year of reflection, transition, and momentum-building. Below, you will find key updates on where we are, what we’ve heard from you, and what’s coming next.

Why a High School at MST?

Since its founding in 2014-2015, MST’s adolescent programme has grown in strength and vision. As we mark a decade of learning and growth, the next natural step is to offer a Montessori-aligned high school, one that supports adolescents through to graduation while preparing them for meaningful university and life pathways.

Where We Are Now

The expansion of the adolescent programme is being planned in different phases: 

The new site will be selected based on accessibility, capacity, and support for both academic and practical elements of Montessori education.

Team & Leadership

After five impactful years in Japan, Emily Dowell and Chris Marks will move on from MST this summer. Their leadership during a foundational period—through the pandemic and beyond—has left a lasting legacy. We thank them deeply for their vision, care, and commitment.

Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome Jason Johnson who worked for five years in the adolescent programme at Wā Ora Montessori School in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Wā Ora is the only Montessori school in New Zealand that nurtures children from ages 0 to 18, providing a continuous Montessori education across all age groups, including a well-established high school. During his time there, Jason gained valuable experience working as a Middle School Guide, successfully supporting and transitioning students into Wā Ora’s own Montessori High School. In his role as an Advisor, he has had pastoral responsibility and academic oversight of his students, while teaching across the curriculum as needed.  

Trained at the AMI Orientation to Adolescent Studies in Hershey, Ohio, and holding a Bachelor of Science in Plant and Microbial Science from the University of Canterbury as well as a Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning (Secondary) from Christchurch College of Education, Jason’s broad expertise and passion make him an excellent addition to our adolescent programme. 

We are also pleased to welcome Andrew Faulstich who will consult for MST as our High School Development Coordinator for an initial two-year period. During the 2025-2026 academic year, we will begin working with Andrew in a part-time remote capacity, but with consultancy visits to Tokyo also planned, as we prepare for the next phase of our adolescent programme. 

Andrew is an AMI 12-18 Diploma holder with extensive experience in K-12 and higher education settings in the U.S. and China. Currently, he serves as the Curriculum and Pedagogy Coordinator and Humanities Guide at Oneness-Family Montessori High School in Maryland, and was previously an Adolescent Lead Guide at Greenspring Montessori School. 

In addition, Andrew recently became an Affiliate Instructor at the Loyola University Center for Montessori Studies, where he supports their course, Principles of Adolescent Education, to international cohorts in the M.Ed. program. He holds a Master’s in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor’s in Anthropology from the University of Rochester. He has presented at leading conferences on topics such as adolescent language development and applying Montessori principles in secondary settings.

He will collaborate closely with MST leadership and our members of our adolescent team to support ongoing work and take the lead on several key initiatives, including the formation of an Advisory Council made up of experts in Montessori and adolescent education and facilitating a Parent Council to engage families in conversation. He will also be tasked with developing the initial curriculum frameworks for grades 10 and will play a leading role in our initial investigations into appropriate accreditation pathways that will best support the programme. 

In the 2026-2027 academic year, Andrew will be consulting full-time for MST and spending a significant amount of time with us here in Tokyo.  

In parallel, we are fortunate to already have a highly capable and experienced core team within the adolescent programme. Xavier Maréchal, who holds AMI diplomas across all three planes of development, brings a uniquely comprehensive pedagogical perspective.

As we transition into a more distributed leadership model in the adolescent programme, Xavier will become the Adolescent representative to the Pedagogical Leadership Team and his broad pedagogical insight and steady presence will be a key link—not only in supporting the current team and students, but also in collaborating with Andrew during his remote period to ensure the high school program grows organically from the strong foundation we already have in place.

Kartika Harsono also remains a vital presence in the programme. Her training, experience, and calm, supportive approach have made her a key pillar of consistency and care. Her connection with students and commitment to Montessori values will continue to be an important source of strength for the adolescent community.

Fumika Kubo will return as our Middle School Japanese teacher. She will also begin her formal Montessori training this summer (AMI 6~12) and her continued growth adds even more depth and stability to the returning team.

What We’ve Heard from You

Our May 28 parent meeting was vibrant and well-attended. Thank you for your engagement. The most frequently asked questions centered around the following themes:

College Admissions & Academic Rigor

• Will students be prepared for competitive university admissions?

• How will we balance autonomy with academic expectations?

Financial Viability

• Is the parent company (C2C) backing this initiative?

• What happens if enrollment or budget targets aren’t met?

  
  

Facilities & Staffing

• How will we ensure access to sports and PE resources?

• Will staffing be balanced across EL, MS, and HS?

Curriculum & Student Life

• How will STEM, internships, and real-world learning be integrated?

• What replaces the farm programme in an urban setting?

• Is there an updated sex ed curriculum?

Language & Cultural Integration

• Will Japanese language acquisition and cultural integration be prioritized?

• Will the school support students pursuing local universities or careers?

Structure & Admissions

• Will Grade 10 be standalone or hybrid with MS?

• Will there be a minimum enrollment to open?

• Will the high school admit students from outside MST?

• Will start times be adjusted for adolescents?

Community Involvement

• Can parents form an advisory group?

• How can families contribute meaningfully to the project?

Timeline & Risk

• Is the proposed timeline realistic?

• Are school leadership and ownership fully aligned?

Thank you. We are actively considering your feedback into our planning and decision-making.

What’s Next (2025-2026)

Next academic year, we will:

• Develop the high school curriculum and explore accreditation options

• Form an Advisory Council and Parent Council to support design and implementation

• Host further community events and communications to keep you informed

Looking Ahead

This is a time of transition and of opportunity. The foundations we’ve built as a school community are very strong and it is clear that, while there is a lot of work ahead, there is strong support and enthusiasm in the MST parent community for this project.

We look forward to continuing this journey in partnership with you. Together, we aim to launch Japan’s first Montessori high school—an inspiring new chapter in MST’s evolution.