Montessori High School in Bethesda
VISIT OUR Montessori
BETHESDA
HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS
OFHS students are creative thinkers, community builders, and collaborators. Through learning by doing, engaging with the community around them, and following their academic interests, our students are poised to become highly skilled in areas necessary to thrive in the complex 21st century – adaptive problem-solving, communications, and holistic leadership.
Following Curiosity
Our Montessori college-prep curriculum balances a structured academic schedule with the ability to be flexible, allowing students to explore the topics that spark their interest and imagination.
Key Program Components
Experiential Learning
The Oneness-Family High School Montessori curriculum fosters self-motivation and a love of learning with student-led experiential learning, small class sizes, quality relationships with teachers, and a flexible network of student support that builds a strong social and emotional foundation for academic success.
Benefits of an OFHS Education
Montessori Learning
The Montessori environment is intentionally structured to foster deep inner awareness in students. Through self-directed activity and reflection, they gain a strong understanding of their own capabilities and motivations, which directly leads to a powerful sense of personal empowerment and agency. This self-knowledge is the foundation upon which they build the essential skill of self-advocacy, enabling them to confidently express their needs, manage their learning, and navigate the world as responsible, capable individuals.
“Oneness-Family Montessori High School empowers students to become leaders in an ever-changing world, helping them develop the skills and practical experience necessary to address 21st century problems with their own unique talents and gifts.”
— Andrew Kutt, Founder & Board Chair
Quote: Mohamed (Cheick) Touré (’24)
I have learned to be patient with myself; I can try out things, see if they work for me, change my mind about how to do things, and try again.
Cheick shares his 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.
My time in elementary school at a public school in New York was confusing. I found the classrooms suffocating because the walls felt really close together. The building was laid out with all the classrooms in a loop. After six years there, it felt like I was going round and round in circles. It wasn’t a very nice feeling, especially because of the 1st graders staring at me.
All of that was terrible, but the number one thing that I still remember was the career posters taped around the entire school. Because of that I thought it was time to decide my career for the rest of my life. This feeling of pressure continued throughout my time in elementary school.
When I came to Oneness, I was in the 6th grade. In my three years here, I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I don’t need to know what I want to do with the rest of my life right now. I have learned to be patient with myself; I can try out things, see if they work for me, change my mind about how to do things and try again.
When I took my first theme test, I saw some of my classmates studying with giant stacks of notecards and thought I had to study that way, too. When that didn’t work for me, I had the chance to try out new ways to study and figure out my own strategies. I learned it’s OK to take risks and that I can be flexible and resilient when things don’t turn out the way I would like them to. Finally, I learned that I enjoy setting and accomplishing goals when I do it for myself rather than to please others. The environment here at Oneness has helped me learn these things.
Being a student in middle school has given me the space to explore who I am as a person and as a student. It has been a place where I have learned to look to my peers for inspiration but not to emulate them. You can only really be what you are, and what you are is yourself.
THANK YOU!
Meet Your Teachers
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Andrew Faulstich
Director of Education, Humanities Teacher
Email
andrew.faulstich@onenessfamily.org
Biography
Andrew believes in the potential for education to be transformative and empowering for all students. He developed and led international and U.S. education programs and taught students from 7 different countries in person, virtually, and in a hybrid format. He also experienced the full breadth of public and private educational institutions, working with early childhood through undergraduate, graduate, and adult learners. All of his work is geared toward providing empowering, culturally sustaining, learner-centered, anti-bias, antiracist, and equitable education to students around the world.
Andrew attended a Montessori school himself through Upper Elementary, which is why he returned to the method as a teacher. He opened two Montessori adolescent programs as a founding lead teacher: a middle and high school in Hollywood, Florida, and a middle school in Baltimore, Maryland. In those roles, Andrew most enjoyed building deep relationships with students, creating a holistic humanities curriculum, and collaborating with adolescent practitioners across the country. Andrew is driven by a desire to create prepared environments which meet the needs of all students, and he is looking forward to continuing that work at Oneness.
Andrew received his Master’s in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, his Bachelor’s in Anthropology from the University of Rochester, a certificate in Montessori Adolescent Studies from the Association Montessori Internationale, and a certificate in the Harkness Method from the Exeter Humanities Institute at Phillips Exeter Academy.
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Jilly Sher
Humanities Teacher
Email
Biography
Jilly Sher grew up with three sisters in New Jersey. She graduated magna cum laude as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Bowdoin College with a major in Francophone Studies and a minor in English Education. In 2025, she completed Bowdoin’s intensive teacher-training program as a postgraduate to earn a teaching certificate in secondary English. In 2023-2024, she taught English-speaking classes to college students in France. Professionally and personally, Jilly is drawn to self-expression in all its forms, including language, art, music, and literature. As a Humanities Teacher, she wants to help students find and hone their voices by building in opportunities for them to hear and share stories, especially those that are traditionally marginalized or silenced.
As an undergraduate, Jilly worked at Upward Bound to provide underserved high schoolers with the tools to become first-generation college students. Also at Bowdoin, she worked as a teaching assistant and completed a French independent study on post-colonial discourse and curriculum. Her love of mentorship extends back even further: in high school, she worked for the Girls’ Leadership Institute to help middle-schoolers develop leadership skills and build service-action plans. As a long-term Girl Scout, Jilly earned her Silver and Gold Awards, which focused on sharing the healing benefits of art and nature.
Jilly is passionate about empowering those in her care through shared respect, wonder, and a heaping cup of joy. She is excited to join the Oneness-Family community this year!
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Jarrett Arnold
STEM Teacher & Curriculum Development
Email
Biography
Jarrett Arnold became a science educator in his thirties after earning his Bachelors in Biology and Masters in Education from the University of Oregon in 2008 and 2009, respectively. He has taught biology, chemistry, physics, art, and theater set design at the University of Oregon, Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, and The Field School and American University in Washington, DC. Prior to his career in education, he received his first degree in drawing and painting from the University of Georgia in 1997.
Originally from Georgia, Jarrett walked the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 1998 and completed two cross-continental bicycle tours. He remains an avid naturalist, hiker, and biker. He is happily married to Jaylene Arnold, a graphic designer, musician, and illustrator, and they have two adult children, Bodhi and Shashi. Jarrett continues to create art and exhibits his work frequently in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
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Alleanna Lawrence
Science & Math Teacher
Email
Biography
Alleanna believes education is the most important mechanism for social transformation and is passionate about building confidence in science.
After earning a degree in Data Science from the University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on human and population health, she co-created a data science summer program called Berkeley Unboxing Data Science, dedicated to fostering curiosity and analytical skills in high school students.
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Juan Dopico
Spanish Teacher
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Biography
Juan is the son of Argentine immigrants. At an early age, Juan showed a fondness and a passion for languages and teaching. While growing up, Juan learned Spanish at home while learning Latin in school. He received his B.A. at Vanderbilt University (2012), a M.A. at Washington University in St. Louis (2015), and a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University (2023) in Classics. As a result of his education, Juan is both bilingual in Spanish and conversant in Italian. He can also read Latin, Ancient Greek, French, and German.
Juan began his teaching career at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas, where he taught Latin and Spanish for two years before pursuing his Ph.D. During his time there, Juan formed deep personal connections with students, often coaching and supporting the soccer teams or engaging with them in their hobbies, such as video games or Anime.
Juan also currently teaches undergraduates as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Some of his courses are Roman World, Classical Mythology, and Word Roots. His teaching style can be described as flexible, tailoring to the needs of his students while integrating activities that reinforce the ideas taught in class.
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Raya Salman
French Teacher
Email
Biography
After graduating with a degree in Art from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, Raya moved to Paris, France, where she lived and earned a degree in Art and French Literature from the Université de La Sorbonne.
Raya taught Art and French, first in the United Kingdom for ten years and then in the United States. She is passionate about her students and uses an innovative teaching approach to keep them engaged.
When she is not teaching, Raya is a professional artist and is the author and illustrator of the children’s book, “Joey the Leopard/ Have You Seen My Spots?” Her hobbies include painting, cooking, swimming, and Martial Arts. She is a fifth-degree Black Belt Master in Tae Kwon Do and practices regularly.
Her mission in life: Be happy and make a difference in people’s lives!
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Debbie Kahn
American Sign Language (ASL) Teacher
Email
Biography
Debbie’s career journey is like a winding road trip through diverse landscapes. She began as a computer programmer in a bank but shifted gears to become a Montessori teacher and later the Associate Director at the Oneness-Family School (1992-2009). She then took a sharp turn and ventured off-road to travel to Niger with the nonprofit Amman Imman: Water is Life as the Associate Director, where she inspired students to assist indigenous populations affected by climate change, desertification, and water scarcity.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Debbie has also acquired fluency in sign language through her journey. She learned sign language from her deaf housemate and quickly became her interpreter at local events. As a teacher at Oneness, she taught sign language to students and engaged them in fun performances at festivals and in-house events. Now, over a decade after “graduating” Oneness, she’s back on the road, teaching American Sign Language (ASL) at the high school level.
Debbie holds a Montessori teaching certification from 1992 and a B.A. in Education from Goddard College (2007). In her free time, Debbie writes poetry, enjoys hiking, and loves exploring the wilderness with dogs and kids of all ages.
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Brian Fisher
Art Teacher
Email
Biography
Brian was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and loved that he could explore from the oceans to the mountains. He worked as a veterinarian assistant, helped manage a Bed & Breakfast, guided whitewater rafting trips, and worked on a team building and remodeling houses. Eventually he headed off to the University of Washington, where he received a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting.
He moved to Bethesda in 2003 with his wife and son, the latter of whom joined the Moon Room class at Oneness-Family School. Brian saw his son grow exponentially in the warm Oneness environment, and has stayed involved with the school intermittently over the years.
He has worked with the high school students as an art instructor since its inception. With the youngest students, he focuses on exploring materials and colors; as the students age and become more confident in their abilities, he starts focusing them on a more structured academic approach to art and color theory.
In his free time, weather permitting, you can usually find him leading rafting trips or swiftwater rescue training on the Potomac River, just below Great Falls.
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Guido Vitullo
Music Teacher
Email
Biography
John Guido Vitullo is a musician and music teacher living in Northern Virginia, originally from Youngstown, Ohio. After graduating with a music performance degree from Youngstown State University, he moved to DC where he teaches private percussion lessons, rock band classes, and general music classes.
Guido performs on a drumset with two local groups: Twisted Flags, a classic and modern rock cover band, as well as The i-Talians, an Italian pop band. He also has worked and performed in musical theater pit orchestras in venues like the Keegan Theater, Little Theatre in Alexandria, and Arena Stage. Guido believes that music education is about more than cultivating good musicians. It’s about connecting students to a history of music making and allowing them to find their own artistic voice.
In his free time, he enjoys video and tabletop gaming, cooking, and gardening.
Beyond the Classroom
OFS Students go on to study at a wide array of top-tier colleges.
Sample Weekly Schedule
OFHS students are required to complete four years of World & American History, English, and Science, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science. Honors tracks are available for students, as well as myriad opportunities to dive more deeply into favorite subjects. Students also complete four years of Math and World Languages; courses in these subjects are based on each student’s individual level of experience.
Students follow a weekly schedule and take whatever class is being offered in each department that year at the appropriate level, with 9th and 10th graders taking introductory level coursework and 11th and 12th graders taking advanced level coursework.
Take The Next Step
If you’re interested in learning more, we can arrange for you to visit the school and take a tour
Book a TourA Typical Day
Arrival & Morning Social Time
Doors open at 8:30 AM. Students have a chance to socialize in the classrooms, on the benches along the hallway, or at the picnic tables and chairs in our front garden sanctuary space under the trees.
Academic Periods & Morning Gathering
Students begin their day with an academic period. The Morning Gathering then begins after the first period, where students gather around our huge Harkness Table. Students lead all aspects of the gathering, including the ringing of the singing bowl, our minute of silent reflection, the inspiring poem or quote, morning stretches, the sharing of acknowledgments, and concluding with announcements. The Morning Gathering focuses on the community in a positive way and sets a successful tone.
Academic Flow
On a typical academic day, students engage in both academic classes and work cycles. Class times range from 90-minutes to two hours, and include a class lesson followed by study and independent work time for students to work on follow-up assignments. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students have World Language classes. Art and Music classes take place on Thursdays at the lower school campus.
Advisory and Community
Students meet with their two academic advisors in grade-level groups for Advisory on Thursdays. Advisory check-insoccur on Tuesdays. During this time, students discuss themes relevant to their life at school, including concerns that emerge over time. Every Tuesday the class has a Community Meeting where students lead discussions with the support of school staff. Topics include planning for school activities such as the Spring Trip, student fundraising projects, and potlucks.
Lunch & Clubs
Everyone has lunch at the same time. Students may use this 45-minute break to relax and socialize in the classrooms, outside at the picnic tables in the sanctuary garden, and on the grounds. Students may also use this time to dive back into their favorite novel, work on an art project, or get some exercise outside. Clubs are offered during the lunch period.
Physical Education (P.E.)
On Fridays, students have P.E. for the last period of the day until 3:35 PM. P.E. activities are determined by student interest each cycle and have included rock climbing at a local climbing gym, strength-training and cardio at the YMCA, ultimate frisbee, soccer, and basketball.
End of the Day & Dismissal
When the academic day comes to a close at 4:00 PM, students are responsible for restoring the classroom environment, giving them a sense of ownership around maintaining the beauty of their learning environment. Dismissal runs from 4:00 to 4:30 PM.
On certain days of the week, students may stay later to participate in after-school activities. The Running Club meets after school on Wednesdays. Other after-school time may be used for tutoring and extra academic support.
Your Classroom
