School History

In 1968 a group of visionary parents sought to make Montessori education in Bloomington a reality. They were dedicated to the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori and saw a better future for both their children and the world in this opportunity. They raised money, found a location, and began their journey. By 1971 they had hired their first credentialed Montessori teacher. By 1973 they were a thriving school of 25 Early Childhood students and hired a second teacher, with a vision of expanding to serve 100 children. This growth would fuel the opening of a Lower Elementary classroom that began enrollment in 1982. The school had been renting space up to this point, but soon acquired land and built its facility (where it stands today) in 1983.

The next expansion was to provide an Upper Elementary for our families, and in 1984 this next phase of Montessori education in Bloomington became a reality.

In 2012 a fourth Early Childhood class was established, and an addition was built to house two Lower Elementary classrooms. This meant that BMS was equipped to now serve 60 all-day Early Childhood students and 60 half-day Early Childhood students, as well as 66 Lower Elementary Students and 48 Upper Elementary students.

We celebrated our 55th anniversary as an organization in 2023. We are fully accredited by the American Montessori Society and Validated by the United Montessori Schools of Indiana. We are proud to have the opportunity to serve Bloomington and the surrounding communities for another fifty years.