Montessori School of Central Vermont began as the Montessori Project in September 1999 when a group of seven children began working together with Shama Minwalla serving as their Montessori guide. The Project became Center School Montessori when Center School Playgroup, Inc., a 30 year-old parent cooperative preschool and childcare organization, adopted it in the spring of 2000.

Audio: Michael describes the difference between Montessori and a typical pre-school.

In the spring of 2001, Kathleen Poole assumed responsibility for the program and guided the school to full enrollment with a waiting list the following year. The school’s overwhelming success and regular requests from parents for the establishment of a Montessori elementary program prompted the school’s expansion in the fall of 2005.

Montpelier Montessori School opened with twelve 3 and 4 year olds in an office space on Spring Street in Montpelier and grew to almost 35 children in 2006. With this extraordinary growth, the school moved to its current location at Karl Circle in Berlin, just east of Montpelier along US Rte 2. Valerie Kellogg and Kristen Martin joined Kathleen as the Montessori trained faculty grew to meet the needs of all of the children we serve.

Montessori School of Central Vermont continues to refine its practice of Montessori principles as it expands its services to the children. The school is actively planning for the establishment of an elementary program in the near future.