Our experience was great with this school and I'm glad we found Scott and Emily. My youngest son started here for what we thought would be one year before we started him in The Orchard School, which is where our oldest is attending school. Instead, the experience was so good they earned the right to keep our son one more year before heading off to Orchard. There were lots of little things I appreciated about his experience here: 1 - Healthy eating! Emily and her staff were consistent in their message that kids need healthy snacks and this fits well with my personal belief we are what we eat. My son came home asking for broccoli! 2 - Geography and pin poking - This is a Montessori activity that I didn't know anything about until his experience. My son completed a map of each continent, opening the door to talking about those areas of the world and what they do there, eat there, sing there, etc. We still have these maps up in our home and use them as a reference when talking about areas of the world. 3 - Reading and singing - Scott coming and playing Rudi music on Wednesdays was a highlight for my son. When he started there, my son wasn't sure about himself or going to school and Scott's music brought out my son's personality and helped give him confidence and joy for singing and learning all the new words, sounds and days that came with those songs. He really started his love of reading here, too, which I appreciate as an avid reader. 4 - Behavior growth - My son really thrived in a time where learning those social skills, learning how to manage your emotions, learning appropriate responses to others in those situations, etc. because of the guidance at this school. I very much recommend this school as a solid choice for helping your young child get started on the right foot for their education. read more

Our daughters both attended CMS. We had a great experience. Both learned so much while they were there and made a lot of good friends. We always felt secure dropping our kids off at CMS--we knew they would be seen, loved, cared for, and educated. read more

Our second year at Carmel Montessori, and we are quite happy. My daughter thrives in this environment!

This is our third year at Carmel Montessori school and we could not be happier. Our daughter has attended CMS for two years and is now enrolled in a private school for KG. She left CMS being very advanced in reading, math and social skills, but most of all with very positive attiude towards school and learning. the Montessori method is quite unique and while we understand that not all children might be fit for it, our daughter thrived at Carmel Montessori. Emily, the directress, actually agreed with our decision of having her go to another school for KG, and we did not feel pressured for a minute to stay in her school (we would have stayed, had we been sure to be able to get in the private shool of our choice in first grade, which is very difficult). We are now sending our son, wo is 3, to Carmel Montessori and we feel very fortunate to be able to do it. read more

After having my 2nd child, I researched fully all of the pre-school options in the Carmel area. We had been traveling to Indianapolis for a very expensive Private Pre-School, and while we were satisfied, the travel was too much with a baby. I visited Carmel Montessori and met with the Directress along with my Mother who is a Elementary Learning Disabled teacher. We were both very impressed. I promptly enrolled my 3 year old. She was there for 3 years, including for KG. I also enrolled my 2nd daughter at age 3 and she also spent 3 years with Emily and her wonderful staff. Both of my children are in Public elementary schools now and are nothing short of thriving. Both read at a full 3 grades above their school level, and both are in upper grade Math classes. I have no doubt that Carmel Montessori prepared them academically to succeed. My girls gained confidence along with independence during their time at Carmel Montessori. They talk often about how they miss the variety and choices that Carmel Montessori offered, now that their learning is more structured. They still ask to visit Miss Emily on their days off of school, and love catching a local Ruditoonz concert. (which you have the wonderful benefit of having the children experience weekly at school!) If you're looking for a pre-school educational program to prepare your child for school years ahead, look no further than Carmel Montessori. You won't be disappointed. As for the 1 negative review below... DISREGARD read more

My son went to CMS and is now excelling in school as a second grader. He looks upon his preschool years very fondly. He was well prepared for kindergarten. I believe Montessori helped him create an inquisitive mind and instilled a love of learning. Emily the director is very warm and caring and very organized. She sets proper expectations for children to help develop their social skills which is the most important thing at this age. The school is very aesthetically pleasing and clean. My daughter is now attending school there and I feel very excited for her growth there, At the time of this review, we are in a pandemic and I feel so comfortable sending my daughter to school here. Emily has a true attention to details and thoroughly cares about the students, their well-beings and the families. I appreciate all that they are doing to keep our kids safe right now. I had checked out many different preschools in the past throughout Carmel all the way to Broad Ripple and I can confidently say that there is truly no comparison. Most preschools are glorified day cares. I would highly recommend this school for all different types of children. read more

When my family and I moved from Michigan back to the Indianapolis area, we were already in search of a pre-K program for our daughter. We visited multiple places - day cares, large for-profit schools, pre-k programs that were ran through church administrators and none were really up to what we were looking for. Then my wife and I found Carmel Montessori. We called the school to set up a walk through and we were lucky enough to do a walk-through during the summer program and were thrilled by the organization, cleanliness, happy staff, and happy students! While my wife and I talked to the Directress, they allowed our daughter to integrate herself into the learnings/going-ons within the classroom. Having previously been a teacher, we were both very pleased and excited with how the school was presented, how our daughter would work not only on strengthening her mind, but her self-esteem, her social skills, and her life skills. Our daughter went 2 years to Carmel Montessori - pre-K and also kindergarten and she loved both years and for the 2 years that she attended there was only 1 assistant change but that was in addition to, so the original assistants that she started with in pre-K were still there. During these two years, the Directress and assistants were very open to talk about how our daughter did for that day or week. Also, the teaching staff was always open to make time to discuss our child's development and what we could do as a team to continue her progress. Although my wife and I were never able to volunteer due to our work schedules, we were always asking the school if there was anything we could do. We offered and did donate multiple times - school supplies, additional snacks, and other supplies to help the school spend more time with all the students. The Montessori environment is not one in which a child sits at a desk and someone imparts knowledge upon them. Though they do have lessons, these are brief, and the children generally direct themselves through their own "works" for the day, often working on a rug, at a group table, or going outside if weather permitted. Older children in the classroom serve as resources, also by reading to younger students and working in groups. The classroom is bright and clean, as the children have daily chores to maintain their environment. Our daughter is now in public elementary and is doing very well. Her math, science, and geography are a full 2 grades above her school level, and is in upper grade in reading comprehension. I have no doubt that our daughter was very prepared academically when leaving Carmel Montessori as a kindergarten graduate. She talks often how she wishes she could go back to Carmel Montessori and how she wishes Miss Emily was still her teacher. I can honestly say I have nothing but good things to say about Carmel Montessori School. If you'd like your child to feel safe, loved, important and valued at school, then this is the place for you! To anyone who has never posted to YELP or any other social rating website, please remember that it is easier to complain when you are behind a computer. read more

I strongly second what the prior reviewer said. This is far from a true Montessori school. Administratively, the school is a disorganized mess. There doesn't appear to be any structure or attention paid to what the kids do or how they develop. The amount of favoritism toward the preferred parents was stunning, particularly since this is the preschool level. Communication about the most basic things - what the children are doing, what should be expected of the child, areas on which they can improve - is virtually non-existent. The school only provides feedback if you twist an arm to get it and even then it is only of a platitudinous nature. And the one good teacher they had left. We couldn't wait to be done with it. This experience was negative all around and a massive waste of time. On top of it all, they are incredibly overpriced. There are scores of good preschools in Carmel and northern Indianapolis, yet the administration seems to not care at all about customer service, courtesy or the fact that what parents are paying that extra money for is the Montessori experience, which does not occur here. I hope you find a better place for your own child. read more

This school is not real Montessori. There is not a true curriculum and even though the materials are present in the school the directress has very little knowledge on how to teach them or train her staff. She does not treat each child equally. read more

Carmel Montessori is NOT a good Montessori at all. Its a WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME . Its like an overpriced day care . I would not even recommend it for a daycare , as there are preferences given so some children. The Montessori methods are not followed at all, there is no one to one time given to children. Last year there were 36 children with only one certified AMS teacher, who is the directress and 2 assistance. She does not train her staff well. Infact her staff keeps changing practically every year. Parents and grandparents of her ex-students are appointed as her staff. The school boast of the directress having 16 years of Montessori experience but she is nowhere close to it. She hardly focuses on academics, most of the work she does is colouring/ scribling on paper, pin poking. Discussions about the child work and progress never take place, unless and until you pester the directress, the 2 assistance are not allowed to speak because they do not teach math and English to the students. Last year with 36 students I wonder how the Directress got time to teach them math and English, as she is the only certified teacher to teach those subjects. On paper Carmel Montessori has an elaborate and fantastic curriculum just how an ideal school should be, but by the end of the year my child was still struggling counting 1 to 15. The school is only prompt in sending email reminders for school fees and holidays. The directress is not aware of what your child knows/does in school. She will always say that your child is NOT READY to go to public Kinder-garden and enroll them with Carmel Montessori for KG.( So that her pockets always remain full.) Am I paying Carmel Montessori school , just to hear that my child is not ready to go to public KG. On parent orientation day the school says that they will not admit more than 30 students. Then how come there were 36 students last year? What happened to the student teacher ratio of 1:10 which the school claims of maintaining on the orientation day and on other bolgs/sites ,( where dissatisfied parents have written reviews.) Most of the other Montessori's encourage parent volunteering for a couple of hours per month in school , Carmel monterss... does not mention about volunteering at all. When asked about volunteering , the directress said that mothers do`nt like it. If time permits which parent would not like volunteering in their child's school? I wonder why she said that? There are much better Montessori's in Carmel. Its worth keeping your child at home and spending some more time researching in good school than sending them to Carmel Montessori. read more

My daughter attended Carmel Montessori last school year. It is a wonderful school if you are looking for individualized education that focuses on your child's needs and strengths. We started out at another organization that cost more, my daughter came home with blue hair, and got hit without them filling out an incident report. Carmel Montessori not only transitioned her in well, but invited my husband and I to visit at anytime. I was amazed at how well the students transitioned from activity to activity and that my daughter could not only count to 50 but could draw the world and tell me the names of the continents! Now that's impressive for a 4 year old! This school not only focuses on reading and math but science and social studies as well! I am excited to see how well my daughter is prepared for kindergarten! As she has entered kindergarten this year, it is amazing to see how advanced she is and how Carmel Montessori prepared her for school. I appreciate not only Emily but everyone there for investing in my daughter's educational growth. If it wasn't for them, I probably would have ended up in another overpriced place. I would highly recommend Carmel Montessori if you are looking for a place that puts your child first, finds out how they learn best and prepares them for school. Don't let me tell you, go check it out for yourself! You won't be disappointed!!! read more