Community Montessori

Community Montessori began as a small idea in the minds of Founders Barbara and Glenn Fondren to create an educational option for their children, Kaitlin and Kasey, with the hope of creating an outstanding school for their community and eventually impacting education locally and globally. 

In 1998, Community Montessori, a non-profit organization, opened it's doors to 59 children ages 3 - 6.  Barbara gave the community leaders that formed the Board of Directors two goals for the school - add an age level every year through high school graduation and eventually be tuition free so any family could attend the school.

In 2001, the Charter School Law in Indiana passed and families, staff and the Board of Directors agreed to convert to a tuition-free charter school.  Although standardized testing required by charter schools is not consistent with the Montessori philosophy, the school's partnership with Ball State University built confidence in this conversion.  

The school continued to add an age level every year through high school and graduated their first class of seniors in 2011.  

The school now hosts up to 600 children and teens and about 60 dynamic staff members that "walk the walk" of Montessori education.