An Intentional Choice for Your Child’s Early Years
Montessori Academics at Blue Ridge Montessori School
Find a Classroom to Fit Your Child
Welcome to the Nido Community
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Infants from approximately 6 weeks to approximately 18 months.
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Nido comes from the Italian word for “nest” and reflects the spirit of our infant environment—warm, calm, and intentionally designed to support early development.
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Our Nido classroom is a peaceful, thoughtfully prepared space that encourages safe exploration. Simple design, natural materials, and aesthetic order help infants sensorially discover the world around them at their own pace.
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Our trained staff provide gentle, responsive care that supports each child’s individual developmental needs. Infants are spoken to with respect, observed closely, and supported through meaningful interactions that encourage early communication, movement, and independence.
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Trust is foundational in the first years of life. By responding consistently and respectfully to each infant’s needs, we help children develop a sense of security and belonging. This trust becomes the foundation for confidence, curiosity, and future learning.
“The Only Place I Would Trust With My Newborns”
“My children have each attended Blue Ridge Montessori since they were 2 months old and it is the only place I would trust with my newborns. My favorite thing about BRMS is how they treat each child like the individual human they are. They foster speech and language development by speaking to infants like they are tiny adults. ”
-The Moffa Family
Welcome to the Pre-Primary Community
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Approximately 16 months through 3 years old.
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The Pre-Primary classroom is lively, engaging, and full of discovery. At this stage, you’ll see the early foundations of concentration, independence, and social awareness beginning to emerge as children interact with their environment and one another.
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This program emphasizes language development, early social skills, and purposeful movement. Activities are thoughtfully designed to support both gross and fine motor development, with most work done individually to allow children to focus and progress at their own pace.
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The classroom is arranged to allow toddlers to move freely and explore safely without feeling overstimulated. Materials are simple in appearance but precisely designed to support coordination, independence, and confidence.
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As toddlers become ready, they take an active role in their daily routines—preparing food, feeding themselves, participating in toileting, choosing their work, and caring for their space. From carrying in their own belongings to cleaning up and putting on coats, children are supported in doing as much for themselves as they are able.
When School Becomes the Best Part of Their Day
“Sending our son to this school has been a wonderful decision ... we are amazed at how much progress he has made in such a short time. The staff and teachers have been so kind and supportive. He is only two, but when he’s not at school he’s talking about seeing his friends at school and asking if he has “school today.” We love BRMS!”
-The Taylor Family
Welcome to the Primary Community
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Typically ages 3–6, including kindergarten.
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“Help me to do it by myself” is the Montessori child’s motto and the foundation of our Primary classroom.
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An entire area of the classroom is devoted to Practical Life activities—preparing food; opening and closing fasteners from buttons to bows to buckles to Velcro; washing tables; polishing silver. Through these activities, children learn how to take care of themselves and their environment while gaining self-confidence and a sense of mastery.
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Primary children are eagerly acquiring language, both in vocabulary and in the complexity of expression. When the child is ready, letters are introduced. Having sharpened their senses through Sensorial activities, children begin to discriminate between letter sounds and symbols. They lay the foundation for reading through work with sandpaper letters and the movable alphabet, beginning to read when they are ready and progressing at their own pace.
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Children are introduced to mathematical concepts in concrete, hands-on ways, including the decimal system and basic mathematical operations. Physical materials help make abstract concepts tangible and meaningful.
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When a child enters our Primary community, it is expected that they will complete the full three-year cycle in order to fully benefit from the Montessori program. The third year of this cycle is kindergarten. By the end of the Primary program, children have developed strong academic skills, an inquisitive mind, a confident manner, and a solid work ethic.
Laying the Groundwork for Confident Learners
“BRMS has been a great foundation for my children. They have learned how to interact with others and to work independently which has helped them build confidence in themselves.”
-The Heagy Family
Welcome to the Lower Elementary Community
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Typically ages 6–9 (1st–3rd grade).
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Focus on reasoning mind, imagination, moral development, and collaborative learning.
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Longer work cycles, increased independence, small group lessons, and project-based learning.
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Reading comprehension, writing, grammar, research skills, and creative expression.
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Moving from concrete materials to more abstract concepts like multiplication, division, fractions, and problem-solving.
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Growth in confidence, leadership, and academic depth across the 3-year span.
Give Your Child the Care & Education They Deserve
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Schedule a tour
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Complete the application
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Await placement notification
Visit Our Campus
At Blue Ridge Montessori School, we encourage you to take the first step towards a more meaningful education for your child. Schedule a tour using the button below, and come see a Montessori education in action.