About Us

We are committed to providing the highest quality early childhood education for your children in a safe, engaging and nurturing environment. Our professional teachers will encourage your child's unique abilities to blossom, striving to meet their individual needs emotionally, socially, physically and cognitively.

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Learning Circle was established in 1980 and was the first Montessori school in Bozeman. We offer an individualized preschool and kindergarten curriculum in a multi-age classroom setting, allowing children of all abilities to be challenged at their own level.

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Practical Life:  Fun, hands-on activities including art and cooking, that develop both gross and fine-motor skills. These activities also help children learn to concentrate and organize materials.

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Language:  Development of communication skills, including pre-reading, early reading, and handwriting.

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Geography and Science:  Exploring the world around us, from our backyard bugs to maps of the world, from the rocks underneath us to the stars above us.

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Sensorial and Math:  Hands-on materials and lessons teaching the physical properties of size, shape, dimensions, color, and quantity. This leads into learning about “math” including numerals, operations like adding and multiplying, and other mathematical relationships.

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Social Skills and Peace Curriculum:  A critical component of each day, combining the explicit teaching of respectful social skills and conflict resolution, with thoughtful guidance and assistance from teachers as needed.

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Spanish is taught throughout the week and at a specific group circle time once per week using games, movement, and singing.

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Art and Music are incorporated into many aspects of our day, and are enhanced by classes with guest instructors.

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School Culture:  We strive to create a school culture with a peaceful, non-competitive atmosphere that fosters the growth of inner discipline and independence, helping each child to form a healthy, confident self-image.  We strongly encourage cooperation, inquisitiveness, imagination and a sense of responsibility. Respectful social skills are encouraged through Grace and Courtesy lessons and Peace Education.

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Community & Parent Involvement:  We value a strong community and encourage families to be involved in their child's education. Parents play an important part in our school community and can volunteer in many ways. Parents frequently help as “listeners” for the early readers; field trip chaperones and drivers; invited speakers for our curriculum studies; and as members of the Parents’ Circle, which helps fundraise for special projects and teacher training.

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Licensing & AMS Affiliation:  We strive to provide a professional, safe and healthy school that adheres to highest standards of early childhood education. Learning Circle Montessori maintains a State of Montana Day Care license, which includes annual health and safety inspections.  Since our school was founded over 30 years ago by Nancy Characklis, it has been a Full Member School of the American Montessori Society.