Who We Are
There is something deeply emotional about handing your child over to someone else for the first time. Every parent feels it. You wonder who will comfort your little one when they feel unsure, who will notice the quiet parts of their personality, who will celebrate the tiny breakthroughs that may seem small to the outside world but mean everything to you. At The Baltimore Montessori, we never forget the weight of this trust. Our school was built around a simple but powerful belief that children flourish when they are treated with dignity, patience, and genuine respect. Since 2006, families throughout Baltimore have chosen our school community because they wanted something more personal than a traditional classroom experience.
Today, our welcoming campuses in Canton and Locust Point, continue to create spaces where children from 18 months through 6 years old feel safe enough to explore, brave enough to try, and supported enough to grow into exactly who they are meant to become.
Parent Reviews
Brittany B.
June 10, 2025
We are so grateful for the incredible staff who have ALL been instrumental in our son's first school experience. The school itself is beautiful, clean, and spacious. The structured activities paired with his teacher's patience makes for the perfect environment for our boy. We noticed a positive behavioral difference in our speech delayed toddler after his first week. Before enrolling, we shopped around for months and are so thankful we came across this gem. His teachers Miss Keyona and Miss Brooke took the time in advance to ask us about his special interests and learning style and have made an amazing effort to remember and apply what we shared about him, while working with him to reach his social and developmental goals. Seeing my son get excited to go to school every morning affirms my confidence that we made the best choice!
Maeve R.
May 21, 2024
I appreciate the warmth of the staff and their expertise in early childhood education. They love the kids and are easy to communicate and collaborate with to help our little ones grow and learn.
Josefina F.
December 14, 2023
I like the small size and that everyone knows my child’s name. It’s also well kept and clean. My child comes home happy, clean, and wants to go back the next day. He also learns a lot at school! We hear new words and phrases weekly 🙂
Anne S.
September 5, 2023
Canton Montessori School is wonderful! Very caring and energetic teachers that the kids adore. I would highly recommend!
Our Story
When The Baltimore Montessori first opened its doors, it was never meant to be another preschool. It was created to give children a different beginning to life, one rooted in respect, independence, emotional safety, and meaningful connection. From the very beginning, our founders believed children deserved environments designed around how they naturally learn rather than systems designed around convenience or rigid expectations.
This philosophy still shapes every corner of our school today. It lives in the calm rhythm of our classrooms. It lives in the way guides kneel to speak eye-to-eye with your child. It lives in the quiet confidence children develop when they realize they are capable of doing meaningful things for themselves.
Over the years, our school has become something families carry with them long after graduation. Parents often tell us their child became more confident here, more peaceful, more independent, and more themselves.
Venus Thomas, School Leader at our Canton Campus, reflects on this transformation beautifully, "These early years are when children begin to develop their sense of self, confidence, and their ability to build relationships. Knowing that we play a role in nurturing those qualities is important."
This same sense of purpose guides Aliciana Slagenweit, School Leader at our Locust Point Campus, "This work matters because we have a real chance to break the cycle of raising children to hit metrics and follow instructions simply. Montessori gives every child the tools to trust themselves, develop their own gifts, and move through the world without needing someone else to tell them they are enough."
As part of the Endeavor Schools family of schools, our community has continued to grow while holding tightly to the values that made families fall in love with this school in the first place. These unwavering values include warmth, authenticity, connection, and an unwavering belief in children.
At The Baltimore Montessori, our mission reaches far beyond academics.
We are here to help your child build a strong inner foundation, including confidence, kindness, resilience, independence, empathy, and trust in themselves. We believe children learn best when they feel emotionally secure, deeply respected, and genuinely loved for who they already are.
The early years shape how your child sees themselves and the world around them. That is why every interaction inside our classrooms is intentional. We are not simply preparing children for kindergarten. We are helping shape thoughtful human beings who feel capable, connected, and curious about life.
We want your child to walk through our doors and immediately feel that this is a place where they belong. A place where they do not have to compete for attention or fit into a narrow definition of success. A place where they can move, explore, question, imagine, create, and grow without fear of getting it wrong. Our vision is to raise children who feel secure enough to think independently, compassionate enough to care for others, and confident enough to move through life with both curiosity and courage.
Our classrooms are guided by the authentic Montessori philosophy and carefully designed to support your child's natural development. Rather than pushing children through lessons before they are ready, our guides observe closely and introduce learning experiences at the exact right moment for each child. Inside our Toddler Program, Primary Program, and Kindergarten Program, your child will engage in practical life activities, sensorial exploration, early mathematics, language development, science, culture, art, and Spanish enrichment through hands-on discovery rather than passive instruction. One of the most important parts of the Montessori experience is the uninterrupted three-hour work cycle. This protected time allows your child to settle deeply into concentration, revisit materials naturally, solve problems independently, and experience the satisfaction of meaningful work completed at their own pace.
What Makes Our Montessori School Feel Different?
Some schools feel busy, some feel performative, and some feel like children are constantly being hurried from one thing to the next. Our school feels different, and when you step into one of our classrooms, the thing you will notice almost immediately is the calm. Not because your child is expected to sit silently, but because they feel secure. They know the environment belongs to them, too. They know where things go, that their voice matters, and that they are trusted.
At our school, you will often see toddlers carefully pouring water for themselves, children rolling up their own work mats with pride, older children naturally and gently helping younger classmates, and concentration that comes not from pressure, but from genuine engagement.
Aliciana Slagenweit, at our Locust Point Campus, explains it this way, "Montessori was developed for marginalized children and grounded in the belief that every child has an innate drive to learn when given a prepared environment, real freedom, and an adult who steps back rather than performs." This philosophy changes everything about how children experience school.
At many schools, differentiation is something extra added later. Here, individualized learning is woven into every moment of the day. Because Montessori follows your child rather than forcing them into the same timeline, your little one receives the support, repetition, challenge, or encouragement they personally need without comparison or shame.
Venus Thomas, at our Canton Campus, describes beautifully that, "We know and understand that all children learn differently, and we strive to meet them where they are and encourage developmental growth in personalized ways based upon their individual needs."
This is not simply our teaching philosophy, it is the heart of our school.
Early Childhood Leadership & Staff
The people caring for your child matter deeply, and we believe families truly deserve to know the hearts behind the classrooms. At The Baltimore Montessori, our guides are educators, mentors, nurturers, and calm, steady presences during some of the most important developmental years of your child's life.
Our guides complete ongoing professional development every year, including Montessori-focused learning and child development training. Lead guides hold advanced early childhood qualifications, including 90-hour Child Care Certificates, Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials, or degrees in education and related fields. Every member of our team is committed to growing alongside your child. In line with Maryland State Department of Education requirements, our lead guides complete a minimum of 12 hours of professional development each year, while assistant guides and aides complete at least 6 hours annually. These trainings cover best practices in early childhood education, child development, and safety, keeping our team current, responsive, and always focused on the needs of every child in our care.
Venus Thomas
School Leader, The Baltimore Montessori, Canton Campus
With 25 years of experience in early childhood education, Venus brings wisdom, patience, and deep compassion to her leadership role. She believes the work happening inside early childhood classrooms shapes far more than academics. "It is about laying the groundwork for lifelong learning and helping children develop the skills they need to thrive in the world."
LinkedInAliciana Slagenweit
School Leader, The Baltimore Montessori, Locust Point Campus
With more than a decade in early education, Aliciana leads with grace, honesty, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. She believes children deserve adults who model emotional steadiness, empathy, and humility every day.
LinkedInAchievements & Accreditations
Our accreditations reflect the care, integrity, and standards we believe your family deserves. The Baltimore Montessori was the first private Montessori school in Baltimore City to receive certification from both the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and Montessori Schools of Maryland. Today, only four Montessori non-public schools in Baltimore City have been listed as approved Montessori schools by MSDE.
Both campuses remain fully licensed under Maryland state requirements, and our educators continue to pursue Montessori and child development training to ensure your child receives the highest-quality early learning experience possible.
"When children are empowered with curiosity and compassion from the very beginning, those early experiences shape how they will one day contribute to and change the world."
- Venus Thomas, School Leader, The Baltimore Montessori Canton.
Endeavor Schools is a community of more than 100 schools across the country, brought together by a shared commitment to caring for children during the most important years of their lives. Each school is thoughtfully connected to its local community, creating environments where children feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow. Behind every classroom is a team of educators and parents who understand how much these early experiences matter, and who are dedicated to helping children build confidence, develop essential skills, and find a genuine love for learning. At the heart of Endeavor Schools is a focus on one simple goal: to give every child the support and foundation they need to thrive, both in school and in life.