A community-centered Montessori school operating for fifty years in Elysian Heights.

☼ Elysian Heights, Los Angeles

Baxter Montessori

● About

Baxter Montessori

In our tucked-away corner of Elysian Heights, kids ages 2 to 6 years set their own independent path—exploring, experimenting, and bringing their best inner selves to daily life. Construction and preparatory work on the school began in the late 1960s, and the school was officially licensed in 1970, making it one of the longer-standing Montessori programs in the Echo Park/Elysian Heights area. It was established with the goal of offering parents a reasonably priced, well-staffed early childhood education option grounded in Montessori philosophy, complete with cheerful classrooms and authentic Montessori materials.

We offer affordable Montessori education (no potty training necessary). Whether you’re curious about life at the school, hoping to visit, or ready to enroll, we’re here to talk. 

TOUR OUR SCHOOL
Children running and playing outside on a sidewalk near a school playground.

The Montessori Method is based on years of patient observation of the nature of the child.

● Philosophy

Montessori Principles at Play

Child using a red screwdriver to assemble a wooden board with metal screws and washers on a clear plastic tray.

Practical Life Exercises

Hands-on activities—such as pouring, sweeping, dressing, and food preparation—that help children develop coordination, concentration, and independence. These tasks are designed to be purposeful and real, allowing children to contribute meaningfully to their environment while mastering everyday skills. {ractical life work builds the foundation for confidence, self-regulation, and later academic learning. Montessori education emphasizes learning by doing.

Colorful pencils organized in small square containers of various colors including red, purple, white, green, pink, yellow, blue, and orange, placed on a pink box with blue shapes on it, near a window.

Sensorial Materials

Sensorial materials are carefully designed tools that help children refine their senses by isolating specific qualities such as size, color, weight, smell, or texture. Through hands-on exploration and self-correcting activities, children learn to observe subtle differences, order information, and build perception. Simple materials lay the groundwork for abstract thinking by giving children concrete experiences that prepare them for language, mathematics, and scientific understanding.

A young child with curly hair and a green shirt is playing with colorful stacking blocks on a wooden table. There is a small basket containing more stacking blocks nearby.

Skills by Progression

Reading and number work is built on sequential learning, moving from concrete, hands-on materials to increasingly abstract concepts. Children first explore sounds, symbols, quantities, and numerals in tactile ways that make foundational skills intuitive and meaningful. As mastery develops, they transition naturally to more complex reading and math tasks, supported by materials that guide them step-by-step toward independent understanding.

  • "We drove by many years ago and saw the sweet sign and beautiful tree. I had always hoped to send our children to Montessori school and was thrilled to find one that was so affordable and embedded in the community."

    — Emily G.

  • "We’ve met some of our favorite people through this community! This school draws a down to earth group of parents who value quality time with their kids and are deeply invested in being active parents. Everyone seems so aligned in terms of how they parent - it really makes for a 'village' feel."

    — Jill H.

  • "The sense of community is so genuine and all of the families are so welcoming. We really appreciated that as a new family in the school. We also love how attentive the teachers are and dedicated to giving the kids the best possible experience."

    — Miles & Ellis G.

Wooden bookshelf with educational materials and books for children, including colored pencils, flashcards, and small storage containers.

● Learning

Curriculum

Students engage in uninterrupted work periods that allow for deep focus and self-directed learning, while also participating in structured lessons in areas such as math, language, science, and cultural studies.

The daily routine incorporates time for outdoor play, art, music, and community activities, fostering social, emotional, and physical development alongside intellectual growth.

Learn more
Bright and colorful preschool classroom with tables, chairs, educational supplies, window, and door.
Children playing on a playground, some sitting on a seesaw and others standing or sitting nearby, with trees and a stop sign in the background.

● Contact

Request Information

Whether you’re curious about life at the school, hoping to visit, or ready to enroll, we’re here to talk.