Welcome
Little Lakewood Montessori is a home-based child care program. The mission of Little Lakewood Montessori is to offer a Montessori-based approach to early childhood learning and care; to demonstrate deep respect for the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development of children; to foster in children confidence, independence, and respect for self, others, and our shared environment.
About Beki
Beki Bell began her Montessori teaching career in 1999. She was the founding director of Lakewood Montessori School, a licensed, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Montessori preschool and kindergarten program operating in Lakewood from 2016 through 2020. Beki holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Cleveland State University and her American Montessori Society Teaching Credential from Columbus Montessori Education Center. Beki is an avid birdwatcher who enjoys gardening, baking, cheering on the Cavs, and exploring the Cleveland Metroparks with her husband, Erin, and their two dogs, Monte and Maggie.
About the Space
In 2022, Beki and her husband Erin built an accessory structure behind their new garage to house Little Lakewood Montessori. At 300 square feet, this deceptively spacious building features a kitchenette, a kid-sized half-bathroom, and beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the classroom with light and nature. Through efficient use of space, including a full wall of built-in storage for books and Montessori work materials, the floor space becomes a canvas for the day's activities. The fenced 1,000+ square foot outdoor space serves as a playground, where children can run, climb, and play.
We're just getting started in terms of refining this one-of-a-kind educational environment. In the coming years, we will create child-safe access to the lofted indoor reading nook, add more botanical variety and landscape features to the outdoor space, and add new playground structures.
Supporting Cast
The extended Little Lakewood Montessori universe community includes Beki's husband, Erin Bell, as well as their two dogs, Monte and Maggie. All three make cameo appearances throughout the school day. Our neighbor, Shirley Purcell, joins the kids for a special weekly story time. From time to time, we are also joined by guest Montessori educators, either as substitute teachers, or as special presenters, as well as Beki's former students who volunteer as afternoon helpers.
Erin is a work-from-home web and app developer who specializes in history and digital humanities publishing at Cleveland State University. He has degrees in History and Library and Information Science, enjoys collecting vinyl records, hiking, cycling, video games, and NBA basketball. He swears he used to be more interesting than that.
Monte is an elegant (seriously) 6 year old mostly-Doberman mix, who loves being in the presence of both children and adults, has a high tolerance for awkward hugs, and mostly observes the world from atop his perch on the back porch. Monte is registered and fully vaccinated.
Maggie is a rambunctious 4 year old Boston Terrier/Beagle mix, who is always looking for the next fun activity. She loves following the children around the yard, joining the daily reading circle, singing along with the children (it's true), and napping in the corner of the classroom. Maggie is registered and fully vaccinated.
Shirley, known to the kids as "Miss Nano," is a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother whose hobbies include gardening and quilting. She brings her joy, humor, and attention to detail to her weekly selection and reading of each book.
For Parents
Please read on for details about Little Lakewood Montessori's program and policies.
Tuition
Program tuition is $11,000. Program tuition is considered an annual fee that is divided into 44 consecutive weekly installments of $250, beginning with the first week of the program in early August through the last week of the program in early June. Tuition includes up to 5 paid sick days, 3 weeks of PTO (15 days for winter and spring breaks as observed by Lakewood City Schools), and 7 paid holidays (as observed by Lakewood City Schools) for Beki Bell. Holidays and PTO are communicated in advance on the program year calendar.
This fee has been assessed based on: Beki’s 20+ years of experience as a Montessori Preschool and Kindergarten teacher; the unique, small group, and Montessori-based nature of the program including authentic Montessori materials and lessons; the overhead costs of running an independent business which includes providing daily fresh, healthy lunch and two snacks; and the regular program hours, plus planning, and cleaning which add up to a 50+ hr work week for Beki.
Age Group
Little Lakewood Montessori is a full-day, Montessori-based program for children ages 3 to 5 years-old. Occasional special arrangements may be made to allow for enrollment of children soon approaching the age of 3 years old.
Group Size
Our maximum enrollment is 6 children. This is the maximum number allowed for in-home programs per Ohio Department of Job and Family Services regulations. This number is perfect for our space and provides a nice balance between teacher attention and independent social opportunity for the children.
Meals and Snacks
A freshly prepared, nutritious lunch featuring the five food groups, and two daily snacks are provided for all children. Water is available to children at all times and will be the only beverage served (with the exception of occasional cultural and seasonal tasting activities.) There is a zero junk food/sweets policy at Little Lakewood Montessori. An avid baker, Beki enjoys giving and receiving sweets and other celebratory foods but in an effort to maintain consistency and promote healthy habits, has found it best to exclude these foods from the early childhood learning environment. On occasion, children may make baked treats at school to be taken home and shared with their family.
Schedule
Hours of operation are 7:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. While all families are welcome, program dates and hours are designed to meet the needs of parents who work in education. Little Lakewood Montessori’s program year begins on the first Monday of August to allow for parents who teach to begin preparations for their upcoming school year. Little Lakewood Montessori follows the Lakewood Public Schools calendar for holidays, as well as fall, winter, and spring breaks.
Typical Daily Schedule
- 7:15 – 8:30am Arrival/Drop-off
Breakfast may be brought in from home, children may assist in preparations for snack and lunch, independent activities. - 8:30 - 11:00am Morning work cycle
Montessori-based individual and small group lessons, independent work, morning snack is available to choose. - 11:00 - 11:30am Outdoor play
On premises or at Wagar park, neighborhood walks. - 11:30 - 12:30pm Lunch
Includes child assisted set-up and clean-up. - 12:30 - 2:30pm Nap
Non-nappers will enjoy a short rest followed by quiet activities. - 2:30 - 4:00pm Outdoor play
On premises or at Wagar park, neighborhood walks AND/OR indoor games and play. - 4:00 - 4:45 pm Dismissal/Pick-up
Vaccination Policy
It is the explicit policy of LLM that all child immunizations must be up to date, including COVID-19 and flu vaccines and boosters, and all enrollment documents completed and returned to Beki Bell prior to admittance to the program. Beki and her husband have received all recommended vaccinations against communicable diseases and are committed to receiving regular COVID-19, flu, and other vaccine boosters as recommended by the CDC. Out of respect for our preschool community, Beki Bell requests and encourages all household members sharing a residence with an enrolled child to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu (including boosters).
Privacy
For our shared safety, security, and privacy, Little Lakewood Montessori's phone number and address are not published online. Likewise, the LLM Instagram account is private and accessible only to currently enrolled-families. Please request access in-person. We clear the account at the end of each year, so be sure to download any pics of your kiddos that you'd like to keep.
Documents
Resources
- What is Montessori? The American Montessori Society explains.
- New York Times: What To Know About Montessori Preschools.
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