BUFFALO GROVE MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC

What BUFFALO GROVE MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC does

Buffalo Grove Montessori School Inc. is a privately held, family-owned early childhood education center incorporated in Illinois and headquartered at 950 Ellen Drive, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Founded in 1975 by Deborah and Victor LaPorte, the school delivers Montessori education for children from 6 weeks of age through kindergarten (6 years), operating a single facility in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago under American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation. The curriculum is built on Maria Montessori's philosophy of "education for life" using prepared environments, mixed-age classrooms (3-6 year olds together), self-directed activity, and tactile learning materials designed for sequential developmental stages across five program tiers: Infant, Toddler, Two's & Three's, Early Childhood (3-6), and Kindergarten. A separate Half Day Program serves 3-6 year olds during the academic year, while Full Day Programs run year-round from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

The business operates on a subscription-based tuition revenue model, charging monthly fees determined by classroom ratio, with one-time registration fees upon enrollment and transaction-based fees for ancillary activities such as field trips and special lessons. Customer discounts are offered for siblings (10% second child, 15% third child). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through on-site school tours, classroom observations, and a child suitability visit prior to acceptance, supported by a website (bgmsweb.net), Facebook presence, parent testimonials, and family community events including an annual Valentine Ball and summer events at Pirates' Cove.

The school's competitive positioning is anchored in 50 years of continuous operation as one of the oldest Montessori schools in Illinois, AMS accreditation, multi-generational LaPorte family involvement (founders' three children are professional Montessorians and ten grandchildren are alumni or current students), and a sister-school relationship with Greenbrook Montessori School in Hanover Park, Illinois, also led by Kate LaPorte. Leadership transitioned in 2025 with Kate LaPorte named Head of School, coinciding with the school's 50th anniversary celebration and an announced expansion of its infant programs.

Name

BUFFALO GROVE MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC

Legal name

Buffalo Grove Montessori School Inc.

Website

https://bgmsweb.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Buffalo Grove Montessori School Inc. is a privately held, family-owned Montessori early childhood education center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, founded in 1975 and accredited by the American Montessori Society. It provides subscription-based tuition programs for infants through kindergarten at its single suburban Chicago facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Montessori Preschools (EDACABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Montessori Early Learning Academies (EDACADAA), Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Montessori preschool
• Infant daycare
• Kindergarten program
• Private preschool

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition payments: Monthly tuition payments for childcare and education services. Tuition is determined by the ratio in the child's classroom. Family discounts available for multiple enrolled children.
2. Registration and enrollment fees: Registration fee due upon acceptance. First payment is non-refundable and confirms verbal commitment to enroll.
3. Additional program fees: Additional fees for field trips, special lessons, programs or photographs may be charged.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Buffalo Grove Montessori School provides Montessori-based early childhood education and childcare for children from 6 weeks through kindergarten age (6 years) at its single Buffalo Grove, Illinois facility. The school offers a sequenced portfolio of programs (Infant, Toddler, Two's & Three's, Early Childhood 3-6, and Kindergarten) delivered through Full Day (7:00 AM–5:30 PM, year-round) and Half Day (8:30 AM–1:00 PM, September–May) options, following Maria Montessori's 'education for life' philosophy with hands-on learning materials and mixed-age classrooms.

Product overview

Buffalo Grove Montessori School offers a unified Montessori educational system for children from infancy (6 weeks) through kindergarten age (6 years), delivered through full-day and half-day program options. The school provides a sequenced program portfolio spanning Infant, Toddler, Two's & Three's, Early Childhood (3-6), and Kindergarten programs, each carefully designed with age-appropriate classrooms, low tables, chairs and materials within easy reach. Full Day programs operate year-round from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, while Half Day programs run September through May from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm for children 3-6 years old. The school follows Maria Montessori's philosophy of 'education for life' with emphasis on self-directed activity, collaborative play, and hands-on learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infant Program Montessori program for infants from 6 weeks of age, focusing on the bond between child, parent and teacher, with hands-on learning, self-directed activity, and collaborative play. The program is being expanded in 2025.
• Toddler Program Toddler program for young children expanding their world, with a familiar rhythm and routine, a carefully prepared environment for free exploration, and language development through naming and expression.
• Two's & Three's Program Program for 2-3 year olds focused on independence, social development including parallel play, negotiation, compromise and sharing, and language acquisition through colors, shapes, numbers and letters.
• Early Childhood Program (3-6 Year Olds) Mixed-age Montessori environment for 3-6 year olds enabling older children to become role models, with development of self-discipline, motor coordination, control and respect for self, others and environment.
• Kindergarten Program Culmination of the Montessori Primary 3-year cycle where children emerge as masters of the environment, developing reading, writing and arithmetic skills, with emphasis on self-esteem and confidence building for transition to traditional elementary school.
• Full Day Montessori Program Full-day program in session year-round from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, serving infants through kindergarten with age-appropriate classroom placement and tuition determined by classroom ratio.
• Half Day Program Half-day Montessori program available for children 3-6 years old from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM, operating September through May.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children often begin reading and math operations at four years old, with most exciting accomplishments occurring during kindergarten year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• American Montessori Society (AMS)coreOthersOfficial accreditation body for Montessori education in the United States. BGMS is accredited by AMS, indicating compliance with standards for Montessori programs and teacher training.
• AIMS (Affiliates of Illinois Montessori Schools)regionalOthersRegional network of Montessori schools in Illinois providing peer support, resources, and professional development for member schools.
• Elk Grove Park District (Pirates' Cove)minorOthersSummer family events held at Pirates' Cove, a child-sized amusement park operated by Elk Grove Park District. Provides annual family community activity.
• Greenbrook Montessori SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school located in Hanover Park, Illinois operated by Kate LaPorte (Head of Buffalo Grove Montessori School). Shares same educational philosophy and family management. Kate LaPorte serves as director and educational coordinator at both schools.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Near North Montessori School: Independent AMS-affiliated Montessori school in Chicago serving infants through adolescents. Comparable as a similarly accredited, philosophically-aligned independent school competing in the broader Chicago private-school market.
• Greenbrook Montessori School: Sister school operated by Kate LaPorte in Hanover Park, IL using the same AMS-aligned Montessori philosophy and family management. Most directly comparable as it shares leadership, curriculum, and operating model with BGMS.
• The Montessori School of Englewood: Charter Montessori school in Chicago serving toddlers through elementary. Comparable as an AMS-affiliated Montessori provider in the Chicago metropolitan area targeting similar early-childhood families.

Broad incumbents

• KinderCare Learning Centers: One of the largest U.S. early childhood education providers, offering infant-through-private-kindergarten programs in a multi-site franchise model that competes for the same suburban working-family demographic.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Global provider of employer-sponsored early childhood education and childcare. Competes for the same working-parent segment in suburban Chicago with broader curricula and corporate-backed contracts.
• Guidepost Montessori: Large national Montessori school network offering infant-through-elementary programs with similar Montessori method and mixed-age classrooms, but at multi-site scale and with significant marketing infrastructure across many U.S. markets.
• Primrose Schools: National franchise network of private early childhood schools offering infant care through kindergarten and after-school programs. Competes for premium-positioned enrollment in suburban markets across the U.S.
• Learning Care Group: Operator of multiple early-childhood brands (Childtime, Tutor Time, La Petite Academy, Montessori Unlimited) with multi-site suburban locations. Competes for similar working-parent families in Chicago suburbs.
• Chesterbrook Academy: Multi-site private preschool and elementary provider offering infant care through grade school with proprietary curriculum. Competes in the same suburban premium-private-school segment.

Regional players

• Catherine Cook School: Independent private school in downtown Chicago offering preschool through 8th grade. Competes for the same downtown/suburban Chicago private-school families seeking premium early-childhood education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BuffaloGroveMontessoriSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buffalo-grove-montessori-school-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BUFFALO GROVE MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC