Bernie's Montessori School

My daughter went to Bernie's for two years and my son went for three. My son came home today chanting "I love Bernie's!" over and over again, so I think it's about time I write a review. Miss Judy and the rest of the teachers are a well balanced combination of supportive and demanding. They set high expectations for the kids, but help the kids meet those expectations with love and support. Academically, both of my kids thrived at Bernie's. My son is going to be entering kindergarten this fall and is already devouring chapter books by himself. Bernie's deserves credit for teaching him to read and teaching him to love reading. We love Bernie's!

My daughter has been at Bernie's since 2016 and we love it there. She is thriving in Bernie's environment and has developed into a confident, kind and Kindergarten-ready kiddo! The teachers are warm and inviting and the school is structured, but allows for a lot of individualism at the same time. The outdoor space is really wonderful - they have a large area with plenty of play equipment enclosed with a cozy fence and trees. It looks like a park, not the middle of the city! I would highly recommend Bernie's. The school is a hidden gem!

My son is attending Bernie's Montessori and he loves it. This really is a hidden gem in the downtown area due to the excellent staff and really cool activities. Judy runs a wonderful daycare and her years of experience really show in the happiness and calmness of the children. Christine is also an excellent teacher who provides clear and consistent instruction. The children are comfortable, happy, and encouraged to have an adventurous and interest in the world around them. I feel Bernie's Montessori is a step above a usual daycare - for example, they have special field trips throughout the year that expose the children to all kinds of great places in the Minneapolis area - the Bell Museum, Old Log Theatre, public library, just to name a few. There is a kindness and understanding from Bernie's staff that only comes from real professionals. I would recommend Bernie's to anyone.

My son has been in the infant room since October and we absolutely love this daycare. Most of the negative reviews on here are from people who know nothing about this place because someone went all over social media this past weekend posting things because they had a bad experience. Bernie's has been around for over 30 years and won numerous awards. They love my son and the other children there, and my son loves attending. There haven't been any other babies pulled from this room other than her son. I wish them the best, but I completely disagree that they're neglecting our children. We've had nothing but positive experiences and plan on keeping my son there until he starts kindergarten. If considering this place, talk to other parents and go visit this place. The vast majority of the parents will highly recommend this place. It's a great daycare.

We temporarily relocated to Minneapolis and were fortunate to have our 3 year old at Bernie’s for a year. The transition was seamless, the place though not huge is well structured and welcoming. We saw big improvement in our daughter’s communication and motor skills. There's a lot of regular activities like music, show-and-tell, monthly field trips and artworks like cutting and painting. She loved going to Bernie's everyday and received warm smiles and hugs - every morning and even before leaving. My daughter felt so much at-home. Unfortunately we had to pull her out when she was just into alphabets and writing (to leave Minneapolis and go back). She thoroughly enjoyed her time at Bernie’s and made some good friends, too, whom she still mentions often. The one standard rate irrespective of when we drop or pick her up was a huge plus as it provided so much flexibility with our schedule. A big THANK YOU to Miss Judy, Miss Christine, Miss Stacy and the staff at Bernie’s for all their effort and good wishes.