The Children’s Academy is a true Montessori environment where a little one’s mind can explore and grow to its full potential.  The Academy is dedicated to the philosophy of Maria Montessori. We are an academic Preschool and Kindergarten and believe in teaching the whole child, not just the curriculum. The children are encouraged by our nurturing staff to reach their own individual potential in a positive and loving atmosphere.

The Children’s Academy is home to children 2  ½ to 6, meeting the needs of nursery through kindergarten. We are located in Springfield, NJ and our school includes families from Union and Essex counties, as well as other areas to form the perfect Montessori community.

Montessori schools can differ, but it isn’t just because of the materials that are used in the classroom. Look beyond the pink towers and golden beads, and you’ll discover that the classroom is a place where children really want to be - because it feels like home.

A Brief History

Susan Weller was the career educator who founded The Children’s Academy in 1981. She built The Academy on three principles - kindness, love & understanding. These are the sensibilities that The Academy has always and will always operate within. 

In 1990, Debra Smith began at The Academy as a Teacher’s Assistant, working under Susan Weller.  Her love for Montessori grew just as her love for The Children's Academy grew.  She returned to college to earn her degree in early childhood education and obtained her Montessori certification soon thereafter. Here is where her teaching journey began and she is now the proud owner of The Children’s Academy. Under the guidance of these storied educators, our school has grown from a student body of 35 to 75. 
 

Ms. Weller believed fiercely in the Montessori method - an approach that teaches children to ask questions about the world and explore its challenges, rather than be rote repeaters of rhyme and arithmetic. 

But just because we’re reaching for the stars doesn’t mean we have our head in the clouds. 

The Children’s Academy also devotes itself to keeping abreast of the changing educational landscape and the requirements that children have to meet as they advance from preschool or Kindergarten into the next grade.