Bloomington Montessori School is a privately funded, not-for-profit school for children ages 3 to 12, preschool through Grade 6. The school was founded in 1968, by a group of parents who wanted Montessori education for their children. The school moved to its present location in 1983 and was expanded in 2004. The building was specially designed to suit the needs of children learning in a Montessori environment. The Montessori method includes the use of a wide range of specially designed teaching materials which form part of a "prepared environment," to enable children to learn individually, at their own pace, in a non-competitive atmosphere.