Bloomington Montessori School

We are excited to share that Eve and Sam Cusack will be heading to the Galapagos Islands as part of an initiative that connects Indiana educators with teachers and scientists in Ecuador to advance global environmental education.

See below to learn more...
Indiana University Launches International Environmental Education Collaboration in the Galápagos Islands

Bloomington, Indiana, USA - Indiana University’s Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) program is launching a new international environmental education initiative that will bring Indiana teachers to the Galápagos Islands for a week of collaborative teaching, cross-cultural exchange, and environmental learning.

Scheduled for July 18–25, 2026, the Galápagos Islands International Education Collaborative Project will provide a select group of Indiana educators with the opportunity to work alongside faculty from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and K12 teachers from the Tomás de Berlanga School on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos.

Ten teachers were selected for the program from a highly competitive pool of more than 50 applicants, reflecting strong interest from educators eager to participate in international environmental collaboration and experiential learning.
The initiative, led by IU’s School of Education, the Environmental Resilience Institute, and the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, is designed to strengthen environmental education through international collaboration, experiential learning, and sustained classroom partnerships between educators in Indiana and the Galápagos. Teachers participating in the program will co-design and co-teach lessons with partner teachers from Tomás de Berlanga, an international bilingual Spanish-English school recognized for its emphasis on hands-on, place-based learning.
“This project creates a rare opportunity for teachers to learn from one another across cultures while exploring one of the most environmentally significant regions in the world,” said Adam Scribner, Director of STEM Education Initiatives at Indiana University and co-leader of the EfEC program. “The Galápagos offers the perfect natural laboratory for educators to think deeply about biodiversity, conservation, and innovative ways to engage students in meaningful environmental learning.”
The collaboration builds on an ongoing partnership between Indiana University, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and educators and scientists in Ecuador. Through prior exchanges and planning visits, EfEC leaders have worked closely with faculty at Universidad San Francisco de Quito to develop a sustainable model for international environmental education.

Participating educators will engage in a week of collaborative instruction, cultural exchange, and field-based experiences. The program will also include follow-up activities during the academic year, allowing Indiana students to connect with partner classrooms in the Galápagos through shared projects and virtual collaboration.

School is out for summer and it's time to sign up for Summer Lunch!

This outreach program is available to any family with children in Monroe County and helps ensure kids have access to meals throughout the summer months.

Visit: https://sites.google.com/view/monroecountyhns/summer-lunch-program or scan the QR code to learn more!

These amazing experiences are still waiting for their first bids—don’t miss your chance! Treat yourself to a relaxing Lake Monroe weekend getaway, enjoy a season of fresh, locally grown veggies with a Mavourneen Farm CSA share, or sign your child up for a creative and inspiring Sacred Geometry workshop with Jess.

While you’re there, be sure to browse the rest of our live auction—there are so many great items waiting to be discovered! Place your bids and help these fantastic experiences find their winners!
https://givebutter.com/.../2026-spring-fling.../auction

Our Live Auction is OPEN!

Get ready to browse, bid, and support our school community! We have an amazing lineup of items and experiences you won’t want to miss.

Auction ends: Friday, May 8 at 7:30 PM

Start bidding here: [https://givebutter.com/2026-spring-fling-silent-auction-vnqrdi

Every bid helps support our students, teachers, and programs—we are so grateful for your participation! Feel free to share the link with friends and family so they can join in the fun too.

Happy bidding! 💙

🌱😊 Thank you Bloomington Montessori School for helping us identify and control garlic mustard!!
Why we care: Invasive species out-compete native species and contribute to a decline in biodiversity.
You can find W**d Wrangle events to control invasive species here:
Register here:
https://volunteer.bloomington.in.gov/acts/console.php...
Photo of volunteer at Winslow Woods Earth Day event holding garlic mustard root.
**dWrangle

Thank you to all the parents who came out for the Mathematical Mindset in Montessori parent forum last night, and to our amazing lead teachers for creating a fantastic presentation with demonstrations of materials!

You can read more about the content of the forum on our blog at BloomingtonMontessori.org, and stay tuned for part 2 of our math work next school year: Mathematical Inquiry.

Thank you to BMS parents Stella, Alex, and Samy and our amazing sixth graders for helping to make the Lotus World Bazaar at Fairview a big success! On Friday, 850 community fourth graders came through the Bloomington Community Orchard/Bloomington Montessori booth to learn about pollination and plant sunflowers for the orchard. It was so busy! Thank you so much to our volunteers! Saturday, the event was open to families throughout the community. The Upper Elementary will be caring for the flats of sunflowers until they are big enough to transplant in the orchard.