James Russell Lowell School 51

What a beautiful evening for soccer! ⚽️💙

Tonight, Lowell Montessori staff and families spent the evening together cheering on Indy Eleven FC—perfect weather, flags waving, a little smoke after the goals, and lots of joy in the stands. There’s something pretty special about watching our school community simply enjoy being together.

Montessori reminds us that community extends beyond the classroom. Tonight, ours stretched all the way to the pitch. ❤️

And yes… watching those guys play was pretty fun, too. 😉⚽️
Indianapolis Public Schools

One of my favorite moments of the school year is watching our Lower Elementary students experience the First Great Lesson: The Coming of the Universe. ✨🌎

In Montessori, the Great Lessons are big, beautiful stories designed to spark wonder, imagination, and curiosity—and to help children begin to see how everything in our world is connected.

And I love watching their faces. The excitement. The questions. The absolute wonder as each new part of the story unfolds. You can almost see their minds expanding with every “But how?” and “What happened next?”

We begin with the universe because before we ask children to learn about the world, we invite them to wonder about it.

That wonder is where learning begins.
Indianapolis Public Schools

We are so proud of our IREAD scores!

Back to School Night was everything we hoped it would be! 💙🦅

Our halls were filled with smiling families as students met their teachers, explored their classrooms, picked up backpacks, created art together, and enjoyed a sweet snow cone to end the evening. We even had a special visit from everyone’s favorite school dog, MJ! 🐾

Thank you to every family who joined us. Your partnership helps create the warm, welcoming community that makes James Russell Lowell 51, A Montessori School so special. We can’t wait to welcome our Eagles back on Monday for an incredible year of learning, growing, and soaring together!
Indianapolis Public Schools

I can hardly wait to welcome our families back to School 51 tonight! 💙

Back-to-School Night is one of my favorite evenings of the year. There is something so special about seeing children proudly show their classrooms, meeting new families, reconnecting with familiar faces, and beginning another year together.

Our prepared environment is ready. Our staff is excited. We can’t wait to open our doors and begin this journey with you.

We hope to see you tonight! Please see the flyer below for times and details. 🦅📚
Indianapolis Public Schools

Today was a wonderful day of reconnecting, reflecting, and learning together with Montessori educators from across our district. 🌿

When Montessori teachers come together, we strengthen not only our own practice but also the prepared environments we create for children every day. Thank you to everyone who shared ideas, asked thoughtful questions, and inspired one another. Together, we are growing so every child can thrive.

Indianapolis Public Schools
IPS Eleanor Skillen School 34
IPS Rousseau McClellan Montessori School 91
IPS George Washington Carver School 87

Today I got to witness something special.

A family walked through our front doors with questions, and before they even reached the desk, Ronny stood up with a smile and said, ”¡Hola! ¡Buenos días!”

You could see the difference immediately. A warm greeting in a family’s home language says, “You belong here. We’re glad you’re here.”

We are so excited to welcome Ronny, our new Administrative Associate, to James Russell Lowell 51, A Montessori School! His ability to communicate with our English- and Spanish-speaking families helps ensure that every family feels seen, valued, and connected from the moment they enter our school.

Creating a welcoming environment begins at the front door, and Ronny is already helping us live our commitment to making every child and every family feel at home.

¡Bienvenido, Ronny! I’m so thrilled you’re part of the 51 family! 💙💛

This morning, our staff had the privilege of learning from the incredible Brandon Glenn, who gave a true master class in UFLI instruction. Brandon’s joy is contagious, and his passion for literacy shines through in every lesson he teaches. He reminded us that effective reading instruction can be both explicit and joyful—and our teachers left inspired!

A heartfelt thank you to Brandon and Jessica Barnes at Ernie Pyle School 90 for making room in your own professional learning to invest in our team at James Russell Lowell Montessori School 51. Your generosity, expertise, and belief in children will have a lasting impact on our classrooms and, most importantly, on our young readers.

We are so grateful for your partnership. Together, we are helping every child grow into a confident reader. ❤️📚
Indianapolis Public Schools

Today our team had the opportunity to learn from our new Assistant Principal as she led us in unpacking our teacher evaluation rubric while modeling effective ENL instructional strategies along the way. 🌟

The best professional learning doesn’t just tell us what great teaching looks like—it lets us experience it. We are grateful for her leadership and excited to continue growing together as prepared adults so every child can thrive.
Indianapolis Public Schools