Amelia Island Montessori School at 1423 Julia Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

My son has attended Amelia Island Montessori School since he was two years old and is now in first grade. If you are curious to know if the school is right for your family, I'd recommend setting up a visit. The classrooms are probably very different from anything you've ever seen, with children concentrating on their work in a peaceful, beautiful, quiet setting, with their teachers moving in the background from student to student. The academics are impressive (ask any of the children to show you what they are working on and get ready to be surprised) but the way the Montessori method cultivates creativity, collaboration, and problem solving skills is equally so (the founders of Google and Amazon were all Montessori kids.) It's a joy to drop off your child and see them run into the classroom, because they can't wait to get to school!

The campus on the south end of Amelia Island is wooded and quiet, class sizes are small, and there are regular social events and opportunities to volunteer. There are a number of military families and families who travel from a good distance to attend. The school is also happy to connect you with current families if you want a parent's perspective.