These are my personal observations, but if you're seriously considering sending your child to this school, I strongly encourage you to do two things: look into Discovery Montessori in Ohio--specifically its license revocation--and speak directly with families whose children attended Green Friends in Elburn during the past two years. This school was once a truly special place. Unfortunately, that changed dramatically starting in 2023. While Lakshmi Mohan may have had a positive impact elsewhere, her involvement--along with the actions of the school board--coincided with a period of significant disruption and decline at the Elburn location. The result was a mass exodus of students by 2025. In 2023, two highly respected and beloved teachers either resigned or were dismissed mid-year. When concerned parents asked for transparency, they were met with dismissive, evasive, and at times manipulative responses from the board. While the new teachers who stepped in were wonderful, it was evident they were operating under strain--likely due to board-level dysfunction. I believe most of those teachers have since left as well. Several parents witnessed teachers being treated with extreme rudeness and condescension during board meetings. Meanwhile, board members repeatedly made commitments to parents only to later deny ever making them. Communication was marked by stonewalling and an alarming lack of accountability. The behavior of the majority of the board exemplified toxic power dynamics. If I had to sum up their attitude toward parents, it would be: (these are not direct quotes) -We never said we'd do that. Be grateful we even let you enroll your child here. We should charge you more. You're lucky to be here, and your opinions don't matter. Despite this, we are grateful for the time our family spent at the school--specifically for the wonderful teachers and fellow families we got to know. The teaching staff was truly exceptional, and we will always appreciate their dedication to our children. I don't know how many families plan to return, but it's possible that a new cohort could offer a fresh start. Still, I feel compelled to share our experience--not because I expect change (which feels unlikely), but because families deserve to know what they may be stepping into. Transparency and honesty should be the bare minimum from a school administration. Unfortunately, I don't believe this board values either, nor do I believe they take parents' concerns seriously. For further context, here's an excerpt from a June 7, 2021 article in the Akron Journal Star regarding Discovery Montessori in Ohio, where Lakshmi Mohan was named as the administrator in the article: "Over the four years of inspections, the state documented 30 infractions, including: Class sizes exceeding legal limits Unsupervised toddlers Unsafe playground equipment Hazardous substances accessible to children, including pesticide Medication administered without prescriptions Dangerous furniture setup in toddler rooms Many of these issues were noted repeatedly in prior inspections and went unaddressed." Source: https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2021/06/07/copley-montessori-school-appeals-state-revocation-day-care-license/7549735002/ I encourage all prospective families to do their research and speak with those who've had recent experience with the school before making a decision. read more

Such a beautiful school. A place that models high principles of kindness, inclusivity, respect for all of life, honesty, truthfulness, and love. A highly skilled and experienced in Montessori method, Ms. Lakshmi, who ran her own school for 35 years, is the heart of this community. If you are looking for a safe and authentic Montessori School for your child, take a tour and see and feel for yourself. read more

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I recently had the pleasure of visiting Greenfriends Montessori for the day on 8/22/25. I was very impressed with everything I witnessed. I am a Montessori mom with three grown children who all went through a Montessori school (starting in preschool and some stayed as long as middle school). We also briefly tried public school, Waldorf, and home schooling. So I feel I am in a good position to assess the current Greenfriends school. The school is located in a rural peaceful setting with a large outdoor play space with gardens and fruit trees. The interior space is absolutely beautiful - light, sunny, homey, cheerful and clean. The materials are so well cared for. The teachers are kind, compassionate, intelligent, loving and patient with the children. All the children were happy and engaged. There was a nice balance of intellectual/academic stimulation, reading/writing, play, relaxation, listening to stories, moving their bodies, relaxing during snack and meals, and social engagement with peers. I was especially impressed with Lakshmi Mohan, who is not only a seasoned Montessori teacher with a history of having run her own thriving Montessori school in another state for years, but also a wonderful leader to the entire Greenfriends school community. I have known her for 20 years. Honestly, my children had mixed experiences in their Hawaii Montessori school. But we had very limited options, and this was the best we could find. The academics were solid, but the character of some of the teachers was very poor. Character of a teacher is critical, especially in the younger years when the children are learning to bridge the gap between home life and school. So a teacher needs to be very loving, patient and show integrity because children are so affected by the vibe of the adults they are around. If only our kids had been able to have Lakshmi in their lives. I can only imagine how amazing that would've been for them. When I met her 20 years ago I wished we lived in her area. She has a very thorough understanding of the Montessori teaching methods which is very important. But to me in the most important part is her heart and character. She teaches the children with so much patience, love, kindness and joy. It was obvious to me that she cares so much about each child. Some people were born to work with children. Lakshmi is one such person. The other teachers were also wonderful and caring. This created a sense of calm, order, joy and happiness. School was fun! It was very heartwarming to see a three year-old little girl telling me how excited she was to learn and how much she loved MATH! The children went outdoors and had a lesson about trees on the grounds. They enjoyed finding a caterpillar. They worked on counting and writing. They were kind to each other. If there were any issues whatsoever, (all I saw was interrupting) they were redirected very patiently. When a teacher is very calm and loving, it sets the tone for the entire classroom culture. These Greenfriends teachers set such a beautiful tone for learning in school. The qualifications of the teacher comes through their teaching skills. Greenfriends is a gem, this is one of the most amazing schools I've ever visited. I highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed. read more

My twins are learning so much with Green Friends Montessori . we are very lucky to have found this school. Teachers and school administration is great to work with. They accommodate every little needs for my twins. read more

This school was magical. Lakshmi Mohan and the Board destroyed it. Green Friends Montessori used to be everything a parent could hope for. Under the leadership of its past two Directors, it was nurturing, grounded in true Montessori values, and full of love. The teachers were the heart of the school. They knew our children, respected them, challenged them, and cared deeply. Our son was thriving. He felt safe, supported, and happy. Then Lakshmi Mohan began taking control--and over the past two years, she dismantled everything that made Green Friends special. Lakshmi, who has a documented history of lawsuits stemming from her time leading another school, slowly inserted herself into decision-making, eventually removing the first Director. The second Director stepped up and led with grace, consistency, and compassion--but it wasn't enough. Lakshmi and the Board continued to tighten their grip. And now, in the final week of school, they fired every single teacher and our second Director. (I'm not naming the Directors because I believe it should be their choice to publicly attach their names to this story.) No transparency. No collaboration. Just a sudden, sweeping decision that blindsided everyone. Let me be absolutely clear: families didn't leave because of the teachers. We stayed because of the teachers. We trusted them. Our children loved them. They were the reason this school worked. Firing them all at the last possible moment--right as summer began, when other schools were full and waitlists were closed--wasn't just irresponsible. It was cruel. We were left scrambling. Local Montessori programs had no space. Families had to make impossible, last-minute decisions with zero support. Children were devastated. My son had re-enrolled, excited to continue with the teachers he loved. He is heartbroken. So are we. This was not about progress or improvement. It was about ego, power, and control. Lakshmi Mohan and the Board were never a visible or relational presence in our children's lives. They never made an effort to understand the families they were meant to serve--yet somehow held the authority to destroy everything we came here for, in the most callous way possible. Some families have moved out of state. Others are trying to build something new from scratch. That's how deeply this decision fractured the community. If you're considering Green Friends, ask why every single person who made this school what it was is gone. Ask what happened to the Directors. Ask why every teacher was fired in the last week of school. Ask why families are leaving--not quietly, but in droves. And ask who made these decisions--and why. Because once you know, you'll understand why the families who built this school had no choice but to walk away. Green Friends is no longer what it once was. The name remains--but the soul is gone. Look at the reviews from past years to see what this school used to be: vibrant, loving, truly special. It's heartbreaking to see how much was lost. What Lakshmi and the Board did to this school--and to this community--is nothing short of a tragedy. read more

Green Friends is a small nature inspired Montessori school near St Charles. Being small, there is a sense of community. Originally, we had one child there, and we saw how she flourished there; we later brought our older daughter there. The teachers and staff are wonderful. read more

Green Friends Montessori is an amazing, small but mighty school! The teachers are fantastic guides, bringing out the strengths of children and supporting their natural curiosities. This is our second year learning with Green Friends, my three kids love being there each day. read more

We sent our 5-year old twin boys to Green Friends Montessori for one year. My only regret is that I wish we had found them sooner! It was so refreshing to send my children to an environment that is truly benefiting them and helping them blossom. GFMS has everything that we envisioned: a caring and highly trained staff, ample, meaningful time outside and the focus on autonomy that originally drew us to Montessori. Our boys have flourished there and, for the first time ever, report liking school! They have learned so much and developed content knowledge as well as emotional growth from being a part of the community that the school has built. From what I understand there are differing degrees to which Montessori schools can remain true to Maria Montessori's original vision and this school is high quality, truly Montessori and absolutely darling. I would highly recommend scheduling a visit or attending an open house. read more