Northern Blooms Montessori

Northern Blooms Montessori is a community-rooted, high-quality early education program serving children ages 12 months through 6 years in the Traverse City region of Michigan — an area facing a critical childcare and workforce shortage. As an original tenant of the community-owned Commongrounds Cooperative, the school was intentionally designed in partnership with the local community to meet urgent childcare needs while strengthening connections between families, educators, and nearby workplaces. Through preferred enrollment for ALICE families and participation in Michigan’s Tri-Share program, Northern Blooms expands access to early learning while supporting economic stability for working families.

What truly sets Northern Blooms apart is its commitment to growing and retaining a strong early childhood workforce. The school’s current initiative focuses on supporting five educators in completing rigorous, multi-year AMI training and building a sustainable, in-house mentorship pipeline. With support from MGGF this project directly improves classroom quality, strengthens staff retention, and creates clear professional pathways for educators in a field challenged by burnout and turnover. At the same time, this training-centered approach positions Northern Blooms to expand its capacity and serve as a regional model—demonstrating how community partnership and educator development can increase access to high-quality early education and help children reach their full potential.

With support from MGGF grant funding, this initiative can be fully realized, positioning Northern Blooms for lasting growth, stability, and impact in the years ahead.