Fernwood Montessori

3239 S Pennsylvania Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207

www.milwaukee.k12.wi.us

731 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Fernwood Montessori, located in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, is a distinguished K-8 school within the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) district. It is one of the few schools in the area that strictly adheres to the Montessori philosophy, which emphasizes child-led learning, multi-age classrooms, and a focus on developing the "whole child"—socially, emotionally, and academically. Because of its specialized curriculum and strong reputation within the community, Fernwood is a highly sought-after school that typically requires families to navigate the MPS enrollment process well in advance.

The school is well-regarded for its peaceful, structured environment where students are encouraged to work at their own pace using hands-on Montessori materials. Beyond the core academics, Fernwood promotes a strong sense of community and stewardship, often involving students in gardening, peace education, and service projects. By fostering independence and critical thinking from an early age, the school aims to prepare students not only for high school but for lifelong learning and community participation.

731

Total Students

33.8

Full-Time Teachers

21.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

20.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Fernwood Montessori
Demographic	Student Count
White	472
Hispanic	154
Black	33
Asian	7
Two or More	58
American Indian	5
Pacific Islander	2

White
472 (64.6%)
Hispanic
154 (21.1%)
Two or More
58 (7.9%)
Black
33 (4.5%)
Asian
7 (1.0%)
American Indian
5 (0.7%)
Pacific Islander
2 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Milwaukee School District
Phone:	(414)294-1300
Website:	http://www.milwaukee.k12.wi.us
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	731
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	33.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	21.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	150
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 79

Kindergarten 78

Grade 1 70

Grade 2 70

Grade 3 70

Grade 4 71

Grade 5 76

Grade 6 59

Grade 7 87

Grade 8 71

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Fernwood Montessori
Grade	Student Count
Pre-Kindergarten	79
Kindergarten	78
Grade 1	70
Grade 2	70
Grade 3	70
Grade 4	71
Grade 5	76
Grade 6	59
Grade 7	87
Grade 8	71

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Fernwood Montessori
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	391	53.5%
Male	340	46.5%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)