American International Montessori School

3339 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA. The campus is in Berkeley, California.

Infant Community (18–36 months), Children's House (3–6 years), and Elementary (1st–6th grade). Montessori Method is followed in all classrooms.

Montessori day school offering Infant Community, Children's House, and Elementary programs with language immersion across programs: Toddlers dual Japanese/Chinese; Preschool/Kindergarten Japanese/English or Chinese/English; Elementary English/Chinese or English/Japanese. Montessori Method is used in all classrooms.

AIM is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, with half-day (3-year-olds only), full day and extended day schedules available. Extended care is subject to availability.

Infant Community serves 18-36 months in a Montessori environment with language learning in Chinese and Japanese. Children's House serves 3-6 years and follows the Montessori Method in all classrooms. Preschool/Kindergarten offers a Chinese/English or Japanese/English immersion track. Elementary (1st-6th) provides bilingual immersion in English/Chinese or English/Japanese. Immersion is 100% in the target language for toddlers, with English introduced in the afternoon for older children and all-day immersion in the elementary classroom. There are two campuses, AIM and BIM; language tracks must be chosen before enrollment and switching between tracks is not allowed, with Montessori-trained, native-speaking teachers across all classrooms.

Montessori places a major emphasis on intra-personal and inter-personal skills through grace and courtesy. In preschool, children can work independently when they choose, while the elementary program centers on regular work in pairs and small groups to foster collaboration. Students learn to greet others with a handshake and eye contact, express their feelings with words, respect personal needs and workspaces, and work together to maintain the class community. They follow directions and participate in group activities, building social competence across ages. Social and executive skills are integrated throughout both Infant Community and Elementary programs to support personal responsibility and positive interactions.

The Language Program uses dual Mandarin Chinese/Japanese immersion from the Infant Community. In Infant Community, two teachers per classroom typically include one Mandarin-speaking teacher and one Japanese-speaking teacher. For Preschool/Children's House, Mandarin Chinese or Japanese immersion classrooms are available, with native-speaking teachers. In Lower Elementary, Mandarin Chinese or Japanese immersion tracks continue, with teachers speaking Mandarin, Japanese, and English to support multilingual development. About half of AIM students arrive not speaking Japanese or Chinese and become conversational in a second language after about three years.

Mental wellbeing is supported through social and executive skills development. The elementary program builds in autonomy, responsibility, and collaboration through weekly work plans and group activities, fostering persistence, time management, and sustained attention. The preschool program emphasizes social skills like empathy, respect, and positive interaction, while the Infant Community teaches self-regulation and appropriate social behavior. Across programs, children practice expressing feelings, following routines, and resolving conflicts in a supportive, multilingual environment.

1. FILL OUT THE INQUIRY FORM. The admission team responds to inquiries within 2-3 business days. Submitting the inquiry initiates consideration for your child's placement. You may then proceed to the Open House to learn more about AIM and the admissions process.

2. ATTEND OPEN HOUSE. Next open house is Friday, May 1, 2026. This is a great opportunity to see the classroom and speak with teachers, parent ambassadors and the admission team.

3. SUBMIT AN APPLICATION & SCHEDULE PARENT TOUR. You will receive a link to sign up for a private tour once you submit your application. The tour offers opportunities to see the classrooms in action.

4. RECEIVE INVITATION FOR IC OR CH. When a spot opens up, the admission team will contact you to arrange an expectation meeting with the teachers (IC) or a child visit (CH). Notifications are typically 4-6 months before the joining month. The admission decision will be emailed typically within 2-3 weeks.

5. ENROLLMENT COMMITMENT & WAITING POOL. AIM requires a minimum enrollment commitment through 6 years old for IC/CH, thereby completing the three-year CH program, and a similar three-year commitment for Elementary. Families who cannot commit will not be considered for enrollment. A Waiting Pool System is used; families are added to the waiting pool upon receipt of the completed application form and fee, and if more than two families are suitable for the program, the order of application submission is respected.

The school uses a Waiting Pool System rather than a traditional waiting list. Families are added to the waiting pool upon receipt of the completed application form and fee. The pool balances classroom composition; if more than two families are suitable for the program, the order of application submission is respected.