Celebree School of Frederick in Baltimore: Montessori-Based Care for Infants Through Pre-K

Celebree School of Frederick is a licensed child care center in Frederick that serves infants through pre-kindergarten-age children using a Montessori-informed curriculum paired with traditional early-childhood development practices. The school sits in Frederick's education landscape as a mid-sized option that emphasizes self-directed learning within structured environments, appealing to parents who want academic grounding before kindergarten entry.

What Celebree School of Frederick actually is

Celebree operates as a for-profit child care provider with state licensing, meaning it meets Maryland's requirements for staff-to-child ratios, health and safety standards, and background checks. The school uses a Montessori philosophy, which centers on child-led exploration and self-correcting materials, but does not hold strict Montessori certification (a distinction that matters: fully certified Montessori schools follow rigid curriculum and teacher-training standards; Celebree integrates the approach more flexibly). The center accommodates mixed-age groupings in some classrooms, a hallmark of Montessori practice that allows younger children to learn from older peers.

Services, age groups, and tuition

Celebree accepts children from 6 weeks through age 5, operating separate or combined classrooms depending on enrollment. Infant care, toddler care, and pre-K programs run concurrently, so families with siblings of different ages can keep children in one location.

Tuition varies by age and enrollment schedule. Infants typically cost more per week than pre-K; part-time enrollment (fewer than five days per week) costs less than full-time. As of recent years, full-time infant care ran approximately $250 to $280 per week, while pre-K full-time care ranged from $180 to $220 per week, but these figures shift seasonally and with staffing changes. Contact the school directly to confirm current rates, as child care pricing is notoriously volatile and subject to wage adjustments.

The school offers both five-day and part-time (two, three, or four-day) schedules. Extended hours operate typically from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., accommodating working parents with non-standard schedules. Many Frederick-area parents use Celebree specifically for this flexibility, as several competitors in the region operate more limited hours.

How Celebree compares to other Frederick child care options

Frederick has multiple licensed child care centers, including Bright Beginnings Child Development Center and The Growing Tree Academy. Bright Beginnings emphasizes a play-based, less academically structured approach and typically costs 10 to 15 percent less per week than Celebree but offers fewer extended-hour options. The Growing Tree Academy leans more toward traditional preschool preparation with letter and number focus, suits families prioritizing kindergarten readiness through worksheets and group instruction, and charges similarly to Celebree.

Choose Celebree if your child benefits from hands-on, self-paced learning and you need child care before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Choose Bright Beginnings if you want lower cost and believe play should dominate the early years without formal academics. Choose The Growing Tree Academy if your child responds well to structured, teacher-led instruction and you want visible academic output (letters learned, numbers counted) before kindergarten.

Who it suits and who it does not

Celebree suits families who value Montessori principles, need flexible or extended hours, or have multiple children across age groups. Parents with strong preferences for strictly certified Montessori education should note that Celebree is Montessori-informed, not Montessori-certified, and therefore does not require the intensive teacher training or adherence to Montessori curriculum that a fully accredited school does. Families seeking the lowest-cost option in Frederick will find cheaper alternatives. Those uncomfortable with mixed-age classrooms should ask during enrollment which age groups share space.

What the first visit involves

Call or email to schedule a tour. Celebree typically shows the classrooms, allows you to observe activities, explains the daily schedule and curriculum philosophy, and reviews enrollment paperwork and tuition. Bring questions about staff-to-child ratios (Maryland requires different ratios by age; confirm Celebree meets or exceeds these), teacher qualifications, sick-child policies, and how the school handles behavior guidance. Most enrollment occurs at least two weeks in advance, though some openings fill with shorter notice.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Celebree operates Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., closed major holidays and a few professional development days (verify the annual closure calendar when enrolling). The center is located in Frederick; parking is on-site or in a shared lot. Parents drop off and pick up during the stated hours; late pickups typically incur a per-minute fee, often $1 to $2 per minute, so clarify the policy upfront.

Celebree School of Frederick fills a specific niche in Frederick child care: families seeking Montessori-style exploration with genuine extended-hour availability and multi-age learning will find it a solid fit. For parents weighing Montessori against traditional preschool, a visit makes the curriculum difference clear.