Eight-year-old Emily France is impressed with her Montessori academy’s new location.

“It’s nice and big, so we can actually move around,” said Emily, who is in elementary school at the Montessori Garden Academy.

The academy began its schooling this fall in a new 7,400-square-foot leased location at 4141 S. East St., Indianapolis.

The academy currently has 37 students under age 10 in four classes — one for toddlers, two for preschoolers and one for Grades 1-3.

The new digs are in a free-standing, two-story building that formerly housed the Senior Resource Network.

The building, extensively remodeled inside, is across the street and east of the Kroger store in Southern Plaza. A mural is among improvements planned to freshen up the exterior, and an outdoor playground has been created at the back of the building.

The not-for-profit academy has a board of directors and is holding a $150,000 fundraising campaign to pay for the remodeling and for more supplies for students and teachers.

The academy is holding open houses and scheduled visitations to hopefully increase the number to 50 students — and perhaps as many as 125 as more classes are added.

The academy was founded in 2006 by Perry Township resident Jamie Sellhorn, 32. Originally called the Montessori Children’s Garden, it housed seven students in space at Southwood Baptist Church in Beech Grove.

When the church recently asked to have its space back, Sellhorn found the new location — which had plenty of space for classes — and also gave the school a new name.

This school year, the academy added the elementary school class and a preschool class. Sellhorn said her plans are to continue adding classes, including an elementary class next school year covering Grades 4-6.

Joy Ullrich, 48, Perry Township, the academy’s executive director, said it attracts students primarily from Indianapolis’ Southside and Johnson County.

Sellhorn is one of seven teachers at the academy and also serves as its director of education.

The Montessori philosophy of education lets children gravitate to their interests as teachers provide support. It stresses letting children learn independently, in collaboration with each other, while using a variety of learning materials for hands-on exploration.

Sellhorn said she first became interested in Montessori-style education when her daughter, Haley, was a toddler and the family was living in Chesterton in Northwest Indiana.

After moving to Indianapolis, she said, she wanted to continue that for Haley, now 9, and daughter, Brooke, 4, both of whom are in classes at the academy.

“I just loved how hands-on it was,” Sellhorn said. “How much learning there was and how much fun it was.”

Almira Wheatley, 27, Franklin Township, is a volunteer at the academy where her two sons, Zane, 5, and Yvan, 3, attend.

Wheatley — whose husband, Brian, is an Army captain stationed in Iraq — said the academy has qualities that let the children have some independence, such at their own sinks to wash their lunch dishes.

“It’s like their home,” she said.