Our story since 2010
A community built on care
For over 15 years, families have trusted Inspire Kids Montessori to provide a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for children to learn, grow, and thrive.
15+ years of experience
Two thriving campuses
Our story
How it all began
A journey rooted in a mother's passion for helping every child discover the joy of learning.
Ms. Diana Darmawaskita · Founder
Inspire Kids Montessori School was founded in 2010 by Ms. Diana Darmawaskita in Ahwatukee, Arizona. With a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's degree in Operations Management, Ms. Diana discovered her passion for Early Childhood Education and Development while raising her own two children. Unhappy with the limited quality options for families needing Early Childhood care, and after plenty of research, she decided that Montessori was what she was looking for. She left her corporate career as a civil engineer at Microchip to become a Montessori teacher. It was then that she discovered her passion for teaching — she truly enjoyed seeing her students grow and learn, at their own pace, through their love of learning, independence, and curiosity.
Growing a community
With a firm belief that her community would benefit from a robust and accelerated educational program that emphasizes individualized learning, Ms. Diana opened her first Inspire Kids Montessori campus in Ahwatukee in 2010. Very quickly, Inspire Kids Montessori gained a reputation as a first-class early educational program — thanks to its proven, high-quality standards, individualized lesson plans, enriching musical program, STEM curriculum, and much more. That led to the demand for a second campus in the Layton Lakes neighborhood of South Chandler, open since January 2021. All that has been achieved is credited to Ms. Diana's extraordinary vision and her desire to provide young children with a secure, nurturing, and exceptional educational experience.
Our mission today
As the Founder and Executive Director of Inspire Kids Montessori, Ms. Diana works closely with IKM's experienced, Montessori-trained and certified teachers to ensure the consistent, high-quality delivery of our program objectives. She takes every opportunity to work with students in their classrooms, which brings her great joy. Ms. Diana aspires to give IKM students the opportunity to become well-rounded individuals — developing their academic skills (math, reading, writing, science, and geography), social skills (kindness, grace and courtesy, universal values, personal responsibility, and independence), and soft skills (problem solving, critical thinking, creating new solutions, teamwork, and mobilizing others toward a common goal).
The Kindergarten year
The biggest reward for Ms. Diana, as an educator, is seeing our three-year Montessori work cycle come to fruition, with the Kindergarten year as the capstone of the journey. Our Kindergarten students benefit immensely from an accelerated, tailored program in which they learn to think deeply about a subject, do their own research on STEM projects, express themselves clearly in written and oral presentations, and put their knowledge to practical use — in their classroom communities and at home. Through Arizona's state tax-credit donation program, we are also able to support Kindergarten families with scholarships. Ms. Diana is grateful for our parents' support and unwavering partnership over the past 15 years; it is through that community effort that we can set children on the path to lifelong success.
Come see us in person
Ready to see the Montessori difference?
Visit our campus and watch your child explore, discover, and light up with excitement. We'd love to show you around.
Ahwatukee & South Chandler
(480) 659-9402