Our son has been at Alpha for 2 years. The school has the most important thing - loving teachers. Thank you Mrs Kathy and the team :) read more

Got a sneak peek of this facility and the teacher/student interaction. Lots of montessori activities and genuine student independence. Students enjoyed the teacher interaction. Part of the outdoor playground was covered. Facility is in an old bank on a busy street. read more

Great as always! Mrs. Kathy and team are very good at working with younger kids and getting them ready for the next big step.

Our son has been at Alpha for 8 months and our experience has been incredible. Between two children, with a move and the pandemic, we've been to 5 different preschools. Alpha has been the best. There is very low teacher turnover and all the teachers are kind, loving, and extremely patient. When my son was going through a difficult phase, Ms. Kathy and her staff were patient and always trying to problem solve and work with him to see what was the best way for him to learn. Never once did they give up or say anything negative, which other schools have done. They also never shamed him or us when he was being his cute but stubborn self. I am confident he will be ready for kindergarten in the fall thanks to Ms. Kathy and all the wonderful teachers at Alpha! It's a wonderful community of kids and parents as well. read more

Found the director to be very judgmental of children. We did not enroll our daughter for this reason.

MS Cathy had a granddaughter 20 years ago, and this year another granddaughter. Still the warm loving environment.

Our preschool daughter is entering her second year and has absolutely loved Alpha! Ms Kathy is wonderfully constant and insightful in terms of childhood development and our preschooler absolutely adores all the teachers. She is always happy to go to school and comes out singing or counting or telling us about new things she has learned. I am very grateful for Alpha and how it has instilled a love of learning in my daughter and fosters her curiosity. read more

Adding a few more photos showing the classroom space. It's a nice bright space with lots of areas for learning (life skills area, art, lots of space for floor time) plus a nice outdoor covered playground (great for all of the rain). read more

Alpha Montessori - Classroom area, bright and sunny - Montessori Schools Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Our daughter has thrived at Alpha Montessori over the past year and a half. We know she is more than prepared to enter kindergarten thanks to the support, guidance and love that the teachers provide her on a daily basis. The hours available and rates you pay for them are a great deal; honestly, it's a steal for the quality of care you get. We will miss being here in the fall! read more

Alpha has been fantastic with our three-year old. She was not well adjusted to being around other kids when she started (lockdown baby) and I give a great deal of credit Ms. Kathy and Ms. Eva for her opening up to her "friends" in and out of school. The facility is great, if a little strange (apparently it used to be a bank!) and she has fun every day she goes. read more

This school is incredible. Organized, communicative, educational, affordable, and sweet with the kids, and my daughter loves it. Couldn't recommend more. read more

Alpha montessori has been incredible for my daughter. She has really enjoyed her time at Alpha and is thriving in math and reading. The level of education and independence she had learned from Miss Kathy and the crew had been fantastic. Mrs. Fariba and Ms. Eva are also wonderful with the kids and really go out of their way to make the children feel loved and safe. I can't say enough good things about this school. read more

We've had two of our children attend Alpha; the most recent is just finishing up and will head to Kindergarten in a couple of weeks. Both of our kids totally blossomed there! This place is a real hidden gem. The teachers are absolutely wonderful and the place runs like a well-oiled machine. Giant kudos to Miss Kathy for having a strong COVID plan in place, getting parents on board, and keeping the doors open for the entire school year. To my knowledge, there were no positive cases/exposures since reopening in June 2020. Their Montessori education is also A+. Both kids were school-ready when they graduated. read more

Alpha played a pivotal role in the early development in my daughter's love of learning. Now age 7, she said today, "Mom, I love to read. Once you learn to read you just get better and better. It's so cool!" This zest for knowledge ultimately began under the tutelage of Miss Kathy and the rest of the fantastic, loving teachers at Alpha Montessori. She thrived with the structured, creative environment there. Such a great place for us. I knew it then and appreciate it even more so now, several years later! read more

I wholeheartedly recommend Alpha Montessori! Our kiddo loved her 2 years at Alpha - the teachers were so caring and attentive. She was definitely Kindergarten ready. read more

My four year old daughter has been attending Alpha Montessori for the last six months. So far, we couldn`t be happier with the results! She`s learning to write, read, count, and do basic math. However, the manners and independence are what most amaze us. These skills are gently encouraged at her school and the behavior carries over into her home life. Great teachers, great school, we`re so lucky to have this option for our child. read more

Kathy, Ms. Lissa, Ms. Faosiyah and the rest of the teachers are amazing. My daughter had an absolutely wonderful experience here. We were at a different Montessori school up until the beginning of 2011 with mixed results. Once we switched, I realized that THIS school is what Montessori should be all about. The teachers are warm and caring, yet push the students to help them achieve their ultimate potential. My daughter LOVED going to school and we were extremely sad to leave (due to moving out of state). I would highly highly recommend Alpha Montessori to any parent looking for a pre-K program. To top it all off, the school is extremely affordable and caters to working parents (i.e. no long mid-semester breaks, etc). Definite two thumbs up! read more

I cannot tell you enough how much we love this preschool. My oldest daughter is just finishing up her second year, and my younger daughter just started. They are incredibly nice and incredibly flexible when you need something, and work with the parents really well. Ms. Kathy is passionate about her work - you can tell that she wants the kids to learn and succeed as much as the parents do. The staff is also very personable and nice, you feel welcomed like part of the family. I visited a few other preschools, which seemed very crazy and disorderly. When I visited Alpha it was completely different - it was like walking into a fine dining restaurant after visiting some crazy overcrowded McDonald's. They were very orderly and everyone seemed to know what they should be doing. My daughters have blossomed there, and they love it! And I am more than pleased with their academic progress. read more

We could not be happier with this school. This is not a strict Montessori as some out there but it seems to be a great blend of Montessori education combined with a fun and loving atmosphere. Kathy runs a tight ship and ensures that the children are challenged and well-prepared for Kindergarten. The teachers are all so loving and really appreciate the children for who they are. We've had 2 very different children attend this school and we observed that the teachers adapted their methods to tailor to each of them. The teachers also really work on helping to children to make friends and to learn social skills which is so important at this age. Both my children loved their school! read more

Our son just finished his second year at Alpha and has had a terrific experience there--he will miss it so much when he starts kindergarten in the fall! Fortunately our daughter just started this summer, so we will have a couple more years with this wonderful school and community. Ms. Kathy and the other Alpha teachers are a diverse group of kind, patient, generous people who truly love and appreciate children. They care so much about the kids and have taken the time to really get to know our son--his unique strengths, needs, and interests--and to help him grow and prepare for elementary school in the ways most important for him. As a former Montessori student, I also appreciate the strong focus on Montessori principles and traditional materials in the curriculum--these methods really do foster responsibility, independence, curiosity, and all the other good things Montessori is known for when done right! We feel extremely lucky and grateful to have found such a great early-learning environment for our kids and we can't recommend it highly enough! read more

Kathy and her staff are fabulous. My daughter went to Alpha for her entire preschool education and learned a lot at this Montessori school. I looked at over 10 preschools and this was the only one I would send my daughter too. 5 stars all the way! read more

We love Alpha. My daughter is in her second year there. Last fall when her first preschool fell apart at the seams, Ms. Kathy took on my daughter and she just blossomed there. At my daughter's first preschool, there was very little guidance- some children were even hitting without consequences. Because of this she hadn't developed the best manners. The teachers at Alpha are lovely, and they really foster an environment of respect, which my daughter picked up right away, thank goodness! They have a very diverse curriculum, and there are lots of opportunities for music and play. My daughter attends the Move Over Mozart elective at the school- she loves it! She's on her way to learning piano! I look forward to sending my youngest daughter, hopefully next year she can join the fun. read more

After moving back to the Seattle area, we were very happy to find Alpha. Our son has thrived there. The staff are excellent.

Our daughter has been at Alpha for over two years and loves it. The teachers are tenured and are inspiring. I feel like she is well prepared for kindergarten and will leave this wonderful school with so many memories. read more

An amazing Montessori preschool. My son has been there for one year and is beginning his second year. He's excited to go each day. The teachers truly care and their communication is awesome. The activities of the week are always outlined, they organize all the children's work well -- they label them and keep them in bins. My little guy has been blossoming and they nurture his sensitive nature. Lots of learning (sensorial, art, language, math, science, geography) and lots of music and movement. Teachers work with all of the kids to learn how to be kind, be respectful, have fun, and enjoy learning. I have nothing but praise for the Ms. Kathy, the staff and the school! read more

We are a french family, with 2 kids. My husband had been temporarily relocated from Paris to Seattle for 1 year. Thus, we needed to find a nice place for our 3.5-year-old boy when we arrived in Seattle, at the end summer 2017. After visiting 4 different places, Ms Buholm was the first person to suggest an adjustment period with my son, who had a very basic english, was scared of being with new people he barely didn't understand and wasn't willing to leave his mom even for a few minutes. It took time, almost 1 month, but thanks to the Ms Buholm and her team's help, my son adjusted and really enjoyed his time at Alpha. The teachers are dedicated, caring and always very creative with activities for kids. The communication was also very easy and smooth, which makes you feel comfortable and confident as a parent, to leave your child in such a warm and peaceful place. read more

My son attended from 3yo-5yo, until he entered grade school. Wow, what an AMAZING program. We had him at Christ the King (caritas), and it was like a jail cell for children with no academic structure. I still feel awful sending him there for the 3 months he attended! My second child will now start in July, and I can't wait! My first born is BORED in kindergarden, was reading prior to elementary school, and was doing basic math b/c he was taught in a manner that was FUN vs. 'work'. I would recommend Alpha to all parents looking for a loving, fun, and educational environment, hands down. read more

This school, the teachers and the director Kathy are amazing!!! My 4 year old is very smart but can be challenging if she's overstimulated or not challenged or there's not enough structure. We switched from an extremely pricey private Fremont Montessori when she was floundering and turning into an emotional wreck; constantly in time out and not allowed to go play with the rest of the kids. She had also lost all her number and alphabet knowledge she had come into the school with. After a week it was like night and day. Her bubbly personality and self confidence was back, she was following their instructions, jabbering away about all the cool stuff she was learning and writing her name! All lessons are outlined for the week and they focus on kindergarten readiness in a Montessori way. The ratio of kids to teachers is outstanding as well and my daughter literally skips into the front door everyday. This place is truly a godsend and I'm extremely grateful to all the teachers and Ms. Kathy for their care and nurturing of my daughter! read more

This a great school! Ms. Kathy, Ms. Lissa and the rest of the wonderful staff make this a very loving place for our daughter. My daughter has learned a lot and is already reading at 1st and 2nd grade level; she has tremendous confidence in everything she does. The school is very diverse, which I liked. Ever year, they have 2 weeks dedicated to learning about different cultures around the world. The kids have a very good sense of various cultures and which countries fall under which continents. The school also offers piano classes and a tumble bus comes there every Friday. They also do parent night out once a month which we enjoy . Overall, this is a great school and we're very happy our daughter has flourished! read more

Our daughter has been at Alpha Montessori for the better part of a year and loves it! There are a number of teachers and they share responsibility for the class, under what appears to be highly capable direction from the school's long-term director, Kathy Buholm. As our daughter grows, she keeps being given new learning challenges that are clearly tailored to her needs. We highly recommend this school!! read more

We are thrilled with Alpha Montessori. The teachers are amazing and our daughter has grown so much at the school. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather have her attend. read more

Our daughter has been going to Alpha for over 2 years, she started right around 3 years old. We have nothing but great things to say about this school. All of the teachers are wonderful. Our little one is excited and ready to go to school everyday. She will be starting kindergarten in the fall and thanks to Alpha, she will be very ready. read more

We are so happy with the care and support our son has gotten at Alpha the last two years. He started as a shy kid that stood in the wings and watched, and now he's a confident, engaged learner. He says everyday how much fun he has at Alpha and is super excited to begin kindergarten because he know he's ready. The staff really care about their students and help each one meet their own learning needs at their own pace. I am so impressed with the organization of this school--I had no idea a preschool could be such a calm, peaceful place! I'm looking forward to the time when our second son is ready to start at Alpha and begin his own journey. read more

I was nervous about putting my 3 year old daughter in a Montessori school because she is so high spirited, but it has been the best decision I have made for her. The staff is excellent and very caring and Ms. Kathy is wonderful to work with. The most exciting thing is that she loves to go to "school" now. She is learning to work independently and also how to follow direction and when I pick her up at the end of the day she loves to recap her day to us. During her week at Alpha she is exposed to tumbling, piano, coloring, painting, writing, reading, puzzles, practical life and so much more. Our family could not be happier with her being at Alpha! read more

Great school. We put our 3yo daughter in several months ago and the amount she is learning is fantastic. Ours does the Move Over Mozart as well and we were shocked at the holiday piano recital where she played Hot Cross Buns all by herself! She absolutely loves it there and we are glad we made the right choice to enroll her at Alpha. read more

I can not express enough how great this school is. My son attended for a year before he entered Kindergarten. The teachers are wonderful and you can tell they truly love their jobs and the kids. The teachers are amazing! Miss Kathy runs this school like a well oiled machine. Communication is great, expectations for parents and children are clear. Not only did my son learn a lot academically he matured so much emotionally and socially. He attended another Montessori school before Alpha, and I am forever grateful we made the switch. It is the greatest feeling as a parent to know you are leaving your child with safe, caring, supportive people when you drop them off at school. My son is thriving in kindergarten and a huge part of the transition being successful was because of the love and care he received at Alpha. Our time at Alpha has left a positive imprint on our lives forever. I highly recommended this school. read more