My first experience with Montessori was 10 years ago, with my son, at a Montessori school in a…read moredifferent state. I was quite disappointed with what was touted as Montessori and the results I saw with my son. The freedom that comes with the Montessori method didn't suit him, as he would take advantage of it by reading books all day instead of participating in lessons. At the time, my priority was simply having someone take care of him since both parents worked. As long as he was safe, that was enough. I didn't think much more about it until it was time to put my daughter into daycare, as our parental leave was coming to an end. From the options available, enrolling her in a "private school" seemed like the best choice, hoping she would learn something and not just play all day. I first placed her at the Brushy Creek campus, because they have classrooms for babies. The price seemed steep for just feeding and changing diapers, but again, I figured you pay for quality. Well... I was surprised by how quickly she was developing. She started walking at 10 months old, communicated her needs through sounds and sign language, and got along well with other kids. The benefits of socializing her early were obvious. I started thinking there might be more to Montessori than I originally thought. It wasn't until we transferred her to the Cypress Creek campus, closer to home, that I truly realized how wrong I had been about Montessori. At Guidepost Montessori at Cypress Creek, I saw just how incredible the Montessori method can be when done right. The school has provided an exceptional learning environment for my daughter, with a strong focus on individualized education and fostering independence. The Montessori philosophy is clearly evident in every aspect of the school's approach, from the thoughtfully prepared classrooms to the well-structured activities that promote creativity, critical thinking, and self-discipline. Her teachers, Mrs. Ebelia and her assistant Alex, have been amazing. They are both professional, caring, and highly qualified, creating a warm and supportive atmosphere for the students. I have seen remarkable growth in my child's confidence and ability to tackle challenges on her own, and I attribute a lot of that progress to the nurturing environment they've created. One of the standout aspects of the school is the abundance of activities they offer to bring the community together. Whether it's events for families, parent workshops, or school celebrations, Guidepost Montessori does an incredible job of fostering a strong sense of connection and engagement between parents, teachers, and students. Additionally, the diversity of my daughter's classmates is remarkable. She is surrounded by children from various backgrounds, which enriches her learning experience and broadens her understanding of the world around her. The communication between the school and parents is outstanding--I'm always kept informed about my child's progress and any updates regarding the school. The leadership at Guidepost Montessori is also worth noting. They are approachable, proactive, and genuinely care about the development and well-being of the students. It's clear that they are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in education. Overall, I couldn't be happier with our choice to enroll at Guidepost Montessori at Cypress Creek. It has truly been a wonderful experience, and I would highly recommend it to any parents looking for a nurturing, innovative, and effective learning environment for their child.

I need to begin this review by clarifying a misunderstanding I had when enrolling my kid at this…read moreschool. It is NOT named after a dinosaur. In fact, there are no dinosaurs named Montessori, Montessorous, Montessori Rex, Montessoridon, or even Montessoridactyl. I think Montessori is Italian, actually. Next obvious question: Were all dinosaurs Italian? This is hotly debated amongst anthropologists even today. My theory is that yes, and that what actually killed the dinosaurs was not a meteor from space, but rather a meteor-sized meatball. All evidence is forthcoming once I can find a scientific journal that will publish my thesis. Anyway, back to the review of the school. Hold on to your butts... My kid has been attending Guidepost at Cypress Creek for about a year and a half. He started in the toddler classroom and is now in Children's House. (They call it a house, but it's actually a classroom. I don't know why. When you reach out to admissions, you can use that as an icebreaker. You're welcome). My partner, my kid, and I have all been very pleased with both classrooms. Montessori schools treat their students as fully capable people with their own agency. This sounds like a recipe for disaster, but somehow they make it work. When you watch a classroom in full swing, it's like a well-oiled machine. The students are working either independently or cooperatively. They are cleaning up after themselves, being respectful towards others, and are highly attentive towards their classwork. They are very clever girls and boys. This is a testament to the excellent guides (their term for teachers, there's your second icebreaker). It sounds impossible but, uh, the guides find a way. The administration is also wonderful. They are pro-active with their communications, and we always feel in the loop. Almost every day there are optional extra-curricular activity options on the school grounds, which is super convenient. Things like art, gym, and soccer. The school is a great size. It's small enough that it feels like a real community. I think all of the guides know our kids' name, even if they aren't in his class, and they know both my partner and me. There are frequent classroom-wide and school-wide events, both in person and remote. There's an outdoor playground, of course, and a garden area that gets frequent use. All of the children participate in maintaining it, which is cool. Tuition is reasonable, even though it seems like they've spared no expense, so that's nice. Well, readers, after careful consideration, I've decided to endorse Guidepost Montessori at Cypress Creek. We like it enough that we will be enrolling our second kid when he's old enough. The question wasn't so much whether we could but whether we should, and even that was silly because the answer was obviously yes. The lack of actual dinosaurs is disappointing, of course, but I'm not going to deduct stars for that. I haven't found any school that has them, so it wouldn't be fair.

First let me say this is a bit of a long review so here's a summary-- I want to say a big thank you…read moreto Ms. Lisa, Ms Kiahna, Ms. Jade, & Ms. Leslie. This is a wonderfully ran, and wonderfully built school that truly provides high quality care for our children and believe me, my standards are very high (I try to be easy going about it lol but at the core of it all, I would never accept sub standard care when it comes to our children and frankly, neither should you.) Our daughter started at Cadence about 2 weeks after she turned 2YO and this is our first child so there were a few things at play here. 1. Due to COVID, she had not interacted with other children as often as we'd have liked and since she hated Gymboree, we thought she didn't want to be around other kids :/ 2. We had been her sole caretakers for two years so she really wasn't used to not being by our side every moment of the day. 3. Her nutrition, cognitive development, and social skills are things I think about a lot and was important that whatever daycare we chose did a great job in these areas. 4. Uh...did i mention she was no fan of Gymboree classes? She would sit on my lap the entire time we would go and we went for 3 months straight so I thought she didn't like organized leaning environments for some reason. So I thought a daycare would be a difficult transition for us. However here's what actually happened. Ms. Lisa was excellent reaching out and ensuring all my questions and concerns were addressed. Through our conversations, I could tell the kids and their learning environment were the priority. On the first week, our daughter cried (as expected), but her teachers Ms. Jade, and Ms. Leslie were so warm, kind, and attentive right off the bat that she would calm down soon after we left the room and in the 2nd week, she only cried once. Third week? She was walking in by herself!! Here's what I'm seeing...it took a child who had minimal interactions with other kids/adults 1 week to adjust, stop crying, and begin playing with other kids. she may not have been home with us, but she felt safe and secure to adjust so quickly, and THIS is of utmost importance to me. I also want to give a HUGE shout out to Ms. Kiahna -- she would readily check on my daughter to see if she has settled in 5-10 mins after we left and let us know she is either doing fine or still settling in or sitting on Ms. Jade/Leslie's lap. She was always honest too lol and I loved that I never got a generic answer. Honestly, this is a kind trait that I truly appreciate. Also Ms. Brooke who is the new teacher seems so pleasant, and lets me know how my child did when I come to pick her up, without me asking. I REALLY appreciate it, because it tells me she pays attention to each kid and who doesn't want that. I just think the people hired here are exceptional. Nutrition is important here and it's balanced. One time, when it started getting a bit cool outside, they served turmeric chicken, pasta, and oranges :) and if you are unnecessarily into nutrition like I am, you know turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory/antioxidant for cold weather so I was pleased to see the thought and care they put into their nutrition. And yes, I so love that they send you pictures of their activities, play outside, nap length of time and what they eat throughout the day. This school gives what it is meant to give and much more and we are beyond grateful and happy this is where our daughter has begun her educational journey :).

This place is under serious scrutiny for leaving their side gates near the parking lot unlocked…read morebecause a student went out. When pressed on why their door by the playground was open and why a student would get out, the center just claimed it was easier for those to leave during emergencies. If you care about your child's safety, there are plenty more centers to take your child that will care about your safety.

They take really good care of children and respect everyones needs, while caring for all the…read morechildren and making sure they are all taken care of.

When you have a baby for the first time, it's all fun and games until your maternity leave ends and…read moreyou have to come to terms with joining back the real world of work life. While my mat leave was NOT a vacation, neither is taking care of my little one, and doing the research to figure out if daycare, nanny or aupair fits the bill for your family is such a personal decision, not everything is one size fits all. Our research started when I was 6 months pregnant and I started touring several daycares in the area along with Montessori schools to just get an idea what the heck we were dealing with, securities instilled, and how daycare works. We went to tour 3 places, all of which I had first hand feedback from existing coworkers from all places. Primrose's director Ms. Artus shared we should even look up all the daycares on the Texas state site to check for infractions of which we found none. :) yay. Plus a short drive from our home makes it an easy pick up and drop off. First thing is, while costs are high, this is not something we were afraid of when we factored in the many amenities and learnings we expected from a daycare, the professionals that know how to take care of our LO better than we can with some tips and tricks, and also wanting something more than a daycare where your kiddo just goes through the motions day by day. It's only been 3 weeks, and I'm still on my maternity leave but as I re-enter the workforce next week, and leave my babe for realsies, I trust he's in the best of hands, I've dropped him off and popped in on occasion, and I've always seen him shown with love. So many other perks include, him socializing with other babies. They change him very frequently and can even examine his bowel movements and ask if he has breast milk since we do nurse our little one at home but give daycare formula since my pumping milk doesn't produce enough. I love how attentive and observant they are without us knowing what to share. He has his own crib, collage of people who love him and play area and I love how I get to see all the little ones grow and learn along side our babe. We are the first in our friends to have a baby so it's hard to get kiddos for him to engage with even as a newborn or even know how to do it all. Don't fret, the primrose staff is super helpful and SO good at what they do. I commend Ms. Mary of the young infants class and all the staff assistants that help. I love seeing our little one grow and learn so many things that I would struggle to even think of except for survive, go on stroller walks and naps. They've instilled structure, helped me understand as a first time parent what to look for, extra outfits, diaper cream, and all the things I never knew for taking care of my baby. It honestly feels like my own little village of caretakers that watch out for my LO, and this genuinely can really show how much that means to me. They've got so many happy kiddos that fill the halls and the community really seems great from our short time here, the calendar is filled with activities and field trips the different age groups take so you know what fun they're in for. Parents night out is a thing too, whoo hoo! Love it so far, and we hope our son thrives and grows well here for ages to come. I look forward to updating as he moves into the next classrooms so I can share our growth and experience but we love it here.

Our son has had a wonderful experience here! The teachers and staff are so loving and great. We do…read moreboth school year and summer camp. It's a wonderful, safe place

This school really deserves 5 stars, and this is coming from a non-christian parent…read more Once you tour this school, you will realize that the daycares or schools that run like a business are never the types of schools you want to enroll in. The teachers here are very loving, and they are true role models that you would want your children to be around with. I can see that my child has better manners after she enrolled. The school operates normal hours from 9-2 pm, M-F. with early extended hours at 8:00 am. You may also come in for MWF or TTH. It is unfortunate that they do not have extended hours after 2 pm. The classes are very structured, but they are more focused on the breadth of knowledge than depth. Also be aware that if you enroll M-F, some of the classes may be duplicated for your children as they planned lectures to ensure everyone had a chance to participate. I think it might be a good idea to not enroll M-F and choose MWF or TTH. The only thing that I would ever ask for improvement is the extended hours and no food heating for children's lunch.

We have been at Little Hands for only a couple of months, but I have really been impressed. I…read morereceive more pictures and videos of my child than any of the other schools that we have attended. There are scheduled parent teacher conferences throughout the year, and a newsletter is sent out reviewing what the class is covering every week. I love the 4 and 5 year old teacher, Ms Liu. She is attentive and caring. My son's Chinese has improved with his daily lessons. He even recognizes several Chinese characters now. Ms. Xu and Ms. Zhao are always smiling in the morning when we drop off our child. The director, Terri, is very patient and responsible. The school is open many of the holidays that other schools are closed, which helps working parents. Overall, I would highly recommend this school.

We couldn't be happier with our decision to enroll our daughter at Little Hands. Before joining,…read moreshe was reluctant to attend her previous daycare, but everything changed after we found Little Hands. She was so excited to go to school every day, and it is truly one of the best decisions we have ever made for her. Little Hands is a wonderful place for children. It is always very clean, the teachers are incredibly caring, and the curriculum is very well-designed. They cover so many subjects, including science, arts, math, Chinese, Spanish, English, sports, and the kids are constantly encouraged to be creative. We also love how they celebrate various cultural festivals and teach the children to respect and appreciate cultural differences. Our daughter graduated from Little Hands in the summer of 2023. Although we moved out of state after her graduation, we had the chance to visit Austin in the summer of 2024 due to my work. Ms. Terri welcomed us back and took wonderful care of our daughter for two weeks, just like before. Ms. Terri and her team of teachers are truly the best. They are deeply committed to the development and growth of the children and work hard to prepare them for the future. Little Hands is by far our best daycare and preschool center, and we will always come back to visit when we get the chance.

Our daughter was enrolled at a previous school. We weren't completely thrilled so we were…read morepotentially looking at schools that could give her a spot for the new school year. But we weren't going to move her unless we could get her into a new place. I received a phone call to come in and to tour the school and was informed they are waitlisted and won't have space. On that call, I mentioned that maybe it's best I just skip since we're only trying to move if we can get in her somewhere, not just to waitlist. They said no please come in and tour, it's very likely we can get her in after I mentioned I wasn't going to tour then. I toured the school. It appeared nice; kids looked happy. After speaking with the owner for a bit she kept mentioning there's people on her waitlist that have been ghosting her multiple attempts to enroll and it's very likely she will get in. "just give her a few days". We regretfully signed up my daughter on the waitlist and signed up my son for after school care that wouldn't start until the fall school year begin. Well days became weeks and still nothing. I attempted to contact the school to try to get some information on what was happening. The first day I the phones weren't working. I was later able to contact the Assistant Director who was unable to provide me any information or help me whatsoever. Not sure how an Assistant Director can't provide any information on what is going on with the status of my daughter if you're the Assistant Director. I explained other schools have openings and I need to know what is going on with my daughter being the fact it was basically 'duped' to us that she would get it. They would not provide me any information. We ended up having to enroll in another school because I can't take the risk of not getting in when they have space because another school is unable to provide me information. Eventually they reached out the following week and was like yeah, you're SOL and this is good feedback for the future that we should provide communication. LOL what? We said forget it and disenrolled our son for after care well over a month before anything was supposed to start. In the end my family and I are out $900 and my kids never even seen the place. I honestly don't even think they situation we were told about was true and they just lied/duped us to make it seem like she would get in and took our money. I understand paying a deposit. Everyone does it. Although Goddard is certainly the highest, I've ever seen. It's nearly double the Preps and Primrose. What is terrible is the about half of the $900 is for other 'fees, future enrollment, supplies" etc. whatever they want to call it. Besides the deposit, the rest of that money should be returned to us. My kids never even went to the school and disenrolled week above months' notice. I hope they enjoyed our $900 and making us feel duped to think we'd even get it in. If you tour the school, do not sign up unless you have a spot.

What an incredible experience we have had at Goddard Leander! Our three children go here and we…read morecouldn't be more pleased with the way our teachers have invested and cared for them. They go above and beyond in their roles and care for the growth and development of their students. The Owner is extremely communicative and accommodating and the office staff provides so many opportunities to be involved. Our children are happy and enjoy going to school every single day which makes being working parents a little bit easier! The teachers care so much and we haven't had a poor experience or interaction with anyone at Goddard. Finally, I am so confident in my oldest child's preparedness for Kindergarten. These teachers make learning fun and seamless and I am impressed by it daily! I couldn't recommend this school enough.

Our experience at this school has been amazing. If we hadnt moved, our 4 year old would still be…read moregoing here. I have known the owner for many years, and I think she runs an excellent program here She is full of great ideas and truly is a gifted educator. This is a preschool where kids learn new skills each day . The owner is passionate about teaching and you can see it with every interaction she has with the kids. Our daughter has thrived in the time that she has spent with Ms. Lauren. Highly recommend this school!

We just love Ms. Lauren and her team!! I am so super sad that my son will be departing soon to…read morehead to kindergarten! I really wish we would have found this place a lot sooner! We've seen major improvements in my son since he joined the Lasting Learners Academy in November 2018. The nice small class size was perfect for his needs. This is more than just a daycare where most of the teachers just are glorified "babysitters"! They actually TEACH your children and prepare them for kindergarten!! They accept kiddos from 3-5. I highly recommend Lasting Learners Academy for your little ones!!

We've been part of Sapientia Montessori for several years now. One of our kids went through the…read moreentire elementary program, and the other has been here since preschool and is currently in elementary--and I genuinely couldn't be more grateful for the experience. What makes this school stand out is the personal care and attention every child receives. It's not just about academics (which are strong), but about helping kids grow into confident, kind, and thoughtful individuals. At the center of it all is Ms. Kalika, the principal. She doesn't just lead--she sets the culture of the school in a very real and hands-on way. Her presence, values, and commitment to each child show up in everything the school does. One of the things we've especially appreciated is their participation in the Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) program. It gives kids a unique level of exposure and global perspective at such a young age--something we found incredibly valuable and rare. Sapientia has played a big role in shaping our kids--not just academically, but in who they're becoming as people. If you're looking for a school where your child will be truly seen, challenged, and supported every step of the way, I'd highly recommend Sapientia Montessori.

We learned of Sapientia while waiting to move off the waiting list from a Montessori school in…read moreAustin. We wanted a solution for childcare for our toddler twins at that point, and we'd observed some of our friends' children exit their early years in Montessori with the calm confidence we wanted for our kiddos. At Sapienta, our girls were welcomed with kind hearts. The guides (teachers) provided the resources to not only build a foundation for learning but a love for it as well. This fostered our girls' ability to read by age four. Their enjoyment of books grew exponentially over the next 10+ years, helping place them in the gifted program. Their achievements weren't limited to language arts. They excelled in every subject as they transferred to public education for middle school. The nine years they spent at Sapientia Montessori--three of them with the school director as lead teacher in the elementary class--gave them a springboard into academic achievement. Today, that investment in their Montessori education has resulted in grades, test scores, and critical thinking that are getting them accepted into the country's top engineering and aeronautical programs. We eventually made it off the wait list for that Austin school, but we chose to stay at Sapientia for the community and dedication to a child-centered approach to learning. If we had it to do again, we wouldn't change a thing.