As a Montessori kid myself and a mom of five who've attended seven schools, I can say without hesitation that Chestnut Montessori is the most impressive and genuinely exceptional school our family has experienced. The teachers are deeply skilled in true Montessori practice--they don't just borrow the "Montessori" label, but actually live out the philosophies and methods. Chestnut Montessori fully embraces and lives out Dr. Maria Montessori's vision and approach, and the impact of that on my boys has been extraordinary. In such a short time, I've seen tremendous growth in their self-confidence, abilities, social skills, and overall development. I was hesitant starting the boys in school at a young age, but Chestnut Montessori earned our family's trust in the first interaction at the tour (when we left the tour, before my husband could buckle his seat belt he looked at me and said, "this is it. Cancel all the other tours.") The teachers' expertise, loving care, and genuine investment in their students shine through every single day--from drop-off and pickup, to communication with the administration, to the photos shared throughout the day, and the thoughtful extra-curricular events. I'm beyond grateful for CMS and so thankful to have found a school that truly supports my children in becoming exactly who they're meant to be. We'll hope to be here for the long haul! read more

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Our son has attended CMS for only a short while although, his confidence, social capabilities, and speech have advanced since starting! He's naturally bashful so our number one goal when scouting out schools was to find somewhere that offers small class size and kind attentiveness, which we've accomplished here. I enjoy the activities that the school organizes to include parents/ families and the staff is always gracious when I need assistance and/or have questions regarding scheduling, billing, and developmental progress. He is glad to arrive in the mornings and comes home healthy and happy! CMS is truly a gem, providing peace of mind because we know our child is in good hands and thriving when in their care, which is most important to a parent when away from their child. read more

Absolute mess. It's far worse than you'd expect. If you love your child, you must avoid this place. Extremely old educational style with their owner's "50 years of experience" Wow! The owner of this business was extremely unprofessional and one of the worst people I've dealt with. The fact that this person interacts with children on a daily basis is truly alarming. Please read all other 1 star reviews. Things you may want to confirm : Why did they have to disable reviews on google map? What's their teacher ratio? What's their native English speaker teacher ratio? How many students they have? How many classes they have? Why a lawyer is their director? What's their "real fee" as tuition + extra? ( actual fee shown on the paper they give you at open house may be different from actual cost! ) Are we "invited" to donate a book to school on our child's birthday? And the genre is restricted? Is there racism at this school? Has any teacher learned children's psychology? Are children allowed to be children at this school? You may encounter sooooooo many surprises! Yay! read more

Giulia just finished her first year of school, and I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. She started in September 2024 at just 2 years and 4 months old. In the beginning, it was a difficult transition--she didn't speak any English, as we speak Italian at home, and for the first month she didn't engage with anyone. She didn't play with the other children, didn't talk to the teachers, and didn't eat anything from her snack or lunch box. September was a very stressful time for her--we saw it in her behavior: frequent tantrums and trouble sleeping. But I knew we were in the right place, with the right staff. Her older brother Giorgio had gone through the same challenging start, and I trusted the process. Slowly, Giulia began to observe the other kids, then started to play, interact with the teachers, and finally began eating at school. By March, everything had changed. She was excited each morning to go to school--it had become her happy place. She played, ate, and napped with her friends, spoke in English, and was fully potty trained. We are incredibly grateful to the entire staff. A special thank-you to Mrs. Cimpuero, who did a phenomenal job. She was passionate, caring, dedicated, and always attentive to detail. Her kind and thoughtful words, along with her helpful advice to parents, made a real difference. We wholeheartedly recommend this school to any of our friends. Ivana. read more

Great campus and great teachers We're having a wonderful experience at chestnut Bellevue!!! read more

Our son has been at Chestnut for a year and it has been a very positive experience for him. As a high-energy 3-year-old, and one of the youngest in his class, he benefits from the structure and academic focus. His teachers give us frequent updates about the curriculum and send photos from his school projects. The school is well-organized and engaging, and has a nice secluded outdoor space. We are so grateful to be there! read more

wonderful Montessori school. teachers and staff are great. Their curriculum and activities are both educational and fun

Oh, forget it. I've seen enough of you saying the nicest things and doing the complete opposite. I saw with my own eyes a little boy, who can barely speak, about to fall off a slide at the playground. Your teacher only showed up when I was about to reach out and catch him. Stop trying to cover up for some of your irresponsible teachers. Hire some qualified, responsible, and caring teachers, and maybe then your business will do a little better. read more

Grace and Courtesy is one of the foundations of the Montessori Method--a foundation that the Founding Director does not practice herself. Her methods are guided by her unyielding prioritization of profit, her maltreatment of teachers, and micromanagement of student matters. When decisions are made at the Founding Director's level, student educational matters are dealt purely as profit matters. The Founding Director's practices led to a recent exodus of long time students and has caused an unfortunate revolving door teacher model which is sustained by her ab initio teacher training program--the school selects from the new teacher pool, only to have the toxic culture eventually drive them away. The teachers our kids had here from 2018-2022 were all wonderful and they'll all have a special place in our hearts. Most left for greener pastures. But it's the cracks in the system here that we started noticing starting our second year in. It's only a matter of time until the Founding Director's greedy business practices and her toxic grip on the school will start affecting your child here. And then it will reach a point where one more transgression from the Director, one sign of cultural corrosion, one last straw, will cause you to break. That's what happened to us. After witnessing one last undeniable and significant breach in Grace and Courtesy from Founding Director, we pulled our last child out before the school year started. We had to forfeit two months deposit, $4,200. We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to willfully forfeit that, but it wasn't easy. We just simply couldn't take it any more. read more

Soon after we enrolled her, she started enjoying being part of a community.She made friends and connected with her teachers. Following her teachers' example, she would interact in a kind and polite manner. During the school year we noticed she had become more independent and organized. She developed skills that will help her long term. read more

This is a great school! I have three children, this is the 5th preschool our children have attended. We only attended one school we didn't like, and it was because the staff were of low quality. However, I have not been impressed with the staff at several Kirkland preschools we toured, it took a while to find this one. It's a very nice environment (outdoor space and classrooms are great) and the teachers are top notch. Our daughter is very happy here. read more

My eldest went to this school for 7 years, and my youngest has been enrolled for 3 years now. In my 7 year experience, I have found Chestnut to be the kind of school that is not for everyone. Meaning, if you are looking for a mainstream environment: flashy, colorful, brand new, the works.. and your child has high energy and thrives in loud and busy spaces.. this is not the school for you. My children get easily overstimulated by flashy, loud environments, and have a deep seated love for nature. For their early development, Chestnut was, and still is, an excellent fit for their personality type. Their access to a natural outdoor environment that is not over-manicured, allows my kids to enjoy gardening, gather fresh apples, strawberries, zucchini and chestnuts every season, and learn about botany inside the classroom. Research also shows a strong correlation between children's intelligence and access to nature - hence, nature is an integral part of their curriculum. Chestnut also follows the more traditional model of Montessori - most Montessori schools have adapted the actual works of Maria Montessori to fit parents' expectations and demands as they compare the Montessori environment to regular preschools. For me personally, I have read up on Maria Montessori's work, and appreciate how Chestnut has preserved the integrity of it in their instruction. Is the building old? Yes. But I am not sure why that matters, and neither has it mattered to my children. I have had my 3 year olds explain the concept of gravity to me, name the parts of the brain and what their functions are, and have never wanted to miss a day of school. And that matters. When the child is enthusiastic, you know the school is doing something right. So yes, it works for our family - and living in downtown Bellevue, amidst all this development and concrete, I am grateful that my children get to experience a slice of farmhouse-style living during their precious early years of development. I want to make one comment in particular regarding someone's claim that the school is racist. I have never, ever, experienced any form of racism here and neither have my children. In fact, the student body is so diverse, I had a friend once joke that it seems like it's the United Nations. Jeannine is firm but polite and doesn't bend the school's policies for anyone so as not to compromise its central values. I find this has helped her maintain the integrity of the traditional Montessori approach, and also what sets it apart from other Montessori schools. As a customer, you will not like this business approach because the customer is not 'always right' here. As a parent, you may respect this philosophical approach to preserving the integrity of the school system as a whole. As I said - its not for everyone, and I would recommend doing your research and aligning what the school really is with your expectations of what it should be. read more

My son was bullied at this school. He was the youngest at the school and the other kids called him newbie. My son was pushed and beaten up by older boy (more than 1 year older) who I saw pushing other kids too multiple times and the school did almost nothing. My son came back home with face scratches and blood all over his face and when I asked April at pick up time what happened, she said, "we will investigate and let you know," and never replied to any of my calls or emails for 5 days! We had to email the principal more than twice to finally receive an answer a week later just to meet her the week after, of course she had no clue, and all what she did is promising to train the outdoor staff how to watch the kids instead of chatting or ask the indoor teacher to watch during her lunch time! Again after a short period of time. I saw my son getting hit on the head while he is facing the ground during the recess and the teachers didn't see him crying for help till I shouted and asked them to help him, and his teacher came and said "That your son deserves it!" My 2.5 years old deserved to be pushed on the ground and being kicked on the head by the same boy who is 4.5 years olwhile she is busy chatting???!! It's a nightmare! I'm glad I was there to see everything because that boy was not planning to stop no matter how much my son said stop or help! Finally we met the principal and all what they did they separated my child from the other boy during recess and they couldn't protect my son at class. So of course He came back home with scratches gain and again. The principal is never there because she is teaching at her new branch in Kirkland and when I asked her to move the child or protect my son. She started screaming at me on the phone. I don't recommend this school at all. He is now at a new school! He is very very happy, social and learning much more. The most important thing is that he is safe at the new school! If you have any questions please let me know! read more

Wonderful school with fantastic staff. Children are happy and learn a lot in a loving Montessori environment. All around great experience.

If I could describe this school in one word, it would be "sweet." It's a sweet little school with really kind and dedicated teachers. The rooms are warm and welcoming with lots of Montessori materials, rugs, and small furniture. Everything always looks very clean. My son is in a different, larger Montessori preschool, and comparing the two, the things that stand out about Chestnut are: 1) They serve very nutritious snacks, not just crackers all the time. I really like that they consistently offer cheese, a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and hummus. 2) They have a system called Transparent Classroom that allows you to see adorable pictures of your child doing work. I get pictures of my child most weeks. 3) They have many organized parent activities during the year where you can attend and see your child sing, dance, etc. The kids love showing off what they have practiced. 4) They have much smaller class sizes than some of the other schools, which allows for more personal attention. We've had a great experience here at this adorable, small school. read more

Our 4 year old daughter has been there the past school year and for the summer program. The only reason we are leaving is to put her in the local public school kindergarten (because it's a good school district and...its free!). If we didn't have that option we would absolutely keep her there. The teachers are very caring, patient and loving. I've been at the school everyday for pickup/drop off and to volunteer. My daughter has learned so much there and has become so much more independent. Outside of classroom work, they cook together, have picnics outside, have parents come to plant in the garden, come in and read, field trips, school performances, birthday celebrations etc etc. I never worry about my daughter when she is there. They have always been so kind. The other children and families we have met have just been a bonus. I would recommend this school to anyone. read more

We love Chestnut! Our daughter attends the Kirkland Campus, which is a very clean, cute and friendly environment. The owner and the staff are so nice & professional. Both us as parents and our daughter are happy with this school. Thank you chestnut for being very supportive during the year 2020 and the pandemic. We Highly recommend chestnut Montessori. read more

The school opened with a handful of students at the start of the economic downturn, and while others preschools had to close classrooms Chestnut Montessori grew to house three full classrooms. It's been amazing to watch. Our first daughter, now in third grade, has been at Chestnut Montessori since she was 2 and 1/2 (when the school opened). Our second daughter is now there as well. Very rare is the day when both girls aren't excited to go to school. The school has amazing community events, especially at the elementary level. The elementary students have a camp-out at the school just before the school-year begins, a zoo overnight toward the end of the year, and a field-trip per month during the year. The preschoolers have activities that come to them, such as the parent/child pumpkin carving before Halloween. There are numerous of opportunities to perform for their parents at school events. The director has been in Montessori education for decades. The assistant director has been with the school since it opened, went through Montessori training while serving as the school's office manager, and has provided the school with an amazing continuity. Regarding the quality of education, we took our girls to Korea after the US school-year ended last year, and our elder daughter attended public school there for four weeks. Korea is a notoriously tough academic environment. Coming from her Montessori background (and having a reasonable command of the language), our daughter had no problem keeping up in a public school there. The few parents we've known who weren't extremely happy were had an expectation that their children would be coddled in the way that day cares do. While the teachers are very caring, it is a school, and not a daycare. Kids are expected to be fully potty trained. To learn classroom behavior, the younger kids are expected to watch the older kids and learn by example. It's hard to believe this works until you see the results. It's amazing to observe the difference between the order of a Montessori classroom and a daycare or conventional preschool classroom. I see from other reviews parents who are concerned about kids arriving home with some dirt. They will! They play outside on rope swings, come down a slide that lands in a bed of wood chips, and pick apples from trees. That said, there were two big construction projects recently -- one just finishing up widening 108th and one at the South Kirkland Park & Ride (now in its final stages where most of the work takes place inside). 520 is a block and a half away. (The last half block, adjacent to 520, has a Kindercare , and there's a Bright Horizons adjacent to the highway up Northup Way.) If you want a school that's more protected from vehicles, you'll need to travel out quite a ways. read more

Teachers and staff are great! Their environment, teaching material and our teachers were so great that we decided to enroll even for Kindergarten year. We had good experience until COVID hit. Other businesses emailed and asked us to keep enrolled so that they can pay their teachers. They were polite and prompt in their communication. We obviously did our part and kept paying for activities that we were not using. But Chestnut Montessori was not one of those businesses: they ignored our emails over the course of 2-3 months (no response), sent out 'opening' emails before the Governor officially announces lift of lockdown, ignored safety concerns and their communication style was very arrogant (in "announcement" emails). Their "online" option was not useful at all: 2 hours/daily where parents must be present for $1690/month tuition. The reason for arrogance? They require you to pay last two months upfront, at the beginning of the year. They already had that money and so they thought they can do whatever they want with parents. I heard (not verified) that they let go afternoon teachers, even when they were collecting full tuition. If you notice other reviews, it's apparent that the decision-maker in this school is very greedy! Expect greed! I would avoid this school during these uncertain times for sure. read more

We have two children in Chestnut Montessori school and they absolutely love it. The school provides an excellent foundation in science, mathematics, reading and geography with children thoroughly understanding core concepts which greatly helps when learning more advanced concepts. Our kids have also learned a lot about respecting themselves and other children and most importantly have a passion for learning. The classes are small, the teachers are amazing and the school is located on a beautiful campus. It looks like a couple of other people have had bad experiences - and are clearly venting online which is disappointing. Montessori schools aren't for everyone - so as part of your due diligence you should decide if Montessori school is the best place for your children - if it is I know they will be very happy at Chestnut. read more

Best Montessori in the area! It was a tumultuous journey deciding on this school, but well worth it. Let me tell you our story.... When we transitioned from an in-home daycare to a school, we shopped around and did a lot of research into what type of school to enroll in. The Montessori philosophy really appealed to us. So we visited several Montessori schools in the area to examine their curriculum, facilities, and get the overall vibe. Eventually we settled on one (mostly based on their superior website) and enrolled our daughter for her first year in Living Montessori in Bellevue. It was a good school with many fine attributes (great website, yoga, some wonderful teachers, very safe, etc...) but our daughter was never really happy there. Some of this may have been separation anxiety due to her age, but some I think was because the facility was so large and sterile. It was intimidating walking down the long hallways. Every day at drop off she cried and clung to me. We also felt a little overwhelmed by the many many rules and demands on us. All the volunteer hours were overwhelming for 2 working parents to achieve. Additionally it was extremely expensive, so we made the decision to put her in public school instead. We found our local public school, entered the lottery for the all day (before and after school) care, waited anxiously to see if we got in, and we got in. We visited the school and although it was academically very good, it didn't feel right. I'd like to say this is all based on logic but my "Mom" instinct was screaming "no!" about this school. The Principal was rigid, the bus system was scary...it just didn't seem right for us and definitely not right for our sensitive, intelligent, daughter. At the last second, a parent from Living Montessori mentioned to me that she was moving one of her children out of Living Montessori into Chestnut. She said the curriculum was wonderful and Jeannine, who runs the school, was amazing with the children. So we booked a visit at Chestnut (very friendly easy process, even though it was close to start of the school year) and I was immediately charmed by this school. It looks like a home, with 2 little buildings and a yard, nestled amidst tall Chestnut trees. It's very woodsy and nature-filled, and soothing to scared little ones. Jeannine impressed us just as much as she had impressed our friend. We knew we had to sign up on the spot. It's still not cheap, but it is more affordable than Living Montessori was, and I feel like I get so much more for my money. Both my children attend Chestnut now and not only do they love it, I love it too. I even briefly thought I should quit my job, attend Jeannine's classes and learn to be a Montessori teacher so I can work there. It's THAT good. I trust Montessori to nurture and care for my children while enriching their minds. You can trust them too. read more

My two girls attended this great school for many years. The first one spent her 7 years there (from pre-school to 3rd grade) and the second one spent 4 years there (from pre-school to K). The school not only provided the wholesome education that made the girls thrive but but also gave our family an opportunity to meet many wonderful fellow families, some of whom we came really close to. Our girls often said that Chestnut Montessori was their second home. Under the strong leadership of the director, the school provides the best Montessori education and the space surrounded by nature for children to enjoy and appreciate their early days. I think it's this strong foundation that empowered my girls to go through two different schools (since Chestnut) without much trouble and helped them do really well both academically and socially (we moved them to a local school first and then to a school in a different country due to job related relocation). I cannot give enough thanks to the director, Jeannine, who always cared for the students and showed her passion in the Montessori education every single day. read more

My son has been at CMS since he was 3 years old, and he's soon to turn 7!!! My son is happy and secure at this school. He enjoys this school so much that he DOES NOT want to take vacation days off!!!! When it was time for summer break, he protested and said he wanted to go to school. Even on the days of school closure, he will ask to go to school and we're needing to explain repeatedly why we can't just go to school. And, this kid is learning and doesn't even realize he's learning; CMS presents their teaching in such a way that the kids enjoy it and wanting more! My son just started 1st grade and he can fluently add, subtract, multiply, divide, read 3rd grade reading level, can tell you about geography and where states/countries/capitals are located, can you tell you about art & music. The point-being, is that my son has learned more by 1st grade than my husband/I had....and he's enjoying school (no loving school!!). If only I was taught in the way CMS teaches I would have enjoyed school more and not have struggled so much. Our greatest value is that he is wanting to learn, and Mrs. Hanson and her team are delivering it as a GREAT launching pad for him to start from and allow him to set his own bar to reach for and he's wanting it!!! The foundation of this school is GRACE & COURTESY and this has helped us with our "highly-spirited" child. Because of CMS principles, my child has learned to respect himself and others, and they are supporting the fine tuning of his "filter". CMS honors my child as a whole-person and lets him be who he needs/wants to be - for that we have a happy & confident child who LOVES school and gets along well with others in/outside of his school. Just to let you know that we're not raising a robot...my son's interest is very diverse - HUGE sports lover & player (football, soccer, baseball, tennis, basketball) and he loves music (choir and instrument) and drama (he's performed in 2 plays), along with Lego building, chess, and just being silly. It takes a village, and we could not have arrived at the spot we're at with our son with out the love, guidance & support that was provided by CMS team. read more

Three years ago, I got carried away with the sweet talk from director Jeanine and enrolled my then-4 year old son here - I still repent my decision. Things were okay until about a month when I spoke with Jeanine about concerns re. the facility - old carpets, 100 years old building, safety in playground. Since then she seemed to have harbored a personal vendetta against me. Or was she racist I can't tell (we are Indians)! She refused to acknowledge my presence or bother to reply, she wouldn't even humanely respond to my simple "Good morning!". What is more, Jeanine was incapable of separating her personal malice from her duty as an educator as this started impacting my kid. Things took a nosedive soon, starting with the after school lady with weak English. Every evening we would come to pick our darling from that dark and dingy place, and would be greeted instead with her sour face and at least 1 complaint about our son - we were never clear what exactly he did wrong from her broken English. Some time passed and my fragile son started complaining about an older boy (a tall and well-built 6 year old Caucasian) bullying him every day, and touching inappropriately (my son still remembers that briefly). When I confronted Jeanine about this, I was shocked to see her response. She responded as if my son was making up stories! Which 4 year old has an imagination like that?! Soon the teachers started making mountains out of molehills. For example, once my son tripped over somebody by mistake and a blonde girl in front of him in the queue fell over - pat came a complaint from the teacher saying my son deliberately pushed the girl, without even trying to hear his story! All our correspondences were filled with such negativity against my son, it started affecting our peace at home - I shudder to think what effect it might have had on my son's impressionable mind! They called us once to show a video about my son not listening to the teacher and stubbornly lying on floor. The teacher kept sitting near him without saying a word and was not even attempting to correct his behavior! A 30 year old teacher could not control a 4 year old child - that IMO is the teacher's failure and not the child's! How can you expect a 4 year old to "know" correct behavior without telling him what it is? Neither did the "director" say anything - she was busy recording it! They started pushing us to show him to a psychiatrist! While our pediatrician had already confirmed my son is a totally normal active 4 year old! Out of the blue one day, we got an email saying "your son will be dismissed from Chestnut Montessori School if he refuses to follow the directions of teachers"! That email was the last straw - I stopped sending him to that horrible place from that day itself. We were extremely lucky with his next Montessori preschool - it was not fancy - but the teachers were truly loving, caring and kind. After our experience at Chestnut, we were expecting lot of complaints from the new preschool, but we got only words of encouragement and positive reinforcement - "he's doing better, he will be fine- don't worry". How can the same boy be so different at 2 different schools? Because his new teachers would let kids be kids - not silent robots like Jeanine and her team expects! My son soon left behind the scars of Chestnut and blossomed under the care, love and guidance of his new teachers - words are not enough to show my gratitude towards them. 3 years since, he is a smart, well-behaved kid, and an advanced student in his elementary school class. Jeanine had once said to me on my face, that in her 30 years in education, she had never seen a kid like mine! I will never forget those rude words! All of my son's later teachers and everybody that knows him LAUGH at that statement in disbelief! And frankly, in all my life, I have never seen an incompetent educator like Jeanine! Yes, Maya is right; we also lost money in addition to the mental agony. If you love your child, AVOID Chestnut Montessori at all cost! Please save your child from this racist hell where a normal child is not allowed to blossom as an individual. read more

Great education that truly will last a life time. My favorite part is when my daughter comes home and does things that she's been learning at this school, such as folds her clothes, speaks polite and with manners, uses new beautiful vocabulary and enthusiastically talks about her teacher. Recommend this school, just make sure you understand and agree with their contract before signing. read more

Chestnut Montessori school has prepared my children both academically and socially for the years to come. The teachers are well educated, well spoken and caring. In the 4 years we have been coming to CMS I have never had a complaint about the school. I would highly recommend this school for anyone looking for a traditional montessori environment for their children. read more

Chestnut Montessori has been a great school for our two girls. Our oldest started at 2 1/2. This is her 6th year there and she says she wants to be there forever. The school setting is charming and far better than the office building style schools seen so much today. The kids are encouraged to explore and appreciate nature, be global citizens, act with grace and courtesy, cultivate friendships and respect others differences. Academically, my child seemed to have so naturally and quickly picked up reading and math and does both with pleasure and beyond her expected grade level. A quick example: When she was 5, I said "look at that neon car" and she said with a smirk, "Mommy-do you mean neon the color or neon the element?" She has surprised me many more times in this way as well-naming artists she is studying, continents and countries she has studied, experiments she is doing, fun games she is playing at recess. This school never limits what the child is exposed to-they absorb so much here. There are no perfect schools and no school that is perfect for every child. Chestnut happens to be a fit for our children and what we wanted for them in their early learning years. I have always felt that in any way that this school lacks-it makes up for in passion for children and the montessori method. We have always been treated with respect here and our concerns addressed appropriately. If you are looking for more of a day care setting then this is not the place for your child. If you want your child to be respected for his/her own learning style and be allowed to master basics before being pushed on, and be allowed to build confidence in their own individual ability to learn- then CMS is a great place to start. read more