We're excited to start our youngest boy at this Montessori school, and our oldest has been thriving here for years. The nurturing environment, focus on independence, and personalized learning have been wonderful for his growth. Highly recommend! read more

We love this school! It's such a great campus and staff is lovely! My oldest boy has been there for a few years and my youngest will be starting soon! read more

We've sent 2 kids here and can't say enough good things. Great facilities. Great staff. The Montessori teaching method really makes sense and I feel our kids are ahead of her peers because of it. read more

There's two sides to every negative experience. However, after reading through the other negative reviews and comparing them to mine, there are common themes between my experience and theirs. Communication from teachers and staff is very one sided. The administrative staff is very rude, abrasive. They expect to dictate to you and for you to take it. If you question it, they will single you out and force you out. I did elicit one very nasty e-mail completely reflective of the staff, and I've attached it for your viewing pleasure! This is not a Montessori. It's a Mean Girls club. They have little to no respect for the child and their individuality. The campus is very nice but you're paying an exorbitant amount for a campus, some chickens, and a garden. Kate Hearne would be better suited teaching to a sack of potatoes. In parent orientations we discovered the school does not let you buckle your child in to their car seat (son is still rear-facing in his car seat). They directed us to drive out of the line, pull off, and then get out of the car to buckle our son in. Yes, I take issue with this no matter the distance. I discussed this with our legal team and our insurance company. The bottom line we received from both is this is a huge safety concern and liability. I said as much when I discussed it with Rachel Chamberlain. She said "we'll happily refund your deposit" (remember zero resolution and communication approach). Eventually she did offer a solution. My son came home and told me "Ms. Kate grabbed my hand hard and I didn't like it so I growled at her." At the end of the day, my son felt like his personal autonomy was violated, whether it was intentional or not, and it needed to be discussed WITH HIM (not me). She blew it off! Dismissed the whole thing as though it never happened. I don't give a flip what she thought about it; I care deeply that HE thought A LOT of it. If you're not going to address something as simple as BODILY BOUNDARIES as a TEACHER (assumed leader and developer of children) with a CHILD, then you're failing as a leader. A little while later my son came home and said "Ms. Kate said I'm not special. She said I'm just a boy." I brought this up and the hand grabbing incident in our parent teacher conference. I'll pause here - as you can see in my e-mails, Stephanie Sayre felt it prudent to say we belonged in a fantasy land. My son has an active imagination - 1. 2 - he knows both of his parents are Captains in the Army and he aspires to be a Captain of a ship. It also translates to wanting to be the Captain of his t-ball team, loving all things to do with ships, and pirates got thrown in to the mix because he discovered "Captain Hook." We didn't know how it was translating in school but we found out in the parent teacher conference (a whole month later)! In our parent teacher conference Kate almost came across as she pitied him and it was very clear she put zero effort forth to get to know him. I said as much. And then our son's life got worse from there. Our son came home and told us Ms. Kate said he was crazy, within earshot of all the kids, and then two other older kids ran circles around him, calling him crazy. Where are the teachers? A few days later we got a phone call from the school because our son was playing on their playground and got sand in his eyes. That was a HUGE lie. Our son came home and told us "Big Elliot was playing a game but I told him I didn't like that game. The sand really hurt mommy." The final straw is we received an e-mail from Kate about the boots my son wears to school. Per their policy, they want specific school shoes, which is fine, and we provided the school a pair of loafers to wear in the classroom. Our son arrives in his boots and changes when he goes in to the classroom, per THEIR policy. So you can imagine our confusion when Kate sends an e-mail stating the boots are a distraction and being singled out because of his boots. Why are they a distraction when you have a pair of school shoes for the classroom? We said as much in our response to her e-mail. The obsession with the boots come from both his parents wearing combat boots. My son got his first pair of boots shipped to him as a birthday gift from Iraq, while his dad was deployed. We were kind of tired of this lack luster performance so we reached out to Stephanie Sayre. Stephanie Sayre proceeded to tell us we were a problem from the start, questioning their drop off/pick up policies, and told us our son would be better suited in a fantasy world. Rachel Chamberlain quickly followed suit with a un-enrollment link. Highly recommend you look elsewhere. read more

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6 years with CMS and my child loves it. Being at school for the majority of the day, it should feel like a second home and CMS is just that. My child has developed meaningful friendships and relationships with her guides. Their clerical staff is super welcoming and friendly. Thank you CMS! read more

My son attends Montessori here and absolutely loves it. He started at 15 months and as my first born, it was a tough transition for me. The guides and staff were very reassuring and helpful during it all. Now as a 20 month old he can't wait to get out the door in the morning for school. What I appreciate most about this school, as compared to others, is the amount of time spent outdoors. There are chickens to feed, picnics outside, and play areas all over the expansive space. read more

Both of my children have attended CMS, my son since he was 20 months and my daughter since she was 2 months. It's been 5 years since we started. The teachers are wonderful, especially Jannette in nido, Krystin in casita and Jody in children's house. Until this week, I have lauded this school even though I've not agreed with a few of their practices, I have thought them to be an excellent school. This week they expelled my children after threatening my son with not being allowed to go into first grade because he suffers from intestinal issues and deep seated phobias. When I informed the director it was a violation of ADA and non-profit schools regulations, we were immediately expelled with refusal of any attempt to converse or conciliate or show of documentation to support their position. Both of my kids are devastated, but my son with diagnosed PTSD from medical tests and hospitalizations has been damaged badly. They offered no apologies or compassion for my children--just condescending pleasant remarks about wishing us well. I do not recommend this school at this time because of a director who is uncaring and incapable of admitting wrong doing. She thinks being informed of the law by a parent protecting her child's rights is a threat worthy of expulsion. The director refused to speak to us or meet with us. We were forced to file an ADA complaint which per IRC (tax code) they are required to report on their 990 this year. That was part of the information debating their proposed punishment of my son for illness-related absences that I provided to the director and board president. When I gave them the law references, we were immediately expelled. read more

I don't understand the very negative review on this school on Yelp as my experience has been the complete opposite. I have given feedback to the school and director on several occassions and each time it has been accepted positively. My niece started at this school 4-years ago, my nephew two years ago and my children a year ago. All experiences with this school have been exceptional. This is a TRUE montessori and is AMI certified and is only one of six in the Austin area with this certification. The school itself is located on ~10+ acres, there are multiple buildings in a farm style for each classroom with their own gardens, chickens on the property and a huge playground. The grounds are amazing! Not to mention my two boys started at 18-months and stopped wearing diapers at 2-years due to the potty training work in the classroom. Amazing! My boys are both so independent now at 2 years 3 months and want to do almost everything by themselves. This school has fostered their confidence and independence. I will forever be grateful to this school for the head start they have given my boys and look forward to the next few years at the school. There is no other school I would send my children to. read more

This review is for the admission process. Our child was struggling with public virtual learning so we began researching private schools and we came across Montessori and loved the Philosophy so called two in the area (both AMI/USA member school) to see if it was possible to transition if the child was already in 3rd grade. "Not a problem" we were told, just cycle in on the next school year so that they begin in the next 3 year group. The first Montessori school, the process was simple: Zoom interview about 30 mins and if you like you can enroll since they have 2 openings available. Community Montessori School's admission is more complex. The process starts with in-person campus tour. My husband went because I just had a baby. We paid $100 non-refundable application fee. Also, we are asked to submit parents questionnaire, former teacher questionnaire (we homeschool so we had to contact previous teacher), her sample math and writing work. And Lastly, my daughter was scheduled for a campus visit. the campus visit was rescheduled because the teacher's questionnaire has to be submitted before the visit. we had it sorted with her previous teacher who was kind to help my daughter with her admission. My husband took day off work to sit outside while they "evaluated" our daughter.The visit includes campus tour, meeting the teacher, and easy math and writing test. Our daughter was excited to talk about the great stuff they have and the farm animals, so excited to be going back to school. Now decision came thru an email by the Admission Director. I quote "..almost all of our currents students re-enrolled which leaves almost no room for new students. While {my daughter's name} is a bright girl who appears to be on level with math and writing, she does not have a Montessori experience and we worry she may struggle in an unstructured, self-directing setting. We have decided to go with another candidate who is coming from different Montessori school". and followed by recommendation to check out public charter schools in the area. The admission director did not even recommend other Montessori schools in the area. As a minority, I felt very discriminated. does that mean that our child is not fit for Montessori school? The other Montessori school we contacted didn't have a problem whether a child has Montessori background or not. and we were honest that we did not have Montessori background in the beginning of the admission process. When i received the email, I cried and felt heartbroken for my daughter. how am i going to tell her this?It took us few days to tell her. we just told her that they do not have available spot for new students and just left out the other details why. The hard part was to hear my child say "maybe i did wrong in the interview" "did the teacher not like me?" of course, choosing the candidate with Montessori background is the most convenient option. at the end of the day, this is just business and should not take it personally. I hope they review the admission process, especially the part when a child is invited to visit the school only to be rejected. the whole admission process took 3 months from the day i contacted them up to the final decision. read more

Our son has attended CMS since he was 8 weeks old. I signed him up for the Nido (infant room) when I was only 4 months pregnant with him, we knew we had gold. Now, at four and a half, we know without a doubt that the compassionate, loving, intelligent boy he is, is because of our partnership in raising him with CMS. Jeanette and her team in the Nido celebrated every milestone, and deeply loved our son and the rest of the babies in their care. Norma in Casita helped us navigate potty training and the "2's", held our hands and offered so much warmth and advice when we needed it. Jody, in Children's House, is hands down the most talented educator I have ever met. Her intuition, patience, and true love for the Montessori method makes her the most stellar Guide you will have the pleasure of working with. It truly does take a village, and we've been so blessed to have this school be a part of ours. read more

We have been with this school for 8 yrs and they continue to impress. The guides are amazing and are always doing whats best for the children. My kids are who they are because of the staff!! Lastly I just have to say..."Have you seen the campus and the classroom size?" Its HUGE...bigger than any public/private school in the area. Highly highly recommend them! read more

My child has attended CMS for the last year now in the Children's House and loves it. She is happy there, and we are happy she's happy. The grounds are amazing -- it is like nothing else you will find anywhere in the area. (Trust me, I looked!) The teachers and staff are warm and responsive. The facility is secure. Ms. Jody is awesome. She cares and you can tell. We are very happy with our choice for CMS for the primary years. read more

My son went to CMS and now my grand children attend. I cannot think of a better way to start a child in independence and confidence. What a warm, nurturing and incredible experience. read more

We are very happy at this school It is a beautiful learning environment on 10 acres. They classroom and play areas are wonderful. I was most impressed to see my daughter in action here at a school picnic. normally in large groups, she is at my side. But she was surprisingly independent and confident running around in the large yard/ playground on her own. She's obviously very comfortable there. I have also been happy with the way they've addressed my concerns. They listened and took action. Would definitely recommend this school. It's one of the few AMI certified Montessori schools. Also excited they've added an infant program. read more

So impressed with this school! My daughter is currently in the Casita program and I could not be happier with her development and the care that CMS provides. The school truly takes each student's individual development into account and is so great about keeping parents informed and educated. They offer many opportunities to learn a variety of topics related to Montessori education and also childhood nutrition. I didn't know much about the Montessori way of schooling before placing her here, but I can say I am beyond impressed and would not want to have my child enrolled anywhere else! read more

We enrolled our son, now 4, in CMS in the fall of 2009, and we've been impressed with the school. CMS exemplifies and excels at everything we love and appreciate about the Montessori method of teaching children, fostering creativity and a love a learning while nurturing a child's sense of exploration and discovery. Not only has our child grown more independent and socially involved, but we believe CMS has contributed to his sense of self-worth and confidence. Further, CMS is a community of families which are all involved and committed to making the school the best it can be. CMS is accredited with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). read more

I agree in not understanding the negative reviews. The school has been a fantastic experience for my 5 year old daughter. She enjoys the class, the guides, and most importantly has developed and shown an enormous love to learn. That's what Montessori is all about and I feel that CMS does a great job instilling that love to learn in kids. I can only speak for the 3-6 year old range class, where my daughter has been for over two years now. I strongly feel CMS offers the best in a child's development and education at this age. I'm excited to see her develop over the years at CMS as I have also been impressed with their lower and upper elementary for older kids. I know she can't wait to be in those classes too. Do yourself a favor, check out Community Montessori School, take a tour of the school, observe the kids at work and play and then form your own opinion. I think it will be well worth your time and your child's development! read more

I,too, do not understand the negative reviews. Very odd. This place is magical and peaceful. We have roughly 7 years experience at this school. It's been nothing but a happy and content place. Our kids are so excited to go to school each day and have learned so much. Everyone is kind and respectful. Honestly I think some parents lose sight of what matters -- whether or not your kids are learning and happy in their environment. And they are safe -- CMS is safe. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this school. It's awesome and well run. Unfortunately there are just some folks who will find negativity in any situation. It's a shame really. read more

Our child started at CMS when he was 16 months old. He is now 4 years old, and his development has been amazing, both mentally and socially. He is developing an inquisitive mind, and he is learning to seek knowledge independently. Socially, he plays well with different age groups, which is a direct reflection of the socialization he receives in the classroom. The campus is second to none. It's spacious, beautiful, and peaceful. Most telling of all, HE loves to go to school. We are beyond pleased with his experience there and intend to keep him enrolled through the elementary program. read more

Our daughter is in her 6th year at CMS and is currently in her second year of the lower elementary program. She has been nurtured and valued along the way while learning all the academics that children in other schools learn. She was reading by the time she was 4. Sometimes we, as parents, don't account for the learning differences in our children, expecting them to meet some standard of achievement that we impose on them without consideration for their personal strengths and weaknesses. Children are all different. . . a concept embraced in this wonderful educational environment. read more

I am honored to have my daughter at such a beautiful school where the love of learning is encouraged in an inspired way on a daily basis. Actual knowledge can be given through multiple modalities, books, computers, lectures, etc, but love of learning is a very hard thing to pass along, and this is priceless. The guides at the school are selfless in their love of the children and their teaching of life skills and academic ones at a high level. It reminds me of the saying, 'give a man a fish and they will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime'. CMS specializes in teaching children how to learn to learn in an independent manner, so through their guided lessons, they are shifting the impetus of learning from themselves to the children. Essentially, passing along all the tools for the students to be able to do everything for themselves, and creating lifelong inspired learners through an andragogical model where adults collaborate with children instead of ordering them around. This prepares children for the adult world so that they can be the creative leaders of tomorrow, quite literally teaching them to 'learn for a lifetime'. I couldn't be happier with my daughter's school environment or her teachers ('guides'). read more

My children have been students at CMS for 18 months, and we couldn't be happier. It is obvious that the teachers are passionate about children and about the Montessori style of education. My kids have learned so much while being there! I love that the teachers take into account the importance of each child's personality and learning style and make the classroom an engaging and age-appropriate place to be. Nature is also a very important part of the curriculum - the kids garden, interact with the over 100 chickens who live on the 18 acres, have access to a huge playground, etc. I also love that the well-being of the child is stressed in all things - physical (through exercise and nutrition - the campus is SUGAR FREE), emotional (even at a young age they work on relaxation and yoga and feeling comfortable to express themselves), obviously educational...I couldn't say enough nice things about this school. From the Director to the secretary to all the teachers, everyone here is passionate about education and childhood development. read more

My family has been at this school since 2006. I cannot express how highly I think of this school. A safe, warm environment with dedicated teaching staff. The educational quality, academic experience, grounds, and buildings--are without peer. Nothing comes close to Community Montessori. Still feel lucky that we found this school, every day. read more

This school is an amazing environment for children to learn and growing surrounded by a supportive and caring community. Our child has been at this school for a year and a half in the primary community, and we fully intend to keep our children at this school as long as possible. This school places responsibility on the parent and the guide to communicate regarding each child. It has been helpful to me to remember that the guides are extensively gifted at and trained in working with children, so I make extra effort to initiate the adult communication. The executive director is an asset to the school, and will frankly and directly address any issues presented by parents. CMS places emphasis on self-responsibility and self-care, which has really helped our son to become more independent, confident, and aware of others. One of our favorite things about this school is the amount of parent involvement. It is wonderful to be at a school where the other parents are as committed to success as you are. We will enroll our daughter in the toddler program next fall, and look forward to many more years in this community. read more

For any parent looking to provide the most amazing educational and social environment for their young child or children, look no further. You have found the place! Community Montessori will exceed your expectations as it did mine and my husbands. We have 2 of our kids at the school. Our 5 year old started at 18 months in the Casita Environment. and our 15 month old started at age 1 in the Nido environment. I have only positive things to say about the administration, lead guides , assistant guides, and after-care staff. Guides at the school have provided classroom experiences that have emphasized not only reading, math and science, but global and cultural awareness, environmental awareness, and a sense of what it means to be an appropriate observer as well as an appropriate leader (social awareness). They help your children become good, caring human beings and responsible citizens. The Nido classroom is exceptional...there is so much space for children to explore and they start potty training them at this age. My little one has been there only for 3 or so months and is coming home dry every single. Our 5 was potty trained in the casita class and he was completely potty trained by age 2. In addition, I love that the school is green and environmentally friendly and is built over 20+ acres of land. Lastly this school and all the staff truly operate on the key Montessori principles of treating each child as a unique individual with unique needs and unique learning methods. Cannot say enough good things...LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! read more

have had my child in this school since she was 2 1/2 yrs old and she is now 7 and she has mastered cursive and reading chapter books. I trusted the process and didn't push my agenda on what I thought the process should be and the results have been fabulous. I can't say enough how wonderful this school! read more