As a first time parent, Westshore has impressed me with the life skills they're teaching my son. He…read morealso really enjoys going to school each day. It's been a wonderful experience.

Westshore Montessori has truly changed our lives! We are have watched our two young children thrive…read moreunder the Montessori method and thoughtful, patient approach to teaching youngsters. We are so grateful to have this education available on Westside of Cleveland. I could not recommend this school enough!

Words cannot describe how much I have loved this school. My daughter has attended for three years,…read moreand she has thrived. I only wish we could stay there forever. When I first walked in the building, I was blown away by how peaceful it is. You'll find children ages 2 and up quietly concentrating on work they have chosen and are excited to learn. The teachers are nurturing, calm, and really care about the kids. The children are kind to each other and learn responsibility. My daughter is reading already, and she knows more about animals and geography and the solar system than I do! I can not recommend this school highly enough. They do classes in Spanish, music, art, and movement. It's amazing!

I attended an open house at Discovery after becoming disenchanted with my child's play based…read morepreschool. It felt like a good fit for our family, so we tried it out. That was three years ago and in that time, My daughter has flourished in the Montessori program. The kindness and care that Miss Lakshmi and the staff exhibit toward the children and their families is truly extraordinary, and the curriculum offered (music, art, French) is above and beyond anything we've found in the area. We feel very fortunate to have stumbled upon this amazing school!

I am so excited about my son starting school here this September! Me and my family went to the…read moreopen house and were able to meet all the teachers and the Administrator (Carol Miller). It is a Montessori School and one of the only ones in Michigan who offers a infant and toddler program everyone I spoken with had a passion for teaching and a strong belief of the Montessori way. And all the proof I needed to see why this approach is supported by so many successful individuals. I would recommend this to anyone who wants there child to have a head start on learning in a non pressure loving environment. This hidden gem is something that more people need to experience for themselves call Carol and find out its well worth it.

Northville Montessori Center is a second family to us. The kids are taught crucial skills in…read moreaddition to the expected math, reading, etc. - leadership, self-motivation, care for the environment. Great teachers, excellent program. A place to help develop anybody into the best person they were meant to be.

Our time at Ruffing was traumatizing. Our child was there for years and based on our experience and…read morenumerous conversations we had with other parents, the school did not seem interested in supporting kids with learning differences, who are neurodivergent, who have disabilities, or are experiencing mental health challenges such as depression or anxiety. Even common things like accommodating students with ADHD are not appropriately handled (one teacher told a parent her daughter needed to take ADHD meds!). Some teachers publicly shame students by writing their name on the wall if they are behind in assignments. If you have a child there, I suggest carefully considering whether you want to disclose any disabilities or mental health issues your child may have with the school, including if you have your child tested for an IEP or 504. If you do, the school might use that information against your child to unenroll them without warning. I used to sing this school's praises but now I strongly discourage families from attending.

Being part of the Ruffing family for almost 6 years now has been an absolute pleasure. Our children…read moreare thriving, and the teachers and administration truly care. When our son was home sick for a few days, our beloved teacher came over just to give him a hug since she wouldn't see him before spring break. When does that happen?! They nurture curiosity, and the love of learning. Ruffing is forever a part of our lives.

I attended this school from 1999 through 2007 when I was forced to drop out. While I acknowledge…read morethat many teachers and administrators have changed, I can only speak to my own personal experiences, I would be remiss if I did not share my story. Years K-6th were broadly excellent. A warm, caring environment with excellent educators. Mrs. Blatnik, White, Chin, and Mr. Goober were extremely positive influences in those formative years, and I have nothing but gratitude for them. All issues arose during grade 7 during my brief tenure in the (then very young) middle school program during its second year in operation. I spent my entire childhood with undiagnosed autism; I don't blame the school for this, detection and treatment was far less robust then than it was now. I do blame to school for the resultant bullying that I endured that year, and what I perceived as the cause. The middle school, especially in its pilot years, was intent on making a big show of its success placements. There was a lot of parading around the kids who were being accepted into 'elite' high schools like Western Reserve Academy, Walsh Jesuit, or a handful of others. They were clearly trying to position the middle school as a funnel of sorts to these programs. Of course, with these elite programs came elite tuition costs, and I'll just say that my family was not prepared to shell out for one of these programs. Moreover, I had no personal interest in boarding schools, religious schools, or really any of these programs. I distinctly remember Ms. Ludick's reaction at the parent teacher night when this info was brought to light. She was aghast and, dare I say, offended at the idea. Almost overnight, the atmosphere shifted. My grades took a sharp hit almost immediately. I became the target for relentless bullying from students who were already on the so called 'elite' track. It was daily, it was constant, and I was chastised when I withdrew like a turtle into its shell. And while I admit my autistic tendencies made me internalize a lot more than I should have, the rampant bullying was apparent to all, that year, including the staff. There were other students who noticed. Nothing was done. Suffice to say, there was an incident that spring where I was pushed to breaking point, and I was removed for my own safety. It is also worth noting that once I was gone, one of my good friends became the new target, for largely similar reasons. The staff knew. The staff even aided and abetted the bullies, many of whom were among the wealthier families in the program that the admins would cozy up to. The message was clear: I was not worth the investment, boasted no ambitions for them to advertise in the future, and as such was cut loose. "Open Season." I have had many years of growth and therapy to digest what happened then. I wouldn't be writing this at all if I hadn't seen some social media videos featuring alumni testimonies, and see several of the bullies being plastered up as Star Student advertisements. With the small number of reviews here, I don't expect this to gain much traction. And, as I said, many years have passed since 2007, and I cannot speak to how things have changed. All I can do is share what happened to me, and if it happens to help even one person down the road, that's enough for me.

I attended HMS from Children's House through 8th grade, yet credit much of my later successes on…read morethe early lessons I learned there. The school teaches you how to think for yourself, how to cooperate with others, and how to be a global citizen. I was able to independently explore my passion for math and develop a ton of practical life skills at the same time. It helped me be successful at WRA and later Brown University before becoming a high school math and computer science teacher myself. I still use a lot of Montessori philosophy in my job today. Please send your child here and contribute to building a bright future of thoughtful and consider human beings!

I rarely leave reviews but when looking for childcare, I know that it can be stressful on parents…read more I have utilized Creative Playrooms Westlake for 7 years, for two children. Both children attended the infant room. The women were great in the transition of going back to work and establishing and following the babies schedules. Moving through the classrooms, we landed within the Montessori Program. I cannot say enough good things about the Montessori Program. The teachers are wonderful and have thoroughly prepared both kids for kindergarten. The teachers and staff genuinely care for the children and want to see them develop and grow. The center is peanut free and very good with working with food allergies. The location is right off of 90 and conveniently located too. When looking for childcare, this center should definitely be toured and considered.

My husband toured the facility and explained when we would need childcare to begin. They called me…read moreto see if I would also like to tour. I went in for a tour and the woman made it sound like a spot would be available for our child. I said I was interested in paying my registration fee. The woman took my info and said she'd send me the form. No form was sent. I called twice and left messages. I never received a response. Horrible way to run a business.

Great school. Love Miss Heather. I appreciate how engaged she is with her students. It's not…read morecheap, around $6500 a year for 1/2 day pre-school, but I guess nothing really good is. Lots of opportunities for kids to learn with an emphasis of independence and group learning.

Daycroft is a school unlike any other…read more The Montessori philosophy is the foundation of what makes Daycroft so amazing. The kids that attend Daycroft are genuinely some of the nicest kids I've ever met. There is a huge emphasis placed on the "culture of kindness" and it shows every day. Children are treated with respect, and therefore respect one another. When behavior issues arise, children are counseled through it by their teachers, not simply punished. There is an emphasis on understanding and empathy rather than control. A HUGE reason this is possible is the faculty to student ratio. Every grade-level classroom has two full-time, certified teachers. The class sizes are nearly always 20 kids or less, so that's a 10-to-1 ratio max most of the time. When they go to specials (music, art, gym, Spanish, library, and technology), each class is split in half (half go to music and half to art, for example, then they switch) to preserve that ratio- unless the class makes more sense to have more kids (such as gym or orchestra). Daycroft is a school where everyone knows everyone by name- students know and are friends with other students at other grade levels, teachers know students' names in grades other than just the ones they teach, and specials teachers get to teach the same kids for up to nine years. The bond that is created with such a close-knit community is special. Daycroft is a family.

Our family has been at Daycroft Montessori for four years and are starting our fifth year. We…read morehighly recommend the school. We annually renew our decision to enroll at Daycroft due to the following: 1. The Montessori philosophy: mixed-age classrooms, children work uninterrupted on learning activities that they freely choose from a teacher-created set of options, children primarily learn by working hands-on with a myriad of subject-appropriate materials rather than verbal instructions from an instructor, and work plans designed for each individual child to the point that, depending upon the needs of the child, work plans can range from daily to weekly in duration. 2. Two teachers in each Daycroft classroom. This translates into a ratio of approximately one teacher for every 10 students. 3. The extraordinary religious, racial, and ethnic diversity of the children enrolled at Daycroft. For those of you reading this review who are new to the Montessori philosophy, let me explain that Montessori means disciplined choice. There is zero chaos in a Daycroft Montessori classroom. There may be a quiet hum, or happy chatter, but no chaos. From their workplan, children choose which item to address when. They are taught how to effectively focus and not interrupt other children's work. Because workplans are individualized to best fit their learning style, the children become deeply engaged. Before they move on to a new activity, the children must clean up their current activity. So, classrooms are tidy, calm, and, at the end of the day, everything is back in its place. We particularly love the diversity of the Daycroft families. Because it's so diverse, children learn experientially about the many skin tones, religions, & ethnicities. The teachers invite families in to share their rituals, foods, and experiences. Parents have the opportunity to become as involved as desired. I've volunteered in the classroom and my husband has volunteered in after-school. (There are quite a number of after-school activities for the children.) Daycroft has two locations. The Zeeb campus is K-6. Our family's experience has been at the Zeeb campus, which is where I will focus my review. The building is in excellent condition; bright, clean, and well-designed. It includes the K-6 classrooms, a robust library, media center, well-appointed art room, music room with risers and instruments, multi-purpose room (used for lunch, spanish, and after-care), kitchen, gym/auditorium, science room, sickroom, and administrative offices. All classrooms have smartboards and other types of technology (computers, etc). All children at Daycroft have Spanish twice a week and upper grades learn additional languages, and the etymology of language. Musical instruments are introduced at an early age, and increasingly sophisticated instruments are added as the children progress through the grades. There is an orchestra, choir, and band, and the children perform a concert semi-annually. Annually, in the spring, there is an all-school musical that is amazing. Every child is involved - creating the sets, singing in the chorus, and/or being on-stage. At Daycroft, children have choices appropriate to their age and abilities. All subjects are taught extensively and deeply throughout the children's time at Daycroft. For example, geometry and algebra are introduced in pre-school; each year, a child's learning of such subjects advances in sophistication. Because the children have individual workplans and uninterrupted worktime, they progress at their pace (with the teacher's encouragement and guidance, of course). What the children learn at Daycroft is far advanced from what my husband and I were taught at the same ages in our own school experiences. The administrative and teaching staff are always available to the parents. Two years ago, our daughter hit a personal "bump in the road". We spent time with her teachers and the head of school to work through this and found the experience to be very gratifying. All of us worked collaboratively to help our daughter traverse the situation successfully. From a distance, I've noted this scenario repeated successfully with other children at Daycroft. All children, at some point, will need some extra attention and the Daycroft staff has the time and commitment to provide it. From a physical perspective, children have gym three or four times per week. Plus, of course, recess. At the Zeeb campus, there are two playgrounds with age-appropriate equipment - one for lower elementary and a second for upper elementary. Zeeb has a garden, pond, and wetlands for the children to use in their curriculum. Some classrooms also include yoga daily for the children which has been a wonderful thing. Check out Daycroft Montessori - you'll be glad you did.