I'd give it 5 stars if we were talking last school year or better yet the year before that. 2025…read moreschool year has started out proving that employees come first. Everything is very political now. Parents aren't allowed on campus unless they are part of the P3 club. But a lot of parents work and don't have time to dedicate to the club. Also, a lot of parents would take off work to be there to volunteer and hang out with their kids. But instead, it's a mean girls club running the whole school now. Someone who is barely started the school this school year is the president of the club. She has no idea what she is doing, she is badmouthing a lot of the other parents, doesn't know most of the students. I don't think Yvonne understands that so many parents are not being a part of the club because of this single woman. Yvonne is also one of the rudest women I've ever come across. Someone who should not be working with special needs children. And has a consistent bad attitude with parents. Or any child. A lot of the parents are in the works of speaking to other campuses about transferring. And we are all giving notes about other appropriate schools where the children and all their parents come first. The three stars that I left, not for the higher-ups not for the P3 club, it's for the teachers! The teaching staff is amazing and kind and caring and goes above and beyond. And for Mr Dilly! he always treats Parents with respect he is kind and caring, always roaming the school, checking on the kids and the staff. In my opinion and an opinion that a lot of others have is he should be the main one running things. So thank you Mr Dilly and the entire teaching staff! If it wasn't for you guys, a lot of us would have left a while ago. It's you guys that keep our kids happy at school, and keep them wanting to come back! They are having so much fun, also while improving educationally every day! THANK YOU!

Teacher claimed my child was self injuring himself in attempt to justify restraining him. The…read moredirector later told us this was not true, and that he, in fact, was not self injuring. When asked to move him to a different room, our request was denied.

Both of my children attended school at Awakening Seed School. Though they are now older and have…read moremoved on in their lives, it is readily apparent that what they learned at the school has stayed with them. The Seed helped them learn how to engage with others from a variety of backgrounds, believe in themselves, and be actively involved in our community. Both my husband and I feel very fortunate to have found Awakening Seed for our kids. It is truly a special place.

The Awakening Seed is an outstanding school with an experience unlike any other school out there…read more This school allows the children to experience things that have gone away at other schools. Show and tell with real animals, the ability to plan and get dirty at playground time and so many other experiences that are unheard of now. The teachers really care about the students and it's more of a huge learning family than a school.

My daughter is in preK, the teacher, Mrs. Azza, is as sweet as pie! It was my daughter's first time…read moreat school and she cry every morning. Mrs. Azza was so patient and made it easier for my daughter to stay at school.

DGM is an absolutely amazing school. I will be honest…read moreenrollment felt challenging I think our application got lost in the sauce BUT once we were in, I couldn't be more grateful for the experience we have had. Every parent wants that school that feels like home, like their child is valued and seen, and where they are respected as parents - that's this school. My son (now 5) has a lot of energy, and a speech delay. The prior Montessori school he was at labeled him as "too much" and told me he needed to be in a "dedicated special education program". We got to DGM with Ms. Tessa (Primary), and wow she's an absolute unicorn of a teacher! She teaches emotional regulation in her classroom, her room full of 26 kids listen to her with ease. My son is so loved in her class and he has grown so much (in just 1 school year)! She's not a special education teacher she just knows how to teach with mindfulness, care, and the utmost attention. I wish all families could experience a school like DGM and a teacher like Ms.Tessa. Even the teaching assistants & school staff are so loving & kind. If your family is interested I 20/10 recommend. If money is holding you back, speak to the school about scholarships and aid, the school Director is amazing, she will make time to talk to your family personally. Coming to DGM was a life changing move for our family. I'm forever grateful! Excited for many more years at DGM!

Under no circumstance take your children to this school. I repeat-- DO NOT TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO…read moreTHIS SCHOOL. My daughter was physically abused by her assistant teacher in this private school "Desert Garden Montessori." It was during lunch time that my daughter was feeding water to her best friend. Mrs. Kristen, the assistant teacher, sees her goes over to her, pulls her hard by her arm and places her close to her face and says "Stop doing that she's not a baby." Leaving her finger marks under my daughter's arm from how hard she had pulled her. The school told me two different stories and none of them matched. The director and owner Shetal did absolutely nothing to protect other children and their safety as Kristen was never suspended or under any formal investigation. SHE IS STILL WORKING THERE. The director didn't even bother to look at the pictures during the first meeting with her and when she finally saw them by email she responded to me that they looked faded. Two weeks after they finally looked at the outside cameras because I asked for that, and found nothing other than Amy daughter just playing. Also, two weeks after other employees such as the social worker and HR were aware of what had happened. TWO WEEKS AFTER. And that was because I spoked to them. The pictures speak for themselves and my daughter's story does too. My daughter was so afraid and so blocked from what had happened as at home we don't do any physical damage. When I asked her why she didn't tell me some details sooner she responded: "Mom I didn't want Mrs. Kristen to be mad again." This is insane. This lady was cleaning tables when she saw my daughter giving water to her friend she proceeded to remove one of her gloves and pulled and grabbed my daughter so hard that she left her fingers marked on her skin. "It hurt mom. It hurt a lot and all I wanted was mom and dad." I'm disgusted by this situation and as a mother, this was definitely one of the hardest things I had ever gone through. The least thing a school should provide is safety and this school cannot even give you that. The Chief Investigator of the State Board of education was disgusted by this situation and in disbelief at the way this was handled by the director Shetal. I quote "These marks are severe and that woman who did them knew exactly what she was doing. Someone with this temperament cannot and should not be around children" Please keep your children safe and do not send them to this school who will never care for you as a parent or even as a human being.

As a parent of a current student, I wanted to share our honest experience because school choice is…read moresuch a deeply personal decision. Before enrolling at this school, our son attended a public charter school where he experienced severe bullying and struggled daily in overcrowded classrooms. He would come home emotionally defeated and anxious. Making the decision to switch to this private school was truly life-changing for our child. The difference has been night and day. Our son is now happy, confident, and feels safe at school again. His mental health, emotional well-being, and overall outlook have improved in ways we honestly hoped for but weren't sure were possible. I also want to note that we drive 30 minutes each way because of the positive environment and support our son receives here. In our experience, the school has been welcoming, attentive, and focused on the students' well-being. The administration and staff have been supportive, communicative, and genuinely invested in creating a safe and nurturing learning environment. For our family, choosing this school has been one of the best decisions we have made for our child's safety, confidence, and overall happiness.

We currently have kids at Summit in both the elementary and middle school, and I can honestly say…read moreit's been one of the best decisions we've made for our family. When we were school hunting, one of our biggest non-negotiables were class size and teacher engagement and Summit delivers on both. The classrooms are thoughtfully set up for different learning styles, and the teachers truly know how to meet kids where they are. If a student isn't fully understanding an assignment the teachers work hard to offer solutions. There's individual support, check-ins, and a lot of patience. At the same time, if a child is ready for more of a challenge, the teachers are quick to extend their learning. For example, my child is currently receiving accelerated math assignments to keep her moving forward. One of the things that impressed me most is how many staff members actually know my kids (and me!) personally. Not just their core teachers, but many adults on campus know them by name, stop to talk to them, and seem invested in who they are. The culture at Summit feels collaborative instead of competitive. Kindness is modeled (PEAK to Achieve), different cultures are celebrated, and you can really tell the kids are genuinely happy to be there. It's the kind of environment where kids can grow socially and academically without feeling like they have to "fit in." Both of my children were anxious about starting at a new school, and they were welcomed with open arms. Academically, I appreciate Summit's philosophy...it's not just what they teach, it's how they teach. Critical thinking is encouraged, homework is intentional (not pages of busywork), and there are plenty of enrichment opportunities for kids to explore beyond the standard curriculum. Honestly, all you have to do is take a tour with Kyle to see the joy and magic that's happening on campus on any given day. Social-emotional learning is also a real priority. Like any school, kids will have conflicts sometimes, but what I've seen at Summit is that teachers step in and help facilitate productive, positive resolutions. They're teaching skills that will be useful far beyond elementary and middle school. We recently had a situation like this, and my daughter's teacher worked with the children directly and then followed up with an email to explain what happened and how it was addressed. That level of communication and care means a lot. And the extracurriculars? There are so many options. From no-cut sports to an award winning robotics club, kids have plenty of opportunities to try new things after school and maybe even find their passion. My daughters are both involved in sports and have had the best time. It's not only about winning championships (though Summit does that well too) but it's also about learning teamwork, leadership, and how to show up for others. I also wanted to extend a special thank you to the Head of School, Mr. Wald. My kids absolutely adore him. He's kind, engaging, and makes school fun and welcoming in a way that really matters. If you peek into his office, you'll likely see kids hanging out with him! He's also brought exciting programs to the school, and a few favorites have been Walks With Wald and the Teacher Internship Program. His level of dedication to the school is admirable. One last big thing to note: we commute 30 minutes each way to Summit. While I do sometimes wish we lived closer, I'd drive an hour each way if I had to. My kids don't ever want to miss school and that says everything.

Laura Newcomb is amazing her and her husband began this school. Everyone is great with the kiddos…read morethey come to school and the teachers and paras are always so understanding and knowing when their kiddos need breaks or distractions. I loved working for AAED. I miss all the friends I made there. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a school for your child who needs some extra TLC while learning.

I have sent my child to several autistic schools and this one is the best I have ever seenread more

The teachers and director here are absolutely the sweetest and my daughters have nothing but great…read morethings to say about their teachers. They also have an app where they upload pictures of my babies throughout the day and its the best!! Thank you for being amazing!

Please do not take your children to any Maxwell preschool Academy ever! My son was there for about…read more2 years and was in one classroom with a child who constantly picked on him and beat him up. I was told by shannon that they tested the boy and he had behavioral problems. She stated they informed the parents but the parents didn't want to do anything about it and were in denial. I asked her if they do anything about it like kick the children out. she said that they don't do that but they try to work with the parents and get counselors in. But that never happened. My son started to get restless in the three year old so I asked shannon to put him in with the 5. He had already learned everything and needed to be more challenged. She did put him in with the 5 year olds and he did great for some time. But then one day they sent that child into the room with my son and that child stabbed my son with a pencil in the forehead. I had told Shannon that this is causing a big problem and that my son is starting to be aggressive at home. I told her she did not fix it that I would contact the board on them. She apologized profusely and advised that she would make sure it wouldn't happen again. I have also found out from other teachers that if shannon has anything against the parent, she will pick on the child. And if the child says something to the parent she plays it off like Oh they're being kids and it's their fault. I am so glad we moved away and had to leave the school. Never again.

My son has been going to the school for a while now and we are so thrilled to be a part of it. They…read morefocus on education a lot more enjoyable for children to attend school and I love that-- school doesn't have to be the worst place in the world to go to. I'm glad my son's getting an amazing education from amazing teachers and all the support that he gets.

Not the greatest curriculum or teachers. They try and act professional in the worst way possible,…read morealways trying to make the school look good instead of the actual programs instead. Most the teachers can actually teach well while others teach like they are only doing this just as a side job. All the good teachers who can actually make you understand the subject well and encourage people to actually take them serious all left. In general the school is only good if its the closest school to you.