What an amazing learning environment! Our daughter has been a student at Cleveland Montessori for…read morethe past four years. She started in the primary program, completed that three-year learning cycle, and is now in the elementary program as a 1st grader. Cleveland Montessori stays true to the Montessori method outlined by Dr. Montessori, and in these turbulent times, especially in the public education and curriculum space, it is comforting to know that my daughter is learning from the time-tested materials. The other thing that is important to me about raising children in our culture is that the school is screen-free. The children have a warm, analog space to love to learn for a lifetime. Lastly, it has to be noted that the school is housed in a century-old building with character, nestled in historic Little Italy blocks away from University Circle, and they walk (in all weather) to a fabulous playground in the neighborhood! All in all, a very, very good choice for building an amazing foundation for life.

From the owner: "I love having my child show me the work he does at school. It is encouraging to see how much he…read morehas grown over the year in school." - Mother of a Kindergarten Student "The Montessori environment has helped my daughter become independent and grow spiritually. She has become a young lady, confident and mature." - Richard M.

Our 5-year-old (now in kindergarten) is in her 3rd year at Urban Oak. Our 18-month-old daughter…read moreattends a parent/child class with me at the school as well. We can't say enough wonderful things about the loving teachers, beautiful learning environment and strong community of families. They have cared for us immensely over the past few years as we both settled in the area and grew our family. Urban Oak nurtures our daughter's spirit and imagination, celebrates the natural world and fosters her social and emotional growth. By caring for her inside and out, Urban Oak has helped her build a solid foundation and a love of learning. The parent/child program is a wonderful introduction to Waldorf early childhood education for both parent and child alike. It is lovely way to spend dedicated time with your child baking bread, playing, singing and learning about the importance of daily rhythm and simplicity both in the classroom and at home. Our children thrive at Urban Oak and we are so thankful.

My experience with this school's preschool and Pre-K programs has been extremely disappointing and…read moreconcerning. First, the expectations for children ages 3-5 years old are developmentally inappropriate. Young children are expected to sit still for extended periods, complete multiple worksheets during the day, and are even sent home with multiple worksheets as homework. In addition, children are reportedly watching YouTube videos daily during the school day, which raises questions about the quality and engagement of the learning environment. At this age, learning should be play-based, interactive, and developmentally appropriate -- not focused on making children behave like robots sitting at desks completing worksheets. Communication within the school is also a serious issue. There appears to be a major disconnect between teachers and administration, particularly the principal. Parents are often left out of important information. For example, children are sometimes moved to different classrooms for the day without any notification to parents, meaning your child may not even be with the teacher you met during orientation and expected them to be with. Safety concerns are another major problem. Parents are required to walk preschool children down an alley that opens directly to a busy street, and there is no barrier or gate in place, despite repeated claims that one would be installed. During winter, the ground is often not properly cleared, creating slippery and unsafe walking conditions, especially when managing young children in poor weather. Pick-up procedures are also poorly thought out. At the same time preschoolers are being dismissed from the building, older students are sent to gym through the same exit, creating a crowded and chaotic situation on the stairs and in the doorway. This creates unnecessary safety risks for young children when something as simple as delaying preschool dismissal by a few minutes could prevent the congestion. Another alarming concern is the school's lack of attendance accountability. Parents are told they must call in if their child is absent and that authorities may be contacted if a child is unaccounted for. However, after forgetting to call my child in sick, I realized the school never contacted me at all. After testing this several times, it became clear that the school does not reliably track attendance or notify parents when a child does not show up, and the absence is not even reflected in the online portal. For a school responsible for young children, this lack of oversight is deeply troubling. Overall, the school demonstrates poor communication, questionable safety practices, and unrealistic expectations for very young children. Families looking for a preschool or Pre-K program that prioritizes developmentally appropriate learning, clear communication, and strong safety standards may want to carefully consider other options

As a parent, my experience with this school has been very disappointing. We enrolled expecting a…read moresupportive, faith-based environment that reflects Christian values like fairness, compassion, and respect. Unfortunately, that has not been our experience. There appears to be discrimination and unequal treatment among students. Some students are disciplined much more harshly than others. In situations where racial slurs have reportedly been used between students, there did not appear to be the same level of accountability as there is for much smaller rule violations. Some teachers frequently yell at students and threaten them with write-ups for minor issues. Students have even been asked to lift their shirts to check for belts or lift their pant legs to ensure their socks meet uniform requirements, which can feel humiliating and excessive. There is also a lack of support for students who need help academically. Instead of going above and beyond, some teachers seem unwilling to assist students and may even make it harder for them to succeed. Students deserve a respectful environment where they are supported and treated fairly. This school is NOT for everyone. This school is NOT for black families. they are racist, they discriminate and the white students even recognize how poorly and unfairly the black students are being treated. The school is small enough that teachers could get to know all their students. They absolutely do not care to get to know them individually. Even during class parties and days they're to have fun time, they aren't truly allowed to have fun. The teachers constantly snap and yell at these kids. I've never seen school like this in my life. If you're black, they basically want you to act like a robot. These teachers don't have the slightest clue about diversity.