Some of my siblings and family went to this school. The teachers are very nice and passionate about…read moreteaching. They are patient and they also try to get the parents involved with doing homework assignments due at the end of each school week. They also have a diverse group of students which is nice to see. I would highly recommend this school for families who live in the area.

short version: My…read moreson was not emotionally safe at Arbor Montessori School. We started Primary 8/2021. Soon after, a member of the lead teacher's immediate family became ill requiring unexpected & sometimes long absences. Though the situation caused lots of inconsistency and concern about how our kids would be affected, we all sojourned with the teacher and supported her as best we could. Sadly, after ~2 years, the family member died. The teacher left for a period & returned 2/2023. In 4/2023, our son started being afraid to do things he'd done prior & extremely afraid to be away from me/mom. Over the summer, he was extremely terrified of going to camps. We ended up keeping him home because drop-off seemed like such a traumatic experience for him. We had no clue what brought on his fear. When school started in 8/2023, he was still afraid to go to school & his behavior escalated. Arbor recommended several therapists since they didn't have support staff within the school. From their list of recommendations, we chose the therapist who was familiar with our particular class as well as Montessori education. This therapist is widely known and respected in the Arbor community and among other notable schools in the Atlanta area. The therapist stated our son likely learned of the teacher's loss & was afraid of himself & me dying. Arbor rejected the therapist's opinion. Instead, the Head of School stated that perhaps "Montessori was not for him" and that the "school's business model doesn't allow for one-on-one support." They began taking steps to withdraw & refuse emotional support to our son, e.g., the Head of School and Director told us they didn't know what to do or how to handle the situation, however, they told us we needed to leave the school within 5 minutes although my son was not secured in the classroom or with the teacher and he was not yet comfortable to stay. We coordinated a meeting with the therapist & Arbor to make a plan to help our son feel comfortable at school. Arbor sabotaged the meeting. The Director wouldn't let the therapist speak, kept interrupting her, and had a reason for not being able to implement any of the therapist's suggestions. After that meeting, I knew our son was not safe there. We emailed the president of Arbor's Board of Directors detailing what happened to us and requested a meeting. She responded that she would investigate and get back with us. The next day, the Head of School sent an email terminating us because of what we wrote to the Board.

Our youngest daughter attended Arbor in grades pre thru 8th grade. We have always thought of Arbor…read moreas a special place. It's always been very accepting and welcoming. It was like an extension of our family. Now our daughter has moved on to a public magnet high school. She is thriving in her first experience outside of Arbor. I trace her early success to how well Arbor prepared her to meet the next round of academic challenges. I unequivocally recommend Arbor to any parent looking for a quality educational environment for their children.

Hess has been a great fit for my middle school child! It's a small, warm and accepting community…read morewith many great teachers. The small class sizes really help my child thrive. I also appreciate the focus on outdoor time and field trip experiences.

We discovered Hess Academy when we were looking for a preschool program for our son. By the time it…read morewas time for him to begin Kindergarten at City Schools of Decatur (he was zoned for Winnona), we were so in love with Hess that we decided to stay. There are so many things that are great about Hess, but here the three things that work especially well for us. First, plenty of healthy outside time. The kids begin the day with 20-30 minutes in the playground before they need to into their classes. Lunch and recess are another hour, and everyone finishes the day with another 15 minutes in the playground. Second, classes are capped at 12-14 students with two full-time teachers. The individualized attention that our son's intellectual and emotional needs receive are, therefore, outstanding. Finally, the kids (and teachers) do not go through the horrible Standardized Testing that has become the norm at the Public-School system (although teachers and educators have been saying for years that this kind of testing is pedagogically harmful). There is so much more to love about this school--like the devotion that Hess teachers show their students and the sense of community. Just go and tour the school!

We are very pleased with Arbor Montessori's primary program. Both of our boys are in their final…read moreyear of primary and the experience has been exceptional, from the professionalism and experience level of the teachers, to the classrooms, to the administration, and most of all the quality of the education: our children demonstrate strong intellectual curiosity and capability, independence in actions and thought and appreciation for sense of community. Arbor is authentic Montessori and it shows in the children. Our boys minds are so alive and curious and their sense of place in the world has expanded greatly. The teachers (and administration) are adept at understandings the children as individuals and make great efforts to customize lessons around the child's interests which further excites the children about learning. We look forward to continuing into Elementary with Arbor.

From the owner: This campus serves children ages 18 months to 6 years…read more What makes an Arbor Montessori education remarkable and unique is how your children will learn and how they will feel about learning for the rest of their lives. Your children will develop relationships with their teachers that are collaborative and strong. Your children's innate curiosity and imagination will flourish as they move through the expansive curriculum at their own learning pace. Your child will blossom in Arbor's nurturing learning environment that is based on mutual respect, empowerment, and self-reliance. Since 1970, Arbor has been the premier Montessori school in Atlanta serving students ages 18 months to 14 years. Call us today to schedule a personalized tour or to find out more about our program. Learn more about what sets Arbor Montessori School apart by visiting us online.