The early learning center close abruptly 8.14.26... little to no warning to the parents and the…read moreleadership team said it came down to the money... no follow up.. teachers are great but the leadership is problematic around everything.. go somewhere else

The recent poor reviews are clearly malicious and patently false (they are far from the only game…read morein town, for one). I have sent both my kids there for the past five years. We have experienced three different directors in that time and each has been better than the last -- and the first was good! The staff are all friendly and the teachers my kids have had were all fantastic. Yes it is pricey. But I have never felt I was overpaying for what we get. But don't take my word for it: visit and see for yourself.

I was hesitant to write about my disturbing experience with this school, but the recent incident in…read morea Philadelphia Starbucks made it clear that this is a story worth telling. A few weeks ago my wife and I visited this school to see if it was a good fit for our child. We met with the school director in her office, which is just inside the main entrance and has a large window from which she can see the front door. During the one hour that we met with her ten or fifteen people came up to the entrance and rang the bell. Each time she glanced at the door and quickly buzzed them in. Although we didn't notice it yet, all of these people were white. Then a young African-American woman, maybe 25, rang the bell and the director stood up, apologized to us for interrupting the meeting, went to the front door and opened it just a crack, and said "Can I help you?" I was stunned. I turned to my wife and asked, "was that some racism?" My wife agreed. I would be inclined to give the director the benefit of the doubt--perhaps she knew all of the people she had buzzed in and simply didn't recognize the young black woman--but my wife and I had arrived separately and were each buzzed in immediately, and she had never met either of us. The character of an organization comes from the top, and this type of subtle racism and discrimination is not something we want our child exposed to.

My children have attended this school for five years, and it's be a great experience. My sons were…read morevery prepared for prek and developed a real love of learning and reading. (They also learned Mandarin!) It's a wonderful option for working parents, since it's open early and late and doesn't close as frequently as other day cares. But the best thing I can say is that the environment is warm, loving and safe. I left my children every day knowing they would have a wonderful time and be taught by teachers who were exceedingly caring. I couldn't ask for more. I have to address the negative review accusing the director of racism. The staff there is very diligent about not letting strangers in the building -- which I applaud as a parent! They absolutely stop people that they don't recognize, regardless of race (including my mother and mother-in-law when they came for pick up.) It's an extremely diverse staff and more diverse school than many in the neighborhood.

tl;dr: Montessori Matters was recently investigated for child abuse, refused to fire the teacher…read morewho hurt a child, and put on a corrective action plan by the state. We sent our daughter here as a temporary solution for the few months between when her old preschool closed and when kindergarten began. We liked the curriculum and the structure but the quality of the teachers wasn't quite up to our standards. They had immediate availability, seemed safe, were close to home, and we were assured that the teachers were well trained and had decades of experience with all sorts of kids, so we decided to enroll her. While she was there, her behavior started to change at home. She was moodier and didn't want to go to school. She said the teachers were mean. While we tried to figure out what was going on with this new school, our daughter came home and told us that a teacher hurt her. When we requested a conference with the director, Cindy, she didn't deny the accusation that Sally, one of her employees "may have been too rough" with our daughter but claimed that our daughter probably needed the behavior correction, and that the teacher wasn't really strong enough to hurt her too badly. She also claimed that our daughter was a violent child, even though she had never had a single report of hurting another person. We pulled the video surveillance that showed our daughter sitting quietly in the "watching chair" (their form of time out) when a teacher named Sally approaches her from behind, rips a fidget spinner from her hands and throws it across the room. She then wrenches our daughter up and out of the chair by her wrists and drags her out of the room by her arm into the hallway where there are no cameras. The next video clip shows 10-20 minutes later, our daughter curled up in the fetal position crying in Cindy's office. There were also two other teachers who witnessed Sally grab and hurt our daughter and lied to protect her. We asked Cindy what she intended to do to keep our daughter safe. She offered no solution and showed no concern for the well-being of our child. She even called me after the meeting and BEGGED US NOT TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE STATE. As a mandatory reporter, she should know that her and I both had a legal requirement to report what happened to DCFS. In the end, the investigators agreed that Sally physically hurt our child but that it didn't meet the definition of abuse. The school was put on a corrective action plan, and to my knowledge, is still being monitored. Cindy was resistant to put Sally on leave or fire her when the investigation began. Her concern lies squarely with her business. She seems very nice but I do not trust her. Montessori Matters has had a lasting impact on our daughter an not in a good way. We've worked with other daycares and now kindergarten and have seen what it looks like when our child is loved and cared for by teachers. This isn't it.

We attended here as long as possible, had a great Montessori experience. Ms Cindy works so hard to…read moreaccommodate every little need (I had many detailed requests), and all the teachers are nurturing, understanding and supportive. Very good price too. I knew my baby would have a hard time adjusting and they eventually got her to LOVE school. They started potty training her before me, which was so helpful. Can't give enough thanks to all the care and hard work they do here. No complaints about this business at all.

My two kids go to Peace Rose Montessori school and after attempting several different schools, I…read morecan finally say we found the best, most cherished, loving, transparent and caring school. Ms Carmen, Ms Carla and all teachers and Assistants truly care for the children. The kids learn so fast, but above all, they are allowed to be kids, play, express themselves and build strong friendships. thank you all for your love and dedication!

I can't say enough about how great the school and staff is,I had both of my children in this…read moreschool(preschool and kindergarten) they have came such a long way & learned so much and can only thank the peace rose for this! Amazing environment like a family will will miss everyone!

We couldn't be happier with our experience at UVMS. From the start, the warm, family-friendly…read moreatmosphere set it apart from more corporate-style schools. The owners, who are also the teachers, are deeply involved and genuinely care about each child and family. They take the time to understand and support every student as an individual. Our son, who had trouble fitting in at another school, has completely transformed--he now looks forward to going every day. We've been so impressed that we also enrolled our daughter, and she's thriving just as much. Parents also form a wonderful, tight-knit community with the teachers, creating a true sense of partnership and support.

Guidepost Montessori KP is truly an exceptional center! As soon as you enter, you immediately feel…read morethe warmth of the staff, the comfort of the beautiful, sun lit environment, and the joy of the children. If you're looking for a school that's "not just daycare," please, look no further! The team works relentlessly to meet the needs of families, those who are invested in their child's education and passionate about the Montessori approach to learning. Tours are offered daily and all throughout the day to accommodate working parents. I urge you to schedule your tour today!

We enrolled our daughter in the Nido classroom (infant) at Guidepost Kendall Park at the tender age…read moreof 4 months. As first time parents, we were extremely nervous to put our infant in daycare. We were new to the area and selected the school because it was within a 13 min drive to our home. We had no idea what to expect and just prayed that everything would work out. From day 1, we were struck by the remarkable level of care and attention provided by the teachers, known as "guides." These guides have shaped our daughter's early life with their boundless patience (with us), kindness, and genuine devotion to each child's unique development -- (Shout out to Ms. Vijaya, Ms. Michelle, Ms. Manisha, Ms. Fozia). Along with all the extensive training they go through, most of the guides are parents to young children themselves. They were able to help us navigate being first time parents and what to expect with our daughter's milestones, etc. During pickup, they would say, "Charlotte looks like she is ready to start walking in the next week or so" and like clockwork, she started walking. I would have never known the signs of readiness without the help of the knowledgeable guides.  The transparency and responsiveness of the administrators, Dr. Ali (Head of School) and Ms. Stephanie (Assistant Head of School) has been a constant source of reassurance for us. Dr. Ali and Ms. Stephanie know everyone's name (parents included) and the goingabouts in each classroom. We also regularly see them playing with the children because they genuinely care about the students.  As for the "montessori philosophy," I just thought it was another gimmick. But I was wrong! Our daughter's time at Guidepost Kendall Park has been marked by independence, curiosity, and a love for learning. Each day she comes home having learned a new skill (e.g., completing complex puzzles, drinking out of a tiny cup on her own, knowing how to put her toys away, doing the hand motions to "the itzy bitzy spider," etc.). I know she did not learn that stuff from us and I believe that not all daycares have the structure in place that enables children to learn these skills. To sum it up, Guidepost Kendall Park has given our daughter the best possible start in life, and for that, we're immensely grateful. Unfortunately, we are moving out of state and have to leave Guidepost Kendall Park at the end of the month. We will be transferring to another Guidepost school (which Dr. Ali and Ms. Stephanie helped facilitate). We can only hope the new school will be as great as the Kendall Park school.

This preschool is a absolute gem; we feel so lucky to have found it! My son is currently in the…read more4's class (his 2nd year here) and his older sister attended as well 3 years ago. The school (which has been open in Millburn for over ONE HUNDRED years) is still set in the original Victorian house on Taylor Street. There are only 2 classes--3's and 4's--so it is super small and intimate, and because of this, a very close-knit and friendly parent community. They have an amazing playground which backs up to the Millburn community garden. The school owns 3 large plots in the garden and they include it in the curriculum. So the kids get to plant seeds (which they also use for counting & math), watch & learn about the different stages of growth throughout the seasons (science/STEM), and best of all, harvest & eat the fruits & veggies they grow! The school is very tied in with the town, including field trips to the local fire station, the local farmers market (goes with the garden curriculum), and Paper Mill Playhouse. The head teachers and assistant teachers have all been there for 15-25 years I believe, which speaks volumes about the school. They are nurturing, kind, fun, and truly great at what they do. They also make good company at the school happy hours :) The other major selling point of the school for us was the flexible hours. Kids can attend half day, half day + lunch, or full day, anywhere from once a week to 5 days- you customize the schedule. I have never seen another school offer this. This year for the first time they also offered aftercare as yet another option. And of course they have summer camp too. Between my 2 kids we have attended 4 different schools/daycares in the area, including a similar Montessori school down the street, but Neighborhood House is our absolute favorite, hands down.

I can't say enough good things about Neighborhood House Nursery School! From my son's very first…read moreday of preschool, we knew it was a good fit. The nurturing environment, caring staff, and connection to the community (including field trips and a plot in the community garden) create a preschool experience that is so enriching for students. The schedule flexibility is fantastic, and speaks to the personal nature of the school. Each family has a personal relationship with the director and teaching staff, all of whom couldn't be more welcoming. My sons have thrived at NHNS and we will be so sad to see them graduate!

My both kids went to Little Scholars since they were 2 and continued till graduating Pre-K. We had…read morean amazing experience here. The teachers are informative and loving. I'm particularly pleased with their hygiene and security procedures and feel super safe with my kids being here. Kids had a variety of activities to have fun and be occupied! Kids were introduced to taste of learning new language, and Spanish time was definitely my kids favorite. Their summer programs are very impressive. I've recommended Little Scholars a few times, and will gladly do it again!

I love working at Little Scholars Montessori Academy. I have been associated with this school for…read moremore than 2 years. My boss and co- workers are wonderful people. I love the kids. The school has a homely atmosphere and hence I look forward to going to work everyday morning .