My daughter attended Montessori Family School for 3 years. While there were many things we loved…read moreabout the school, we, like many other families, were essentially forced out by the current Head of School, Alissa S.
Enrolling your child at Montessori Family School (MFS) is a bit like gambling. If your child has any trouble listening, staying on task, following directions, or you as a parent are outspoken, like to stand up for yourself, or don't deal well with those who are patronizing and lack empathy, it is more like playing Russian roulette.
What we loved about MFS were the families. The community was fantastic, and one of the things I miss most. I don't think I met any parents or children that I didn't appreciate and enjoy. I think this is rare; I can't say the same about her new school.
On the other end of the spectrum, the school administration - specifically the Head of School, Alissa S., and the "learning specialist" Regina H. - were a nightmare. We, like most parents, were blindsided by them and how they presented our daughter as struggling, having problems, and needing help. Worried about our kids, we didn't realize until later that what they had done and said was inappropriate and unprofessional, and that they were the problem, not our kids.
The sad part is that the voices of these families were rarely heard when they needed to be, and still aren't heard now. The number of positive Yelp reviews, many from hand-picked parents that were asked to serve on the school's Board of Directors, tell only the positive stories. While I do believe these accounts are sincere, they are only part of the full picture. The stories of those that were forced to leave the school, lost thousands of dollars in tuition, and were so upset with the situation that they were considering legal action, are mostly absent, and should not be forgotten.
My daughter did well enough at MFS, but about half-way through our time at the school, we were told that she needed "outside support", which seems to be private school code for, "Your child is a burden to us. Go pay for an aide, tutoring, or something else." My daughter, who was later diagnosed with ADHD, and is also strong-willed, was more than the school could or wanted to support. While I understand and can accept that, the way this was handled was unprofessional and traumatizing. There was a complete lack of empathy from the individuals mentioned above. I found them to be very narrow-minded, opinionated and authoritarian, and it became clear that we would need to listen to them and do what they said, or we would be kicked out. I luckily realized this, and tread carefully for the rest of our time there - not directly or openly opposing or contradicting them.
Other parents were not so fortunate. I personally know at least four families that had to switch schools in the middle of the year. One family had pre-paid their tuition for the year to obtain a discount, and it was not refunded. Two were speaking with lawyers. One was apparently threatened by lawyers from the school.
For us, we were suddenly placed on "Academic Hold" in the middle of our third year, which basically meant they would not let us re-enroll. This was upsetting, and a complete shock, and came with no warning, nor had we even heard about such a thing before. We were left suddenly trying to figure out where we would attend school the next year, with only a few weeks left to tour and apply to private schools.
We have since moved to public school. Despite the challenges inherent in the public school system, it has been a relief to leave behind the dysfunctional administration at MFS. Still, while her new teacher & the school staff are fantastic, I am far less impressed with the parents and other children in her class, compared to those who were at MFS.
MFS has struggled with these issues for years now, and there seems to be little to no improvement. When I was first looking at MFS, I had heard some stories and I knew people that had withdrawn their kids, but I was more focused on what I saw on the surface and liked, and didn't pay as much attention to the warning signs myself. When you see something you like, you tend to ignore or minimize the negative. I don't regret our decision to attend MFS, but it would have been nice to have known a bit more and been a bit less naive.
If you are considering MFS for your child, then it might be the perfect school for your family. But I write this because I could no longer stand by while a small number of families were treated so horribly. It is my belief that this situation only persists because those affected are few, they are afraid to speak up, or rather, don't feel like it will do any good. And so far, they have been right.
Should the good experiences of a majority of families outweigh the mistreatment and hurt caused to a smaller number of families, which end up at other schools anyway? That is for you to decide.
