Montessori Day School is where I went to grade school. During my time there, we consistently scored…read morevery high on state and national academic tests. We were taught honesty, compassion, personal strength and accountability. I was lucky enough in 8th grade to score at a 12th grade reading level, and a 10th grade math level. My scores were *not* special compared with my fellow students. I don't have kids, but my friends went on to send their children to MDS and were quite happy they did. I have continued to maintain some contact with the community and staff over the years. (it was an important place to me) and though some of the the people and practices have changed to match the times, it's clear to me MDS has remained committed to those core Montessori values and continues to offer an excellent education. There is just one thing about the Montessori Method. To work well it needs parents who are willing to _actually parent_ their children and who are in a place to take an active role in their child's development, both in celebrating their successes and clearly perceiving where their child needs to put effort into growing and learning... because children are *always* growing and learning. Every moment of life is an educational one. Of note - There are a couple reviews here that feel as though the person in question more interested in having the MDS do the schooling, the parenting, everything. Children do best when parents are willing to put in the work with Montessori. Beats all other educational systems IMO!

I have been employed as a teacher in public schools around Arizona districts for almost a decade…read more My own children, 3 and 6 year olds attend Montessori Day School and you cannot find higher quality instruction and administration. My Kindergartener has far exceeded the expectations of that grade level in the schools I have taught. My kids love going to school and participating in the variety of after-school and summer programs. This school has a dedicated and highly trained staff with virtually no turn over or inconsistencies. You will be lucky if they have space as their enrollment grows due to word of mouth of their exceptional services. If you truly know education and what environments foster the personal and academic growth of children, you will not be disappointed in this school!

My kiddos attend this school and it's been a wonderful experience for both of them. The teachers…read moreprovide classic Montessori instruction and work with each kid to know where to push them and where to help them. Very happy with our experience here!

This small school is a gem. My wife and I toured several Montessori programs in central Phoenix…read morebefore deciding on MCH. We love the staff, the curriculum and the other families that attend. Our son started in the beginner program where we saw him grow leaps and bounds developmentally and socially. He is now in the Primary program, and everyday I'm impressed with the knowledge he brings home and how articulately he is able to express himself to adults and peers alike. All of the lead teachers are Montessori certified, but the primary classroom has 2 leads, both certified and a kitchen assistant who cooks with the children and an outdoor assistant. Compared to the other schools we visited the children have more opportunities because of this arrangement. The school is private, so there is tuition even at the higher grades. However, we noticed that because it stayed private when all the other Montessori schools we toured were charter, it seemed to stick closer to the traditional Montessori curriculum we read about in our research. Children were not tested in any standardized way, and the teachers seem more able to truly follow the child. At one of the Montessori charters we saw 5 year olds doing standardized test practice during our tour. Yikes. Another thing we love about this school is how close knit the community is. When we toured we found out that one of the teachers attended the school and all of her children have been through the program, the director's husband was a student there and all of their children attended the school, etc. There is only one of every classroom so the children all know each other. Our son loves all of his friends and speaks of school excitedly everyday. On the weekends he begs to go to school to play with his friends. We have been so pleased with MCH, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a caring, small and diverse school community.

I went to this school from K-2 over 10 years ago, so it may have changed from my time there, but it…read morewas a great place. I loved the students and all my teachers! It was a great place for me. I was just reminiscing and I found this picture of the Cinco de Mayo party they had and I'm in the white shirt in the back, with my friends and sister in the front! I hope it's all still going well for everyone

Excuse me while I brag on my school a little...I started as a new teacher at AMSF this year (2020)…read more I teach English and Language Arts for sixth and seventh grade. We have an AWESOME admin team that is always eager to support and find reasonable solutions. The whole staff and faculty team at AMSF is kind, helpful, and supportive. It took no time to feel welcomed as a part of an awesome functioning team, and family. The way AMS has stepped up during this COVID-19 outbreak has been nothing short of incredible. Right away AMSF jumped into action continuing to serve breakfast and lunch to our students and their siblings, some of which do not even attend AMSF. Additionally, teachers were promptly trained in Google Classroom, and Chromebooks were distributed for families to continue education from home. For families who do not have internet access, teachers have been providing take home work packets. This is a school with a team dedicated to serving our students, their families, and our surrounding community. #publiccharter #turtlepower #AMSFproud

I do not recommend this school. It is very sad to witness…read morehow much this school has declined. The middle school experience has been especially disappointing. The teachers often come across as rude and seem more focused on enforcing dress code policies than providing quality education and meaningful lessons. The school also does not reflect the Christian values and kindness it claims to promote. Everything seems centered around money, and some wealthy families appear to receive special recognition not because of their children's achievements, but because of their financial donations to the school. Overall, this has been a very discouraging experience for our family.

The classes assign an excessive amount of unnecessary homework without providing any real…read moredifference in instruction compared to standard honors classes at most high schools. The only noticeable distinctions are the heavier workload, limited opportunities for social interaction during the day, and additional fees--for example, charging $75 just to allow casual dress, despite already paying a substantial tuition. Even chapel, which should be a central part of the school's identity, only takes place once every other week. Families like mine are investing in this school expecting consistent spiritual growth, not minimal engagement. There needs to be a stronger commitment to both academic balance and faith-based education.

A common theme you will notice is "suddenly removed". They have 0 accountability and the solution…read moreis to always kick kids out with no notice, no conversation, no effort to have due process. This is not for extreme behavior, it's for developmentally appropriate struggles.

I highly do not recommend Montessori Center School under the new ownership of Ms. Li and her…read morehusband, John. Positive reviews are from years ago before Ms. Li and her husband John bought the school. If you notice all parents sharing having a similar experiences. And please read Ms. Li's responses, pointing the finger back at the parents. The gaslighting and lack of accountability by Ms. Li and her husband are not acceptable. There's a reason they always have openings. We had ongoing issues, and every time my wife or I tried to bring something up, it felt like we were met with defensiveness instead of a real conversation. We often left those discussions feeling dismissed and blamed rather than heard. There was no genuine engagement with parents. We were asked what we could contribute to the "community," but we never experienced any real sense of one. Communication felt controlled and one-sided. After we set boundaries around comments we felt were inappropriate, our child was removed from the program without notice. As far as we know, our child had done nothing wrong. It was abrupt, upsetting, and incredibly disruptive for our family. This was not the supportive, respectful Montessori environment we were expecting.

XCP says "Xavier College Preparatory does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or…read moreethnic origin in admissions ..." but this is completely a lie when majority of the students are white followed by Hispanic with African American & Native Americans having the lowest representation. They focus on accepting girls from specific backgrounds that fit their image, giving less chance for others who don't to receive the same opportunities. If you are looking for a school with diversity, XCP is not the school to attend. If you are a minority & are part of the small number that gets accepted, there is no one there who looks like or can relate to you culturally.

Love this school, my daughters a Junior and she loves it too. I am an Arizona Native and did not…read morehave the means to go when I was young

Most of the staff is nice and the teachers are good and the sports are awesome even through theirs…read moreconstruction. Also it one of the best public schools .

My children go here and it's ok. Staffs ok, I just don't like the Slope...the kids think it's ok.read more