I cannot say enough wonderful things about Small World! My daughter had barely had a babysitter…read moreher first three and 1/2 years of life, and I was reluctant to sign her up for pre school. My husband and I toured the school and felt the warm, welcoming vibe right away. The teachers are amazing and my daughter has blossomed socially as well as academically. Everyone is kind and considerate and my daughter has just loved every minute she has been attending. We love Small World Montessori!

Both of my kids went here and they both have loved it. The school supports their independence and…read moreteaches them valuable skills that have prepared them for success in the classroom. They also have made a bunch of great friends and love all the teachers.

Wonderful place! My daughter has been coming here for almost two years now. Miss Lexy, Yolanda,…read moreHailey and Anna are so sweet to my shy girl. The teachers are so caring but I also feel so confident about sending her to kindergarten in a few months. She has come so far learning how to write her name, letters, numbers, counting, drawing and coloring, and selfishly I love how she picks up after herself when playing at home! They do such fun crafts, stem projects, she has brought home plants before and one year they made a homemade peppermint soap for Christmas. So cool! They have a great balance of learning inside but also lots of time outside! They have an indoor play area too which is nice when it's super rainy outside. Only con is they don't provide lunch, but can't have it all!

Been here for a year. My son has learned a lot in the preschool class. I'm really happy with it. We…read morelove the huge playground and interactions with staff have been great. Sending my 2 year old next year as well.

We have our daughter enrolled in Montessori here, having transitioned from a daycare facility that…read morewas frankly falling apart at the seams. The teachers have been great to our daughter - transitioning from a daycare setting to a more 'academic' setting we think will very much prepare our daughter for her future elementary school enrollment. Communication between administration and families is good and the school is well organized - a breath of fresh air from the chaos we previously were a part of. We are thankful we got one of the lasts spots available at the last minute when we enrolled. We also like that there are in-school enrichment opportunities if desired. When school is not in session, camp is offered (a little more relaxed program) and we generally take advantage of it. Pricing wise, it was a little more expensive than traditional "keep them alive" daycare, and the extra quality and early academics you get is to us very much worth the difference.

My son started at Evergreen Academy Montessori this year after being at a smaller daycare. I was…read morelooking for something more than a daycare to introduce him to a classroom environment, regular learning and structured day. We love Evergreen! The school is really well run and organized. There are no surprises and communication from teachers and the leaders is great. The staff truly care about my kiddo and are some of the nicest people. The cost is on par with other schools in the area that I researched and actually a better value if you need before and after care. The kids do have to wear uniforms Monday-Thursday but it's a looser policy than I've seen at other schools. And they have the option to add on additional classes to supplement the classroom with outside teachers like like music, tumbling, STEM, and athletics. We are lucky to have found them. Plus it's year round so no scrambling for summer camps and care! I researched a ton of schools before choosing this one and am happy with our choice!

We chose this preschool for our son for a few different reasons. The involvement of parents was…read morekey. My husband and I wanted to be fully aware of what the daily curriculum was going to be and to be able to spend time in the classroom. I think Cooperative preschools are great and they are especially wondeful for parents who either are anxious about sending their kids out in the world or they want to keep a closer eye on them. At this age they mostly learn through play and that is what is encouraged in the classroom. They also learn to clean up after themselves, how to be a good friend to their peers, and beginning stages of conflict resolution. They have outdoor time everyday and have opportunities to explore. We have watched our son grow, develop, and mature during his first year of preschool and have confidence that when it is time to move on to Kindergarten that he will be ready. Note: the address has changed.

My daughter joined September of 2025 when she just turned 1. She had been with myself and my mother…read moreup until that point and having worked in many Early Childhood environments myself for over a decade; I was incredibly nervous, having seen and experienced all the horror stories first hand. The Director Joanne, Assistant Director RJ, and Toddler Teachers Ms. Cami and Ms. Helen have been a God-send. They have and continuously uphold high standards, truly care about the wellbeing and education of your child, and are genuinely invested in having your family as a part of their community. It was a steep learning curve for myself, being anxious entrusting my treasure and heart to complete strangers, but through transparent communication and above and beyond efforts from the individuals above, trust and bonds were quickly built. The teachers are always focused on interacting with the children at their level and are so engaged during every moment of everyday. Both teachers put in so much time and effort, not only for the children, but also the classroom environment, so that the children truly get the best experience possible!! The consistency of attendance with the teachers are also outstanding and rare for the field!! My husband and I truly feel so grateful for these 4 individuals in helping our child during this crucial development period in her life and for helping us, her parents, get through the difficult pages of these early chapters **pictures depicting children have been edited and screenshotted to protect their privacy**

Evergreen Academy Montessori has been such a wonderful experience for our family. As a first-time…read moremom returning to work, I was incredibly nervous about putting my baby in daycare at around 3 months old, but the team here made the transition so much easier. From the very beginning, the environment has felt warm, welcoming, and supportive. The teachers and admin staff are so kind and caring, and it's clear they truly love what they do. They always take a few minutes to chat during drop-off and pick-up, which makes me feel connected and reassured about how my little one's day is going. The staff always rave about my little one and how cute and wonderful they are. Warms my heart. One of my favorite things is receiving pictures throughout the day. It's so comforting to see my little one smiling, playing, and being well cared for while I'm at work. I also really appreciate how the teachers partner with parents and share Montessori activities we can try at home. It's been so special to learn simple ways to support my child's development and continue some of the same learning and exploration outside of school. I'm so grateful for the care and attention the staff provides, and it has given me such peace of mind knowing my baby is in such good hands. I would absolutely recommend Evergreen Academy Montessori to other families looking for a nurturing, supportive environment for their children.

I cannot stress enough how much I love this school and the teachers. It's a small close knit school…read moreat a home. Which has worked out so much better than the larger institutions we've tried out. The teachers here are so loving and caring. They genuinely love the kids and welcome new students each and every year. New Life has been such a blessing in our family's lives. My son has learned so much here. I highly highly recommend, and cannot thank them more than enough. We love it here.

We have sent 2 of our children to New Life Montessori over the past 3 years. We have been extremely…read moresatisfied and pleased with the amount of learning our kids have exhibited from the school, as well as the amount of attention and love that they receive from the teachers. The school has a very low student to teacher ratio. The school also has a multi-year rotating curriculum, so if you send your kid for more than one year they will be learning something new the following year. We've tried larger and fancier Montessori schools in the past with our oldest kid. We were sad that we didn't discover this gem of a school earlier.

Our youngest son has been attending this school since he was 3.5 years-old and potty-trained. He…read morewas very ready to ditch his large daycare in downtown Issaquah Highlands. I found Aster when it was recommended by the director of Sno-Springs School, near our home. I was admittedly skeptical as I was not particularly impressed by other Montessori schools on the Plateau and in the Highlands. Ms Aparna and her assistant director worked with me and my wife to devise a plan to acclimate our son to their environment and routine. We started with part-time enrollment in their summer camp program. My son immediately loved their large grassy and wooded play area, which was 3x bigger than his old daycare's concrete one. We then continued with Aster into the school year. Although it was very difficult for him at first, Aster Montessori was very patient with our headstrong son's adjustment to Montessori. He quickly improved his social skills ("grace and courtesy") and made good friends at the school. He looked forward to going to preschool each day. As parents we are pleased that our son is achieving his language & math milestones with ease -- he is ahead of his older sibs when they were in preschool -- we are most excited that he's maturing as person. That is, he is starting to understand and regulate his rather challenging temperament. I just wish Aster had been around when our daughters were in preschool! Pros: Happy and eager classmates Low turnover among the teaching staff; they are experienced, too Great communication with parents at pickup, by e-mail and during conference. Clean and bright classrooms Big playground for a small preschool Nurturing environment Many attendance options available Amazing music teacher Cons: Montessori not a natural fit for every personality (like my son's?) Can be difficult to get to know other parents Once-a-month snack duty (ok, not really a problem) Only offers preschool-to-kindergarten (i.e., 3-year 3-to-6 y.o. cycle through Kindergarten)

Not enough stars for this place. Mrs.Aparna and all the staff/assistants/volunteers are top notch…read more They have have a very warm and welcoming environment. Many of the staff and kids come from different countries and cultures which I love. My daughter has learned so much in just the few months in attending. Also, they have a very fun and partially covered playground in the back. Which is quite nice for Washington weather.

Parent Review - Please Read Carefully Spanish versión in…read moreimages. Update: This review has been updated to include additional factual details for clarity and completeness. I am sharing this experience so other parents can make informed decisions before enrolling their child. I wish I had seen a review like this beforehand. My intent is transparency, especially for families who rely on childcare subsidies and may have limited options. My daughter attended this school briefly. During that time, we experienced ongoing issues with communication and transparency. The most concerning situation involved my daughter being injured on more than one occasion--twice by the same child within a matter of weeks. When I asked why my child was hurt more than once in such a short period of time, the Director became defensive rather than responsive. On both occasions, I was not notified immediately. After the first incident, a vague incident report was placed in my daughter's backpack for me to discover after arriving home. The report was written on Mt. Tahoma letterhead, which was confusing and concerning, as my child does not attend that school. During the second incident, I arrived for pickup while my daughter was still crying and visibly distressed after being struck on the side of the head by the same child. The teacher who brought her to the gate did not know what had happened, and the Director also appeared unaware. My daughter was initially handed to me as if nothing had occurred. Only after it became clear that I was upset and would not leave while my child was crying, red in the face, and hurt did a staff member offer an ice pack. When the Director arrived, she was unable to explain what had happened. When my daughter identified who hit her, the Director stated, "No, it wasn't him," without clarifying who was responsible. Although my daughter clearly stated she was hit, the school insisted she had been "pushed onto bark." Bark would not cause a bruise on her ear or the contusion later diagnosed by urgent care. The conversation with the Director and owner was brief and uninformative. Neither acknowledged who hurt my child or clearly explained what occurred. Instead, the incident was repeatedly described as "normal child behavior," and it was implied that my daughter's actions caused her injury. Some children at the school are as old as six; my daughter is only four. No apology was offered, and no prevention plan was discussed unless I specifically asked. An incident report was not offered. I requested one and was told it would be provided, but it never arrived. After following up, I eventually received a report that lacked key details, including staff names and a clear explanation of how the injury occurred. Most concerning, the report focused heavily on my daughter's behavior in a way that implied she was responsible for being hurt, while also stating that a teacher witnessed the incident and did not intervene to prevent injury. In a follow-up email--after I continued requesting a corrected incident report and additional details--the Director suggested that I consider withdrawing my daughter and placing her in a private in-home daycare, stating that my concerns reflected "very specific needs," rather than addressing how the school would ensure my child's safety. Beyond the physical injuries, my daughter showed signs of emotional distress while attending this program, including difficulty playing with peers and fear associated with school staff. Since leaving the school, these reactions have continued. I have not been able to return to work since November, as attempts to transition her into other childcare settings have been unsuccessful due to her extreme distress and refusal to enter facilities. The emotional impact on our family has been substantial. What troubled me most was not just the incidents themselves, but a pattern of delayed communication, limited transparency around supervision, and dismissal of legitimate safety concerns. I have since withdrawn my daughter and am sharing this to encourage other parents to ask detailed questions about supervision, injury reporting, communication practices, and how children are supported emotionally. This review reflects my personal experience as a parent.

My oldest son has been enrolled here for nearly two years, and the growth we've seen academically,…read moresocially, and emotionally, has been extraordinary. He came in shy and hesitant, and he has blossomed into a confident, curious child who loves learning and communicating with others. He now problem-solves on his own, initiates conversations, and brings home life skills he proudly teaches his younger brother. Because of the trust we've built, I recently enrolled my youngest son as well. One of the most meaningful parts of our experience has been the genuine care the staff has shown our family. When my father passed away unexpectedly about a year and a half ago, the teachers and administrators surrounded us with warmth and compassion. They checked in daily, supported my son through his big emotions, and made sure he felt safe and loved during an incredibly difficult time. That type of care comes from people who truly value the children they work with. Communication has always been clear, consistent, and responsive. The staff is proactive in sharing updates, answering questions, and making sure parents feel informed and included. Over nearly two years, any small hiccups that naturally happen in childcare have been handled with transparency, thoughtfulness, and professionalism. My son has developed strong, trusting relationships with his teachers, both under the previous ownership and the current leadership. He talks about them with so much affection, and it's evident that they genuinely know and appreciate him as an individual. They celebrate who he is, encourage his interests, and guide him with patience and respect. The sense of belonging and stability he feels at school has been a major factor in his growth. Every family and child is unique, but I can confidently share that this school has been a nurturing, communicative, and supportive environment for both of my children. We are grateful every day for the foundation it has provided, and I am thankful for the teachers who care for my boys as if they were their own.

My daughter has been attending school here and is thriving. I have constantly been impressed by the…read morework she brings home, the wide range of topics they cover each week on top of her improving vocabulary. The teachers are kind, but also discipline when necessary and keep the class in order. I was looking for an environment with structure and somewhere to begin a solid foundation for learning. I highly recommend this school.

I absolutely LOVE this Montessori school! When I was little I attended a Montessori and wanted my…read morekids to have that same experience. This school offers children love and kindness along with structure and practical teachings that will give them strength in real life. The school is not far from Maple Valley and Covington but is technically located on the Black Diamond/Kent border not far from Ristrettos! Not sure why there are not posts yet as it is maybe a best kept secret- teachers Carolyn and Nicole are amazing!!!