This is a weird review. But I actually went to this school about 18 years ago. I've done a lot of…read morethinking and I have to say I would not have been the person I am without a school like this. The curriculum 18 years about was awesome. We raised chickens and learned amazing life skills at such an early age that to this day I still remember it. I can't even imagine what the curriculum would be like now, but I can say that I loved this school.

I found it interesting how the business responded to the influx of negative feedback on their…read moreGoogle reviews - they disabled them. Each time myself or another parent shared a poor experience on there, the replies came across as cold, generic, defensive, and frankly gaslighting, lacking any genuine empathy or understanding. Unfortunately, my in-person experience matched that tone exactly. The atmosphere earns a 1/5 at best. The building feels far more like a sterile clinic or office than a warm, inviting elementary school or preschool. The outdoor play area is extremely small and limited, with very little equipment for the children. Even small details like Christmas stockings with typed and stapled staff names suggesting high turnover, and awards displayed on the walls that are all several years outdated gave the impression that things have declined and aren't improving. Those old awards seem to be up there for a reason: nothing recent to replace them with. The staff interaction was the worst part, warranting a 0/5. I found them consistently rude, condescending, and disingenuous. They gossip openly about the director and each other in front of kids and parents. If your child is remotely unsettled, you're called to do an early pickup. Staff do not seem to enjoy their jobs, and it shows. You'd see kids walk out from the day with mucus dried and crusted from never being cleaned during the day. During a visit, I observed teachers chatting among themselves for several minutes while a young child slid down the slide and hit their head at the bottom and only got attention once he started crying. My own kid was injured quite badly by the teacher which is why we disenrolled immediately. My kid used to HATE it here, cried every day about having to go, and wow I can't imagine why. What struck me was how indifferent the staff seemed toward families leaving. When we decided to withdraw, there was no curiosity about why, no attempt to understand our concerns, and certainly no effort to retain us. It genuinely felt like it didn't matter to them whether we stayed or left. That complete lack of care or investment in the families they serve spoke volumes. This similar observation was also echoed in another Google review that's also now gone. Practical issues only made things worse - parking is severely limited, turning drop off and pick up into chaos with constant car horns and aggressive maneuvering. The overall operation felt disorganized and unwelcoming from the moment I arrived. I'm genuinely baffled that this place had a waitlist. We quickly found a much better option just down the road- one that actually feels like a school, with engaging play spaces and genuinely kind, warm staff. My kid LOVES the new school and is thriving there. I'm just sad that this was our first experience in a learning environment when there are clearly MUCH better options. I didn't even get into everything like the complete and utter lack of communication. Even for free, I wouldn't consider it worth the time or stress. Save yourself the disappointment and look elsewhere.

Insensitive and unprofessional staffs (leadership), we had terrible experience at nido. They only…read morewant easy babies who start early (before separation and stranger anxiety sets in) and do not have the training, patience or resources to work with older kids. My son cried for weeks, I got calls/texts everyday for early pick up. Several times I found him sitting on the floor or on the swing, crying by himself. I felt that they are massively understaffed. Some of the teachers are kind, nice and caring but they are overwhelmed. We found the nido leadership to be rude and incompetent. They implied that something is wrong with our baby and maybe he will need special care/attention. One of them said she "has not seen a baby who has so much social anxiety in her whole career". Anyway, we moved to a different daycare, my son took two weeks to adjust, he likes the teachers there and is thriving now!! We are actually glad that Montessori One didn't work out for us.

I can't say enough good things about Cottonwood. It is a gem in every way. The teachers are…read moreutterly dedicated to the kids and to providing an exceptional learning experience. The format encourages creativity, independent thinking and problem solving skills, artistic ability, confidence and fun. It is a loving, supportive community of parents, teachers and administrators and the kids thrive there. The students are encouraged to self-motivate, manage their own workload and be self-sufficient, all of which are the skills we all need to be truly successful in life. The school focuses on community service, equality, tolerance, peace, and a global perspective. The teachers teach and talk "up" to the kids (not down). Beyond incredible academics, the kids do the most amazing things, from learning musical instruments and music, to writing their own plays and creating the sets and costumes, to learning about the local eco-system, to learning organic gardening, to learning to give back to the community through multiple events throughout the year (we sponsor families in need during the holidays, recently volunteered as families at a local food bank, and do a food drive in the fall). The kids come away from Cottonwood not only light years ahead of their peers in all academic disciplines, but they also come away with an open-minded, global perspective, the ability to empathize, to control their own actions and reactions to the world, and to be clear and confident about who they are no matter what is going on in the world around them. The buildings are a bit less than stellar (nothing like a fancy school with a big endowment), but I like it that way because the focus in on the quality of the education and of the community, not on status or prestige. That said, the school has a very high percentage of kids that get into the top middle and high schools in the area. If the buildings were fancy, I think it would attract a very different kind of parent. That is why I'm almost afraid to share all of this because it is such a special place - I don't want the secret to get out! :-) We are so lucky that we found this very special school.

Letting my son post under my account…read more I went to school here for a year in 1st grade when I was 7. I loved it! Jaiden

Everything there amazing teachers and leaders wow!! Both my granddaughters have been going there…read moresince they were 3 and they're so smart, caring and loving children. The staff is beyond outstanding. I recommend this school who is looking for a well rounded educational experience for their child.

I highly recommend this school. Great teachers, wonderful facilities, convenient location! They…read morelove teaching.

We trusted the positive reviews and gave it a shot (after a few terrible experiences with…read moreAlbuquerque daycares). Then our child came home with a series of injuries which were either 1). Unexplained or 2). Blamed on the child. We pulled our child after a few weeks because none of it added up. Also- The space is flourescently lit, colorless and lacking in plant life or natural light. Pretty dismal, actually.

Went on a tour to this school and had a very negative experience. The website states, "Other…read moreextra-curricular programs include gymnastics, dance, and Spanish lessons." Confirmed with the director there are no Spanish classes or lessons currently, which would indicate a need for an update to the website. When I asked what language exposure opportunities are offered at the school, I was told about a teacher who "speaks another language but I don't know what it is." When I asked what their policy/procedure around name-calling in the classroom, they stated there wasn't one. If children are calling each other names, it won't be shut down and the educators may engage in the name-calling as well. When I shared our philosophy at home, that we don't call people outside of their names (that it's respectful to refer to people as they prefer)- and if people are called outside of their names, then the adults around shut down the behavior and role model appropriate/ humane treatment of other humans; I was then told that this wasn't the school for us because they would not shut down name-calling and that it would potentially be encouraged as "imaginative play." If you want a school that encourages name-calling and potential bullying, has indescrepincies on their website, and doesn't know their staff's backgrounds- this may be the place for you. If you want a school that encourages education, humane treatment, and cultural diversity- this probably isn't it.

At St. Mark's the teachers are caring. The Montessori method enables kids to learn at their own…read morepace.