My son is 3 1/2 and started school here this year. We moved from Portland and scheduled a tour with Dianna the Friday before school started. My husband is a teacher and was incredibly impressed with the teachings of Montessori when we toured. At this point, we had toured most, if not all, daycare programs and preschools in the area and we knew what else was out there. Whole Earth Montessori exceeded our expectations. Our son was in a traditional daycare program in Portland and it just wasn't a good fit for him. There was a high turnover rate for teachers and staff and there seemed to be a lot of chaos. He was not thriving and the turnover of his teachers was tough on him. Whole Earth has been such a positive experience for him and for us. He is in Ms. Sonali and Ms. Jennifer's class and we could not be happier with his teachers. They are devoted, nurturing teachers that enrich our son's life. We love the structure and enrichment that this school provides. read more

Great teachers . But this school will rip you off . They will charge force donation . If you have a lot of money in your pocket , then you are fine !! Just because they do not have any competition near by , they are still getting lot of kids. read more

We spent 5 years at this school sending two kid there. We stuck it through bad and good hoping it will get better Pros: -Decent play ground for the kids. -Few teacher are decent. -Certified -More humble than Woodinville Montessori -Flexible ( when I had requested for changes Joe was able to make them) Cons: -They got rid of all the good teachers. Extra effort by these teachers gave were discouraged. -Watch out for teacher that talk well but do not follow up. These teachers will get your child evaluations wrong. Also, kids at this age are unable to determine if the teacher is bad or good. Look for attitude or behavioral changes in your kids and act quickly to reduce the damage of bad teachers. The damage maybe done quickly but recovery could take years. Our first child had a horrible teacher and we did not even know it until was too late. Once we took action we noticed positive changes. -Teacher turnover. Most years our kids get different teachers. Often the new teachers were worse. -Involuntairy Diana fund which is suppose to goto family that need extra help. Not sure where all the is spent. -administration -Not qualifed family members working as teachers and admins. -We taught them better at home barely trying than the school -Did not handle covid situation well. Montessori is all about the teacher relationship not with the school. Certificate of Montessori is also based on teachers which give the schools the claim to be certified. There are not great options for Montessori in the Bothell area. I heard Issaquah maybe better. Woodinville Montessori especially is all about making money from the most wealth and unfortunately this Montessori is the same, albeit less obvious than Woodinville. If we were to do it over we might of taken Heritage preschool with some emphasis on play based learning. It was not worth the extra money and time. We spent extra hoping the investment will be well worth it for our kids. After 5 years we are still believers of play based learning but this was just okay. When we had great teachers it was worth it but they were not around long enough for us. read more

We moved our son to WEM during the pandemic when it became brutally clear how underserved he was at public school with the huge reliance on computer based learning and narrow subject focus on math and literacy. Our son has regained his love of learning and is thriving! The campus is gorgeous, the teachers work extremely hard, and the students are kind and respectful. read more

This is an amazing school. Highly recommended. Both are our kids went there and we were extremely happy with the experience. Our kids got an excellent foundation at Whole Earth. They learned how to respect themselves, others, and most importantly the environment. read more

After the previous owner of the school retired, there have been 4 teachers quit during this past school year. Why? We are concerned and alarmed to learn that a few more teachers are also not returning for the next school year. Though the campus remains the same but the current management is truly disappointing. We are sad that the previous owner left and feeling that WEM is no longer the same. We are also moving on to a better Montessori school nearby. read more

I called this school repeatedly to get more information about their preschool program, as we're moving into the area in about a month. Every time I called, the line immediately disconnected. They were repeatedly hanging up on me. Literally, I'd hear some mumbling on the other line, I would say "Hello?" and they would hang up. On the fourth call, a woman finally answered and demanded that I stop calling this number. I asked if this was the Montessori school and she said YES, STOP CALLING. I was shocked and appalled. I explained to her that I just wanted information about the school as we're moving into the area and want to enroll our daughter in a preschool. She was very rude and said that they get a lot of solicitors. Um....ok? So? Is this how you answer the phone? I told her that she was being very rude and she said "well I'm SORRY." I am shocked at the behavior of the staff at this place and will NOT enroll my daughter there. Believe me, I'm a very flexible person and can let stuff go, but this was unbelievable. This is NOT how you run a school, or any business, and not an example you should be setting for these kids. read more

I had the honor of working with WEM as their architect. They are one of the most professional, dedicated, and intelligent groups of people with whom I've ever gotten to work. They truly believe in their philosophy of outstanding education and environmental stewardship. read more

I enrolled my 3 year old amazingly ahead of his milestones(1 full year of preschool in India prior to coming to US) only to have him get frustrated and fall behind. Each time I went, he was in a timeout. Both the teachers(This was Ms. sonali's class) were new to early childhood education and I would definitely not want any one Else's child to go through this experience. One would never imagine this level of callousness to teacher selection given the size and infrastructure of the school. read more

WORST. SCHOOL. EVER. The administration is impossible to deal with and they are focused on money rather than the kids. But the worst part of our experience was that they released my child from after school care to go home with another child and her father without my knowledge or consent. What happened to my child in that home was horrible and my kid is still in therapy trying to recover from it. Avoid this "school" at all costs! read more

This is the first time I have written a review of any kind. However, I felt it was important to let others know that WEM is not what they say. I enrolled my four year old in WEM at the start of the school year. I fell for their idealism, and their talk about caring for the whole child. Unfortunately, this is not the case. They only care about the money. If your child, for any reason, does not conform, they choose not to deal with them. They choose to ask them to leave. Once this happens, the administration becomes very hard to deal with. They are unresponsive and difficult. I am happy to say that my child is now in a facility that allows him to be himself. He does not have any of the "behavioral problems" that WEM described. I have learned through this experience that many of the traits we try to stomp out of our children are traits that we revere as adults; stubbornness, self thought, and creativity. If your child exhibits any of these traits, think twice about enrolling them in WEM. read more

We have been part of the Whole Earth Montessori (WEM) family for almost 3 years now. Our son has been in Ms. Holly and Mr. Erik's classroom every year and as parents, we have enjoyed watching our 'then' 2.5 year-old son blossom into a well-rounded, happy, curious 5 year-old. Before even enrolling our son in any school, like any parent, we did tons of research on the options, along with numerous tours and observations. It was important for us for our son to have a well-structured curriculum that would set the foundation for his future learning. It was clear right away in our tour with WEM that we had found a great match: class sizes were small, the school felt like a community, education and activities were well-balanced. With our son entering Kindergarten next year (2014-2015 school year), we did some due diligence again just to understand our public school options. After an orientation from the local district, we came home that night clearly decided - we wanted to keep him at WEM. Our reasons are clearly obvious: · The weekly lessons enrich our son's curiosity and inquisitiveness that continues to enhance his love of learning. We love catching up with him on lessons from the week based on Ms. Holly's "weekly update" with pictures. · We've witnessed such a growth in his ability to connect lessons learned (such as "skip counting" or "phonics" or his ultimate favorite: "the golden bead overview") with real life application. At this young age, math comes naturally already; not memorized. We've seen his math wit in games like him being the "banker" in Monopoly. Also, he has recently read a couple of early-reading books to his class! · And importantly, our son enjoys his well-balanced day in a structured, purposeful, and fun environment. He genuinely loves going to school every day. His teachers are a part of his being and he loves them! We are thankful for this school and the exceptional education that our son is receiving at WEM and couldn't recommend this school enough! This is truly setting him up for future success! -Christine & Dan read more

I am so pleased with how safe this school is. Kathy is a teacher that motivates. My daughter is ahead in her studies and is excited about learning! read more

We moved to the Seattle area in the summer of 2015. My 10 year old daughter had previously attended a Montessori school in the early childhood program. We loved the style of learning, the individual attention, the adorable yet very effective learning tools that make Montessori so fantastic. We looked into a few elementary Montessori schools in the area, and completely fell in love with Whole Earth. It is a beautiful setting, backing up to a forest, with a natural stream running through. The upper elementary teacher, Kathy, is amazing with the kids. She has the incredible gift of allowing all the kids to work at their own pace, and on their own or partnered projects, while checking in with them when needed. What a gift it is for children to be able to learn through their own discovery, rather than being 'taught'. We are so happy to have found Whole Earth, and are really looking forward to being a part of the expansion through middle school. read more

When trying to register my son at this school I felt that they really were after a "type" of child that they wanted at their school. My child is not that type and before meeting him, I was told they didn't want to admit him. They never met him, they only met my husband and I. Luckily we found a school where our son is excelling and is cared for and loved. If your child has any challenges or is different in anyway, find another school. read more

I really regret that I had to write this but it seems this administration is forcing me to write this. This administration does not know customer care at all. It's main goal seems to be extracting as much as money possible from us. Let me explain why it is. I went to their open house and let us talk to all the teachers. And during all the conversation they lead us to believe that we can choose a class we want. We went to this school based on a recommendation for a particular teacher and as we kept repeatedly asking that they confirmed that this is possible and since we are one of first to enroll (In February as I can remember) they "said" that it is not a problem at all. what we couldn't do was to get a written document stating the fact. Then somewhere in July they sent class allocation and guess what? Our daughter is not in the class we hoped her to be. And then I started a mail thread with this administration. They said that they couldn't place her and she is on the waiting list. As there were mails back and forth, suddenly director jumps in and tried to use scare tactics to keep us in schools. (Forgot to mention that when we told them we are leaving, suddenly (magically?) there was a spot available in the class, and because of the mailing thread and back and forth correspondences, and also because of the scare tactics they are using we had lost our confidence in the school and actually we were afraid of sending our daughter there anymore. And now they are charging two months charge ($1500) since we left the school. When it comes to money they sure to know how to keep promises. That was my really ugly experience with them! read more

We moved from South Florida in the summer of 2014 with great hopes for the Pacific Northwest. We have not been disappointed! Whole Earth Montessori School was a central factor in where we ended up. When we walked onto the campus, among the other four possible schools we considered, we knew immediately WEM was our match. Our twins were diagnosed with dyslexia in March of 2014 thanks to the direction of the lower elementary teacher. I had struggled since the children were four to discover what they each struggled so much from. After testing at Kinderminds and collaboration with WEM, our children are getting the exact, personal education they need to be their most successful. The staff is receptive to collaborating with us and tutors as well as Dr. Elizabeth Smith, our incredible doctor at Kinderminds. I can not put into words the relief and peace knowing my wonderful children are in an educational institution that models and teaches respect for self, community, and environment as well accommodating their educational needs. The WEM families are kind and loving in addition to the staff. As a former public educator, I rate this school five stars! I could go on and on with the small details of the staff and school's dedication to learning, but will encourage you to come in and try us out! You are welcome at WEM. read more

My son has gone to this school since 1st grade and he is now in his 5th year at the school. It has been a fantastic learning environment for him and I am so impressed by the teachers. They are very supportive and caring and do all they can to support your child in making learning a fun and safe experience. We have neighbors whose son is same age and in public school and our son is ahead in all areas academically (especially math and history). I have also made many great friends with many of the other fantastic parents at the school as it is a great community. They do music, languages and arts. My son also went on many field trips in both the lower and upper elementary classrooms. The small class sizes with 2 teachers is also great for individualized attention and learning. I would highly recommend this school. read more

Until our son was of age to start kindergarten, we hadn't considered a private school for his education from Kindergarten and beyond. But, after attending the parent orientation for our neighborhood public school and due to the drastic over crowding in the district (among other reasons) we decided to explore Montessori for our son. I attended Montessori from Kindergarten 2nd and my mother was an early childhood education Montessori teacher so I knew what to expect. I quizzed and questioned the director about every facet of WEM. My husband wasn't convinced that private school was the answer, and to be honest, the cost was concerning to him. And then we toured the campus and before we even got through parents' orientation I KNEW that we were in the right place. The values that are being taught at WEM are our values. Respect for self. Respect for others. Respect for our environment. My son is a sensitive intelligent soul and I was afraid that public school would be too harsh for him. WEM is a perfect fit to nurture the caring, creative and curious child within him. He's thrilled to go to school every day (unlike the neighborhood kids who complain and dread starting back after summer.) He's learning things that he never would have in public elementary school (gardening permaculture, for instance) and exploring subjects early and often to reinforce learning throughout the years. He's also getting Spanish and Chinese instruction. The class sizes are small and he gets lots of 1:1 instruction. We are now in our second year at WEM and in spite of my husband's initial reservations, he's now a huge advocate and wouldn't consider sending our son anywhere else for his education! I cannot say enough in praise of WEM. In fact, we recently moved our 2nd son from his preschool to WEM because there is no question that he will receive a far superior education at WEM. We are lucky to have such a great accredited Montessori school in Bothell! read more

Same with the previous review, we have problem with this school and with Ms Sonali's class. I enrolled my son to this school last year. After attending only 3 days of class, the teacher and principle feels that he wasn't developmentally ready yet and ask us to pull him out and come back when he is ready. I thought it was unfair to make such judgement given it was my son's first time being away from his mom and being in school. I felt they didn't give enough time for my son to adjust to a new environment. But they were the experts so I pull my son out hoping to return when he was ready. The principle assured us they'll keep that months tuition and put it towards the month he'll return back to school. She never once mentioned we were never getting that money back ever again. After talking to friends and family and from my son's reaction, I felt uncomfortable putting him back to this school. I called and ask for my tuition money back. The principle declines my request saying that money is used towards keeping my son's placement in class. Keep in mind that when we enrolled our son to this school, there is already a $300 non refundable deposit towards keeping the placement and now they are not giving back my one month of tuition which is roughly $500+. And said I can use that 1/2 month tuition when we decide to come back. In total we lost $800+ and will NEVER go back to this school EVER AGAIN. And they call themselves a non-profit organization. If I could give a rating of 0 stars I would but the lowest is 1 star. DO NOT PUT YOUR KID TO THIS SCHOOL!!! read more