Old School Montessori

Posted: June 15, 2020

Amazing! The school is a small community with dedicated staff and administrators focused on offering high quality Montessori Schooling focusing on the Whole Child.

Posted: June 15, 2020

At OSM, students are encouraged to explore their own interests and spend time with family and friends outside of school. There is no homework.

Posted: June 15, 2020

The small class sized for 1st through 8th grade ensures my child is getting the attention they need and allows for a tailored curriculum.

Posted: June 15, 2020

Yes! The environment at OSM is friendly and like family. The values we teach at home are respected in this community as well.

Posted: June 15, 2020

Posted: June 15, 2020

For sure. Both my children are gifted in certain subjects and they are provided learning instruction that pushes them in those subjects. With the Montessori approach, they also help coach/teach other students.

Posted: June 15, 2020

The administration has good policies in place and any concerns we have had been heard and addressed in a fair manner.

Posted: January 26, 2020

Posted: January 26, 2020

Love the directress. And I’d make the choice of staying there if the leadership was good.

Posted: January 26, 2020

Fortunately, the directress provides a good experience. But I do wonder about the work conditions they have to put up with... I can only assume by my experience observing that these pillars are not a priority to the owner.

Posted: January 26, 2020

The owner lacks basic respectful manners. I agree with the other comment. Her remarks are usually inappropriate and her way of approaching parents is not thoughtful and mindful like you’d expect from anybody especially coming from a Montessori school. Her responses don’t match the issue.

Posted: January 26, 2020

Posted: January 26, 2020

Posted: January 26, 2020

The teachers provide a good experience I’d say. But the leadership (owner) makes the overall experience quite a clumsy Montessori experience. I’d say keep looking. There are other Montessori schools that are better.

Posted: February 18, 2018

Posted: February 18, 2018

I only rate with "agree" because my daughter's directress was excellent. However, I removed her from the school before going onto the older classroom because all of the other teachers in the school were awful. They were rude and the way I saw them treating the children was unacceptable - yelling at them in such derogatory ways. Not to mention, some of the teachers had such strong accents that I'm not sure how effective they could be when the primary language in school is English.

Posted: February 18, 2018

The owner of this school is unprofessional, cold, and unjustly defensive. She avoids people and throws out incorrect accusations if you try to talk to her about an issue. She doesn't actually show any interest in the children and I truly do not believe she cares about the best interest of all of the kids. There were several safety hazards at that school for my child and when I tried to address them, she said it was my child's fault. Some of the worst school leadership I've ever come across.

Posted: February 18, 2018

The directress of my daughter's class was wonderful. I would follow her to another school if she left. I was not thrilled with the other teacher in the classroom who wasn't even a certified Montessori teacher. Several times, random people would "fill in" to watch the kids. As a parent, I would have appreciated knowing who my child was spending her time with. In addition to the comments I made about my experience with the owner, she was lacking confidence and warmth. She was inaccessible and her comments in discussions were often inappropriate. There are much better Montessori schools out there who actually care about the development of your children.

Posted: January 25, 2018

Posted: January 25, 2018

Posted: January 25, 2018

Posted: January 25, 2018

Posted: January 25, 2018

My daughter has been going to school here for a year. It's a very positive learning environment. They have made cleaning up fun. She has also learned to want to be helpful. I've seen a great improvement in her ability to play independently. She is also learning all the typical 123 ABC stuff but it's the social skills that I've been the most surprised about. It's wonderful that they go outside everyday, unless there is extreme weather. They encourage a love of the outdoors and allow them to get dirty. They dig, plant and grow plants, collect acorns and leaves and have lots of fun in the snow.

I was hesitant to visit the school after reading negative reviews about it but I realized that those were from a few years ago. I believe that they must have made some changes since then as I haven't had any bad experiences with the staff.

One of the most convenient aspects of the school is the curb-side pick up and drop off. It removes most of the odd separation form parent and transition to school issues. I rarely see any tears at pick up or drop off times.

Posted: December 27, 2017

Posted: December 27, 2017

Posted: March 5, 2015

We have been very pleased with our experience at Old School Montessori. Our children attended OSM from 1st through 6th grades (our younger child is finishing 6th this year), and they have been excited to come to school every day. The teachers and staff provide a caring, supportive environment that allows students to learn at their own pace and promotes kindness and respect toward others. Our children have been challenged academically, learned to manage their time as they worked to complete assignments, and also developed great public speaking skills. Our children also loved programs such as Nature's Classroom, band, and Spanish. Our older child transitioned from OSM to middle school and high school without any problems, academically or socially. At the end of 8th grade, she was named the top academic student in her class of 380 students. She was asked to be the student speaker at the 8th grade graduation ceremony and spoke confidently to an audience of more than 1,000 people. We credit OSM and its dedicated teachers with fostering a love of learning in our children and helping them become more caring individuals. We highly recommend OSM to all families.

Posted: October 9, 2014

We could not be happier at this school. My child was attending another local montessori school for years and struggling. I had no idea things could be so much better. The teaching staff is excellent and tailors their style to the child's needs. The after school care is great and the optional enrichment programs are an added bonus. I would recommend this school to anyone.

Posted: September 12, 2014

It's been awhile since my girls attended OSM, but their teachers are still there. My kids attended from the age of three through kindergarten. They received an excellent education that gave them a great base of reasoning and responsibility. One is now in the honors program at the University of Illinois and the other is an honor roll student at WTHS. I truly believe that the three years they spent at OSM was a big part of their success. I'm not familiar with the current administration, but their excellent teachers are still there.

Posted: May 24, 2014

All three of my children attended this school for three years apiece, so we have attended for 8 years, with the same teacher the entire time. They all went through the primary program, from 3 - 6 years old. My daughters have thrived in the child-directed learning environment, and I love that each child learns at his or her own pace - no one is held back or left behind. This school provides the perfect blend of fun activities and academics, with singing, movement, crafts, and academics done with manipulatives that seem like games to the kids. The kindergarten aged kids receive Spanish weekly and group instruction in the afternoon on science topics. My daughters, when they transition to public school in first grade, have all been among the best readers in their classes and more advanced in math. OSM is not a high pressure environment, it is extremely nurturing. I love that practical life skills are a core part of the curriculum - the children prepare their own food, do the dishes after they snack, etc. The children flourish in this program to become confident kids who are encouraged to choose challenging work for themselves. They also have a lovely summer camp option.

Posted: May 22, 2014

As a parent of a child who has attended osm from age 3 to sixth grade, I highly recommend this school. They care about your child and the community. They have had fundraiser to help people in the community, as well as victims of the hurricanes, tsunami, march of dimes, and many other great causes. They have helped my child deal emotionally with a family illness and she has always had excellent grades. Over the years my child has had wonderful and caring teachers. It's been a wonderful experience.

Posted: May 19, 2014

As both a grandparent of students now attending OSM and an educator with 39 years of experience in the field of education, I am beyond thrilled that my grandchildren are attending Old School Montessori. Their open door policy is refreshing and I am able to stop in frequently to observe my grandchildren in their classrooms, both primary and elementary. I have also spoken to parents of former students who are now in college and they have nothing but positive things to say about their children's experiences at OSM. I have read all of the other reviews on this site and hope that all prospective families will make their own judgment about OSM. I highly recommend this school.

Posted: May 8, 2014

Nightmare! Please don't bother, there's lots of better schools around. The owner only cares about the money - nothing else. So please do yourself a favor and do some resarch before you decide to enroll your childrens here.

Posted: March 14, 2014

Run away while you can....this school has gone way downhill, yes - most of the teachers are great and my kids loved them but administration is completely unqualified and leaves much to be desired. The school's new owner/administrator is often rude, cold and uninformed caring mostly about collecting tuition payments. Many parents have removed their children, returning to the public schools or other alternatives. Don't be fooled by the five, five star reviews ...there are some employees that will make sure to make your life miserable any time they can if they don't like you and yes - stuff always quit and all the valuable people working there for past 10-15 years are already gone. It just speaks for itself. Customer service is for sure not in their agenda - they don't care about the kids and their families, all we are is just $$ numbers in new owner revenues.

Posted: November 19, 2013

All staff is wonderful my child was doing great but had to pull her out. However the administration has lost all my respect. They're rude to the parents. They're mean to children they don't like. Staff always quit and diverce people are always hired in their place. Not that there is anything wrong with that but they can hardly speak English.

Posted: August 26, 2013

A Montessori education gives the children the opportunity to learn at their own pace, choose their own work, and work independently, while ensuring that they get the critical academic, social and leadership skills necessary to succeed in the modern world. OSM excels at providing such an environment for the children. OSM fosters a love of learning that encourages children to learn how to find their own path and passions. My own children have been blessed to have teachers who encourage their love of reading and math. My oldest son was working on multiplication and division when he was in kindergarten as well as attending first grade lessons for his reading. The teachers worked with him to ensure he enjoyed being a leader in kindergarten as well as doing the first grade work. My youngest son is entering kindergarten reading at a first grade level and learning addition and subtraction. The nurturing, guidance and encouragement they have received from their teachers help them get the confidence to continue to excel academically as well as develop as well rounded people, with growing leadership skills and respect for others.

Posted: August 14, 2013

My daughter had been attending OSM since she was 15 months old (shes 2 1/2 now) and is growing into a very thoughtful, inquisitive and polite girl with their guidance. She is nurtured on every level by the teachers in her class and loves her friends there. I have been kept updated and included in all aspects of her schooling. Anything that comes up is brought to my attention immediately with her health or learning or routine - I feel so comfortable with her being at OSM. Special needs for her diet/health recently were met with complete support and application by her teachers. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate and trust the team here that helps this single Mom keep her girl safe, happy and her mind challenged daily!! Thank you, OSM!!

Posted: July 31, 2012

OSM goes above and beyond the education of the chldren. The staff is nurturing, professional and sees each child as an individual. Concerns or questions are addressed in a positive way and as a parent, I always felt part of the educational team. I have one child who completed 6th grade at OSM and is flourishing in the public school. My other child is still at OSM and will stay there through sixth grade. This school is a gem!

Posted: July 19, 2012

Our family did not heed the warnings of some parents on this site, however we should have. We still like the Montessori philosophy of teaching but this particular school should be shut down. The "directoress" and the "administrator" have no clue as to how to relate to pre-school children nor do they care to. They are cold, rude and frankly, lazy. They think highly of themselves, but the children...not so much. Run, don't walk away from this school.

Posted: November 15, 2011

This school embodies the worst interpretation of a Montessori education! As a parent of a young 3 year old, I was shocked at the cold clinical treatment his teacher gave him. I was informed of this during a parent teacher meeting! I cannot believe someone leave alone a teacher would treat such small kids like that. My kid is now very happy in another Montessori school and we've never looked back!

Posted: October 8, 2011

As a parent of OSM kid in Kinder garden, I find that these guys are not flexible at all. They run their school at their own will...Parents have no say whether about frequent updates or any sort of requests are rejected on face. I have never seen such disrespectful asst directress. They apply the policy of a good cop bad cop. the Primary Directress cannot or will not involve in any sort of serious discussions. It is the asst. that does the talking in a very rude and disrespectful manner. Once we join the kids there is a fee of two months tuition if we have to take them out of the program. I wonder if this school is in US or some wehre else

Posted: April 29, 2011

As an educator at a public school who is putting both my children through Montesorri education, I would highly recommend this type of education for your child. OSM taps into the child's independence, making them responsible human beings who grow up appreciating the act of learning. Their curiosity is developed through integrative, thematic, and center work that allows the students to become accountable for their own learning. In terms of parental involvement, parents that take the time to participate are those who see the value of this type of education. I recommend this school to anyone who wants to see how a nurturing environment can foster independence and create responsible citizens in all areas of learning.

Posted: January 6, 2011

Beware! My son came home one day and told me he had eaten meat. I was a little unsettled by this as we had filled out many forms indicating our dietary preference and that did not include meat. I had gone in to talk to the teacher about this and brought it up hoping she would say that she didn t know that he had eaten it and would promise to take more care in the future. Instead, I was told that it was his free will as to what he ate followed by a lecture as to how he would benefit from the extra protein. I cannot imagine how the "free will" approach would work with a kid with peanut allergies who is about to reach for some from the snack table. I removed him from that class immediately and placed him in another as they would not refund the money for the rest of the year. The other teacher seemed nice. The office was quick to work on implementing this change and I was satisfied with that. He is now in another school where he is flourishing. Frankly there are much better schools and I would not recommend this school to anyone as you have no choice as to which teacher you want and they match up children with teachers with no knowledge of the child's nature.