Countryside Montessori School

My sons attend Countryside--one is in his second year of preschool and the other is in 2nd grade. I can't say enough about the high quality curriculum, caring teachers, lessons on grace and acceptance that the environment fosters, and the personal care and security my children have felt since the day they walked through the door. My 8-year-old is a special needs student, with perfect mental ability but fairly compromised physical abilities. Countryside has nurtured his fine motor skills development, basic life skills development (dressing, shoe tying, buttoning, etc), and he is excelling, confident in his ability to do everything his friends do in his very own way. The care with which they have helped support his need for social integration has been nothing short of remarkable--I can't imagine being as satisfied in a public school setting. As a result, my older son is smart, confident and happy. And my youngest is thriving as well. He was reading chapter books by the time he turned 5, and his teachers have amazed me with their patient ability to recognize and nurture his sometimes aggressive need for stimulus and learning. I can't say enough about this terrific school.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved to Charlotte from Nashville where our girls were in Montessori from age 3. We were delighted to find Countryside with its hige degree of parent involvement, great history with Standford Acheivement scores, fairly stable teacher retention, and families which helped us feel at home and adjust to our new home town. The PE and sports activities are great for a school of this size. Drama and art are developing, but the biggest draw is the strong adademic prep in a low-pressure setting.
--Submitted by a parent

We have been very pleased with the entire Countryside school system, and looking forward to the new high school grade levels to begin in the fall. There are plenty of extracurricular activites including sports and music classes. Often teachers or parents offer short term after-school classes in many different areas. The teachers are all wonderful, and truly have work at where each child is, and provides direction and help for that child when extra assistance is needed to master a work area. There is a high level of parent involvment at all levels of the school toddlers up through 8th grade. The school works very well due to the partnership between student, parent & teacher(& staff) to work as a whole unit to ensure each child's success to being the bet that child can be. Proud Countryside parent for 9 years and counting! I LOVE this school, and its staff!
--Submitted by Dione Young, a parent