Starwood Montessori School

My child was in a primary classroom for a calendar year with a break for summer. Academically, the program has been excellent for my child, who is reading and doing simple math prior to kindergarten. The school is clean, orderly, quiet and calm. On the down side, lunch has to be packed because the hot lunch provider is not good. They do refrigerate lunches. The outdoor playground in very small and there isn't a big enough outdoor space for bigger kids to really run around. They have a gym and movement class once a week, but the class didn't go outside to play every day; only when the weather was perfect, rather than not going out only when the weather was bad. The car pool lane available to non-Starwood residents is too small and crowded, creating dangerous congestion on Lebanon, and there's usually nowhere to park in the too small lot. The school has a lot of days off. This is difficult for working parents. They set up expectations for a lot of parent participation in activities resulting in disappointment for kids if parents can't be there. The excellent academics may justify the inconvenience and inadequately sized facility if Montessori methods are a good fit for your child.
--Submitted by a parent

Both of my grandchildren are a part of the Starwood family. Their experiences have been positive ones regardless of the level or rooms in which they are placed. As an educator, I know what to look for and Starwood has everything that is good for kids. They learn how to learn, which is paramount to success in school and life in general . Establishing good study habits and learning how to explore central ideas is the root of all learning. I ve had several students who attended Montessori schools and all of them had good study habits, which aided in their overall success in school. While some may see the school as sterile and cold, I see it as a healthy environment for learning life skills. As for the director, I had the privilege of having her in my class many years ago. She is smart, caring, and dedicated. She runs a tight ship because she has the lives of our precious children in her hands and those of her teachers. I am about to have a new grandchild and when she is old enough, she too will attend Starwood until she is ready for public school.