Daffodils Preschool: A Progressive Montessori

Being a very cautious and paranoid parent, I did EXTENSIVE research into several schools in the area before choosing Daffodils. It has an impeccable record. After spending months looking through parents' comments online , physically meeting several parents whose kids went there, and checking independent sources, this school came out a clear winner. I have a VERY difficult time trusting my child to anyone's care after a very bad and traumatic experience I had with an earlier care provider, and so for me to trust my child with Daffodils, that says and means A LOT. In fact, the care, warmth and meticulousness demonstrated by the staff and management has really helped me as a parent to trust again. The owners and management are always willing to go the extra mile, which shows in the consistency, quality and low turnover rate of their staff, the word of mouth business this school gets and the no. of satisfied parents I have met. Every parent deserves the peace of mind that I finally have found with Daffodils.
--Submitted by a parent

Please do you research into this school. We had a very serious issue happen regarding our son and seriously advise parents to find another center for your childcare needs. I would suggest looking into the state websites.
--Submitted by a parent

I couldn't be happier with the care,education and nurturing my boys receive at Daffodils Montessori Preschool. I was looking for a school with values and that would focus on their individuality and education rather than a "daycare" environment plus I needed to be able to afford the school:)!. My sons LOVE Daffodils Montessori Preschool. It is the best feeling in the world to see them so excited about going to school - I love hearing "mommie I had a great day:-)!"... "momme I did... and we did..." I feel very confident that they are getting great instruction in academics and learning essential life skills through the Montessori method. The staff is awesome..patient, sincere, gentle and their love of children shows everyday. I highly recommend Daffodils Montessori Preschool to anyone who is looking for a Montessori school for their children!
--Submitted by a parent

My husband and I were lucky enough to have his mother watch our son while we worked. After our son turned 2, we noticed that he sought the companionship of children his age as he was an only child. We decided to put him in a Montessori School when he turned 2 so he could play with children his age and attain the essential knowledge needed for his age group. We interviewed four schools and knew from the moment we stepped into Daffodils that it was the place for us! All of the staff was friendly and, most importantly, the kids were smiling. We didn t see much of that at the other schools. Our son is now in the Apple Room and LOVES his teachers, the classroom and his classmates. He runs into school with a smile on his face. The first thing he does when he gets to his classroom is give his teacher a big hug. As a parent, it makes you feel good knowing that you are leaving your child in good hands. I would definitely recommend Daffodils!
--Submitted by a parent

Daffodils came highly recommended to us when we evaluated preschools for our daughter. She started daffodils at 18months and is now in her last year prior to kindergarten. She could not be happier and neither could we! She started as a shy, timid toddler and has blossomed into a very confident young child. Every teacher we have had has been terrific. They are passionate about teaching, and always offer tips and suggestions for at home activities to help your child grow. The school is family owned and operated, and they are passionate about the progressive Montessori approach to education. In addition, the vast majority of teachers have remained the same since she started which has created a very stable environment for our child. We highly recommend Daffodils for any parent. If we had to do it all over again, we wouldn t change a thing!
--Submitted by a parent

When our daughter was 3 years old we started looking for preschools.My husband was very particular about joining our daughter in a MontessoRi school.So we started looking around and heard about Daffodils through a family member.We liked what we saw and enrolled her in a 2 day program but within months we moved her to 5day program.She enjoyed everyday of it.Daffodils gave a good foundation in reading , science and math.The classrooms are neat and well organised and the teachers are loving and caring..Thanks to Daffodils she is way ahead at reading in her grade and loves to paint. Their unique approach to encouraging children develop their individual interest and at the same introducing them to different things proved invaluable when she started kindergarten. Our son just started in the2 day program at Daffidils and he loves it.
--Submitted by a parent

We enrolled our son in this school when he was 4 years-old, for full-day preschool. At the time, I was not well-versed in the philosophies of Rudolf Steiner and of Reggio Emilia. I could see, however, that the sizes of the classrooms and the relatively small percentage of activities were child directed meant that Daffodil's had precious little Montessori DNA. Now that I know more about Steiner and Emilia, I can say with confidence that this school uses none of their philosophies. Ultimately, it was their inflexibility and the overcrowding that led us to withdraw our son. At 4 1/2, he had not napped for over a year, and was asked to remain laying down, doing nothing, for an hour every afternoon. The school was not willing to work with us on this. I can appreciate how much the teachers needed that break, teaching way too many students in such tiny, linoleum-covered classrooms. But it was silly, really. If you want a place your child will be safe and probably entertained, fine. But if you're looking for anything to do with Montessori, Steiner or Emilia, keep on looking. It will not be found at Daffodil's.
--Submitted by a parent

It was a difficult decision on choosing a preschool for my little girl. We didn't want to leave her with anyone. We wanted to feel safe, it was hard at the time thinking about leaving her with a strager...It was her first year away from us. We didn't really know anyone in the area so we were doing the research all on our own. When we went to daffodils first for a tour we loved the faciltiy. It was a school not daycare enviroment. That was what first got our attention. We loved that they had extra activities each day, yoga, fun bus, music, art, computers, cooking, .. very structured. Fun programs during the holidays (we all love to see our kids on stage or enjoy a fun party). They make an extra effort. The tuition is very reasonable for what they offer. The teachers and staff are very sweet and take good care. She has attending the school for 2 years. This coming fall she will start KD. The Montessori teaching is wonderful. She's very prepared for KD. She's reading, adding and subtracting and so much more... I will be sending our son when he's of age. We would recommend this school to anyone!
--Submitted by a parent

I was concerned about putting my daughter in a strict Montessorri environment. I started her at Daffodils because it seemed to have a positive environment with many activities. She started out at 2 years old and went until she started kindergarten. I can't begin to tell you how impressed I was with her progress. Her vocabulary increased immediatly, she became more independent, and she was learning her letters and numbers at such a young age. When she started kindergarten, she already knew much of what they were teaching. She also seemed much more mature than other children who had just been in a mother's day out program or at home. I'm so thankful to Daffodils and their teachers for preparing my daughter for school!
--Submitted by a parent

This was my daughters first preschool at 2. I was dissatisfied with how little Montessori experience she was getting for her age and found (after volunteering) that the kids spend a lot of time sitting waiting for the next activity, then sitting again. The classrooms are too small which is why they move them from room to room for activity. I feel this wasted a lot of time where again, the kids were sitting or lining up. I did not see any true Montessori stations or lesson where they were choosing activities on their own and bringing it back to their table. The co-teacher displayed no joy or affection and sure looked like she hated her job (even as I sat there to volunteer). I was miserable experiencing it for just one day and immediately pulled my daughter to look for a new school.
--Submitted by a parent