Edmonds Montessori School

When he started in September, our son was withdrawn socially, wouldn't participate in class activities, didn't talk much in school, was resistant to instruction, etc. Now, in April, he's consistently engaged with the other kids, his vocabulary is thru the roof, sits with the group at circle time, and (for the most part) does what he's told. I'm early to pick our son up from school every day and watch the class thru the window, and I can say that Christi is great at her job and puts a lot of effort and caring into her work. As far as being in the business to make money...well obviously. We're all in our own line of work to make money to support our families. Is she in this JUST to make money? I don't believe so; not even a little bit. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty with our son and in my opinion she truly cares about these kids and their development. There are several families that live as far away as Everett that go thru a lot of hassle to get their kids to downtown Edmonds to attend this school every day. Seems like a lot of work for a 1 star school. I would recommend this school to anyone and everyone.
--Submitted by a parent

My son and daughter attended Edmonds Montessori for a total of 5 years from 2006 through 2011. Christi and Esma provided them with an incomparable foundation for success in elementary school and cared for them unconditionally. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this school to every new parent I meet in the Edmonds community, which is also my hometown.
--Submitted by a parent

We have had such a wonderful expierence at Edmonds Montessori. We have seen a noticable improvement in our sons development and behavior (which we atribute to the love and care shown to him by his teachers)!
--Submitted by a parent

My second child currently attends school here, and my third child will be going here as well. We live a bit out of the area and drive a bit to get here, but I looked into a number of schools before deciding upon this one and have been very pleased. There are numerous returning families here, which I believe says a lot about a school. There are families that drive from Lynnwood, Lake Forest Park, Everett, and Mukilteo because of the teachers here. I am appalled at the comment that the owner does not care about the children - our children have always felt cared for, cherished, and respected here, as have their parents. The teachers, including the owner, put the children and their needs and individual characteristics first. They are very skilled in dealing with children with different needs. They take personal time to help you if you or your child needs it. I have found no other school in the area that compares if you are looking for an environment that nourishes, teaches, gives your child lifelong skills, etc. - just basically a lot of day care atmospheres tagged as preschools. I agree, please visit schools and make your own decision. It is very important decision to make!
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been here for the last 2 yrs & will return in September with his sibling. I nannied for children who attended & have always been impressed with the standards of teaching & the attention each child receives. To address a the negative comments below: I strongly disagree that the owner is just there to make money, she loves our children & in my experience works individually to ensure each child gets the best experience possible. My son isn't easy but is thriving under her care. Also, "owner didn't tell any of us" isn't true, she explained what was happening the morning the lice were discovered to the parents present and has done everything within her power to ensure the spread was limited. She is under no obligation legally to disclose and I believe did what she could to avoid the spread of panic. Anyone with young children should know lice are everywhere this time of year and it's wise to check any child's hair often! Also siblings of enrolled children are absolutely not allowed in the classroom (the younger ones often try to sneak in but are stopped at the gate). As always don't rely on reviews, go & talk to the teachers see the school, make an informed, unbiased opinion!
--Submitted by a parent

I'm very happy that my child is thriving in pre-school at Edmonds Montessori. The rich environment and many opportunities keep my child interested and excited to go to school. The teachers are kind and caring and provide quality and appropriate instruction for pre-schoolers.
--Submitted by a parent

I think these 2 last postings are the same person???? I completely disagree that the school owner cares about money she lives for the children. As for the lice issues, why did the last parent not express that during the same timeline there were cases at many elementrys, jr highs, community centers, and churches. No one notifies with a little research he might have found that all it does is stir up panic for a bug that exists in our community.
--Submitted by a parent

Whenever I go to find a new place or service I always check the reviews. So that's why I'm writing this even though I have never written a review before. Looking at these reviews it looks like the school was great in 2009 but by 2012 it was not the case. I can confirm what the other parents said below; there was a lice outbreak and the owner didn't tell any of us for more than two weeks, and even then it was pressured and she took no responsibility. They also have gone through a lot of teachers. They are on the 4th one just this year. When your child is enrolled each parent receives literature or a handbook or something similar. This states that all children must be potty trained, but on multiple occasions I've seen children as young as 3 in pull ups. This would be Ok if it were a daycare but it's not; it's a Montessori. I feel tricked. It was presented as an option to prepare my child for kindergarten but really it's more like a day care. The teachers even allow siblings of enrolled children to come and go in the classroom as they please! How can they run a class this way? On the plus side some of the parents are nice and seem to really care about all the kids.
--Submitted by a parent

We agree with the previous reviewer; there has been a lot of teacher turnover this year, but his is not the biggest problem with Edmonds Montessori. Two days ago we were emailed by another parent telling us to check our daughter for lice. We did and sure enough she had it. It turns out the Montessori had known that there was an outbreak for a full week but had not informed any of the parents. We emailed the owner and received no reply. There are now 7 confirmed cases of lice at the school. We got the owner on the phone to express our outrage that she'd kept the information from us and she replied that she had "no obligation to communicate this to the parents, nor any intent to do so". We are shocked and dismayed by this response. We took it upon ourselves to communicate this to the entire school so at a minimum they could have their child checked. In response we received a voice mail from the owner saying we were abusing the class email list and that we should cease. The owner has no children in the program anymore; her oldest is in college. Her primary motivation is to make money, and your kids and mine are simply a means to an end. We are very disappointed.
--Submitted by a parent

Lots of teacher turnover. One of the two classrooms is already on it's 3rd teacher since school started this fall. The owner is a a teacher in the other classroom, and is definitely more of a business person than a kid-person or educator. She has zero understanding of different temperments or child development. I wish it didn't take us sending our child there to figure this out. It's difficult to know these things or find these things out ahead of time! Although I had heard rumors, I chose to ignore them and send my child there anyway because of how convenient it is and my first impression had been ok.
--Submitted by a parent