**Disappointing Experience at Arrow Montessori School** I had my four-year-old daughter enrolled at Arrow Montessori School for ten months, and our experience has been extremely disappointing. Over the last 2 1/2 weeks, I was called almost daily to pick her up from school, significantly cutting into my work hours and adding financial strain to my single-parent, single-earner household. My daughter was bullied by two other children and frequently came home with scratches, bite marks, and bruises. Instead of addressing the issue, the school blamed her for the bullying, claiming she was "bothering" the other children. The staff lacks the skill, education, and patience to handle behavioral challenges in children. They often implied my child had issues but then admitted they weren't psychologists. This inconsistency was frustrating and unhelpful. Furthermore, the school engages in excessive fundraising, with my daughter participating and helping generate several hundred dollars. However, none of this money seemed to benefit her class. The staff also lacks resources and understanding to support neurodivergent children, expecting all students to behave like well-behaved little robots. The school does not adhere to the traditional tenets of Maria Montessori's teachings. Instead of fostering independence and curiosity, the children are frequently made to perform songs and dances. Additionally, the staff's impersonal approach, referring to me as "mother" rather than knowing my name, was disheartening. During the last 2 1/2 weeks, my daughter experienced tantrums, leading the school to give me an ultimatum: either put her in therapy or she would not be allowed to attend the summer camp. This caused me a great deal of anxiety and sleepless nights, adding to the overall stress of the situation. Each time we approached a solution, another hurdle was placed in our way, including limiting her school hours to 9 am-12 pm or after 2 pm. The treatment my daughter received from the administration was particularly troubling. The administrator would often mock her, saying, "What? What are you saying? I don't understand you." My daughter has been diagnosed with a speech disorder, which I had informed the school about, and she is receiving speech therapy. Despite this, they spoke to her as if she was stupid. Because of her speech difficulties, she sometimes tries to communicate with her hands, and they have also asked her if her "hand was broken." They treated my child like there was something wrong with her. I offered to sit in the classroom to observe her interactions with the other children and was denied, being told it was against their policy, which seemed very suspicious. Eventually, they allowed me only 15 minutes, during which I observed a child push my daughter hard onto the concrete floor. Very little was done by the teacher to correct this behavior. The administrator said that only a child psychologist was allowed to observe children in the classroom and proceeded to tell me that there were a few kids who are autistic and have behavioral issues in the classroom, but you wouldn't be able to tell because their parents could afford their own therapists. I couldn't tell if she was being honest or just trying to make it seem like I wasn't doing my part as a parent to promote my child's well-being. I felt like I was being gaslit. Additionally, the playground is in disrepair, with wood splintering, structures leaning, and plastic pieces popping up, potentially causing harm to the children. The outside bathroom is also disgusting and poorly maintained, adding to the overall neglect of the facilities. Given the substantial funds raised through fundraising efforts and the high Montessori tuition fees, the school should be able to afford necessary upgrades and maintenance. Moreover, the school has implied religious affiliation with New Creation Church, making it a private sector institution that also receives tax exemptions by being a "church" school. This makes the lack of proper facilities and support even more unacceptable. When I went to discuss changing daycare providers with the school district, I learned that one of Arrow Montessori's long-standing teachers had left to work for the district. Additionally, two receptionists and another teacher left within just a few weeks or short months of each other. This high turnover rate indicated deeper issues within the school's management and environment. The school lacks compassion and seems more focused on giving the appearance of a great school to appease the wealthiest parents while mistreating and dismissing those who aren't as fortunate. I do not recommend Arrow Montessori School. Our experience was marked by bullying, inadequate support, unsafe facilities, and a lack of true Montessori principles. read more

Arrow Montessori School - Badly weathered with raw exposed wood and leaning playground equipment - Preschools Near Me - San Dimas, California

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Arrow Montessori School of San Dimas is a fantastic school that provides a loving, enriching, safe environment for children. All three of my children have thrive attending this school read more

Arrow set my kids up for success. They are thriving thanks to the great academics, supportive emotional development, excellent caring teachers and staff. We wish we had a third kid to send to this school. Highly recommended. read more

My toddler boy really likes it here. Teachers are great, super friendly and welcoming and the facility is nice. My son is learning a lot and happy. Even tho it's covid there are still fun activities and I think it's important for kids social development. I'd highly recommend this school. read more

I have to admit, I selfishly waiting to post this review because this is the BEST KEPT SECRET for childcare and infant schooling. I have been sending my baby girl (1 year old) for the last few months and it has been the best thing that has ever happened to our family! As soon as we started sending her, we noticed: 1) She's way more social! Her stranger danger is not as bad and she loves interacting with people. 2) Our pediatrician said that she is developmentally advanced (whatever that means!) so she now waves, laughs, plays peek-a-boo and is talking more. 3) She has a set schedule and routine. She naps regularly and the school does such a great job of communicating everything. We get weekly reports sent home. 4) My daughter felt so at home, even grandma started getting a little jelly ;) My daughter is a mix of Indian and Hawaiian and it was very important that she had a diverse school and teaching staff. I truly appreciated all of the cultures and languages that my daughter was exposed to. The entire staff is amazing but Ms. Gabby, Ms. Hubba and Ms. Chrissy are phenomenal! Ms. Carol is just a sweet soul and I am forever grateful! read more

Before I decided Arrow Montessori. I went on shopping to different daycare. There were alot around Glendora and San Dimas but some were over crowded. With Arrow, the corridors were secured. The hallway is wide and well ventilated, the play area were on the trimmed grass with safe playgrounds. Teachers are all very capable, systematic, and so good at potty training.. My son enjoyed Spanish class, attended Brick/Lego class, Swimming class, and the 8-week summer camp going to different educational field trips! Now my son is 3, he can count to 30. Can recognize days in the Calendar, can trace letters, and a lot more! He has a very good expressive and receptive skills. Thanks to Arrow Montessori! read more

Arrow Montessori School - Hallway - Preschools Near Me - San Dimas, California

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The teacher literally physically abused my child. I didn't pay attention when he was there. Later he told me what a horrible experience he had there. I regret sending him there and not standing up for him. read more

I really loved having my son at this school, for the time that we did. All of the teachers were so friendly and capable, and I felt that he was safe and well cared for, as well. The staff is respectful and understanding, especially Ms. Carol. The only reason we switched my son to a new school is because we moved to a different area, but we do miss it a lot! I may even just make the longer drive in order to send him back, in the future, if our family can make it work. Thanks to all of the staff at Arrow Montessori for such a great experience. read more

They've been really great with caring for my daughter. We are always amazed at so many of the new things she has learned.

Egos are large here, expect tremendous resident to suggestions. They have the experience but not the drive for excellence. Number one in the past will continue to fall. read more

It's a good stadium and everyone likes it very much. The staff are very loving Very friendly

We have had our children in this Montessori since preschool and my daughter will be moving on to first grade come fall. We have been at previous Montessoris and what stands out most about this Montessori is their turnaround with the teachers. That is, they don't have any! These dedicated, hardworking, nurturing teachers have been around for 20-25 years! So often I see older kids walk in to say hello to their dearest former teachers. They love their kids (students) and are committed to preparing them for the next level of education. I feel other Montessoris tend to be so focused on the "Montessori way" that they are hands off in the independent learning of student. But not at this location, they are hands on and give the attention needed to each child to make sure they progress upwards. Most of all the seasoned teachers and school director bring a high level of love and nurturing that is required for these young kids to feel happy in their learning environment. Highly recommend this school to every parent who expects a lot out of their children's learning/social experience. read more

Our three kids have been at Arrow since they were infants.They are in 3rd,4th and 5th grade now. Their pre-school program is one of the best in the area. Not only did our kids receive all the love and care they needed from the wonderful pre-school teachers,but they were reading by the time they were in kindergarten! Now that they are in elementary, they have achieved so much academically,and socially. recently they scored 3 to 4 grade levels higher in state testing.We couldn't be happier at finding this great school. Our kids will continue at Arrow until Jr.High. We would gladly recommend this school to anyone wanting the best academic experience for their kids. read more

Extremely rude here. I should have read the reviews before even scheduling a tour, as quite a few people have noted that they have received rude service. I am looking for a new school for my four year son. I met with Carol, and she asked if he was currently in school, and I told her no. Her response was "I don't understand why he's not in school ... school started in September and he's four," (mind you, school is NOT required for four year olds, but he has been going to school since he was 2 & is very intelligent) then she looked over at my son and was like "is he okay?" My son is perfectly fine, however was a little nervous to be at a new school and see so many new people (as a lot of four year olds would be.) At this point I already wanted to leave, but proceeded... during the tour, I shared some of my questions and concerns, and Carol says "if I could assess him, I would say he would do better in a small class size, with a lot of 1-1 attention." Who is she to "assess" my son after seeing him for five minutes? I couldn't believe how rude, and judgmental this whole experience felt. I will obviously not be enrolling my son here. read more

Horrible experience! My son's pants were wet from time to time when I picked him up at noon. The teachers are just neglecting their duty on the children. I pulled my child right out after experiencing this for a short period. The student and teacher ratio is relatively high compared to other 2 year old class at other schools. Definitely the worst decision of mine in my life..... read more

This School was Overall Horrible. The Teachers Were Extremly Rude. It Was My Mistake For This school. Change Open door policy. I emailed to get information and they ignored us. So Overall I Had A Bad Experience at Arrow Montessori School read more

As with any school, the teachers are the heart of it and this school can boast of the best. My 12 year old and 9 year old have been at this school since the age of 4 and I've known their staff from the time my niece and nephew (both in their 20s) have attended and graduated from this school. So my review isn't based on one experience with the front office staff that may have had a harried day or a very common rough day with a room full of different personalities but on about 8 years of direct parent teacher interaction. If you care about quality education where study habits and independent thinking are strengthened then this is your school. Quizzes are individualized to the student and the work given is targeted to develop and improve the individual, not the group. It takes dedication to work up separate quizzes and monitor each homework and research paper for each student but don't expect a teacher who won't be accessible to questions. Every pick up session becomes a one on one meeting. If you want a dedicated professional then this is your school. But here is what sells it for me every time: My son once told me in the middle of Target that he appreciated that we work hard to get him a good education after a morning discussion at school. My girl was dealing with issues with classmates and kept it to herself but the teacher noticed and made it a group discussion that really made a difference in the dynamics of the class. It taught all of the students tolerance, patience and perspective. My son was sick for a better part of the school year and the teachers were extremely understanding and caring and worked with us to keep him updated. If you want a school that won't treat your child like a number then this is your school. Ms. Celia, Ms. Rowena, Mr. Raymond, Ms. Mirella are outstanding teachers and you could count yourself lucky to have them as your child's teacher. read more

Wow! So rude on the phone! I had a few questions and got hung on after the 1st question. So rude! I wasn't done, bad customer service. As a parent we have lots a questions but apparently they cannot be bothered. read more

Arrow Montessori is a great school,my daughter started at 5 months old and she adjusted well with teachers and friends.recently she graduated to pre school class room from infant room The classrooms are always being sanitized and updated to keep the children safe and as much as possible "germ free". Everything is properly labeled and very well organized. The teachers are beyond amazing and so super sweet. The children learn from them so quickly it amazes me all the time. I assure you that your child will be loved and treated amazing. The director Mrs. Carol is wonderful!! She remembers every child/parent and graces you with a smile. Even with all the responsibility of running a Montessori she still has a open door and doesn't mind chatting a bit or taking your questions and comments. read more

UPDATE: We love the school more and more. The summer program now includes 4x/week STEM, 2x/week class swim, etiquette class, arts, ceramics, music. Their Facebook and Instagram are full of photos and videos of the activities. Our son looks forward to school everyday. For the upcoming fall, the school is making STEM part of the curriculum twice a week in addition to the already in curriculum Spanish, computer, PE classes. We can't stop singing praises about these positive changes the owner and administrator are implementing. We urge you to join the school and speak to Ms. Carol and Ms. Ann. It's a sterling investment in your child's life. "The momentous Kindergarten graduation of our greatest miracle, our son on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 from Arrow Montessori School of San Dimas reaffirmed our strong belief that our son's best interest is well-served by having him attend the school, which he began at the tender age of 3 months. The school is a second home for our son. As such, it's our ultimate duties to make sure it's a great one in every aspect. We researched and up to the time we write this, we are still confident that it is a right one for our son. The graduation ceremony (as you can see in pictures and video) solidify this. We love the school, the owners, the teachers, the curriculum, the program, the school community and all it offers. Our son thrived under the guidance of all his teachers. He's learning, experiencing activities and forging lifelong friendships. He reads, writes, does math and spelling very well. He enjoys his music, PE, computer and absolutely loves his "Lego class". He and two other students were dubbed "the three musketeers". With the help of the great team in Arrow, we are confident he will do his very best and become a law abiding citizen. Of course, as we are all humans, we are all perfect in our imperfections. Although the school is a concrete, amazing one, there were a couple moments where we were unsure if the school is the one for our son. However, the teachers especially the director make it very easy for parents to bring up all of the concerns. They also listened and addressed them fairly and professionally. Even when we don't immediately agree with what they decide, we always ultimately agree with their judicious decision. Enrolling our son in Arrow is by far the best decision we've made for his future. Keeping him in Arrow until he graduates 8th grade is our goal. It would be a sterling investment in his future." read more

Extremely RUDE!! Called to get information about their school and briefly spoke to the director who was too busy to answer my questions. She actually hung up on a customer. I'm glad that others have had good experiences but I guess I'll never know. read more

I love this school! Of course kids will learn in any school, but the difference is how they learn and the environment in which they do. You basically have 2 teachers in each class making the student to teacher ratio about 1 to 8 on average and 1 to 12 at the very most. The individualized curriculum based on the student and not just the class is something you don't get everywhere. They offer a stem program, bricks 4 kidz and many other extra curricular activities. The teachers and management really do care about your kids here. They are very involved with every single kids education and make sure the parents are very much engaged too. They also know what is going on between the kids in the classroom so you can be confident that any bad behavior is recognized and handled quickly/correctly before problems come up. I also love the school drop-off and pickup. We are not treated like a conveyer belt like other schools where you're not even allowed to get out of the car with your kids. I get to walk my kids into the classroom and talk to the teacher and same thing for pickup. I talk to the teachers every single day...it's amazing and in my opinion makes such a big difference in the kids' education. Bad reviews written here about a phone call, one wet diaper...those are very subjective and have no substance. Listen to parents that have had their kids in the school for years, which this school goes all the way up to 8th grade. Parents have brought their kids' siblings back to this school even 20 years later. The quality of education here is high. I'm very happy with this school. read more

Both of my kids attend school here and I've been wanting to share our experience with parents looking for a daycare/preschool for their little ones. As a working parents, finding a safe and high quality school was top priority for my husband and I. We had a nanny for my older one for since she was a baby, so finding the next best thing was hard to find. I interviewed and visited other schools in the area and Ms. Carol stood out above everyone else. Having a dedicated and compassionate director is crucial for any facility/school, and that is Ms. Carol. My daughter started in the infant room and then transitioned to the primary classroom. I work with children, and seeing how she's developed in the last year shows me how amazing her teachers has been. My infant also enjoys coming to school. They have early drop off and late pick up for super busy parents. In addition, they have different extra curricular activities (music class, swimming, dance, etc.) you can enroll your child in. If you are on the fence about what school to send your child to, this is the place! read more

I revised my review based on our last interaction with the school Like anywhere, there are good and bad things. Initially we were very happy and we had both of our kids at the school. The teachers we had were great and really focused on helping our children as individuals with focused attention based on their individual learning styles. As one moved up in grade, things changed and he was in a class that rarely seemed structured. The teacher was also the director of the school and we were not happy with her style of teaching and we did not trust in her sincerity and feedback about how our son was doing in school. She seemed to want to say whatever would appease us but execution was missing. Our son was bullied in her class and she blamed it on our son for being too shy or doing something the other kid did not like. I was surprised that a director of a school would blame the victum of bullying. To me this showed a lack of leadership and ability. She later explained that the other child's parent were getting a divorce but when I asked her if they ever talked to the parents about their son picking on others, possibly out of frustration, they said they had not. So my son gets beat because they don't want to address the issue?!?! Seems poorly handled. There were times when I would ask the director about things going on at school like an investigation call I got from the sheriff's department into an abuse complaint. The director told me that she knew nothing only to find out she did and that she has once again lied. I lost trust and we moved the kids out to different school as I could not accept this for my kids. I think the complaint was without merit but why lie about it? Again, poorly handled. I think the school is overall good but just some bad experiences from people that should know how to handle these issues a bit better. For the good teachers, I am sorry for the drop in review, you deserve better. read more

Arrow Montessori has been with my daughter's journey for the past 2 years. And they've helped her grow both in academics and character. The teachers care about my daughter's development and guide her to push and achieve what she is capable of at her young age. My daughter is in TK and she is learning Grade 1 math. With the guidance and encouragement of the teachers, she can read books on her own. Me and my daughter loves this school. read more

Excellent school !!!! Excellent staff all around and teachers are wonderful!!!! The building is gorgeous, safe area, can't beat it!!!

Great alternative learning environment to other private schools tied to religious beliefs. Very accepting and accommodating to the students. Plus affordable in comparison. Love this school. read more

This is an absolutely wonderful school full of skilled teacher's and dedicated administrators. They treat my daughter and her peers with love and care. I'm blessed to have found such a great school in our area. Highly recommend!!! read more

We send our 2 daughters, ages 3 and 5 to this school and we are very impressed with the school. The teachers genuinely care about the students. We would highly recommend this school to any other parents looking for a great first education for their children as well as a place to feel safe and nurtured. read more

I just called this school to find out about an intern position. I'm in a very unusual situation, in that I've started my Elementary training in Dallas, but had to take a leave of absence because of my husband's illness and subsequent death in Europe. My school terminated my position, but my training center is allowing me to complete my training at another school. I will be moving home to Covina in the next month, and planned to find a school that would take an intern. The woman who answered the phone said that 1."We don't give out the name of our director, you can tell me what you want." 2. I said that I have an unusual situation, and I would like to make time to talk to someone about it. Then she interrupted and said, "Just tell me what it is, I'm in a hurry." I said, "I think I will try someplace else," She said, "Gooood Luuuckkk!!" Wow! I'm a professional educator, worked all over the world, and have never been treated like this during an initial phone call. I hope she treats parents and children with more respect. read more

My child went to Arrow Montessory for 1 year. The program is good and lots of nice toys and puzzles. But the teachers believe in yelling to make their point and roughing up the kids to make sure the kids get it. Now with their no more 'open door policy' I do not know what they do with the kids once they are dropped off. I am not comfortable and will take my child out this week. read more

My daughter attended the preschool age and she learnt a lot from this school when compared to the other preschools she went. Ms. Sheila and Ms. Lauren were great in interacting with the kids. Unfortunately we had to move to a different city. She misses the teachers she the school. read more

Director of school is extremly rude, based on how she spoke to me just with an inquiry about openings, I turned around and walked out. Glad they are doing so well, must not be interested in another student or tuition. Went to Gateway Montessori and are happy. read more

Was looking forward to this school for my second son after my first son had 4 years of the Montessori system in another city. Love this system! But this school in my opinion needs to reevaluate how they handle incoming children. On my son's first day of school no one bothered to take him on a tour, take him by the hand and comfort him let alone even speak to him so he can feel comfortable. I ended up staying there myself for over an hour showing him around, watching him warm up to the kids while neither the teacher or assistant teacher even spoke 1 word to him! Once he felt comfortable, the teacher just pulled him by the arm as you would a dog by a leash when he is scared! This is NOT the way you earn a child's trust! This is how you give them anxiety!!! I did not allow this to happen and told the teacher this is not acceptable! Long story short, no one even bothered to warm up to my son after being in the class for 30 minutes! they completely ignored him as they did 2 other kids when they were crying on the playground. This is unacceptable! I'm sorry, but if your staff do not love children, they should not be working there!!! I immediately made the decision to pull him out! This was not the school for him! I was extremely disappointed in the leadership of this school. It is a reflection of the directors. If you truly love your kids, spend some time there.... observe the staff and you can make your own evaluation! I pray they make the changes necessary to have better staff that don't just ignore the kids that are scared or feeling anxious! read more

1/2/15, on Friday the school is off, I have to work, my wife has to work, and we are paying still the full tuition. At least I hope the teachers are paid for the day off, totally deserve it instead of owners pocketing it. read more

Best experience ever, I don't usually write reviews, but couldn't help myself when i saw much of negative ones. Moved to the united states in 2011. And coming from a whole different background , my boys didn't speak or understand english at all. Started the school year, with a lot of attention and motivation, my kids started enjoying going to school every single day. Teachers are so caring, and attentionate to ALL students. Giving them care , education ,and knowledge . School level is beyond compare, all children are at least one level above average. Classes are small, kids are encouraged to help, respect and challenge each other in a friendly , healthy environment . best thing is that kids gets a one to one attention from their teachers, pretty much as private tutoring , because its a small school. I love this school, never in my lifetime saw kids running to go to school early in the morning, and willing to stay late in the afternoon. Wish this school goes up to high school. Kids are the judges, and they have made a point!!!! read more