I was very unhappy with the way this school handled my son's behaviors. They did not have enough staff to manage the children and they immediately chose to reduce my son's hours when we had paid the tuition in full as a full time student. We ultimately chose to leave the school midyear and he was very successful at his next school. They also refused to give us the proper credit back for the tuition we paid. Do not recommend BMS at all read more

Hello this is my first time reviewing this school. I was at this school when I was 7 and 8 years old. The teachers there were so terrible and mean because I was trying my best and they always get mad at me especially the science teacher. The science teacher was not very helpful and always kicks me out by going down stairs to the classroom I hope their boss kicks them out and the names was named Mrs appeah and the female science teacher read more

We're entering a new year and I want to update my review of BMS. In the toddler program we had some issues that I won't go into but we stuck it out because our daughter loved and thrived in BMS pre school level. Our son spent last year there and is returning soon. He's had a great time and genuinely feels loved. He talks about the teachers at home fondly and is quite happy to show up on a daily basis, minus the Monday after the amazing weekends that make kids want to stay and play with their parents all week. Thanks to Mrs. Swanson, Mr. Tsutsumi and Mr. David for giving our little guy so many good days. read more

We've had a wonderful experience at this school with our 2-year-old in the toddler program. The school's dedication to the Montessori philosophy is evident in every aspect, allowing our child to develop independence, confidence, and a love for learning. The staff here is amazing! There's hardly any turnover, which provides a stable and consistent environment for the children. Plus, the abundance of supporting staff ensures that each child gets plenty of 1:1 attention. The program director is also fantastic--she's incredibly on top of things and always approachable for any questions or concerns. The classrooms are always kept clean, and it shows. Our child doesn't fall sick nearly as often compared to our friend's kids who go to other schools. This has been a huge relief. Communication at the school is excellent. We appreciate the verbal handoff we get during pickups, and the e-platform (Transparent Classroom) they use is a great tool for keeping us updated with hour-by-hour insights into our child's day. School premises feels very safe and secure by design. They have an always locked outer gate, and outsiders including parents have to be let in by the staff. Each classroom then has their own doors and separated from classrooms. The playground is also nicely secured by a strong fence. Lastly, we love the extra sessions they offer for parents. These are a great opportunity to meet other families and learn about important topics related to raising a child. read more

Our two daughters attended Bellevue Montessori's Park Campus and the toddler program was a wonderful experience for both of them. BMS provides an enriching environment and my children were secure, happy and developed a love of learning during their time there. The teachers are loving, engaging and truly go above and beyond to provide a nurturing learning environment. The Montessori method enabled our children to develop independence, confidence and social and emotional skills at a young age. BMS was an integral part of my children's early learning journey and we cannot recommend the school enough. read more

BMS has been an incredible experience for my son, who attended from age 3.5 to 6, including both regular school and summer programs. The school is very organized, and one of the things I appreciated most was the online access to his detailed progress card, which kept us well-informed of his growth and development. The Montessori methodology used at BMS truly allows children to thrive. My son learned a variety of subjects such as math, phonics, geography, and music, all taught in the typical Montessori settings, which promote independence and hands-on learning. The classroom environment is wonderful, with a teacher-student ratio of 3 teachers to 20 kids, ensuring personalized attention and support for each child. Each classroom is also stocked with tons of books, encouraging a love for reading from an early age. We also loved the opportunities for parent involvement in classroom events. It was wonderful to visit the school and have my son proudly show us around and share his work. The afterschool program is fantastic, offering a variety of activities such as soccer, karate, Chinese, drama, Spanish, and more. There's also a yoga class during regular school hours, which my son really enjoyed. BMS takes security very seriously. The front door is locked between drop-off and pick-up times, and there's a check-in system to record attendance. The playground is also enclosed and well-maintained, featuring slides and other fun equipment that the kids love. One of the things we truly appreciated is the easy access to the teachers. Whether it's something we noticed about our son or a change at home, the teachers were always open to discuss his growth. We could chat casually during pickup or set up a more formal meeting if needed. The front desk staff is also incredibly nice and helpful, always providing support when needed. The school's transparency and care in handling children's safety is exceptional. We received timely accident reports even for small incidents, like when my son hit his chin while jumping. The staff acted quickly, gave him an ice pack, and provided an accident report. I often got phone calls to keep me updated, which built my trust in the school's communication. Overall, BMS has helped my son become a confident, happy little person, and I highly recommend this school to anyone seeking a nurturing and academically stimulating environment for their child. read more

Speaking as a parent of two kids, first the bigger brother went to BMS for almost a year, and the little sister went to BMS summer camp. I like the Montessori teaching style so I sent my kids to BMS. The teaching experience is as expected, but there two particular things I don't like about BMS 1. Teacher negligence on problematic kid. My daughter was in other family daycare for 2 years. She's never hurt by any other kid at all. Now she's just been jn BMS summer camp for two weeks, and she already hurt twice seriously, and by the same kid (see picture)! First a serious scratch near the eye, and a serious bite on the arm. And according to the teacher, the kid has hurt other children too. My daughter is now afraid of going to school. 2. Very poor tuition refund handling. With these incident, i of course want to withdraw from BMS. But BMS isn't willing to refund me in my remaining credit in full. I proposed to transfer my credit to my relative who is going to BMS in Sept, BMS still refuses to do so. BMS has been in Bellevue for such a long time, I was definitely expecting a much better experience! read more

Bellevue Montessori School - Bitten by the same kid on the arm - Elementary Schools Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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This is our daughter's third year in the BMS elementary program and we are so happy with the progress she is making academically and socially. She loves science and is always excited to share what she has learned from the Science Specialist. She even got to partake in an end-of-year Star Wars play that the kids put together all by themselves. The summer programs are very diverse and go above and beyond the typical arts and crafts summer camps. This week she is learning to weave in the Fiber Arts session. read more

We have been at this school for 1 year, transferring from a different Montessori program. The teacher and staff did an amazing job helping our daughter transition into the program. She has gained confidence in social skills, academic knowledge, and self empowerment. It has been wonderful to watch her excel in this supportive environment. At conferences it is clear the teacher knows her well and is invested in helping her succeed in areas where she struggles. read more

We researched a lot about montessori programs around the area and chose this Bellevue montessori school among other member schools by American montessori society(AMS) Assuming all Head teachers are montessori trained and certified by the MACTE accreditation. There was a 3 month teacher turn on April 2018 since Jan 2018 at Rossano campus. A new head teacher joined with no montessori certification. When asked they said she is working on it to complete. Given a for profit & private school with 50 years of experience. I would expect these credentials as standard practice to hire for an Head teacher. They don't have a parent teacher meet up event when a new head teacher shows up. Non native English speaking head teacher is frustrating when its hard to understand what she is talking. read more

My son has been at Bellevue Montessori for one year and we have had a great experience. Ms. Lee is wonderful. She is patient, kind, and cultivates the children's love of learning. She takes the time to get to know each child individually and really bonds with them. Our son has learned a lot and feels very comfortable with all of the staff at Bellevue Montessori. read more

We are so happy our son joined the new toddler program this year. Ms. Rangan has been an amazing support through his transition into the program, as she and all teachers in the classroom have helped him develop life and communication skills over this year. As a shy boy, our son is welcomed into activities as he is comfortable and the environment is always supportive and friendly. I love the pictures we get of their activities during the day. Thank you, Bellevue Montessori, for making our son's first school experience positive! read more

My son attended this school for one year, my daughter has attended for two, and I plan to send my toddler son there in a year. My kids were in different classrooms so I had experience with a couple of teachers. This school is absolutely top-notch. Not only were my children cared for by a loving group of teachers (all the classrooms had three teachers at any given time), but they learned to read, write, and do math in their classes. My son just started kindergarten at a public school and he is WAY ahead of the curve. The classes don't push the kids, they just employ excellent teachers who know how to teach. They also pay as much attention to the social emotional aspects of childhood as they do the academic. My daughter is a little shy and they have helped her to become confident in herself. The growth in her over the past two years has been nothing short of amazing. From an administrative perspective, they are organized and helpful. Call were answered. Emails were responded to. My concerns and questions were always addressed. Last thing...they offer Mandarin and soccer after school on-site and my kiddos loved that. read more

The only thing different from public schools and Bellevue Montessori is the class size. Teachers are ill equipped to do anything other than monitor children. read more

My son attended Bellevue Montessori for two years. He absolutely loved it there. His teacher Mrs. Bozkus was so caring and attentive to the children. She would always notice new interests and let me know when she saw me. My son became confident in social settings here and it was a lot of fun to see him develop academically. The price is a little high but I don't think it is unreasonable compared to other montessories. I look forward to sending my daughter here when she is old enough next year. read more

Our daughter has attended BMS since preschool, she is now in 4th grade. We feel so privileged to have gotten to experience such an amazing school. It is truly unique, from the staff and teachers, to the facilities and teaching methods. We had only intended to stay for preschool but with each passing year we couldn't imagine going anywhere else. The foundation it's given our daughter is solid, expansive and deep. Kids learn to absolutely love learning, and develop a strong sense of self and community. They learn such respect and at the same time the ability to think for themselves. They don't memorize facts, they learn at a very deep level. We will always look back on our time at this school with such joy. I cannot recommend it enough. If you have the chance to send your child here, do it! read more

Our son attended this school for 4 years, starting at age 2.5 and going through Kindergarten. I also volunteered weekly in the class for a year, so I had the opportunity to observe the way the class runs. He had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Stromseth, who really knows her students well. Her classroom is well-organized and clean. At the twice yearly conferences, she really showed that she had deep knowledge of how our son was doing, and she had great suggestions and ideas for how to modify areas that I brought up as concerns. The strengths of this school: 1) well-organized, 2) great early childhood teachers, 3) awesome playground, 4) large enough to provide good extras, such as music, PE, Spanish, and after school chess, soccer, etc. Weaknesses: 1) I wish the snacks had been more varied and nutritious (lots of crackers), 2) I wish there was a more formal art program for early childhood, 3) I wish they did more direct instruction in handwriting in Kindergarten. Overall, we had a great experience here and I would recommend it to parents looking for early childhood Montessori education. read more

Our daughter started attending Bellevue Montessori School at 3 years of age. She is a kindergartener this year and will be graduating soon. Our experience with BMS had been outstanding right from the start. The front office and director are always welcoming and highly responsive to questions and concerns. Also a very special shout-out to our classroom teacher - Mrs Stromseth. Mrs Stromseth has several years of experience and knows our daughter extremely well. Her classroom is a nurturing environment where kids are always engaged and learning. Our daughter loves going to school and is always proud to bring her work home. Mrs Stromseth has been a wonderful support for us along the years with thoughtful ideas on managing behaviors and encouraging learning. She's also been very open to suggestions and requests from us to work on specific skills to meet our goals as a family. Our daughter is now reading at least a grade level above, doing addition/ subtraction, early multiplication, and writing in her journal at home regularly. She is also kind and patient with her little brother. We are so thankful to Mrs Stromseth and the entire staff at BMS! read more

I have two children at this wonderful school. A 10 year old boy in Upper Elementary and a 4 year old girl in preschool, both at the Rossano campus building. This school has provided our family with a wonderful educational experience. The atmosphere is one of highest respect and true caring nurturing for our children. I have never felt a qualm about leaving them there. I know they are being attended to and cared for at an utmost level. The preschoolers are always with 2 teachers at least in the room (one being an assistant). The upper elementary classes are small and very unified and close. The Montessori curriculum and materials are awesome. I feel every child should have the opportunity to experience education this way. Maria Montessori understood how children experience and explore and therefore learn. Our preschooler knows so much more than either of us ever did at 4 years old! The classrooms are beautiful, full of light. The support staff amazing. The preschool director, Monica Lalanne and elementary director, Heidi Coleman, both have long histories in Montessori and are excellent. The teachers are outstanding! We are so happy here. Thank you Bellevue Montessori. read more

Both my children had been to BMS from preschool to Kindergarten. I have only good things to say about the teachers and the administrative staff. They all really cared about the whole child and embraced it whole heartedly. They listen to parents and are very accommodating. I recommend this school to all my friends. It has left so much nice memory with all of us that we will forever feel grateful. read more

My son has attended Bellevue Montessori for the last 2 years. As a qualified Montessori teacher I can honestly say I have nothing but positive things to say about it as a school so much so that we will be keeping our son there for Kindergarten. There is always a warm and friendly atmosphere there and I adore my son's teacher. My son recently turned 5 and I have noticed such a progression since he has been in her class. When he started at the age of 3 (after having moved to Seattle from abroad) it took a bit of time for him to adjust. I was so impressed with how his teacher handled and understood his little anxieties and whenever I have sought advice from her or wanted to get an update on something she goes out of her way to help. There are also two assistant teachers in the class and I am very impressed by both of them. The main thing I wanted for my son when we chose the school was for him to be happy there and I know he definitely is. The added bonus is that he is also learning so much, a lot more than I had expected and he is enjoying it. The thought that goes into some of the work they do is fantastic! I can only say good things about the rest of the staff there too. I would highly recommend this Montessori. read more