We switched our eldest to Fayerweather at the start of 3rd grade seeking a school where the…read morelearning would be significantly challenging, values-rooted, and joyful. We wanted a place where our inquisitive kid could really stretch her edges and feel comfortable taking academic risks (and sometimes making mistakes). Now 12, she has a deep sense of who she is and what matters to her - and this strong sense of self has allowed her to take risks (academically and socially) and push herself as a learner and community member. She understands that justice and community are the essential foundations for learning and social impact. Our younger child (now 7) started at FSS in kindergarten and we have found that, while quite different from his older sibling, he is just as seen, valued, and supported. He has gotten incredible guidance navigating his intensity and high energy, and he is academically challenged in just the right ways - he works on meaningful problems and his sense of accomplishment is significant. Fayerweather has helped him have a voice and language for his feelings, his challenges, and his successes. The loving support and developmentally appropriate and thoughtful curriculum have allowed him to discover his best self and build the skills and agency to choose his actions wisely. FSS is all we hoped, for both kids.

We just started school at Fayerweather this fall, and my 1st grader and 6th grader cannot get over…read morehow friendly the school community is. My son came home from school after his second week of being a new kid (a middle schooler, no less -- in the 6th grade) and said "mom I give it 5 stars!!! Everyone is SO nice, teachers and kids, and I love it!!!." Now that we are four months in, happily his review remains. He also says that his homeroom and math teacher is "literally THE best math teacher" he's ever had. I'm continually impressed with how in touch with my son's learning style the teachers are, and he's growing leaps and bounds. My 6 year old daughter, who is usually shy, is coming out of her shell socially and is really starting to take to reading (which she has avoided prior to Fayerweather). Her teachers are incredible and so in tune with her and helping her to grow where she is ready to, and there is such insight into the social emotional ecosystem of the classroom. Fayerweather has the academics *and* the community we'd hoped for -- the school has a joyful, healthy, connected vibe and is inclusive and diverse to boot. We couldn't be happier.

Incredibly happy we made the decision to send our 3 year old twins to Parkside! The staff is…read morewonderful - owners and classroom teachers really care and go above and beyond to give the kids a fun-filled experience with so much variety in what they do. Lots of creative art projects. I expected the transition from their old daycare to this new preschool to be tough, but our boys loved Parkside from basically day one. Also, quite affordable ( compared to some other local options) for the quality of the school. I also really appreciate the flexibility of hours with before school and after school hours for working parents. So glad we found them!

A great experience for kids! As we arrived from France in…read morethe middle of the year, we were quite worried about finding a pre-school that would welcome our 2 boys even if they were speaking only french. All the team at Parkside welcomed them so warmly. They enjoyed so much their time there, doing a lot of fun and various activities in a peaceful and smiling environment. I highly recommand!

The food here is great. Lindsay is a good cooker. She makes…read morethe best macaroni and cheese.

My daughter has been going here for 4 years. At first the axiety of going to school was completely…read morecalmed down. Then when she started to learn the ways of new learning things became more enjoyable for her. With that became success and proud in ones self. Her self esteem started to blossom and became a happier child. She saw her grades improve and is just beaming. Now I am just dealing with the teenage social girl drama...and I will take this over anything else.

Cambridge Montessori School embraced both of my children and placed them at the center of the…read morelearning experience. They love going to this school and their CMS experience has taught them to love learning. My second grader interacts with adults gracefully and articulately because of the skills and confidence this schooling experience has given her. CMS has an excellent arts, music, and drama offering and the teachers encourage academic excellence. I would recommend CMS to any parent looking for a school that supports a curriculum that encourages independence and confidence in addition to accelerated learning.

The school culture is rigid and judgmental, with a culture of pathologizing normal toddler…read morebehavior. Some of the things that made us withdraw our 3yo mid-year: Despite a stated open-door policy, parents were actively discouraged from involvement in or visiting the classroom. In March, a formal school memo forbade parents from speaking to each other at drop-off/pickup, asked parents to drop their children off at the front door instead of at the classroom door, and instructed parents not to carry their children or their children's belongings. The memo specifically suggested that any discipline problems at home were caused by not following the same rigid "expectations" as the school. When our son was afraid to use the toilet at school, the teacher forced him to sit on the toilet for 45 min while he cried in frustration. He was criticized for not doing work exactly the way the teachers wanted (e.g. sorting puzzle in the "right" order). In a parent conference, we were told our son was "too literal" because asked where rain came from, he said "From the sky," not "From clouds." He was already reading and adding at 3, but we were told this, along with his shyness, were signs of a possible psychological problem. We were bullied to take him for autism screening, even after a specialist and our pediatrician said he was likely fine. Administration, up to the head of school, either ignored problems or blamed us. When we sent a formal letter detailing our complaints, the school offered us a partial tuition refund if we signed a nondisparagement agreement. We refused. We've since learned other families had similar experiences. If you click on Yelp's "non-recommended reviews"--which are weeded out by algorithm--you'll see that other families have made similar complaints.

Both our children attended Belmont Nursery School (BNS!) for preschool, including Pre-K, and over…read morethe course of 8 years. During those 8 years, the school maintained its main focus - teaching children to develop strong relationships with their peers and teachers. Both my children are now in elementary school and are still close with their BNS friends. The BNS teachers teach children how to be a part of a group, how to express themselves, share, compromise, play, and learn joyfully together. Sure, you'll find schools with fancier facilities, bigger playgrounds, and more "rigorous" academics, but BNS' focus on friendship and play is refreshing, age-appropriate, and long-lasting. These social-emotional skills is what has allowed both my children to flourish academically in elementary school. The staff is professional and approachable, caring and good-humored. Not only do my kids miss their BNS days, but I miss them too!

My recently four-year-old daughter started at Belmont nursery school summer camp at the end of…read moreJune. We are now in the middle of August and it has been a fantastic experience. The teachers there are amazing the class sizes are small and especially during the pandemic their cleanliness standards are through the roof. Love the diversity, love the other families, love that we can walk there. And while I feel for the parents who are experiencing back to school anxiety amongst a pandemic, I'm quite relieved that my daughter will transition seamlessly from the summer camp to the preschool.

My kids have been attending summer camp at Belmont Day for the last few years. Their program is…read moreamazing. I really appreciate that they swim 2x/day (lesson in the morning, free swim in the afternoon). The counselors are awesome. The staff - led by Zach - is super well organized. They send you all the detailed info that you need to know including theme weeks, what to bring and what not to bring, etc. Pick up and drop off are easy. The facilities are nothing short of amazing - including a huge indoor "barn" which is really an AC space that has multiple bball courts downstairs and art/music upstairs. The camp groups are small so our kids have made good friends and have had a great experience here for multiple years and counting. Be sure to register as soon as registration opens up because spots fill up very fast!

Amazing school. Caring, sensitive, creative...lives up to its stated values and mission statement,…read morewhich is a rare find.

When looking for a school for our children six years ago, we found Kingsley Montessori and were…read morevery impressed by the staff and the educational program. We decided to our have our children attend the school and are very happy that we did. By utilizing the Montessori method in the younger classes and weaving it in to the older classrooms (which go through 6th grade), Kingsley offers a creative, fun, and effective way of learning. Not only are our children achieving academic success, but they both also love going into the classroom each day. As a family, we adore the caring and thoughtful staff and the overall school community. Highly recommend.

Kingsley has been the best learning experience for my child. In his first year of attendance, I saw…read morea marked change in my son's curiosity, adaptability, resilience, and thoughtfulness. His teachers care not only about his educational growth, but are invested in his personal growth-- taking time to learn about his interests and passions and finding ways to bring these (and the passions of all his classmates!) into the classroom. We can't wait to send our daughter to the school next year and watch her thrive, too.

Great school. Our son is a Freshman. He's transitioned easily because of the attention they give to…read moreeach students needs. Everyone at the school is clearly happy to work there and they love students and families. Feel lucky to be part of this community.