Our little one attended Country Montessori school for two years in Dragonflies. We loved this school so much. Susan and Jose were extremely welcoming from the very beginning. Setting up a tour and getting more information was a breeze. The facilities are clean, secure, and well thought out. Each classroom is explicitly arranged to encourage exploration and engagement. Ms. Corrales and all the teachers & staff truly care about each student. It always impressed me how they knew every kid's name and family, no matter which classroom or age. Our daughter always felt welcomed, safe, and cared for. As a parent, I truly appreciated the clear and quick communication we received from the newsletters, emails, and updated calendar on the parent portal. All questions were answered quickly. No communication was ever ignored or unaddressed. I looked forward to getting monthly Dragonfly newsletters and seeing photos of all the wonderful things they did. One thing I especially loved was how families were encouraged to come share cultural holidays, celebrations, and food with the class. Our daughter developed leaps and bounds in Dragonflies. A huge shoutout to Ms. Estrada, Ms. Jacdedt, and Ms. Ochoa! She's emerged more confident and capable. She problem-solves and approaches things from different perspectives. She's incredibly compassionate. She loves learning and pursues her curiosity. We see the impact of this school every day. Thank you, Country Montessori! read more

As a parent of a daughter who will graduate from Country Montessori School this year, I find myself feeling both incredibly proud and genuinely excited as she prepares to head to middle school. When I look at the person she has become, I'm honestly amazed. She is confident, outspoken, and comfortable expressing her thoughts in a way I never was at her age. Montessori has played a huge role in that growth. Over the years, she has learned that her voice matters and that she can advocate for herself and others respectfully and thoughtfully. That confidence didn't come overnight, but it's now such a natural part of who she is. She asks questions, speaks up in group settings, and isn't afraid to share her ideas, which I know will serve her well wherever she goes next. One of the most meaningful parts of her experience has been the emphasis on community service. Her favorite activity has been volunteering at a memory care facility. She comes home from those visits talking about the residents she met and how much it meant to spend time with them. Those experiences have had a real impact on her and have even shaped her future goals. She often says she wants to be a nurse someday because she wants to help people, and as a parent, there's nothing more heartwarming than seeing that sense of compassion grow. As she prepares for the next chapter, I feel confident knowing she has a strong foundation. The academic skills, independence, empathy, and self-confidence she has developed at Country Montessori School have prepared her to face new challenges with resilience and curiosity. Watching her step forward so sure of herself is the greatest testament to the education and community she's been part of all these years. read more

We had to leave a review because Country Montessori School has truly been one of the best decisions we've made for our family. We moved to San Diego from Virginia about two and a half years ago, where we came from a public school system consistently ranked among the best in the country. I was honestly nervous about transitioning into the California school system -- until my husband found CMS. From the moment we learned more about the school, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. CMS is one of the ONLY montessori schools that is fully accredited, and that distinction truly shows in the quality of education and care. Not to mention the teachers require continuing education and are the only facility that teaches the teacher... We now have both of our children enrolled at CMS, and they are absolutely thriving. Our daughter began at CMS not speaking much at all. Today, she is reading (she started before age five), doing addition, and has grown tremendously in vocabulary and confidence. She is developmentally ahead of many of her peers who attend other schools in the area, and watching her growth has been incredible. Our son, who is three started a few months ago and he's a wild one (if you know you know). The transition hasn't been without challenges as he was at home with me and a nanny for several years -- but the CMS team has been unbelievably supportive. They've worked closely with us, offering guidance on how to support him both at school and at home. We've been met with nothing but patience, kindness, and genuine partnership. I've seen some critical reviews online, and I want to be honest -- that has NOT been our experience at all, especially when it comes to Adela. Over the past three years, we have experienced nothing but exceptional communication and unwavering support from her and the team. Adela goes out of her way to make families feel supported, seen, and valued. We go to monthly meet & greets, have had 1:1s with her and get consistent weekly communication - I rarely saw this in other educational spaces both here in CA and in VA. We've also become close with several other CMS families, and they echo the same experience. My only complaint is that the school doesn't go through high school (said half-jokingly), because I would keep my children here forever and would spend my last dollar at CMS. We are endlessly grateful for CMS and wholeheartedly recommend it to any family seeking a nurturing, AUTHENTIC Montessori education. read more

My child currently attends, this is his second year at this school and there is much to be desired in every area. The classrooms are old and dirty, the play yard is ancient, they do not offer any sports, multiple grades in one classroom...just to name a few. Any other private school would be a better option, don't waste your time or money. I thumbed through the previous reviews just know and I can attest that Adela is a nightmare to work with...I just had a phone call with her, my son's teacher and myself where I was letting them know the punishment that they decided to inflict on my child (without letting either parent know of the problem or punishment!!!) was too severe and had lasted too long...I ended up getting SCREAMED at by the head of the school and teacher because the point they were trying to make was false and I was not having it. When I said I would come to school to see for myself what was happening they said I couldn't come at all first, obviously this did not go over well with me because what is there to hide? Then after pressing, the response changed to I could come if I give notice first. Save your child and yourself from this place. read more

It's taken me a long time to write this because I wanted to let my emotions settle. My son attended this school almost exactly a year ago when he just turned 4. The first couple of months things went well, after that I got emails weekly, then almost daily about my son not sitting still or listening etc. He was repeatedly put in a time out corner and excluded from activities and as the weeks went on his behavior seemed to get worse and worse. Naturally, I believed everything that was said to me about his behavior and it was so unsettling for my family and I because although he's 4 act up from to time never acted the way it was explained to us at home. I sent him to get evaluated by his pediatrician then a child psychologist and they told us his behavior was perfectly appropriate for his age- no red flags. I relayed all this information to his teachers and the head of school but nothing changed. I had my suspicions that he wasn't being treated properly. I then received a letter which bypassed Adela that stated he got in trouble for failing to hold a teachers hand and ripping his hand away! And that was when I had enough. My poor son who is 4 years old, who doesn't know how to articulate his feelings with words well was trying to create personal boundaries and was then punished for it. He was ostracized for being difficult. We have removed him from the school and started at Kid Ventures Academy where my little guy was embraced with love and compassion and he's been doing amazing ever since. read more

I've considered writing a review for this school since my daughter attended. Unfortunately our experience at CMS was overshadowed by the Head of School, Adela. She was extremely difficult and down right rude. At one point in the year, a policy they knew our stance on had changed, they did not inform us. Instead we had to learn from our child weeks later. After learning of the change, we called to set up a phone meeting with Adela to discuss what the disconnect was. She was unapologetic, rude in tone, stating 'we listed the change online, it was your job to check the website", when in fact prior to this change all communication on the matter was via phone or email. This seemed to us like a directed punishment to our family. Worst of all, in our conversation over the phone on what we needed as resolve, Adela HUNG UP on us. Leaving the admin, Jose alone on the line to clean up her mess. As a leader not only of her staff but the children as well, I can not fathom this behavior as acceptable. That being said, the teachers were good enough. Anytime we had conferences everything went great, our daughter seemed to like the school fine but was not thriving. We have since moved her to a new school and you can tell she is happy, excited about school and enjoys her environment. All to say, the switch in schools made it even more clear to us that Country Montessori didn't provide the community or leadership we look for in a school for our children. read more

This school has won my heart and my daughters. The whole staff is so Warm and welcoming. They make you feel like family immediately. My daughter loves coming to a safe environment where she can learn with kids around her age. I love the way the kids learn here!!! They don't have to be forced to do all the same work at the same time. They help and nurture the kid's in advancing at each child's level. I can go on for days ! read more

Country Montessori School - School work - Preschools Near Me - Poway, California

I wanted to offer my perspective as someone who had a son attend Country Montessori School for 6 years through 5th grade who is now in High School. I will forever be thankful for the experience we had at CMS. Every teacher he had K-5 were caring and understanding. The academic foundations he received while at CMS is unparalleled and has served him well. In public school he was still learning things in 8th grade that he learned in 5th grade at CMS. He continues to take the lessons of compassion and community that he learned at CMS to high school. I am a high school teacher and you can spot a Montessori kid almost immediately. They are gentle, kind, independent and thoughtful. Beware when looking for Montessori schools for your child as they are not created equally. CMS is the real deal with top notch teachers and materials! read more

As an elementary teacher, I was thrilled about the opportunity for my daughter to attend this school. But things started changing soon once my kid started school. We realized Our child was being emotionally abused by her teacher Mrs. Ana Christina Corales. In addition to the fact, we encountered unprofessional staff attitude, using the wrong language to interact with children, punitive punishments, lack of knowledge of employees of what is being said in the CMS Handbook and what an authentic Montessori approach is, and an unsafe environment (such as anyone could pick up my child without being asked to show their ID). To express our frustration, we contacted the school several times but received unprofessional responses and behavior from the staff, such as blaming the parents, justifying their mistakes, or simply saying, "It never came to my attention"! As a result, we took her out within three months of attending kindergarten. My advice to the parents as a mother and a teacher is, please be aware that having the title of Montessori is one thing, and if they are implementing Montessori education or following Montessori beliefs and structure is another thing. Also, teachers and staff at this school are family members or close friends, and the same people are members of the boards. So there is no way our voices would be heard. This school only thinks about short-term profit; since they are good at marketing, they have enough customers annually. read more

My daughter went to CMS for two years. It's been over a year now, and I am only just feeling comfortably removed enough to post a review. Positives: I loved my daughters teacher, Ms. Karin. She was the only reason we stayed as long as we did. Negatives: I found many of the staff here, Barbara and Adela especially, to be incredibly rude, disrespectful, and just downright mean toward my family and I. I overheard Barbara sneer and chide children on many occasions in a manner that I don't believe is fitting for an educator. At one point, my air conditioner in my truck had broken during a heat wave. Because of this, I was willing to risk harsh ridicule to park and pick up my child instead of sweltering for 20 min+ with my other child in the backseat. On several occasions, I explained my situation, yet it did not stop a teacher from exclaiming to a parent whose child she was putting into a vehicle "SOME people just don't feel like following the same rules as everyone else" as I walked by to pick up my little one. Another incident, which occurred shortly after my daughter started there, was when my little one had been drawing pictures when she wasn't supposed to, and the aid ripped up and threw her artwork in the trash in front of her. Her teacher apologized later, and the aid quit so I didn't concern myself with it further. I have many more incidents such as these, but this review is long enough. I have always been a proponent of the Montessori "method"; however, as an educator myself, I was absolutely appalled at the complete absence of warmth, kindness, and empathy at CMS. Just on a logistical, practical matter, the pick up and drop of situation is completely ludicrous. If you're looking for a great, loving preschool, try RBCPC for part time care. My eldest and my family absolutely loved our years spent there. read more

Like one of the other reviewers said, I am only now feeling removed enough from this experience to share -- it's taken me almost a year to post but I'm still upset! Let me start by saying that the Bumblebee classroom teachers were completely amazing (Mrs. West & Ms. Bohn). We researched many options in the area before choosing this school for it's academic claims and professionalism. Our daughter was 2.5 when she started and we fell in love with the school very quickly and she was doing great there. However, things quickly went south in the Spring when we discovered that their "Spring Fling" food-themed music performance/program involved teaching our 2.5 year old incredibly inappropriate songs ("Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard & "Cherry Pie" by Warrant). My husband and I are not very conservative people, but felt that these were incredibly poor and negligent choices for young children to be singing no matter what the circumstance (or even if they changed a few words here and there) -- both songs are well known for their sexual, inappropriate context. So, we took a calm & professional approach and requested a meeting with the music teacher and director to express our concerns. Long story short, we were basically told we were over-reacting and wrong - they tried to make US feel like we were crazy for even bringing this up. One of their board members/parents actually told us "well, you are the only parents who feel this way" (even though there was never any info sent out to the parents ahead of time and we only found out about it because our daughter was singing the lyrics at home). We were also told by this board member that they intentionally wanted to be 'edgy' with their music program and that he thought it was OK that his elementary student was going to be singing "Margaritaville" as one of the songs in the show too (um...what?? A song about getting wasted??). Who is in charge here anyway? How are these choices connecting to the apparent academic/ethical/upworthy values this school claims to promote? After a very frustrating and uncomfortable couple of months, tears and feeling virtually unheard, we finished out the year and did not return for school in the fall. Looking back I believe that this school has great opportunities to be an amazing place with its teachers, families and kids - but I do think that the leadership is a self-righteous group that is unwilling to admit mistakes or make change. Out of touch is an understatement. read more

Can't say enough good things about this school! This is our 8th year at this school, our 3 kids attend CMS and we couldn't have chosen a better school for them! The school staff and teachers are great! The student-teacher ratio is 10:1 so the kids get a lot of attention, all their questions are answered. This school is more than just a school, it's like an extended Family for us and the kids! Thank you CMS! read more

We have been at the school for 6 years now and given the previous review I feel compelled to give my honest assessment. I come from a Montessori family. My mother taught English in a foreign Montessori, and my father was on the board of directors at that school. My sisters and I attended Montessori through sixth grade. When it came time for my daughter to start primary I went with my mother-in-law (who helped found a Montessori school in Oklahoma) to look at several schools in the city. At the time we were living in Hillcrest, but after touring several schools, we knew CMS was the right place for us. We were able to observe Mrs Ostenberg's class. We immediately noticed the number and range of materials. The school was the best equipped one of all the schools that we visited. What impressed us most though, was the way the classroom was working, and the understanding of the Montessori system that the teacher demonstrated. The room with more than 30 children was quiet, with the children engaged with their materials. While we were there a young child spilled one of the materials. The child then proceeded to clean it up, and was aided by an older classmate. Neither needed prompting to do so. There were children working cooperatively on the pink tower. It was the perfect example of a Montessori classroom. We enrolled our daughter the following school year and have been very pleased with the school since that time. To be perfectly honest we didn't get a lot of feedback the first year and I had very few interactions with the administration, but my daughter was happy and thrived. She came home dirty everyday, not because the environment wasn't clean, but because she was playing outside, the way children should. We have since enrolled our son. The two children, like all children, are very different. My daughter has always seemed advanced for age, and standardized testing has confirmed that. She started reading at 4, and is reading well above her grade level. There are few endeavors she has tried where she hasn't quickly shown aptitude. My son has always been behind the curve and was delayed in all milestones. He has to go to speech therapy and has struggles with social engagement. The beauty of this school is that is has been the right school for both of my children. I received little feedback on my daughter, because frankly she was doing great and I really did not need a lot of feedback. On the other hand I received almost daily feedback on my son, because it was important to follow his development. The principal and his teachers were fantastic about working with me to help him progress in the ways that he needed. They adapted to his unique requirements and challenges. My daughter is in elementary now and works best when allowed to learn at her own pace. I am not worried about her academically. She is a third grader and enjoys teaching materials to the first graders. Her teachers have worked with me to let her know that she is the person responsible for her homework, and we don't have to tell her to do it. She is absolutely thriving and working on becoming an independent life-long learner. My son is in kindergarten. While he still has to go to speech, he is making great progress. He is developing friendships and learning to read at his pace. He loves PE, and he enjoys the after school classes, especially yoga and art. I want my children to be immersed in a learning environment where they feel safe, supported, and free to express their strengths and weaknesses. I want an environment that nurtures growth and compassion in the children, not a high-end prep school or business that coddles parents over the needs of the children. So far I have been very pleased with CMS. This school is not for everyone. Few things ever are. But it is definitely the right school for this Montessori family. read more

I can't say enough good things about our experience with CMS. We are in our third year with the school and feel so lucky to have our three children learning in such a kind, nurturing environment that fosters their love of learning, allows each of them to grow at their own pace & learn in their own way. read more

I am so glad that I found this Montessori for my children. The staff is amazing. Jose B is wonderful and super helpful with everything I need for my children and the teachers are amazing and I see a big difference in my children learning skills in just a couple months. If your looking for a caring and determine school to meet your kids learning needs, this is the place. read more

We moved our older son (1 st grade) from a public school to Country Montessori school in Poway .This is the best decision we took .I am very happy the way my son is progressing and the confidence e is developing.The teachers are very experienced .They know what they are doing and can handle so many kids with so much patience. I am so impressed with the class room atmosphere where all kids are working at there own pace without disturbing each other.They are trained to do this . With the new building and so much more space for kids it will be a great learning experience for kids. Will highly recommend if parents can afford the fee to send there kids to country Montessori school for strong foundation . read more

My son has been attending CMS for nearly three years, and I'm very happy with the school, the teachers and the Montessori system. The staff and teachers really work hard to get to know your child, and in some cases, I feel that they get to know your child better than you do. The school provides a family like atmosphere, and there are many opportunities for kids and parents to grow close to one another with on and off site community activities and events. The environment is clean, safe, and very stimulating. The addition of the new building and playgrounds recently have even made this more so. We're looking forward to our child continuing to grow here for years to come. read more

Our family has been at CMS for 7 years and could not imagine a better school community for our children. As a non-profit organization, the school is governed by a Board of Directors, made up of dedicated parents and staff who volunteer a tremendous amount of time to the school. There is no owner, so profits go directly back into the school to help our children. Over the past 7 years, we've witness the school build a brand new elementary facility and make significant improvements to the outside environment, including over 4,000 square feet of artificial turf. It is also the only Montessori school with WASC accreditation in San Diego County. Our children have completed the primary program and are now in elementary. After researching various schools, we realized that CMS offers not only an amazing academic program, but an environment dedicated to developing confident and responsible students. Authentic Montessori education prides itself in creating lifelong learners who do not just memorize facts, but understand them. The staff and teachers are professional and dedicated to the students. Often I hear that Montessori education has no structure; that the children dictate the process. In actuality, authentic Montessori education provides individualized curriculum with structure. The program respects the unique development of each child. A team-teaching approach is implemented at CMS, where two to four credentialed teachers are present in the classroom. It allows students to draw from the strengths of at least two teachers instead of one. Team-teaching also allows the teachers to create a more comprehensive analysis of the child s educational growth. That overall teacher to student ratio is 1:12 in early childhood and 1:10 in elementary. There is also a teacher s assistant present in the classroom. When we looked at the stats for Poway, most of the kindergarten classes were 1:20 or 1:25 ratio. That s ONE teacher for 20+ five year olds! The numbers were higher for 4th and 5th; 1:32 (one teacher for 32 students). My guess is this will not improve because of the state and federal budget crisis. The amazing aspects of the program may be overlooked because of the outside appearance. CMS is a nonprofit organization led by a board of directors made up of parent volunteers. The staff and parents are constantly evaluating and striving to make improvements that are fiscally responsible. I grew up in the public school system and thought my kids would as well. A friend from a different state mentioned Montessori education to us 5 years ago. He told us to do our research because there are all kinds of schools and people that claim to be Montessori, but are not. We are thankful that we listened to our friend and found CMS. It really is a gem! read more

My daughter only attended CMS for half of a school year due to our recent move to Denver, Colorado. She had previously attended a local Montessori that abruptly closed its doors; leaving many parents in a tight situation. CMS was wonderful in making the transition to a new school easy on the children. Adela and Sheila were wonderful in assisting us with our recent move. They made the process extremely easy. Adela, Ms. Osterberg and Ms. Bernitz even asked to have my daughter return to school for two additional days just so that she could participate in Valentine's Day celebrations. I can't thank them enough for loving my daughter so much. read more

The indoor environment is wonderful, staff members are friendly and the general "vibe" of the school is great. The only thing I don't love is the outdoor environment. Aside from that, this is quite a nice school! read more

We have been at CMS for five years now, and we are so pleased. The new elementary building is amazing, and I love that the school goes up to 5th grade. The academic standards are high but not at the expense of the child's creativity and passion. CMS is also a very culturally diverse community, which I greatly appreciate. Choosing a school for your child is a very personal journey, but I do not hesitate to recommend CMS to everyone I know! read more

My child attended the primary and elementary programs here. She loved everything about the school and the warm, caring environment. The teachers are incredible. They are so involved and engaged in the students and their education. There is so much thought and care put into the projects. These projects provide the students with well rounded learning in multiple subjects. The children learn how to research, use their creativity, think outside the box, solve problems and cooperate with their peers. If you are interested in Montessori, this is the best option in North San Diego. read more

Ms Adela is very rude lady and she is not helpfull n don't know how to talk with parents specially when it's not our mistake when we took admissions we told them I need in dragonfly class n they put my son in Bumbee read more

I have two sons at CMS, one in 5th grade, and another in 1st grade. I love the teachers, environment, and administration and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great school. My wife and I looked in detail at many of the good schools in our neighborhood, both public and private, and are glad we found CMS. To me, the biggest difference between CMS and other schools is the richness of hands-on learning opportunities. In addition to the traditional Montessori math and language materials, our boys have enjoyed the science programs, cultural events, music program, art program, computer program, language program, and a ton of projects. I was originally concerned that our sons would not be "up to standards" upon leaving CMS, but both have learned the required material to place high on standardized tests compared to results from the rest of the excellent Poway district, all while building a deeper understanding of the concepts under the hood. read more

Very poor experience. My daughter went to CMS for 2+ years, finally I decided to pull the plug. To those Parents who want the best for their kids: STAY AWAY from CMS. This school, the administrators, the Principal and some teachers are not worth your expectations. There are plenty of other private schools you can obtain better value during your child's formative years. My husband urged me to change right during the first year, but I wanted to give the school the time and freedom. I was wrong to have continued against his advise. High student ratio in classes, poor attention to the children, poor accessibility to the principal, abnormal school-days off schedule, completely deviated from the Montessori mission, teachers showing their frustration to the kids. The class teacher during the 2nd year tried, but even she felt her hands were tied by the principal on many matters. The one thing they are prompt about is the payment from parents, which I have no problem with. I only wish they showed the same promptness on my child's development and her education. My daughter now goes to a different private school in RB/Poway. She is doing great. I am very pleased. Even my husband is happy! read more

I have never written a review before, I am a pretty easy going person and I usually come up with reasons why I experience bad service. But this service was just unexplainable. Just recently, I toured Country Montessori School in Poway. The person who gave the tour was Adela Corrales. The reason I toured the school was because another parent suggested I look into CMS. So my first impression on Adela was not good. She was annoyed about something and I felt it. The entire tour I felt uncomfortable with her and I just felt like I shouldn't be there. She was very short with me and didn't want to answer all my questions. She told me she had to leave and to just email her with any additional questions. I left the school with all these questions and felt disrespected. I guess I will not be choosing CMS. read more

My daughter attended CMS for more than two years. After spending more than $15,000 with CMS, what I can share with a potential new family below should shed some light on the kind of operation Adela Corrales runs. Read our withdrawal email below dated 9/10/16: Adela, I am in receipt of your email Thursday and updated letter Friday, noting your corrected grammar. This email is to inform you that Friday was ****'s last day at CMS. We have found a school that will let us walk her in if we want, and in fact, encourages it. This past issue was the last straw in a long list of issues that I am no longer willing to accept from CMS. This list includes, but is not limited to: -Approaching me with my child (you literally jogged out of your office in high heels toward me) all the while in front of other people to discuss personal financial matters. -I have had other parents share information with me about (daughter's mom's) financial situation with the school as they were present when her matters were discussed. -You effectively kept me from having lunch with my daughter anymore on Tuesdays (a day I don't have her), except for once a month. In fact, created a new rule forbidding such quality time spent because of me, as you believed it was a distraction. Let me tell you, as a parent who never intended to not see their child every day, I cherish every moment I have with her and if I want to have lunch with her, I will. If I want to walk her to class, I will. Even if that means leaving CMS. Perhaps you lack understanding, compassion or both, I'm not sure, but I was sure turned off by your approach to issues. I was not making my own rules, it was considered acceptable and encouraged to eat lunch with your child, yet you found a way to find it not so. - If a parent is a few minutes late, to have them wait outside for up to 25 minutes is beyond ridiculous. We pay for our children to attend this school. I am a single father who gets my daughter up, fed a nutritious breakfast, brushed teeth, hair combed and styled, face washed and dressed and out the door all on my own. I also have a million dollar business to run. My car battery died the other morning and we were punished among the other frustrated and irritated families. You have your priorities all wrong here. - By parking on the street, I was alleviating traffic issues at minimum, I carry my daughter across the crosswalk in most instances. The traffic line spills out into a dangerous curve in the road (my car is long!), yet you used "safety" as justification for your silly rule enforcement. I saw many other parents do this and fail to see any reason to make issue of it, especially considering, as you admit, I have been unknowingly breaking this rule for over two years now. As a paying customer, I believe you've lost sight of the fact that you are running a business. Your operation lacks professionalism, tact and respect for family and customer. What is ironic, is that while you treat customers disrespectfully, with a clueless disregard for professionalism, yet we are constantly asked to contribute time, effort and financial resources to your cause. No one wants to support an organization that doesn't show respect or understanding for them. This last incident marks the first time, now in our third year, that you have displayed the professionalism (short of your threat) that one would expect from a private educational institution. Contact via email or phone for personal matters is the only tactful choice, not an impromptu parking lot meeting or otherwise. The next time you threaten a parent (in this case ****'s enrollment) if they don't adhere to the new found respect you have for your own rules, perhaps you should think again. A school that promotes independent thinking in their students should also respect it in their parents. Lastly, with regard to running a business, know that it costs eleven times more to lose a customer than to attain one. The fact that you would encourage parents to write online reviews for your cause, in lieu of actual participation or doing so on their own accord, is deplorable. read more

My son is starting his second year at Country Montessori. We had an unsuccessful experience at another pre-school before starting him at this school. What a difference. Its a stimulating environment with great teachers, high standards and appropriate freedom for the children to learn and grow at their own pace. Amazing positive energy is what I always feel while at the school. The communication with the teachers and school has been great so that school and home can work as a real team. We've decided to continue for elementary because our experience has been great - we are seeing our son really blossom and he loves his school. I was concerned about public school being a fit for my son, and my experience at Country Montessori has shown me that this is an investment well worth making. They have had a bit of recent turn over with a new head of admissions - I just hope this doesn't change the wonderful environment. read more

I love this school! My two kids attended this school for 8 years. It became their home away from home. I watched them grow and thrive under the care they received from the incredible staff of this school. Academically they are superior, and prepare our kids well for their future. I am thrilled and delighted to have spent so many years as a parent volunteer to Country Montessori School. I cannot say enough good things about this school. I highly recommend going for a tour and trying the school yourself. You will not be disappointed! read more

CMS is a pompous school dedicated to serving it's own needs. The director, teachers and board are made up of privileged individuals. My five kids all attended private schools, this one ranks lowest in terms of furthering children's education. Teachers are close minded and lack the ability to acquire new skills and methods of learning. For the money there are other schools that provide more care and love. Parents who feel entitled and are better than others - will enjoy the school more than others. read more

A year ago, I considered putting both my children at this school. I am really glad things didn't work out for us and this is why. Adela Corrales who runs the school is rude and has zero compassion as an educator. She claims to be an ex teacher. What a shame. I would be ashamed if I were her. I walked into this school in a hope to find a school that is a right fit for my son. He is a typical 5 year old boy. Unlike girls, he likes to move around and needed more attention. There is nothing wrong with his learning ability. I told the school he has trouble focusing and the traditional school is not a good fit for him. We think Montessori is a better learning environment for him allowing kids to learn at their own pace. He had an IEP program at Kindergarten and we told her it was mainly his focus that needed some help but that is why Montessori may be the right place for him. She out right rejected us. My son was there that day and she never even went out to say hi to him. She doesn't care. I begged her to give him a chance to meet him and have a teacher evaluate him. We would even put my son there over the summer and let them be the judge. I told them if they still feel he is not the right fit after the summer, I would be ok if they reject us then. She told me I can attend their camp but they won't change their mind. WOW!! Words like this coming from an educator is shameful. She has zero compassion and does not see each kids as individual. It's about $$ and easy students to teach to make her school look good. This is not what Marie Montessori started this program for. This is not what Montessori is about. I ended putting my son at MCDC (Montessori Child Development Center) this year and my goodness he flourished!! He did so good, learned and grew so much under Ms Vanit care and guidance at MCDC. This is the best thing I did for my son in my mind to put him at MCDC instead of Country Montessori. Looking through the other negative reviews affirmed how I felt about Adela Corrales and her staff is justified and correct. I have since heard two other parents pulled their kids out of there because of the staff and teachers. I am glad I did not go to CMS and will never recommend anyone there. I want the head of the school to be an example I want for my kids and Adela Corrales is not someone that is fit to teach or run an educational facility. The number one thing she lacks is compassion and love for kids. Love and compassion is the number one thing I want my 5 and 7 yr old to have. read more

Our daughter started in this school few months ago. Ms.Shiela, very humble and polite person, really helped us understand the school system and is available for anytime/any questions. Teachers are very systematic, nurturing and well-trained. It took only 1 week for our daughter to get adjusted in the new environment. In a month she started saying bye to me during drop off (which is a big deal for me.. :)) Glad to see the choice we made is so right! read more

My son attended up to 1st grade but he struggled with reading. If your kid is smart he will do well if not he will struggle. Academics is great but it only works for certain kids who can catch on quickly. Teachers are awesome but I think some are a bit too comfortable, I've seen a lot of chit chat during work time, once I saw the director chat with her teacher for almost the entire work period. I was worried about that. The director is not as friendly as the teachers. She hardly smiles unless your on the board, I never felt comfortable approaching her. The board of directors are really the ones who run the school and I was really sad to hear they let go a staff member who had been there for over 20 years to hire a marketing person to sell the school. Not ok the school should sell itself if it's that good. read more