My child attended this school when he was 18 months old. At that age, he loved blowing raspberries -- a common developmental stage in early language development. Rather than gently redirecting the behavior, one of the teachers put a mask on him, even though children under 2 are not recommended to wear masks for health and safety reasons. Unfortunately, I saw this happen to other children as well. I also witnessed and heard yelling from some teachers -- which is not only inappropriate in any early childhood setting but especially concerning for a school that claims to follow the Montessori method. You don't have to be a Montessori teacher to know that yelling at children, especially toddlers as young as 18 months to 3 years old, is not acceptable. I later confirmed with certified Montessori educators and visited other Montessori schools where this kind of behavior would never be tolerated. To be fair, there are some truly kind and capable teachers here -- like Delancey and Dina -- who genuinely treat children with care and respect. However, The director herself has also been seen yelling at children. There are two bathrooms shared by both children and staff. When the kids were potty trained, the children used to go to the bathroom alone without supervision. It wasn't until a school inspector visited that the practice changed -- only then did they start sending a teacher to accompany the children. This raises questions about the school's priorities and compliance with basic safety standards. One more thing to be aware of: at the end of the school year, parents are expected to give "tips" to each teacher -- with a minimum of $30 per teacher. If your child has one lead teacher and 3 or 4 assistants, that adds up quickly. However, the tip money is collected by the boss first, and it's unclear if or how it's distributed to the teachers who actually work with your child. That process made me uncomfortable, and I felt parents deserved more transparency. In the end, it's your decision. I just hope that by sharing my experience, I can help other parents make an informed one. Every child deserves a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment. read more

When my 5yo daughter and 2 yo son attended summer camp at Countryside Montessori back in 2022, their experience was not positive. I kind of forgot about it until recently when we were talking about all of the summer camps they have attended so far and Countryside Montessori came up. My daughter started to share more details about her experience 3 years ago that concerned me. She mentioned that she would get yelled at frequently for small things like not lining up right away or for speaking up for her younger brother- something that she did out of care, not out of defiance. Once there was a birthday party and they were giving out juice boxes. When they offered one to my 2 yo son, my 5 yo daughter spoke up on his behalf and said that he doesn't like juice, to which the teacher replied "stop talking, let your brother speak for himself!!" While I understand the intention, the delivery felt a bit harsh for a 5yo who was just trying to help. Another time, my 2yo son coming home and all of a sudden he became scared of taking a bath or even a brief shower. Turns out that the teachers would hose down the kids outside to "cool them down" even though my 2yo son expressed that he didn't like it. They did not respect his wishes and kept spraying him. He eventually became terrified of water even though he used to be okay with water before this experience. When my 5yo asked them to not spray her younger brother she was often ignored. When I brought this up to the director at the time I was told "it's too hot outside, they need to cool down." Perhaps things are different during the regular school year, but based on our experience, I would not recommend this place for a summer camp. If we could give 0 stars based on how they treated my children, I would. read more

Countryside Montessori School is the kindest, most caring school. My first daughter started summer of 2022. We were nervous about sending her somewhere as she had never been separated from us before. She had no problem going right in and getting acclimated. She quickly made lots of friends, she learned all of her English skills within the first 6-8 months as she had only spoken Chinese up until this point. She learned so many new skills that I was so impressed by her new skill sets all by age 2. Ms. Cynthia is the best! She has advanced my older daughter beyond what we could have imagined. As soon as my second daughter was eligible I enrolled her and I've been equally impressed at the rate at which she learns new skills and has begun to articulate her needs!! The time and dedication the teacher has put into each and every child truly reflects. My daughters have grown to have such a bond with Ms. Dana in the office. Ms Mary Ann, Ms. DeLancy, and Ms. Dana have been nothing short of amazing and welcoming to my children. I feel safe when I drop my kids, as I know they're going to get everything they need and they will be well cared for. I see some negative opinions here, and I was compelled to post this 5-star review, as you have to come to school with the mentality that you don't know everything, and that the teachers aren't here to just babysit, there here to help your kid learn and grow with proven track records that work. I've found them to all be extremely approachable and often provide me great insight on how I can improve personally, and at home so my kids have the strongest foundation possible. All I can say is this place is awesome and I've already recommended it to many friends and family who also attend here. read more

CMS....ahhh, what can i say about Countryside Montessori School. My daughter started CMS when she was 18 months old, and left when she was 4.5 years old. In the years there, my daughter picked up advanced language, social skills, manners, niceties of life, and reading and math skills 2 years above her age. at 3, she was reading, and at 4.5, she was doing double digit addition. The teachers there, especially, Ms. Joan, Ms. Candy and Ms. Lorena, really believe in following the child and pushing the kids to whatever limit may be. Sadly, this year, when we left to pursue kindergarten, Bella is still not learning the things she learned at CMS when she was 3 years old! So, this review is more of a thank you to CMS for setting a strong foundation for my daughter, and now everyone (outside of CMS parents who experience the same as me) thinks my daughter is a genius! read more

We love Countryside Montessori School and all the teachers! They are genuinely caring and loving people. We started with their summer camp and continued through the school year. My son comes home happy everyday. We sent him to school for the first time at 3YO in the primary (3-6YO) class, with Ms.Cynthia and Ms.Stephanie. He started with minimal English and have never been in a class setting before prior to this. He had no problem adjusting to both being at school and being in a English-speaking environment. Since going to school, my little one has become more independent and calm. He loves to help out with chores, cleanup, and do things himself - including putting on shoes/socks/coats. Part of it is growing up, but a lot of it has to do with what he learned at school. The drop off and pickup system at the school is seamless and very convenient for the parents. Teachers greet children in the car and takes them inside individually. The parents at the school that we have interacted with are all wonderful. We love this school, and we will be sending our future kids here too! read more

When choosing a school for your child, you are hoping that they are safe, happy, and receiving the best and most appropriate education for their age. I cannot say that I could have found a better program for our daughter where the incredible staff were extremely hands on focusing on each child and their individual needs. Our daughter was there from ages 17-24 months and day by day her love for going to school only grew. Ms Sara, Ms Allie and Ms Mary Ann were all incredible and am 100% sure the rest of the staff for all grades are just as good. They treated us like family which is important to us as well! Looking forward to sending all our future children there! read more

school was great in the beginning, once that second year came and they knew my daughter wasn't attending there summer program, that's when things hit rock bottom, my daughter kept having accidents peeing herself in class, she said they would make her wait to use the bathroom(4 years old) my daughter jewelry became missing , about a week ago my daughter said a teacher shoved her upstairs because she wasn't walk-in fast enough. my daughter 4 years old being sent to the principle office from Mrs. Lorena , Mrs Mary Ann the owner puts on a charm face but she is the wicked jet of them all, the only one I can say something nice about is two of the assistant and Mrs Ally. who from the beginning made me and my daughter feel more than welcome, I feel sorry for my daughter because I will never know the truth of what she had to endure, I'm not saying every kid go threw this I'm sure they don't , but this is what I dealt with... everything was good until they see I won't b attending next semester. Yea make me out the ConfrontationAl parent ... Be good sending your kid here .... if you know you know read more

Countryside Montessori School - Montessori Schools Near Me - Great Neck, New York

Everyone in this school is very unprofessional. I had to take my son out of the school because Ms. Candy was mistreating him physically and verbally. I brought it up to Maryanne (director) and she did nothing about it. The only professional people working at the school are Ms. DeLancey and Ms. Dina. I have spoken to other parents about Ms. Candy, and they all said their kids too expressed how they dont like that teacher. The way most staff speak to the kids is not Montessori like. We paid thousands of dollars for our kids to be treated like they go to a public school in the city. DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS to countryside. I pulled mine out and put him in HAPPY MONTESSORI in Port Washington and he's striving. He went from crying every night and morning begging me not to take him to school, to being the very happy kid that he is, in his new school. read more

Excellent and caring teachers and staff, great communication, covid-safe measures taken seriously, and one of the few true AMS accredited Montessori schools in their area. This is the only school I feel comfortable sending my three toddler children. I'm able to work while my children are at school from 9-3PM M-F. My children have become very independent and look forward to seeing their teachers whom they speak of regularly at home. The school is very involved and I receive great guidance from them. My family is very happy!! read more

Countryside Montessori gave our two girls the best/most educational summer camp experience we could have hoped for. The activities were fun and varied. The educational opportunities sprung up daily. From administration to camp staff - the best guidance and care was offered. To put simply, as parents, we could not have been happier with our decision to enroll our children in this program. read more

After much initial deliberation, we are so thrilled we made the choice to have our daughter attend this school. Our only regret is not starting sooner (due to Covid). The primary teachers (we have had both Mrs. Cynthia and Mrs. Candy), assistant teachers, staff and owner are all incredible. They are not only a great school and educational environment, but the owners, faculty and staff are genuinely good people who love and care about the children's overall wellbeing. I am glad to see my children thrive and learn so much here. I would highly recommend without reservation! read more

My Baby Girl graduated Pre-K from here and she had absolutely no problem catching up her Kindergarten program at all. Best of all, she became a very much extroverted child being popular among any other her female classmates in her kindergarten. Thanks to all the teachers at Countryside Montessori School. Once in while, she talks about the school and I believe she must have had a happy memories and moments of the schooling. I highly recommend this school to all parents in the neighborhood. read more

This school is amazing. The teachers are patient and genuinely care about each child's learning experience. It's a very close knit environment so all the teachers know all the kids. My daughter has been going there since 18 months, she is now 4. Let me just say, I couldn't make it through potty training without this school, her vocabulary supercedes my expectations. She could explain gravity, math is a breeze for her. I'm really happy with our decision to have her attend this school. Even now during COVID-19 I am still comfortable with her being at school because I know without a doubt this school is doing everything to keep the kiddos safe. Ms Mary Ann, Ms Linda, Ms Sarah, Ms Candy, Ms Julie you guys rock !!! Thank you to all the teachers for all the work you do read more

Very safe loving environment to foster early education. Teachers are fully invested in students and the learning process is facilitated by individual attention required by each child. CS Montessori creates a very strong foundation for a successful academic journey! read more

Worth every cent!!! My son attended this fantastic school/program for three years. They took excellent care of him and he learned to read very early. His vocabulary and numeracy skills were also advanced. Due to Countryside Montessori's learning expectations, my son is now in a gifted and talented program. He aged out and went to another school and immediately they saw he was advanced and ahead of his peers. My son still talks about Montessori, his teachers and remembers the beautiful events which occurred there. We cherish those memories and are grateful for the learning that took place. I highly recommend it! read more

Both of my children have been to this school (one is still there). The environment is very warm and family-oriented. Of the kids who graduated with my older child, several went onto NYC Gifted and Talented. My child was reading by age 3.5, and that was not something we taught at home. Also, addition and subtraction by the end of Pre-K. The Montessori environment is very encouraging, and every teacher (and assistant) is wonderful--in-and-out of the classroom. They are good at letting the kids be self-guided while still encouraging them to try new and more difficult tasks. i am very happy that I've had this school for my kids. Compared to the daycares I visited, the kids learn so much, and they have fun. read more

Both of my children went here, and it is a great school. The teachers are excellent, (especially Miss Cynthia) and all of the staff know all the children individually. The kids really learn well in this environment as they learn at their own pace and interests and end up far ahead of their peers. We are very appreciative of the work they do here. Definitely Recomend read more

I started sending my son to this school and he loved it. He did very well there so when it was time to send my daughter to school we decided to keep him there even though he would've been going to kindergarten at our local school. The experience I had with my daughter on the other hand wasn't as great. At home I would do flash cards to practice her letters and to my dismay there were many letters she didn't know. So a few weeks later when I went to her parent teacher meeting the teacher told me she's doing great and that she's already reading!! I was very confused. How could a little girl who barely knows all her letters be reading? I asked the teacher and told her my concerns and she told me that no she's doing great! So I asked for the material that she's reading so I could practice at home and sure enough she was able to read it. I assumed she didn't want to practice her letters with me and was pretending not to know them (She can be stubborn at times). But a few weeks go by and I receive a handwritten letter from the teacher stating that she doesn't know her letters and she's not learning them and she needs to practice at home! I was so mad! She was totally overlooked in her class. I had a great experience with my son but my daughter's was less than great. I expected more from a school I was paying so much money for. read more

I cannot say enough good things about the school. We loved all the Teachers and the director Mary Ann. They truly care about the children, their well being, and growth. We also truly believe in the Montessori method and how it's impacted our children's early development. I would highly recommend Countryside to anyone thinking about enrolling their children in a Montessori school. read more

I enrolled my child in the toddler class and I'm slowly becoming disillusioned with the school. It seems like my child's teacher wants to say only negative things about my child, and yet has no clear guidance as to what the parents can do to improve the situation. I feel the school environment is getting repetitive and frustrating for my child, and my child is acting out more at school and home. Additionally, I don't think the space is sufficient, and while montessori methods are wonderful, I'm not sure how well-trained the toddler teachers are and how prepared children will be for traditional public school. Additionally, the PTA has collected substantial funds from parents, but I am yet to see any PTA sponsored activities (and we're almost done with the school year!). Unfortunately, there are not many affordable options for preschools in this area of Northern Long Island. But if you are willing to spend more for a half day preschool, or go a bit further east into Long Island, or are considering school day/full day, I think there are several other options you can consider first before this school. read more

If I could give this school zero stars I would. After going on greatschools.org to post this honest assessment of this basement that calls itself a school, my post was taken down and only positive reviews were left. My son who was in the primary classroom was abandoned by 2 teachers in 2 years. Ms Mercy left in April of 2011 and Ms Tess walked out this past May of 2012. My child as well as all the children were given no warning and were left to be taught by assistants. There is barely anyone there with true Montessori training ( which takes only 6 weeks to complete). There is no real director for the past 2 years. This past September a parent became the director and was gone within 5 months again without warning, or a farewell NOTHING. I've spent tens of thousands on this school and regret every penny. there is no leadership the only concern is to collect money. There is a Montessori in Manhasset that i wish I would have sent my son. My son's time there is done I'm just trying to help any parent of a young child considering this school and who has high hopes of an enriched early childhood education. I hope this helps. read more

The comment written on 4/1/11 is completely false. The school is licensed by the American Montessori Society. The new director has a Bachelor and Master degrees in Education and a number of years in Elementary education, Special education and Health Education. All classes have licensed AMS teachers and comply with all standards. The license is hanging on the office door for the current year. The primary AMS teachers have all been there approximately 8-10 years. All Montessori methods are used in all classrooms and children play outdoors daily, go on nature walks, plant gardens, feed fish, and are currently waiting for the spring chicks to arrive. I would highly recommend this school and have had a wonderful experience to date. read more