DGM is an absolutely amazing school. I will be honest enrollment felt challenging I think our application got lost in the sauce BUT once we were in, I couldn't be more grateful for the experience we have had. Every parent wants that school that feels like home, like their child is valued and seen, and where they are respected as parents - that's this school. My son (now 5) has a lot of energy, and a speech delay. The prior Montessori school he was at labeled him as "too much" and told me he needed to be in a "dedicated special education program". We got to DGM with Ms. Tessa (Primary), and wow she's an absolute unicorn of a teacher! She teaches emotional regulation in her classroom, her room full of 26 kids listen to her with ease. My son is so loved in her class and he has grown so much (in just 1 school year)! She's not a special education teacher she just knows how to teach with mindfulness, care, and the utmost attention. I wish all families could experience a school like DGM and a teacher like Ms.Tessa. Even the teaching assistants & school staff are so loving & kind. If your family is interested I 20/10 recommend. If money is holding you back, speak to the school about scholarships and aid, the school Director is amazing, she will make time to talk to your family personally. Coming to DGM was a life changing move for our family. I'm forever grateful! Excited for many more years at DGM! read more

Under no circumstance take your children to this school. I repeat-- DO NOT TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO THIS SCHOOL. My daughter was physically abused by her assistant teacher in this private school "Desert Garden Montessori." It was during lunch time that my daughter was feeding water to her best friend. Mrs. Kristen, the assistant teacher, sees her goes over to her, pulls her hard by her arm and places her close to her face and says "Stop doing that she's not a baby." Leaving her finger marks under my daughter's arm from how hard she had pulled her. The school told me two different stories and none of them matched. The director and owner Shetal did absolutely nothing to protect other children and their safety as Kristen was never suspended or under any formal investigation. SHE IS STILL WORKING THERE. The director didn't even bother to look at the pictures during the first meeting with her and when she finally saw them by email she responded to me that they looked faded. Two weeks after they finally looked at the outside cameras because I asked for that, and found nothing other than Amy daughter just playing. Also, two weeks after other employees such as the social worker and HR were aware of what had happened. TWO WEEKS AFTER. And that was because I spoked to them. The pictures speak for themselves and my daughter's story does too. My daughter was so afraid and so blocked from what had happened as at home we don't do any physical damage. When I asked her why she didn't tell me some details sooner she responded: "Mom I didn't want Mrs. Kristen to be mad again." This is insane. This lady was cleaning tables when she saw my daughter giving water to her friend she proceeded to remove one of her gloves and pulled and grabbed my daughter so hard that she left her fingers marked on her skin. "It hurt mom. It hurt a lot and all I wanted was mom and dad." I'm disgusted by this situation and as a mother, this was definitely one of the hardest things I had ever gone through. The least thing a school should provide is safety and this school cannot even give you that. The Chief Investigator of the State Board of education was disgusted by this situation and in disbelief at the way this was handled by the director Shetal. I quote "These marks are severe and that woman who did them knew exactly what she was doing. Someone with this temperament cannot and should not be around children" Please keep your children safe and do not send them to this school who will never care for you as a parent or even as a human being. read more

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DGM is such a great school. From the very start of the day you're met with smiles and positive attitudes from everyone . The teachers are so supportive and knowledgeable. I would recommend this school to anyone with children ! read more

My kids love the school. My oldest is excited to go back to school. My youngest loves being there too. They have great teachers and it is awesome to see my kids grow mentally and emotionally. Only drawback, tuition. It is pretty steep, but if you got it, it is worth it. read more

I registered my daughter here over a year ago and was told there would be availability by March to enroll her. They took my enrollment fee and haven't heard from them since. In the meantime, I've learned some alarming things about this school. Please be sure to do your research about their history read more

Amazing school! I am always in awe of the gorgeous pictures they post on social media, they could have come straight from a magazine. Montessori eduction might not be for everyone, but they sure make it look like it could be. Lots of happy kids and happy parents, judging by their other reviews. And an IB school? A football program? That's quite an achievement! This is a school that truly has it all. read more

This school has allowed me to have an amazing life. I can't recommend this school any more. The community, education, faculty and the legacy. Thank you desert garden montessori! read more

Best school ever Best staff ever Best teacher ever Best community ever! They are truly Montessori.. a huge plus: lunch is provided, organic and sugar-free! read more

I highly recommend Desert Garden Montessori. My child is actually excited to learn as the methods work for our family. The lead teachers have been there for 20+ years. My child is very emotional and they have been very supportive and communicate with my husband and I on the progress and give us recommendations to help at home. The community and family engagement is the best part about this school! We love coming for curriculum nights and pasta nights! Not to mention it is very important for my child to have a well balanced diet which includes an organic lunch everyday at school. read more

I don't recommend this school. Our son went to school for two years. They have a discipline problem. Our son was being bullied and reported to the teachers but they never notified us of the situation. It wasn't until he told us that we went to the school to find out what was going on before they did anything about it. His class went on a class trip to Utah and had to come home early because of discipline problems. He is behind in his math because they taught the formulas but didn't practice enough. There is a lot of turnover of teachers while we were there. I would suggest looking at other schools. It is not worth the money. Too expensive for what you get. read more

My family came from Ohio and our two sons were the most critical part of the new town "hunt". While we needed to figure out housing and where everything was, the number one most important aspect of this new adventure was to find a community that believed in what we believe in and that would make my sons feel like they were at home. I visited Arizona multiple times, but never once to look at houses. I looked at schools, discussing with admissions of each and finally considering 3. My wife and I then flew out together and while we had 3 planned, our first meeting was at Desert Garden. Certainly speaking with anyone in admissions can give you a sense of what this community is about, however having a day where my oldest could attend the school, walking through the yard, the gardens, through the classrooms sold us. We could have never spoken to a teacher that day and it wouldn't have changed our opinion. It aligned and felt right. Looking back on this, it was the best decision we've made. This is a home for my children, they grow and learn and are part of what improves the school. Does the Montessori approach work for everyone? No, it's like any other aspect of your life - you will know when it's right. What does your child receive from this experience? Freedom to chose their daily plans, a voice, confidence, and are empowered to bring up new ideas through business cases. As an example, my son wanted more games for the field, as the limited supply was causing the sports to get too violent for the younger children. He created a business case and provided this to the executive director. She approved his plan and he presented his case to his class, as well as on a weekly video blog that the school does. Weeks later the school had new games for the field. My son is 10 and not unique in this school, each and every day we have these types of activities and voices providing ideas to the school. I will end with this - if you are thinking about bringing your child into a community and want them to grow and feel empowered as well as receive a world class (IB Accredited) education, look at DGM. Talk to families that go here, tour the school - reach out to me. This is a place where magic is happening around every corner. read more