My son attended Topstone Montessori for two full years, and now that his time there has come to an…read moreend, I wanted to share how grateful our family is for the experience. I can genuinely say that I have nothing but positive things to say about Topstone.
What stands out to me most is how much the teachers truly care about the children. There is a warmth and tenderness in the way they teach, comfort, and look after them. Over two years, my son had his share of ups and downs as he learned how to socialize, make friends, and become more independent, and I always felt that he was surrounded by teachers who genuinely cared about him. As a parent, knowing that your child is safe and loved when you are not there is probably the most important thing you can ask for.
That philosophy seems deeply rooted in the school. Topstone operates out of a church, and at one of the graduation ceremonies, the pastor spoke about how the most important thing we can give children is love. That stayed with me because I think it describes Topstone very well. The children are not simply being supervised. They are cared for with love.
The educational experience has also been excellent. In addition to the Montessori curriculum, the children are exposed to music, arts and crafts, sensory activities, science experiments, physical education, taekwondo, cultural activities, and holiday programs. My son came home with so many projects over the years that our house is practically an archive of his time at Topstone. They learn about everything from the alphabet and emotions to Black History Month, elections and voting, different cultures, holidays, and hands-on science experiments. They also put on performances for parents, including a wonderful Christmas program. There is always something interesting happening.
I also really appreciated the diversity of the school community. Families come from New Milford, River Edge, Oradell, and the surrounding area, and the children come from many different backgrounds. The school does a nice job exposing the kids to different cultures and experiences.
The food program deserves recognition too. Meals are included, the menu is shared ahead of time, and the food is surprisingly diverse. The children might have pasta one day, Korean food another day, and other cuisines throughout the week. The meals were varied and nutritious, and as working parents, not having to prepare and pack lunch every morning saved us a tremendous amount of time.
Another area where Topstone really excels is communication. The teachers are extremely responsive through the daycare app. Throughout the day, they regularly upload photos of the children doing their activities, often while the kids are napping, so parents can actually see how their child's day is going. Messages are answered quickly, and I never felt uninformed about what was happening with my son. After experiencing other childcare programs, I appreciate even more how exceptional Topstone's communication is.
They also offer summer programming, which is incredibly helpful for working families. During the warmer months, they organize outdoor water activities so the kids can play and cool off while continuing to have a structured and fun place to spend their summer.
After two years, my son left Topstone with friendships, memories, greater independence, and countless experiences that helped him grow. More importantly, he spent those two years in a place where I knew he was safe and surrounded by people who cared about him.
I would recommend Topstone Montessori without hesitation. I sincerely hope the school continues to flourish so that many more children and families can experience the same care and love that my son received there.
Thank you to all of the teachers and staff at Topstone for taking such good care of him for these two years. We will genuinely miss you.
