My daughter has been attending Ladybird Montessori since she was just 4 months old, and now that…read moreshe has turned one, I truly could not be happier with our decision to choose Ladybird. The growth we've seen in her over these past eight months has been incredible. She is constantly learning, playing, exploring, and becoming more social, and I love seeing how much she is developing and discovering something new every day. As a parent, there is no better feeling than being able to drop your child off each morning and feel completely confident that they are in a safe, loving, and nurturing environment. I especially cannot say enough wonderful things about the Nido room and its teachers. Ms. Kristina, Ms. Magadelane, Ms. Tobi, and Ms. Evan have been absolutely amazing. They create such a kind, welcoming, and encouraging environment for the infants while also giving them so many opportunities to learn and grow at their own pace. You can truly tell how much they care about each child, and knowing my daughter is in their hands gives me so much peace of mind. We are so grateful for the care, patience, and love they have shown our daughter during such an important first year of her life. Choosing Ladybird, and especially having such an amazing experience in the Nido room, has been one of the best decisions we could have made for her.

Couldn't imagine sending our daughter anywhere else. She's been apart of the school for the past 8…read moremonths since she was 4months old. Her growth and development has exceeded all expectations. I can't speak highly enough of the teachers at this facility as they're some of the most thoughtful, intentional and incredibly caring individuals I've ever met. Don't walk, run! Get your child on the waitlist the moment you find out you're pregnant. This community and staff is incredible. From head of school, to the teachers and even maintenance. Everyday you're met with a smile by people who know you by name and care deeply about your child's development and safety.

100000 stars!! There aren't enough words to say how AMAZING this school is!!! Athena is a special,…read moremagical gem and we feel so absolutely lucky to have found it. The teachers and the atmosphere just radiate peace and positivity. The quality of education is incredible. My son turned 5 yesterday and is already about to start reading!! The amount of personal attention and care each student receives is incredible. My second child is about to "walk through the gates of life" this May and head to kindergarten.. I am honestly heartbroken to not go there everyday anymore lol! We have had a child there for the past 5 years and if I could keep them there forever, I would! We have had the honor to get to know Ms. Alex, Ms. Jazmin and Ms. Morgan over the years and these women are absolutely INCREDIBLE! They have huge hearts and really LOVE what they do, and it shows!! They have a magic way of connecting, communicating and relating to the kids. We are so THANKFUL for the values and knowledge they have bestowed in our children that will shape who they become forever!! We love each of you so much!! My kids made me promise to always take them back to say hello as they grow...that speaks volumes in my book. Athena is a purely magical place!

We have been blown away by our experience with Athena. The support and caring from the staff has…read morebeen amazing. Our son has flourished at the school. The growth from August until now has been exponential on all fronts. He is more independent, communicating more and becoming a member of his classroom community. The other parents as well have created a lovely community and support system as well. My husband and I didn't realize just how lucky we were to get a spot in the school!

My experience at Parkside was challenging. The admin was changing over and there was little…read morecommunication, and more than a bit of aggressive interactions with admin. We had a new teacher who was enthusiastic when the students were perfect, and utterly overwhelmed and clueless when the students had challenges. My son has ADHD, and despite telling me they has experience with 2E kids, the teacher thought my son had severe emotional problems when my son would self sooth by going in a corner to be alone for a bit. They also did not communicate in any way the depth of the problems my son was having in school. I finally realized the extent of his issues when I began attending daily to see for myself. They were often rude and childish in response to issues or complaints. They had a history of keeping teachers even after multiple complaints of abusive behavior. Their insistence on parent interaction was amazing, and the singalongs were fabu. But it doesn't make up for the severely subpar teaching, the reusing of the same curriculum every year, the nasty admin, and the overall confusion of vision with a high price tag. Do not recommend this school beyond kindergarten at all!

Our daughter is three and a half, and she just finished her first year of preschool (Primary) at…read moreParkside. We couldn't be more pleased to have her attending this special school. From top to bottom, it's an excellent program with marvelous staff and leadership, and a wonderful community. Some of things we love most about Parkside: it's uniquely and authentically Montessori, which was important to us when we were looking at schools. The teachers (called guides) are loving, creative, and thorough in their teaching methods. We were blown away when barely a month in, our daughter came home singing about all the continents of the world! The 12-acre campus is beautiful and well maintained. The kids get lots of outdoor time and often take hikes together as a class. They learn to value and sing about nature, including our new favorite song, "Chlorophyll" written by the founders. Music is a big part of Parkside life, and at least 1-2 events a week are organized around it (parents are invited to participate as well). We've enjoyed all the opportunities for families to get involved at Parkside and we've made some great friends already. Even through the craziness of the pandemic, Parkside staff led the way with through health protocols and regular communication with Austin Public Health to keep the kids safe and allow school to continue. In short, we've found Parkside to be an amazing, friendly, beautiful place that is nurturing our daughter to her full potential. We highly recommend it!

We are so lucky that we discovered Mariposa when we were first looking at schools five years ago…read more We have had nothing but the greatest experience that you could ask for in a place to educate your children. Both of our daughters have been through the school, from the Nido Community (infants) to the Young Children's Community (2-3 year olds), and continuing through the Children's house (3-6 year olds). Our favorite teachers are basically like family at this point, from Miss Kristen, to Miss Virginia, and Miss Jennifer and Miss Meryze. They have been so instrumental in the upbringing of our girls and we couldn't have asked for a better school.

Not a cheap school which isn't the issue. The issue is paying so much for Montessori education and…read morethe school is not even credited for it. They lost their licensing two years in a row and are scrambling to try and get it back. All the teachers are burnt out and the head of school is very out of touch with reality and is playing a role she cannot live up to. This school is all about optics and money.

I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am to have my son attend this treasure of a school…read more He has been in the primary class for almost a year and a half now and has thrived so much in that short amount of time. Mrs. Zea is not only an amazing, nurturing educator, she's an amazing human being! She puts your child first above all else. She has created a beautiful environment for children to learn, play, and grow. Not only will your child receive a quality education, the tuition cost is very affordable. Mrs. Zea prides herself on making it a low cost so that more families can attend. Everyone says the best thing about Lockhart is it's bbq, but I say it's their Montessori school!

I have mixed feelings about LMS. My daughter did well there. She went a little later and knew her…read moreabc's and some other things. My son started earlier and when he started public kindergarten he was seriously behind. I brought these concerns up along with his speech up and was dismissed and told to talk to the custodial parent. I feel they did a disservice to my son.

As a parent at HCMS I can confidently say that they have earned these five stars. To be fair my…read moretwo kids have never attended any other school, but to be doubly fair there has been no reason for them to. I've had one kiddo on the campus from age 4 until now (age 10), and my littlest one started this last spring (age 4). HCMS has a very strong familial environment that I honestly don't think I could find elsewhere. I know that they are happy and safe and learning in an environment that teaches more than just standard curriculum, but also an entire method of learning that never ceases to astound me. There are so many positive attributes I could list, but it's even easier to just go take a tour of the campus. Plus there is no description of the atmosphere that I could ever come up with to do the school justice. But If I had to pick just one thing about HCMS to relate to other parents who are looking for the right fit for their kids, it is that you are always welcome on campus. Seriously, like always. That was a big deal for an overbearing mother who wasn't ready to let go :) Instead of crying in the parking lot I was welcomed to cry on campus, in the office, in the classroom, heck I've shed a few tears in their goat habitat. You are welcome to observe the classes (all levels), and not only are you allowed to hang out but it's encouraged. Okay crap just one more thing that I want to mention is that the Montessori Method is really into having the students help each other, it's structured so that the older ones even give lessons to the younger ones. It's my impression that most of the parents of the school did not receive Montessori education themselves, but you would never know it. There is a great sense of comradery between the parents with each other as well as with the the eclectic group of teachers and staff. Many of the teachers and staff have students at the school as well. Shouldn't that be a pretty good indicator of a great place to drop your kids off every day? Now to business.....do I get a free appetizer if I 'check-in?'

This school is wonderful. It is the only certified Montessori School in South Central Texas. My…read morechild has been going here since they were 18 months old and will be graduating 8th grade soon. The teachers are all amazing. Each classroom has a certified Montessori teacher to guide the children to find their love of learning and direct them through the curriculum at their own paces. The classrooms encourage collaboration between the students of different levels and the respect the teachers have for the children shows them how to treat each other. I am constantly impressed by all the students here.

It pains me to leave this review as we have just completed our 4th year at Young Minds and it is…read moretime for our son to go to kinder. We will miss the teachers, Jordan, Tanya, and Indu tremendously but will be forever grateful for the care and instruction they have provided to our family. In our current culture, where educational systems are pressured to meet the ridiculous and non age appropriate academic standards, it was non negotiable that our child was able to be a child. He has plenty of time to be pressured. The Montessori Work provides the true school readiness at my child's pace. Increasing his focus, self regulation, intentionality, task completion, and an understanding of the world around him. Not the rote memorization of letters and numbers that are as meaningless as us memorizing Mandarin characters when done inappropriately. There is definitely the introduction of these objectives, but they aren't pushed on the students who aren't socially ready to absorb the content. The teachers follow the student lead and support their academic readiness when students show the signs that they are ready. Kindly and appropriately challenging students by meeting them where they are at. I could write a novel about how this school has supported my child's social/emotional and academic well being. I will leave it with the fact that I have been in early education and public K-12 education for nearly 20 years. We need more schools like Young Minds who truly tend to student social, emotional, and academic readiness to inspire the foundation of life long love of learning.

Our daughter went here for 4 years and it was the best experience! The staff is wonderful and there…read morewas very little turn over. Most of the teachers and directors were there from the day she started. She loved going to school and came out more than prepared for Kinder. She made friends, learned to be independent and you can tell that the teachers and directors really love what they do. I would give a million stars if I could!

After a few years in one of the best-rated public schools in the area, we realized that our…read moredaughter was not thriving in the high structure, high pressure environment that is public education. In an effort to find a schooling alternative that would feed her curiosity and creativity, we embarked on a tour of a handful of private elementary options in the south Austin and Hays County area. Because of the long commute and high financial commitment, Cedars Montessori did not rank high on our preliminary list. During our tour of their beautiful campus, Cedars offered us the opportunity to sit in a classroom and quietly observe our daughter's prospective class. What we experienced was absolutely magical: Three grade levels of children working independently, in partners, and in groups; teachers completely focused on their students; a warm, organized but cozy classroom with seating options to meet every child's needs. If you have ever spent time in a public school classroom, you know that it's usually either silence or chaos. The vibe just felt peaceful and productive. When we took the leap and moved our daughter into Cedars Montessori's Lower Elementary, we were thrilled to watch her love for school blossom. She has lots of opportunities for play and exploration. She's learning valuable skills during wilderness, gardening, and handwork classes. And she's finding an internal motivation toward writing, math, and research projects. We wish this type of learning environment could be available for everyone and feel so immensely privileged to have our child in this program. If you are looking for something different and wonderful, Cedars Montessori is truly an incredible school and a magical place to send your child.

We spent three years here: one in primary and two in lower elementary. We felt so grateful to find…read morethis place our first year. We were very happy with the teacher and the programming, and the school offered many opportunities to build community. At the end of the first year, there was a large change in leadership, and conditions have deteriorated considerably. It became apparent to our family that the administration was no longer acting in the interest of the children. The school is owned and run by a family. It is a for-profit institution with no oversight or accountability. The current leadership's actions indicate the school's purpose is to support themselves and maintain a bizarre class structure for the benefit of the family's children. The nepotism has become so overt that even our young children are expressing examples. Funding favors advertising and recruiting new students over recruiting and retaining qualified staff or providing quality programming. All community-building opportunities have been undermined or dismantled. Parents are shut-out. Communication is abysmal, unprofessional at best. Concerns are gas-lighted. Grownups behave poorly and do not lead by example. There are no benchmarks for academics and children are assessed as behind at other institutions. The teachers withhold recess as punishment. The focus on the outdoors, how much time the children spend outside, the children interacting with animals, how nature is incorporated into the curriculum: it's a facade. Now that we have begun anew at a new school, we remember the excitement and hopefulness that we once had for our children at Cedars before we became habituated to wild disorganization, dysfunction, and dread. Some really amazing families and staff have held on through some very challenging times with memories of what it once was and with hope that things would get better, that our children could still thrive there. Yet the school is rehiring failed staff and even more family. There is now a mass exodus of both students and quality staff, with the realization that our children don't have any more time to waste on selfishness, greed, and gross ineptitude.

Best Montessori School around!…read more Where do I begin? The staff here are some of the sweetest and friendliest people I have ever met. They go above and beyond to involve our children in everything and are so patient with them. My son was in Ms. Jerical's class last year with Ms. Gabi, Ms. Becca, and on e more assistant. He raved about them and spoke about them everyday when he came home. He had nothing but great stories to tell. His younger brother took his spot this year and was beyond thrilled to be a part of the Marimont Montessori family. Ms. Rachel the owner, and her husband, run an amazing, clean business and are also so friendly. They always return our calls and emails right away. They have chickens and other farm animals, the children learn to garden, and there is ample outdoor time, which they believe is so important and so do I. I have so many great things I can't fit them all. Stop looking around and have your children go here, you won't be disappointed and your children will THRIVE! We love everyone here. Thank you so much for helping my children grow and be the best they can be!

This may be the only Yelp review I write with tears in my eyes as I think of our wonderful memories…read moreover the past few years at Marimont. Between two children and a cross-country move, we have experienced more than our share of daycares -- easily a half-dozen over the past decade. This one stands out as being the best by a long shot. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but this facility is a hidden gem. My only regret is that we didn't find it sooner. I think the best way to sum up my feelings is that every time I dropped off my child here, I felt such joy -- joy at seeing the directors Rachel and James running a caring-centered facility, joy at seeing the teachers empathetically interacting with children, joy at seeing the kids working independently at lessons that ranged from feeding farm animals on site, working in the gardens or enjoying a variety of lessons inside the classroom. As opposed to stricter Montessori environments I had experienced, where parents were discouraged from participating, we were welcomed here for monthly poetry recitals, Bubbles & Books and more. I loved the random events that inspired creativity, such as Dress Like a Composer Day or Chordate Day. We also participated in extracurriculars such as cooking class. I knew my child was always cared for and would experience a love of learning at this facility. We couldn't have asked for a better start, and how much I miss it now that this chapter is behind us.