As a parent, writing this review breaks my heart--but I feel it's important to speak up to protect…read moreother families from what I experienced at Highland Learning Center. What I witnessed there was deeply concerning and not at all what you would expect from a place entrusted with the care and development of children. The management is extremely poor and disorganized, with little to no transparency or accountability. Communication with parents is inconsistent at best and often dismissive when concerns are raised. Many of the staff members are unqualified and unprepared to properly care for children to support their learning, which creates an unsafe and chaotic environment. What's most troubling is that the atmosphere does not promote learning, growth, or emotional safety. The children are not engaged in meaningful educational activities, and there seems to be very little curriculum guiding their day. I personally never felt that my child was in a setting that prioritized true education or individualized attention. Even more alarming, the director has made comments that overstep professional boundaries--discussing or suggesting potential medical or behavioral "diagnoses" for children, despite having no medical background or qualifications to do so. This kind of behavior is not only inappropriate but dangerous, and it reflects an unacceptable lack of professional judgment and training. I do not feel that Highland Learning Center is a safe or nurturing place for children, and I would strongly urge other parents to explore other options--regardless of what the school's ratings might say. No rating can make up for the lack of qualified leadership, poor communication, and unsafe environment that I and other families have experienced.

This center is by far the best daycare center I've ever experienced. I enrolled my son a few months…read moreago terrified of putting him in a daycare center. As soon as I walked in, I felt so much comfort and love. My son was in nursery one. The wonderful women in that classroom have filled not only my hearts but every single member in our family. This week is our last week, as we are moving-we all welled up with tears. This center treats our family as theirs. I'm so incredibly saddened that we are leaving but I will forever be grateful for the tender care and love we have received. My son was always so eager and excited walking into those doors. I'm crying as I am writing this. Thank you again! You truly are the definition of Gods Love

Words can't express how grateful I am to have found Earthshine, we are coming up on a year that my…read moreson has attended here and he couldn't be happier! He has grown so much over this last year and it has been so exciting to watch. All of the staff is amazing, if your looking for a great place for your little one this is it!

After reviewing many preschool options for my 3 year old boys, we started out at a fancy, expensive…read morecenter that had an amazing campus. My boys weren't very happy there and, although the center was amazing, the classrooms seemed overcrowded compared to what we were told the ratio would be. My autistic son has an aide who remains in the classroom with him and she reported to me that sometimes the room would be stuffed with children beyond the official capacity. We received a lot of behavior reports concerning my other son and, again, my aide reported that the classroom spent way too much time sitting at the table instead of letting the kids move around the classroom. The time spent outside was minimal, even though they had very beautiful playgrounds. I've spoken to several early childhood education experts who say that in this age range (under 5), you should look for centers that have more open play space than tables. You should also look for places that are less academically focused, since what's most important for kids this age isn't in memorizing facts, but learning how to get along with others, developing self-sufficiency, and enjoying the process of learning. Earthshine's Center isn't the prettiest of places, but don't let that fool you. My boys both absolutely love it and my one son's 'behavior problems' completely disappeared when we switched schools. My boys were never really happy to separate in the old school, but after about a week at Earthshine, they were eager to bound away from me. I think the format of Montessori - where the child leaves the parent instead of the parent leaving the child - helps tremendously. The best thing about Earthshine is that, if the weather is good, they are outside. Playing, eating, learning, is all done in a space that's big enough for the kids to really run around and burn off their energy (which makes bedtime easier for me). Inside the classrooms, the tables take up a smaller portion than any other center we toured. Children are encouraged in self-directed learning, but unlike many other Montessori centers, this one isn't as hands off as some are, which can cause some children problems in that they aren't given ANY direction. When we were considering this school, my son's behavior therapist warned us that Montessori schools can be either really good or really bad. The really bad ones basically have no structure and, while some children are motivated and interested enough in learning to complete their basic education on their own - many, if not most children, are not. This school is one of the really good ones. There's enough structure that my boys know their general plan for the day (lunch and nap happen in the same order), but enough flexibility to keep learning fun. Like any good Montessori school, they have 'observation stations' where you can watch your kids through a one-way mirror and observe them in the classroom. I see my boys select a playmat and toys, play with the toys on the mat, and then clean it up themselves. They've become much more independent since starting the school. Their special needs knowledge and accommodations are top notch and the best I've found. My autistic son has really benefited from attending. There are many schools that turn down an aide. We toured a lot of places and many refused to let my son's therapists in the classroom. To me, this is suspicious at the 2-5 year old age. A aide is trained to help the child inside their environment and it isn't like the other children will be distracted by another adult, who they see as just another teacher. It speaks volumes for the transparency of Earthshine that they allow aides provided they meet the state requirements with detailed background checks. We are moving soon and I'm going to miss Earthshine. I'm sure my boys will too.

We love this school. My son has been thriving since we enrolled him. The teachers care so much,…read morethey are so patient and do a great job re directing the kids in a positive way. My son LOVES to go to school, he loves the friends he has made. Everyone here truly cares about your childs success. The environment they have created for the children is amazing, you cannot anything similar in other schools. I recommend!!

We LOVE independence. Our little one started part time and moved to a full time spot. She is…read morethriving in the flower rooms and we plan to stay as she's ready to move up to the next class! I recommend this to everyone with little ones 2 and up!

We transitioned from a corporate daycare to Childrens House Montessori when my daughter was old…read moreenough to enroll. We are never looking back. She loves going to school each day. We cannot say enough great things. We cannot wait for our son to be able to join as well.

We absolutely love this school! Our son has been here almost a year and he looks forward to going…read moreevery day. They treat these children like family and it is such a fun and special learning environment.

It breaks my heart to post this review.  However, people have a right to know the truth. Currently,…read moretwo of my three children attend The Montessori School of Winston-Salem.  We are not returning due to the actions of the Head of School. On the surface, the Head of School is kind and charming as long as you play by the rules he establishes instead of what is written in the Montessori Handbook and the Blueprint for Our Montessori School.  In the school parking lot on the morning of February 12, 2019, I had to defend myself in a verbal altercation with the Head of School that left me in shock. The Head of School, Jonathan Churn approached my vehicle after my children successfully walked into school.  He started a passive-aggressive conversation questioning how I dropped my children off to school that morning. I asked him why he was targeting me as my children walked into school safely on the sidewalk while I actively supervised them breaks no known school rules.  He stated, "I address everything I see," and then quickly escalated the conversation by leaning into my car window, clapped in my face, and in an elevated tone said, "I am frustrated with you. This is what you're gonna do. You are either going to walk your children into school, or use the car line."  In my seventeen years as a mother, I have never experienced anything like the level of disrespect that I endured from Mr. Churn. At best it was unprofessional behavior.  At worst it was racially motivated as an African-American mother who feels targeted by him.  I am one of a handful of African-American parents at the school. I have witnessed other parents blatantly disregard school handbook rules (i.e., not getting out of your vehicle during car line daily) while Mr. Churn watches and says nothing.  Yet, he has tried to micromanage and target certain families. Has anyone else been treated in such a manner at this school? If not, then why me? The Head of School thought so little of me that he clapped in my face like I was a dog and had the nerve to tell me he was "frustrated" with me for the reason that is still unclear. My husband filed a grievance regarding this event and attended an initial informal meeting. The Board of Trustees was asked to provide their leadership as the Blueprint tasks them to provide supervision for the Head of School. My husband has requested multiple times that I am contacted by someone and no one is willing to even call me despite the handbook stating, "Every effort will be made to address the issue through conferences involving Head of School and those concerns."  While there are many excellent teachers at TMS, I still do not recommend it. A school environment should feel robust. Unfortunately, this school has deficiencies. A major one being that it does not represent the city socioeconomically or ethnically. The central campus (located extremely close to a registered sex offender) climate feels incredibly stagnant. Yet, there was an entirely new school built that boasts a total of five students, two of which are the Head of School's children. Under this type of leadership, I highly encourage any parent considering this school to look elsewhere.

This place is alright. They keep to the Montessori theme for the most part. They are not accredited…read morebut they are working towards it. I think someone would be happy here, just don't think that it's going to be the whole Montessori experience. Certainly better than some schools for sure. I suppose I wouldn't tell people either way to go to Montessori School of Winston-Salem or not to. If you want something at least close to Montessori and for the most part is Montessori then go ahead and give it a try. After a couple of years investigating I wish I had gone with the other Montessori that is available downtown Winston Salem. If you have the chance and can go to the down town school even better. They have two Certified Montessori teachers per classroom at Salem Montessori.

Run from this place! Any review prior to 2025 should be disregarded…read more New ownership has taken over and run this place into the ground within a couple months. The owner is not Montessori certified and has no clue on how to run a school. All the original teachers have left. Most all parents pulled their kids. It's a total mess. Run as fast as you can from this place, even if it's your last resort.

We're new to Apex and had a hard time finding care that felt right. This school came recommended by…read morea neighbor and has been everything we hoped for -- nurturing, structured, and actually affordable. So happy we found it.

The school is amazing I love the way that they teach children through unusual methods and really…read moreteach them about what's important like layer of gardening and teaching math on an abacus

This is an amazing place! I never worry about my children while they are here. From the teachers to…read morethe administrative staff, everyone is kind, well trained, and thorough. I pick up my children every day better than I left them. From a mom that stayed home with her first child until he was 2. I have never felt very confident about leaving my children under another's care, but I never worry about them at Greensboro Montessori. They love their teachers and their teachers love them. Everything from the curriculum to the manner in which they speak to the children is purposeful and kind. In addition to being well cared for, my 2 children, 3.5 and 1.5, are also learning. My kids have been to other schools and we visited other daycares before we decided on Greensboro Montessori, but none compare. They have a magical formula of learning through exploration and play. They treat children like little explorers and scientists, guiding their play. There is no competitive helicoptery vibe. They simply look for opportunities to tie information into a child's natural exploration. Children explore different "works" rather than cheap toys. They play with sand and water, paint and blocks with the intention of figuring out how we function in the world rather than being "entertained." They also spend a lot of time outside with nature, walking in the nearby woods and gardening which I value tremendously. Children are also encouraged to be independent. Each child is considered at their own level and challenged to do things for themselves in a kind and supportive environment. I was surprised to find when my son started here at 2 all the things that he could do for himself and was eager to do. Everyone needs a purpose and children are the same. This school provides children with a safe and nurturing environment to learn and grow. The school also provides helpful seminars on evidence-based gentle parenting techniques and fosters a real sense of community. There are regular events for all ages and opportunities to participate/volunteer. We considered schools that were more budget, providing diapers and multiple meals and snacks as part of tuition, but none had the level of caring and commitment I feel here. This place isn't simply caring for your children and keeping them alive, but constructively and mindfully creating a complete environment for children to become well rounded, empathic, intelligent people.

Great preschool and elementary school programs that supplement core education with growing a…read morechild's self confidence and independence. Teachers genuinely care about each child's progress. The Montessori approach to education equips children to create, challenge and think on their own. I also like that elementary grade children seem to have a lot more movement throughout the day due to the programs design.

An amazing preschool that caters to children aged 16 months to six years old using a warm…read moreenvironment and teachers skilled in the Montessori method! Located in Home Moravian Church, this half-day program is divided into inside and outside activities that are child-led. They offer two, three or five day options. The classrooms are full of simple, intentional toys that provide opportunities for children to solve problems and collaborate with others! The outside space is a simple, natural playground with sand boxes, gardens and "mud kitchens" where kids can use their imaginations. All of this is covered with sunshades for the hotter part of the year. The proximity to Old Salem allows the older children to explore the many sights with the guidance of their teachers. From the perspective of a parent, the school is very intentional about providing resources to help in continuing the Montessori method at home. . I feel like I have learned as much as my children! I have two children in Salem Montessori (one in the younger toddler and one in the three to six class) and both have thrived! If a half-day program fits your schedule, this school is the best option for your children to grow and learn!