We love and trust Mater Amoris Montessori School! The huge wooded campus combined with the exceptionally practiced AMI Montessori education cannot be beat. Hiking trails, a creek, child-tended gardens, chickens, rolling hills for sledding, multiple playgrounds, and fresh air from being out in the countryside! Knowledgeable, passionate, hardworking, and kind educators who are experts in their craft in warm and inspiring classroom spaces filled with natural light. You could not find a more nurturing, stimulating, or respectful place for your child to grow. Alumni all over the DMV truly become misty-eyed when recalling their formative years at this school. We are in our fifth year at Mater Amoris, with children at the primary and elementary levels. As a mom of three and an AMI-trained Montessori guide, I am delighted that our family has found our place. We are excited and grateful about many more years to come at Mater Amoris Montessori School and in their wholesome and engaging school community! read more

If you think something is fishy, it's because it is. Buyer beware: do not evaluate Mater Amoris solely by its beautiful grounds, polished messaging, or carefully crafted philosophy statements. Speak with current families. Speak with former families. Speak with former staff. Ask what happens when concerns are raised. Ask how incidents are documented. Ask how behavioral patterns are tracked. Ask what standards govern intervention. Ask whether difficult questions are welcomed or merely tolerated. Ask academic questions, too. Ask for specifics. Ask how reading progress is measured. Ask how parents know benchmarks have been met. Ask how classroom disruptions affect learning. Ask about staffing levels, turnover, support for guides, and the frequency of school closures, staff workdays, and other interruptions to instructional time. Ask whether the educational experience being delivered consistently reflects the tuition being charged. Most importantly, ask yourself a simple question: if a school cannot clearly explain how it protects children, measures academic progress, documents incidents, responds to legitimate concerns from parents, and delivers consistent instructional time, what exactly are you paying for? I ignored that one bad review about bullying and safety a few years ago when we enrolled. Thinking it would not be our experience, and here I am writing this review today. read more

Our kids started at Mater Amoris in 2018, and we have felt so fortunate to have this community be their educational home in the years since. The school has many special traditions, an excellent Montessori curriculum, and wonderful faculty and staff. Our oldest is now on the middle school program for seventh and eighth graders, and is excited to tell us about his day which is a rare treat from a pre-teen! Our younger is in the upper elementary class that includes 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, and he is learning new skills daily while having the opportunity to help younger students while himself getting support from older students. The setting is idyllic and in winter the sledding hill is legendary. Highly recommend Mater Amoris. read more

My son had a difficult year in first grade at a highly rated public school in a nationally top-rated district, all related to lack of staff, student-centered curriculum and processes and an overall lack of prioritization of the true needs of well-rounded development and growth for children. Making the move to Mater Amoris was a huge change for our family, which also includes a younger child in pre-k level, but EVERY staff member at Mater Amoris not only showed genuine care, but a vast knowledge base and skill set related to the transition from traditional public school to the Montessori and small-community setting. This change has been life-altering for our entire family, and most importantly, our son has returned to his true passion and love of learning, attending school, socializing and thrives upon being a valued community member in his class and school. The staff and entire parent community at Mater Amoris is unbelievably welcoming and goal-driven, in addition to being experts in their field and true safe spaces for our children and family. I cannot recommend this gem of a Private Montessori school highly enough and we feel privileged every day to be a part of it. read more

If you're looking for a Montessori School for your Pre-K to 6th Grade child, look no further than Mater Amoris in eastern Montgomery County in Ashton, Maryland. The beautiful, 13-acre campus encompasses a large meadow, wooded nature trails and a butterfly garden and is conveniently located near Olney, Burtonsville and Silver Spring, as well as Clarksville, Columbia and Laurel in Howard County. Our 4th grade son has been at Mater Amoris since 1st Grade. In that time, we are grateful to have seen him develop a quiet confidence, intellectual independence and a true love of learning. The Montessori teachers, curriculum and collaborative learning environment have allowed him to focus on his unique interests and learn at his own pace. He has excelled at math and science, while spending additional time on his reading and handwriting, which would not have been encouraged in a public school system. Highlights of the Mater Amoris program are an annual holiday performance, musical and Science Fair for 1st-6th grade. Additionally, 3rd-6th grade students have the option of attending a week-long trip to the Echo Hill outdoor school on the Eastern Shore, as well as the Cal Cup international field hockey tournament at Moorpark College, north of Los Angeles, California. The school also participates in an annual Swedish Exchange Student program. My favorite event of the year is the 6th Grade graduation, which requires each graduating student to write, prepare and deliver their own short commencement speech, something many 12th graders would have trouble doing with the same poise, confidence and individuality I've seen showcased by the caliber of student Mater Amoris consistently produces. Although the school itself and the Montessori curriculum are not a fit for every child, we've been pleased with our son's progress and have had our younger daughter attend the school for Pre-K and now Kindergarten. We've also found the parent community to be active, warm and welcoming along with a small, family-friendly atmosphere, with Fall Picnics, Silent Auctions and Spring Fairs organized by the Parent Council on the school grounds. read more

Mater Amoris Montessori School - The Mater Amoris Montessori School - Montessori Schools Near Me - Ashton, Maryland

Both my kids attend the primary program. For us the teacher makes all the difference in the world and they both love the teachers there. I love listening to new songs they pick up at school and seeing them grow in independence and civility. When I observed the classroom, I was so impressed by how well run it was. All the kids chose their work and were actively engaged. The preschool my kids attended before going to MA was always sooo chaotic. I am so glad we made the decision to switch. I also love the fact that they have great role models in the elementary kids who greet and help the primary children. Preschool education is so important providing a foundation for their education for the rest of their lives. I believe the community feel and Montessori education they are receiving at MA will serve them well, fostering a love of learning and love for others and nature. Love the grounds of the school as well! read more

This school is completely unsafe. There is no bullying policy or sexual harassment policy. Ms. Bricker the headmaster of the school is inept and does not know simple policies. There is no administration at the school half of the week. Do not send your children here. It is overpriced, they require and push fundraising's onto the parents. They support a bully atmosphere. read more

Mater Amoris has really helped our children develop into empathetic, respectful and engaged human beings. The campus is beautiful, the teachers active and well-balanced and they combine to form a "safe haven" of sorts in Ashton. Mater Amoris is a traditional Montessori environment (which is not right for all children) but if this method of instruction matches your child's temperament and aptitude for learning, it is hard to imagine a better situation. read more

We are so happy we chose Mater Amoris Montessori for our son. Mater Amoris Montessori is a school with a long history of providing Montessori education. The current head of school has honored this history while evolving the educational program to ensure it is relevant to our times. The teachers are dedicated and inspiring and approach each child as an individual, tailoring the program to help each one succeed. While covering all the educational topics necessary for any school, Mater Amoris provides a breadth of learning that goes beyond the individual subjects. They teach process, encourage independence and critical thinking, and help children to develop a respect and caring for others. The beautiful campus provides a unique space in this area which allows exploration and helps develop a love of nature. read more

I am an educator and I am super picky about my schools. Mater Amoris is a great find! It is not only a classic Montessori school with certified Montessori teachers (many of which have graduated from the reputable Loyola program), but two other things....1) it is affordable compared to other independent schools in the area and 2) the grounds of the school are to die for! They are so gorgeous. The hum of the school and the level of work the children do throughout the day surpasses my expectations. My daughter has learned so much and continues to expand not only her academic skills, but her leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and her own grace and civility (which are tenets of Montessori education). I could not be happier with this choice in Montessori education. read more

After sending our son to one of the perennial "Best of Howard County" preschools and finding ourselves extremely disappointed, we started exploring our options. We were lucky enough to have this quiet little gem of a school recommended to us by neighbors whose children had attended there years and years ago. I truly cannot say enough good things about this school and the love and education that our son receives there. The primary program, where children ages 2 1/2 to 6 are together in the classroom, has been extraordinary, and the children in the older classes (the school runs through age 12) are a testament to the type of person that the school produces. We feel so very blessed to have stumbled upon this extraordinary school and now have every intention of keeping our son there through age 12. read more

Mater Amoris Montessori School is a true treasure. Both of my children have attended the school for years. The experience has been nothing but amazing. The parent community is warm and inviting. There are many opportunities to volunteer on various social and fundraising event. The Montessori Curriculum allows for academic excellence while focusing on the whole child. The children of Mater Amoris graduate with a strong sense of self, love of learning, independence, and deep understanding of the world around them. read more

Mater Amoris is a true Montessori School. The curriculum, the environment, and the materials are what makes this school stand out. We couldn't be happier with the preparation, confidence, and love of learning that our children have acquired and refined at Mater Amoris. We knew the moment we visited the school that we were giving our children the best. read more

Mater Amoris is an AMI school with more than 50 years of history, and we were very excited to have our child begin with the primary program. The grounds and school itself is very nice and clean, the elementary teachers are great and we met some very nice families. For these reasons only I did not give it a terrible review. Our child was placed in a primary classroom with a new first year teacher Mrs. Tremble who called us into several conferences to discuss our child not sitting still during circle time. We as requested gave some options to help Mrs. Tremble and also asked in return for simple updates as well on positive behaviors and successes in the classroom so we can highlight and praise to encourage continued success. Although agreeing to this we never received any positive feedback from her. We agreed and were excited to have our child moved into the classroom of the founder of the school and long time montessori educator Mrs. Shae. During her time in this classroom we were brought in to several conferences where we were the following complaints were made about our child: She likes to fantasize, she needs to walk like human, she acted like a "gang member" (please note she's 4 years old), she wanted to do work above her skill level, she wouldn't sleep during nap time and she cries and throws herself on the floor. Again, we asked for simple notes in her lunch box with both successes and opportunities from that day/week which she agreed to do. We never received 1 note. We observed a couple classes and our child was well behaved and honestly seemed a bit bored in the classroom. Mrs. Shae was outwardly disappointed that our child was good. Not only did we only ever receive negative feedback from both of the primary teachers, our child told us that Mrs. Shae did not like her, this brought tears to my eyes. The final straw came when her cousin went to grandparents day. As a former educator she was impressed with the school grounds and classrooms,but was quick to let us know that her impression was Mrs. Shae did not like our child. If this was not enough we had several families come to us saying they think our child is being isolated and singled out as the "bad" kid. I can't express how sad I feel that my child was subjected to this type of treatment by education professionals, and write this review in hopes no other child is made to feel less than and not liked by their teacher(s). read more

Do not send your child to this school. They are bad people, particularly the headmaster. We sent my 6 old there for 1st grade. He is a bit shy and was very nervous about his new school. The first day he cried as he went into class. 20 minutes after my wife dropped him off at school, we get a call from the school to come pick him up. They do not want him at school. They asked him not to come back. After 20 minutes of my son crying, the school gave up and said he cannot come back. Rather than helping him feel comfortable at his new school, they did just the opposite and made him feel threatened. They locked him in the office while he was crying. We paid the 1/2 year tuition ($6950) and deposit ($200). We are having a hard time getting our money back. Talk about a scam. They gave my child 20 minutes, took $7k, and I am having to fight to get it back. So unprofessional. A school is supposed to be a nurturing, caring environment that shows compassion. read more