My kid today start summer camp and she loved it so much thank you you all to be there

My son attended this school for one full year. During the first six months, before Christmas, everything went well. We rarely received any negative feedback, and we believed he was adjusting well. Unfortunately, after Christmas, everything changed. We started receiving behavior reports from Ms. Erika almost every other day. Instead of using supportive and encouraging strategies, the discipline methods included having my son sit on the "red chair" for extended periods or taking him to the office to sit alone. In my opinion, these approaches did not help him learn or improve his behavior. Instead, they only made him more frustrated, anxious, and emotionally overwhelmed. It has now been about a month since we left the school, yet my son still talks almost every day about how he felt ignored by Ms. Erika and how she never noticed or acknowledged his good behavior. During the entire second half of the school year, I cannot remember a single time she praised or encouraged him. Every communication we received focused only on what he did wrong. What is even more concerning is that there were two teachers in the classroom. Whenever Ms. Erika was absent, we did not receive behavior reports or complaints. This makes me believe she was simply unable to build a positive relationship with my son. Unfortunately, I also found her communication with us as parents to be cold and unsupportive. Instead of working together to help our child succeed, we often felt judged rather than supported. As a parent, I deeply regret choosing this school because I truly believe this experience negatively affected my son's confidence and emotional well-being. A preschool teacher should make children feel safe, valued, understood, and encouraged--not constantly punished or made to feel like they are a problem. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this school, especially the Apple Orchard classroom with Ms. Erika. I sincerely hope the school administration takes feedback like this seriously and ensures that every child is treated with patience, kindness, and encouragement. read more

I'm so grateful to SMS for nurturing and loving my boys for 6 amazing years. Every teacher is amazing, cultured and caring. Everyone has always went above and beyond to see that my boys thrived. Im so lucky to have found such an amazing school to start my boys education path. read more

Scripps Montessori School - The wonderful Mr. Gabe. So smart and so caring. We are so blessed to have had him as a teacher. - Montessori Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

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We have been at SMS for a couple of years now and could not be more convinced that we made the right choice. My son started in the summer program right as he turned 18 months and immediately began progressing in all areas at lightning speed. Ms Ana, Ms Noelle, and Ms Luisana were always super patient, supportive, helpful, and attentive. With their guidance my son blossomed so much and before we knew it they recognized that he was ready for the 3-6 year-old classroom, which Ms Ana helped him transition into with ease over the course of a few months. We now absolutely LOVE the structure and discipline that Ms Hina and Ms Adriana are providing in class with their academics that pairs so well with the freedom and openness to explore and express. That's the beauty of the Montessori system - it follows the child's pace and interest while still providing the nonnegotiable fundamentals of academics. It might not suit every family or child, so I would highly recommend attending one of the school's Journey and Discovery mornings where you can get a chance to walk through the classrooms, meet the staff, take lessons from the teachers, and learn about the Montessori approach and the school. As a child psychologist I know how imperative a love of learning is for a child's long term success (emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as their ability to achieve their own personal goals). Not only does SMS foster this in their students, but the entire staff work together wonderfully as a team to also create opportunities for children to develop self-help skills and emotional intelligence. Ms Ciara, the director, has always been so warm, approachable, and communicative. You can instantly tell she loves each student and cares for their success. Her along with Ms Arlett and Ms Poly, the administration, are attentive, responsive, and oh so very kind. They are a dream team that leave no stone unturned for each student. The collaboration I have experienced with all members of staff has reassured me that we all have the same goals in mind for my son (and daughter who will be joining next year). Finally, the community itself of SMS is a beautiful one. Although most parents work full-time, there are many opportunities throughout the year during different events and celebrations that the school puts together for parents to connect. It's also wonderful to get to see our son interacting with the other students and teachers - we love getting to watch everyone mingle like a big family. read more

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My son had been in Scripps Montessori for 5 years and is now ready to embark on a new journey with confidence and capability all due to the hard work and dedication of the teachers and administrative staff of the school. The teachers are not only knowledgeable but genuinely care about the students growth , both academically and personally. At every conference I felt that the teachers knew my son as well as I do, they recognized his strengths and shortcomings and had some very effective suggestions and advise. We were very sad to leave this wonderful school and the safe haven it provided for my son and really wish Ms. Ciara would consider expanding to middle school. I would highly recommend Scripps Montessori to anyone who is looking for an overall brilliant school experience for their children. Thank you so much Ms. Ciara, Mr. Gabe, Ms. Daria and Ms. Gigi for all that you've done for us!!! read more

Awesome school with caring staff and teachers. They are certified in the Montessori method and recognized by international Montessori accreditation boards. Our kids are thriving and learning well, learning to love learning, and advancing with amazing speed. read more

Scripps Montessori is an absolute gem of a school. Ms. Ciara, the director, is kind, knowledgeable, and fosters a sense of family and togetherness at the school. The teachers are all amazing and the children are so loved. My kids love going to school here and I am so happy to have found this beautiful school. I have had my kids in three of the four types of classrooms at Scripps Montessori. The primary class has 3-6 year olds, the lower elementary is 1st and 2nd, and the upper elementary is 3rd to 5th/6th. The school teaches to the Montessori method, which I personally love. The kids learn all the things we associate with school, but they also learn and foster a sense of independence in life and academic learning. I love that the children can and are encouraged to chase their interests. It is a wonderful blend of freedom within structured learning. The school is made up of the sweetest families, and diversity is celebrated through the year with amazing cultural events. The school teaches the kids about Diwali and Kwanzaa and just recently put on a beautiful Lunar New Year celebration and will have Irish dancers to celebrate St. Patrick's Day soon too. There are also all the usual Halloween, Christmas, and other celebrations as well! My kids love how the school celebrates all the cultures and the world as a whole. Ms. Ciara wants all of the kids to succeed and always has her doors open for all the kids and all the parents. I know when I send my kids to school, they are being taught and nurtured and cared for. I think in life and with your children's school, you tend to get out of it what you put in. We have tried our best to be involved and helpful in our children's education and we have truly had the best experience with our children's teachers and with Ms. Ciara at Scripps Montessori. read more

Wanted to come here and say Ms. Ciara, Ms. Ana, Ms. Noelle, Ms. Vanessa, and Ms. Ilis have all been WONDERFUL since we started in March of 2023. I was already having a hard time letting go but my little one was so ready to socialize and learn things. My hesitance and fear was immediately put to rest when I got to tour the school, and I was reassured if I ever felt the need to wear a mask or have my child wear a mask, we would be supported. As we have family members who are immunocompromised, this meant a lot to me. They helped my child keep her mask on, allowed her to eat outside, sleep in a separate room, and all of the things that would help me feel comfortable. This effort did not go unnoticed, and I'll forever remember their kindness. I did end up allowing my kiddo to go maskless in summer of 2023, and when I decided to have my child mask again for fall and winter of 2024, we were fully supported in our decision, and I am forever grateful. Parents have so much to worry about and to not be judged for our preferences takes a lot off a parent's plate. We just want to know we are dropping our kids off and they're safe and learning. I will probably be having her masking again this fall and winter as I am now immunocompromised, but I know we will be in GREAT hands of people who feel like family. Thank you for fostering such a fun, prosperous, loving, nonjudgmental, inclusive, and beautiful learning environment for the kids and parents. My child has LOVED (understatement) this school and the teachers and kids since she has started. read more

It's unfortunate that I must give a one star review. My son attended SMS for 3 years. Mr. Gabe and Ms. Gigi were wonderful, so were the administrative staff. They do not reflect on the one star rating. My issue is with the director, Ms. Ciara and the upper elementary teacher, Mr. Tom. Promises were being made but were not kept. The teacher in upper elementary should not be teaching at that grade level. Knitting is more fundamental than math or science according to him. My son is not interested in making a scarf, as a result, Mr. Tom unprofessionally told me during a parent teacher conference that I should take him to see a pediatrician. How rude. He would send homework doing cut and paste mixed paragraphs, this is clearly not the Montessori way. Ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend this school to children above the age of 6. This school must revamp their upper class structure. I don't care if he is related to the owners of the school or not, Mr. Tom should retire. Speaking with other parents in my son's class room, I'm not the only one dissatisfied with him. It's a complete mess. read more

I must agree with the last review. Mr. Gabe and Ms. Gigi are great. But, sadly their influence is not enough at this school. The upper elementary teacher seems ill-equipped to keep control over his classroom and is utterly incompetent when it comes to math and science. This is baffling when these kids are supposed to be getting ready for middle school. Another problem is that the school administration seems powerless to handle issues as they are overridden by the ownership. A lot of nepotism going on here. The place is ok as a day care for the smaller kids but for actual learning go elsewhere. read more

If I had done this review the first year my child attended Scripps Montessori School, I would have felt confident giving SMS 5 starts. However, during the second year of attendance, my child was unjustly told to leave the school without the school following its own disciplinary handbook. Alternatives were not explored by the school like switching our child to a different class and teacher or putting our child with more kids a similar age. The teacher was not held accountable for her lack of professionalism in the classroom. Children had been left to their own devices instead of being properly taught. Montessori values were ignored, as kids were put in a timeout chair and/or yelled at. We were immensely sad to leave the school, as we had hoped our child could continue there through elementary. While SMS says we agreed that our child should leave, we absolutely did not agree. The school offered zero alternatives, and we were left with no choice but to withdraw our child. If communication between staff and parents had been clear, and incident reports had been provided, the school may have been able to justify kicking our child out. But instead, the teacher did not want to deal with a neurodivergent child who needed support and was not receiving it. Our child is now thriving in a public school, and loves learning. read more

SMS is a wonderful school. My son has been there for more than a year. He started as a toddler student and we choose 'Skyroom' for his first year. We liked many things about the system and his current classroom. First, it gives the new parents the opportunity to observe their child from a glass window. This was unique set-up for us and we liked the idea of transparency. The classroom sessions seemed to be structured yet flexible in choosing their lessons. Our little one has the choice to pick up any lesson and spend time on it. Second, the school has a uniform (polo-T-shirt with school monogram printed on it) for the little ones and just the idea of it gives the sense of belongingness to the kids. My little one every morning sees his after bath clothes and would look as his polo-T-shirt and say 'xxxx baby goes to school today'. So sweet!! On the other hand, we find that it does underline the basic foundation of equality for all kids and they do absorb this concept as they grow. Third, the school organizes classroom sessions for all parents to get familiar with the class set-up and class teachers. Here teachers give an overview to parents of what to expect during the school year. They also open up for questions from parents at the end. This is very encouraging and we have found the teachers to be very receptive to the ideas provided by the parents. Ms. Paola and Ms. Lina have been great in handling parents emotions or positive criticism at times. Fourth, they provide quarter year report of each child performance in the class. They will go through in detail about various aspects of child's development. From speech to their analytical skills, they cover up everything. Fifth, the Skyroom recently started to provide notes on child's activity at the school for a given day. I loved it since it gave me an opportunity to talk to my little one on how his day went by in the school. Sixth, oh boy! we were taken up by surprise when our little one (he was only 2 around that time) along with his classmates performed in front of 50+ parents on the annual function of the school. This was so overwhelming and showed how much effort the teachers have put in bringing up each kid to that level. Last but not the least, kudos to principal Ms. Ciara for manning the ship so effectively. Her enterprising demeanor speaks a lot about her handwork, diligence and able administration. In all, we are very satisfied and believe that it is a good investment for our child. read more

Scripps Montessori School - Montessori Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just moving to California from Minnesota my wife and I were so nervous about locating a school that could match the caliber of Montessori we had our daughter in prior. We had performed extensive research of all the Montessori, and even some non-Montessori schools all over North County to find the very best. We landed on Scripps actually on accident, but so happy we did. Now let me say the communication from the school to parents can be ahhh okay at best some times, but the quality of education and caring for the children makes up for it a thousand fold. Since my daughter has been enrolled we have seen her blossom into such an amazingly bright young lady. I can not ever thank the faculty enough for the love and attention the provide all the children, and would strongly encourage any parent looking for a great school to really give this school a try. read more

Our daughter recently completed her first year of school here. Overall, it was an enjoyable and rewarding experience for her and for us. She came away from the school year with more tools in her bag than she went in with. The facts: - Caring and loving staff; - Stable, long-term teachers; - Safe neighborhood and location; - Clean facility; - Unique procedure for easy drop off and pick up of child; - Pleasant mix of peers and parents. Our daughter's two teachers were hard-working, accessible and approachable. They took good care of our girl and to that we think the world of them. On the downside, we found the school's communication to lack focus and that the play areas could benefit from an inclusion of more activities/obstacles for the younger set of children. read more

When we first started researching daycare/preschool options for our daughter, we were terribly disappointed. We found many of the settings not stimulating enough for our fiercely independent little girl. All that changed when we visited Scripps Montessori School. We quickly recognized that the Montessori method of teaching was the best fit for our daughter as it allows your child to explore and pursue interests as they desire. The school atmosphere is warm and diverse with the classrooms having two teachers present. Our daughter formed beautiful bonds with each whom she genuinely loves (and we love, too!). The staff is sincere, hardworking and committed to looking out for the best interest of your child. Our daughter recently graduated Scripps Montessori's Kindergarten and we couldn't be more proud of her. She is extremely happy, confident and bright. She has grown and continues to grow exponentially which we attribute to the quality of care and teaching she received the last four and half years at Scripps Montessori School. Other areas we found invaluable are the before and after school daycare, after school enrichment programs and summer camp program. Is everything perfect? No, but where it truly counts Scripps Montessori School hits high marks all around... Our advice, come with an open mind, be realistic, advocate, don't assume, engage and ask questions to ensure expectations are aligned. Thank you, Scripps Montessori School! We greatly appreciate all that you do! read more

My son has attended SMS for two years. After an exhaustive search for the right preschool, my husband and I were so glad to have found a safe, nurturing and Montessori-focused environment. The transition from his in-home daycare to school was tough at first but Ms. Ciara and the teachers were so welcoming and helpful. Our son has thrived at SMS, made lifelong friends and is already writing, doing math and reading at 4! The after-school programs are fantastic and he usually asks to stay a little longer in daycare when we come to pick him up, which is a great sign! In the +2 years we've been at SMS, I did not worry about his happiness, health, learning or safety once, which is the best endorsement I could give. Thanks to the amazing staff!! read more

I really wanted to like this school especially since I only heard great things about it from other parents. Unfortunately my experience was the the opposite and much more stressful than I anticipated. When I toured the school, it was good, no issues. Because of my spouse and my work schedule, we wanted to wait until our child starts in the primary class, which has extended hours which matched with our work (toddler class had shorten hours). When I spoke with the director regarding this issue, she agreed that my child could start in the primary class when my child turned 2 years and 3 months (usually minimum of 2.5 years) . So because of this verbal agreement, I decided to put down the deposit to save the spot. Fast forward a few months and there was an open house so the director invited us to come. During the event, the teachers in the primary class as well as the director did not know my child was to start in their class but instead in the toddler class. I later spoke with the director and she continently forgot our our verbal agreement. My fault I did not get that in writing. She wanted to assess my child in a few months to see if he would be mature enough to join the primary class. So basically, if she decides he's "not mature" enough that we are out of luck because we will need to have him in the toddler class, which as I mentioned would not work with our work schedule given the shorten hours. I was not going to wait around for this and get more stress to an I already was. One good thing was they agreed to return my deposit, but after almost a month of waiting for the deposit check in the mail - nothing - until my spouse went to pick it up at the school. Horrible experience! I would not recommend this place to my friends or family. Disorganized, doesn't not follow though, poor communication. read more

This is the first review i am writing on Yelp. I decided to do so after reading the negative comments about the school director and the school. Our son has been going to this school for a year and a half. I am very pleased with the education he is receiving. The teachers are amazing and nurturing! The director Ms Ciara is a very warm and carrying person- she is easy to approach and talk to. We will be sending our second son to this school soon. read more

Our kids (1 and 2 years old) have been attending SMS for 2 months now, and I cannot imagine them being anywhere else. I was SO nervous about going the Montessori route, but I did my research and heard nothing but amazing things about this school. My two-year-old has a speech delay and is shy, which made me even more nervous - but EVERYONE from the director (Ms. Ciara) to the admin to all the teachers have been absolutely amazing. Their patience, calmness, and truly caring and positive attitude make me feel so much better dropping my kids off in the morning. My husband and I are extremely picky on where we take our kids and have been on the hunt for the right place for our kids for nearly 2 years (since my son was born). Now that we are here, I don't plan to ever leave. They truly make you feel like family, are so accepting of every child, challenge the children academically and provide a calm, beautiful and fun atmosphere for the kids to grow. I'm so grateful to have found this gem. read more

My daughter has only been at SMS for a short period of time, but it has been long enough for us to fall in love with this school. Ms. Ciara and all of the other teachers are welcoming, understanding, and truly make you feel like family. I have seen such an amazing progression of my daughter's developmental milestones since she started going to school here full time. Not only do the students learn the "normal" things you would expect them to learn, but they also learn how to garden, cook, speak multiple languages, clean up after themselves, and are encouraged to learn about who they are as a person. We stumbled upon the Montessori style of teaching on our hunt for the perfect school for our daughter, and could not be happier with what we have found at SMS! read more

As a parents I do not recommend this preschool for your children for a few reasons. 1. The classrooms are too crowded 2. Teachers don't have enough education and experience to deal with kids appropriately. 3. Teachers play favorites . Students who they like treat them nicely but students who they don't like they either put them to sleep or label them . 4.They collect money from students' parents by the name of donation . 5. Snack which should have been included in tuition fee is not. They make parents to buy snack every two months for the entire classroom for one month . -your child's lunch box which you have packed with healthy food, will come back full because they have a long snack hours and kids keep snacking up until lunch and when it's time for them to eat their healthy food , they won't because they are full. 6. The custodian of the school gives kids hugs and kisses inappropriately without parents permission . 7. Ms. Ciara , the principle , she never listens to positive criticism to correct her teachers mistake , instead she becomes defensive and does not solve the problem. 8. If someone is looking for a daycare , Scripps Montessori is a good daycare but not A preschool , they charge preschool fee but in reality they give daycare service. Please think twice before enrolling your child into this school because I wasted my toddlers one year in this preschool . Choosing the right school which has experienced and caring teachers is very important for kids to help them grow healthy . read more

Scripps Montessori School has changed our lives for the better! I have three children attending SMS, ages 2-7 and not a day goes by that I don't recommend the school to a friend or mention the astounding educational and social advancement I see in my children. Sending my children here is the best decision I've ever made. I was so excited to start my daughter in kindergarten last year at the local, public school where I attended, growing up in Scripps Ranch in the 80's. By the end of Fall, I was disgusted to find how little my daughter was learning with a class size of 33 students and no aid. The teacher was in survival mode. I CHOICEd her into another neighborhood school only to find that they were moving onto their fourth principal in 3 years. I didn't want to get involved in that political mess. I turned to Scripps Montessori School and met with the director, Ms. Ciara on three different occasions before making my decision to transfer there the following Fall. She was so warm and welcoming. She always had time for my drop-in visits and patiently answered all of my questions, addressed all of my concerns. My children loved her right away and felt at-home in her office, asking questions of their own, seated in the mini director chairs provided for them. I started my daughter in the elementary program this past Fall and in three months, she went from crying through a Level 1 reading material to confidently reading chapter books for pleasure! Incredible! Her love of learning makes me so happy and I credit the staff for the individualized attention they are able to give each student. My 4 year-old daughter also started at SMS in the primary program and her growth is remarkable. She is motivated in ways I didn't see in her before. This new "I can do it myself" attitude is so exciting! I think the sense of independence this school provides really instills leadership and drive within the students. In fact, with Baby #4 arriving next month, I enrolled my 2 year-old son in January and after just a month there, he's potty-training at school! I was concerned about his delayed speech but Ms. Ciara had a hunch his new social exposure would help that along and it has! I can't recommend this school enough! It is worth every penny. I have had such an amazing experience here and plan to put all four of my children through the elementary program (it goes through 6th grade). I hope this review conveys how excited I am about the decision we made to send our kids here! read more

The decision to send my son here is one of the singlemost important decisions I made with regard to his upbringing. I can't say enough about the school (and in particular the school administrator, Ciara). I am so incredibly grateful for the teachers and administrators who have helped shape who my child is today. My oldest son began the program at age 2 1/2 and continued through first grade. His younger brother started at age 3 and is in his second year. I will limit my comments to my oldest, only because he is older and I can see the impact the education has had on him. Like most preschools, this school teaches reading, writing, math, etc. But what is different is the WAY in which the teachers do this -- I believe their approach fosters a LOVE of learning, which is so critical. I feel that my son is curious about things that were sparked by the interesting things he learned at school - from geography, to gardening, to knitting, to complicated math problems. The Montessori approach, no doubt, is something that resonated with my son (and surprisingly, even his younger brother who is a lot more free-spirited) and I appreciate the manner in which they honor the individualism of every child, while keeping the classroom environment calm and professional. To me, the teachers have the perfect balance of being loving and firm and seem to really find a way to connect with each and every student. The mixed-age classrooms are beneficial to every child - the youngest can look up to older classmates and then as they progress in age, they learn important leadership skills. When evaluating this school, you should definitely visit other preschools and Montessori schools - you know your child best and can get a sense if this school will work for him or her. For me, I settled on the Montessori approach and then visited all of the Montessori schools in the area. I felt most at home with Scripps Montessori and selecting this school has been a decision I've been thrilled with. My oldest transitioned to public school without any problem, by the way. read more

The environment is very warm and compassionate. Classrooms are filled with natural lighting and teachers speak to the children with respect and enthusiasm when teaching a new lesson. Overall, I think this is an excellent school for Preschool. I also think if you decided to go the Montessori way of education for primary school, this is a great place! read more

We are very lucky to have found such a great spot for our two daughters to thrive and grow! When we moved to Scripps, we looked at a few of the preschool options, and decided on Scripps Montessori because we believed in the Montessori teaching methods. Our daughters have been at this school for four years now. We've been blown away with all that our daughters have gotten out of their experiences. 1) The emphasis is life skills to build confidence in the toddler room (my two year old was literally asking to help with dishes or independently cleaning up her own mess) 2) Lesson are taught based on the student's interest and learning levels, which meant the individualized and constantly changing curriculum keeps them challenged and engaged 3) The teaching staff are very experienced and truly care about the students' overall well being 4) The director is responsive, helpful, and naturally connects with the kids 5) Convenience-wise-there is an easy drop off in the morning and options for early drop off or late pick up. This school has surpassed our expectations and I look forward to watching my girls continue to grow under their guidance. read more

My 3 and 4 year old started school here a year ago and I can't believe how much they've developed and learned while attending here. My son in particular had a hard time the first week he started but the teachers were very positive with him and he felt comfortable very shortly after. Everyone is very welcoming and have developed relationships with my children as well as my husband and myself. The classroom sizes are good with two teachers each so my kids get plenty of one on one personal interaction. I love the Montessori philosophy. I wasn't very familiar with it before my kids attended but there are workshops the school holds to help parents understand as well as having a chance to observe in person. I love that my children learn at their own pace, they learn basic every day life skills like washing hands, manners, cleaning, cutting flowers to put in a vase, etc. They learn numbers, letters, fine motor skills, etc. The kids "work" for 2 hours everyday in a quiet environment that allows them to concentrate which I like. I've been to other schools to observe and there would be 20 kids in a class with one teacher doing a project with one child and the others were left to fend for themselves in a loud and chaotic environment. No thank you. My kids have manners, are calm, have fun and enjoy every single day! Lunches are provided by parents but they started an easy program where you can pre-order lunches online. The kids wear school polos/t-shirts everyday and Fridays are casual. Makes getting them dressed every morning easy breezy. I love that ALL holidays are celebrated here. Birthdays are a special celebration for each child as well. There are occasional field trips and events held at the school and the big bonus is the end of year final performance. Each classroom practices dances to songs and kids are dressed up and perform for all the parents! My kids are on the shy side and I thought there was no way they'd go up on stage without crying...I was wrong. They got up there, danced, and had so much FUN! I couldn't believe it. Their confidence made my heart happy. Ms Ciara is the school director and one of the nicest directors you'll meet and she is always available to talk. I advise you to see the school in person and most importantly observe the children since you'll see how content they are for yourself. My husband is an engineer and we are both very picky and do a LOT of research so naturally we chose to enroll our children here and have no regrets. Highly recommended. read more

Scripps Montessori has been a perfect fit for our 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter. We immediately saw a change upon enrollment: more developed social skills, willingness to be more independent and trying new things. The teachers have been great. A huge plus is that the entire staff shows a willingness to work together with parents for the benefit and growth of the kids. Our kids' teachers have been very up front with us on their performance and behavior in class, good and bad. When asked, the teachers happily provided feedback as well as advice on handling situations that we encounter at home. What we also love is the school's range of events and activities they offer. The school hosts several events throughout the year including celebrations of ethnic holidays, museum field trips, mother's/father's days and a school play at the end of the year. Both our kids participate in Amazing Athlete's each week and my son even learned how to swim this summer. We'll have the opportunity to enroll them in language, dance and/or music classes too. My wife and I checked out a few other schools in our area before deciding on Scripps Montessori. Due to personal reasons (unrelated to the school), our son was enrolled in another school last year but we loved the program here so much that we brought him back. We can't say enough great things about the curriculum and staff and would highly recommend this school to anyone. read more

My son has attended SMS for 3 years now. He transitioned from daycare which was hard (he was 2 1/2 and was terrified to change schools environments). After a week adjustment period he absolutely loved school. He was reading chapter books at 4, writing and doing quantities. He has also learned Spanish and this year they are doing Spanish and Russian. He has learned and grown so much at SMS. He's now 5 and was enrolled at TK at our local Poway community school. He begged me to stay at SMS, to which he happily agreed. This is an amazingly nurturing school that teaches practical life skills as well as academics. I also love the additional after school activities like yoga, sports, language or music. Amazing school and educators! read more

So, I have 4 children. We've done it all. We've used charter and private: public and religious schools. All of our children are a little different-sensitive on down to a little thug. Let me put this out there-life is messy. Having kids is messy. I wish that every school or provider could put my child first. However, that would mean that other children are put further down the line. The best parenting advice I ever received is that we don't teach our children to thrive in a totally loving, supportive, and never challenging environment. We teach our children to thrive in adversity. As long as they are safe, they are learn other styles, they are learning healthy boundaries, and they are learning how to be part of something bigger than themselves. This school has been a gloriously loving environment in which I feel respected and I feel that my children are being treated with respect and caring. I could not be more thankful for the support from the teachers and the directress. They are well educated and well supported. I will keep my children in this environment for as long as I can. I only wish they had a middle school. read more

There honestly are not enough words to explain how amazing this school is! We moved here from the east coast and the moment we stepped into the door at Scripps they made us feel at home and welcomed! I felt confident and safe leaving my son with people I just met! Every teacher and staff member is always smiling and willing to help you with whatever you need. My son has learned so much since starting here, it has blown my mind! This school truly embodies the Montessori way! read more

The school director is EXTREMELY unprofessional. I went to a tour, with my son, with one of the elementary teachers. The director seemed to be frazzled and took very little time with me--which, in retrospect, was a bad sign. However, the female teacher was really nice and seemed to understand a lot about child development and pedagogy. (With that said, there is a male teacher who I met, and was much less impressed with.) When we finished the tour, the teacher asked my son if he would be going to school there in the fall, for which he answered, "I don't know, we're still looking." Although my son was unsure, I took this as a good sign, thinking she would not say this if she didn't think he would be a good fit. I got all of the paperwork and the director (still frazzled) said she would talk to the teacher and call me that afternoon. I never got a call from her so I left a message and e-mailed her--I never heard from her. Since then, I've heard/ read negative things about this director. It was probably a blessing that she didn't call me back, but I can't help but think very low of her and the school for acting so unprofessionally. A school director sets the tone and climate for her school, and this director has an unfriendly demeanor, is disorganized, and really unprofessional. read more

I was just telling a friend of ours about this preschool and she told me about a negative post on Yelp. I decided to check it out. I have never left a post on Yelp before but couldn't let this post stand as the only description of this amazing school. It would be such a disservice to our community. I am so saddened to hear someone had a negative encounter with this school. It has certainly NOT been our experience. Our daughter started here at age 2 and has been there for almost a full year now. My husband and I are thrilled with the level of care and education our child is receiving. It is so evident that the teachers all enjoy their jobs and have good camaraderie. Our daughter is treated with respect and kindness. We can see that she is receiving an amazing foundation. She is developing confidence in herself, learning to respect others and learning to respect her environment (home, school and community). She has shown tremendous growth in her interpersonal skills (saying please and thank you, waiting her turn, being empathetic and describing how others might feel in a situation, etc). In addition she is showing a desire to learn and an interest in things we never expected (besides speaking some Spanish words, knowing her letters and numbers she often talks about continents and countries she would like to learn more about). She is becoming such an independent little girl. This has translated to her home environment where she is helping set the table, retrieving an preparing her own snack and drink, putting away her toys and cleaning up when she makes a mess. We have found the director of the school, Ms. Ciara, to be very professional, kind and compassionate. Her love for the children is obvious. She has always been available to address our questions and concerns often surprisingly so. She is almost always available by phone and many times I have walked in and been able to sit and chat with her without an appointment. She has accommodated our requests and assisted us when our family needed extra support (i.e. letting our daughter come on a day she wasn't originally scheduled for when we had a family situation arise). I visited six schools (3 Montessori and 3 regular preschools) during my search for a the right preschool for our daughter. Although I am sure some of those other schools would have also been wonderful, we are so pleased we chose Scripps Montessori to be our daughters first school experience. read more

Scripps Montessori has been such a great school for my daughter. They have trained their teachers in the Montessori method and ensured that they are AMI certified. This means that they went through the process of having the American Montessori Institute ensure that their practices are as Montessori intended and their teachers have all gone through the Montessori training. They are one of two Montessori schools in San Diego that went through the AMI certification program to make sure that their teachers and curriculum were authentically Montessori. As a teacher myself with a degree in child development I sought out a Montessori program for my daughter because I believe that the Montessori education experience is optimal a young child's development. All of the teachers at the school have been warm and caring toward my daughter. The school encourages parent observation and every time I have gone in to watch my daughter, I feel so grateful that she is in such a peaceful, caring, academic environment. There is no stress. All of the children are actively engaged in their work, and you can feel the love in the room. All of the materials are designed to help her become independent, develop language skills, engage in fine and gross motor activities, and experience math concepts through hands on activities. It is all child centered. Each child's family is asked to bring a week's worth of snack to share with the class. If it is your turn, you are given a list of items to bring. They do this because the children help prepare the snack, set the table, and are encouraged to try new foods. I also find this very convenient. I love never having to worry about what to pack for a snack. My daughter has some health issues and the school has been extremely accommodating, kind, and supportive. The teachers have gone out of their way to make sure she can be successful in the classroom. The director of the school has a very open door attitude and is always willing to help a child. When you meet her you can tell that she has a deep love for children. The school offers many conveniences as well- before and after school care, after school programs such as dance, sports, Spanish, and cooking, hot lunch, and school uniforms. This is a wonderful place for my daughter to learn and grow. read more

Our kids have attended Scripps Montisori School for only 1 year and the difference in them is remarkable from the time they began to now. The director Ciara, is so supportive and knowledgable, it's easy to trust that our kids are in good hands. They have learned their numbers, letters, and math in such a short amount of time. The school has a way to observe the classrooms through a one-way mirror and it's so nice to see how the teachers guide them gently to their activities and keep them focused. They have an easy drop off system in the morning where I don't even need to get out of my car. They have plenty of teacher assistants that come and get them and all of their belongings each morning. This is so nice!! The after care program allows us to choose different activities if we want. Our kids are taking dance, sports, and cooking. These have proven to be so great for the kids. Scripps Montisori Preschool is wonderful. We feel lucky we chose this for our kids early learning experience. read more