I am sharing my experience with Smyrna Montessori School to help other parents understand my perspective on the school's approach to student potential and "readiness."
My daughter was two and a half when she started in late October--her first full-time school experience. She had recently transitioned from a limited church program where she was enrolled for only one month, attending just three days a week for three hours at a time. We only left that program because we moved back into the Smyrna area. Because she started later than other children and had very little prior exposure to a full-time school setting, it is my opinion that the school prematurely judged her instead of giving her a real opportunity to adjust.
When she started, she was not yet potty trained; the school began that process in November. By January 5th, 2026--after only 5 weeks of actual "seat time" due to holiday breaks--the toddler teacher held a conference to inform me my daughter would not qualify for the Primary classroom for August 2026. While the school suggested she continue the current year, they had already decided she would not progress enough to move up in the fall.
The teacher cited "concerns" regarding gait, falling, and potty accidents. While my daughter was having frequent accidents at the time of the conference, I believe this was developmentally normal given she was only two and a half and had just started potty training in November. Regarding the other "concerns," these observations did not align with my experience as her parent; I have not observed my daughter falling frequently or having gait issues.
I found it problematic that the teacher offered no proactive suggestions for in-school support. Instead, the focus was on providing a list of outside assessment resources. As her parent, I had to initiate the conversation regarding what steps could actually be taken within the classroom. I sought professional medical guidance and took my daughter for formal assessments with both an Occupational Therapist (OT) and a Physical Therapist (PT). Based on the review of those assessments, the specialists did not substantiate the teacher's "concerns." Specifically, the PT noted that my daughter's walking and running are appropriate for her age. Upon reviewing the school's claims and conducting their own evaluation, the therapist suggested that this school was likely not the best environment for my daughter.
As a 20-year educator, seeing a teacher's observations so sharply contradicted by medical professionals caused me to lose respect for the professional knowledge being applied in that classroom. In my opinion, when a teacher lacks belief in a child's ability to achieve and improve--especially when there are many months left in the school year--it creates an environment that can negatively impact a child's confidence and self-esteem. Between the therapist's recommendation and my own professional intuition, I knew I had to protect my child. While I followed all school protocols and gave notice, I made the firm decision to remove her, and her last day was February 13th.
The results at her new school speak for themselves. Her current teacher, who holds a Master's Degree in Education, recognized my daughter's behaviors as normal for a two-year-old. Under this qualified leadership, my daughter is now fully potty trained and has been accident-free for two weeks--even when upset.
I would have had more respect for the school if they had simply stated they were not a good fit for my child. Instead, I feel they pathologized her by highlighting "concerns" I believe were not present, forcing me to spend time and money on unnecessary assessments. read more
