This school is not like other schools and that's why I recommend it the most. The educators here…read moremake sure that every child here gets the attention they need to better themselves for the world that's waiting for them beyond school. Mrs.Larcy has done a great job providing a healthy learning environment not just for the students but for the staff as well.

From the owner: Is your child struggling in school? We have small class sizes with a personalized touch. This is…read morewhere leaders are prepared. At the Maria Montessori School our students work in an environment based on LEARNING, but WITHOUT the stress of constant standardized testing.

I started this class when my daughter was just 5 months old! It has been so educational and helpful…read moreboth in class and at home. I see the difference it makes for my daughter and I am excited to continue on our second round of the toddler class.

What can I even say about this class to do it justice? It was life changing for me as a parent! I…read morewent into it just looking for a fun activity for me and my 5 month year old daughter, and it certainly was that. It was a great way for me to step back and spend quality time with my baby for an hour a week with no distractions. She liked the song time and playing with all the beautiful toys. I liked getting to know other new parents. But I didn't realize I would learn so much too! I learned how to set up my playroom with toys that would encourage her optimal development. I learned about her different "sensitive periods for development" where she would be especially sensitive to learning different things. As she got older, I learned about how to practice positive discipline. It was all so fascinating and made me feel that whenever I had questions about parenting, I had a place to turn to for answers! Now she's in the toddler classes, and I've never seen a space full of 10 toddlers that is so calm and peaceful, yet so fun! I highly highly recommend these classes for all parents!

My child attended this school when he was 18 months old. At that age, he loved blowing raspberries…read more-- a common developmental stage in early language development. Rather than gently redirecting the behavior, one of the teachers put a mask on him, even though children under 2 are not recommended to wear masks for health and safety reasons. Unfortunately, I saw this happen to other children as well. I also witnessed and heard yelling from some teachers -- which is not only inappropriate in any early childhood setting but especially concerning for a school that claims to follow the Montessori method. You don't have to be a Montessori teacher to know that yelling at children, especially toddlers as young as 18 months to 3 years old, is not acceptable. I later confirmed with certified Montessori educators and visited other Montessori schools where this kind of behavior would never be tolerated. To be fair, there are some truly kind and capable teachers here -- like Delancey and Dina -- who genuinely treat children with care and respect. However, The director herself has also been seen yelling at children. There are two bathrooms shared by both children and staff. When the kids were potty trained, the children used to go to the bathroom alone without supervision. It wasn't until a school inspector visited that the practice changed -- only then did they start sending a teacher to accompany the children. This raises questions about the school's priorities and compliance with basic safety standards. One more thing to be aware of: at the end of the school year, parents are expected to give "tips" to each teacher -- with a minimum of $30 per teacher. If your child has one lead teacher and 3 or 4 assistants, that adds up quickly. However, the tip money is collected by the boss first, and it's unclear if or how it's distributed to the teachers who actually work with your child. That process made me uncomfortable, and I felt parents deserved more transparency. In the end, it's your decision. I just hope that by sharing my experience, I can help other parents make an informed one. Every child deserves a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment.

When my 5yo daughter and 2 yo son attended summer camp at Countryside Montessori back in 2022,…read moretheir experience was not positive. I kind of forgot about it until recently when we were talking about all of the summer camps they have attended so far and Countryside Montessori came up. My daughter started to share more details about her experience 3 years ago that concerned me. She mentioned that she would get yelled at frequently for small things like not lining up right away or for speaking up for her younger brother- something that she did out of care, not out of defiance. Once there was a birthday party and they were giving out juice boxes. When they offered one to my 2 yo son, my 5 yo daughter spoke up on his behalf and said that he doesn't like juice, to which the teacher replied "stop talking, let your brother speak for himself!!" While I understand the intention, the delivery felt a bit harsh for a 5yo who was just trying to help. Another time, my 2yo son coming home and all of a sudden he became scared of taking a bath or even a brief shower. Turns out that the teachers would hose down the kids outside to "cool them down" even though my 2yo son expressed that he didn't like it. They did not respect his wishes and kept spraying him. He eventually became terrified of water even though he used to be okay with water before this experience. When my 5yo asked them to not spray her younger brother she was often ignored. When I brought this up to the director at the time I was told "it's too hot outside, they need to cool down." Perhaps things are different during the regular school year, but based on our experience, I would not recommend this place for a summer camp. If we could give 0 stars based on how they treated my children, I would.

My child has been attending this school from August 2020. I knew about the quality of Montessori…read morefrom my home country as my aunt ran the first Montessori school in India. So, I wasn't surprised when I found the quality of teaching, the support, the care, the individual attention and the general quality of the school outstanding. But my good impression about the school increased manifold when I saw the love that they give to all the children who attend the school. My daughter is very fortunate to begin her educational life with such an extraordinary school, having especially the Director Manjula W. and the excellent team of teachers to guide her on her path to success and excellence. Thank you Manjula W. and your team.

Worst place ever. Never trust your child here. Where should I start? It's dirty. Beyond…read moredirty. When dropping off my daughter, there were two "teachers" watching 40 kids who were not paying attention at all. I witnessed two boys get on a tricycle, pile 2 more boys on the back and slam into another tricycle filled with boys. Boys all fell off, thought it was hilarious and kept going. Not one "teacher" said anything. It was appalling. Funnily enough, another parent walked in to drop her daughter off and was asking about a bruise her daughter came home with. The"teacher" of course denied anything. The main Montessori teacher does not teach the Montessori method! I couldnt leave my daughter there since I couldnt trust hem so I watched quite a bit and he teaching is terrible. They fed my vegetarian daughter turkey at their thanksgiving feast and then had the audacity to tell me that I should've been there to watch her if it was so important. If I could be there, I wouldn't need child care for her. I can go on and on and have warned countless people about this place, filed a report with NYS. Just stay away.

This school is a gem for Montessori kids! Affordable price over the years with low teacher-student…read moreratio. Mixed age groups, fun activities and crafts, not to mention those academic works everyday filled on the shelves. Students get the freedom to choose the work they like to do and always get one on one instruction!

I went here when I was 3, I'm now almost 25 and remember clearly and vividly the emotional and…read moreverbal abuse Cacchioli would put me and other kids through. She would call me stupid and ugly all time time. There was a LOT of public shaming and yelling this woman is pure evil. I wasn't 100% perfect potty trained at that age and had an accident in the bathroom, and she got so angry I was scared to admit it was me. She forced another child, whose name I remember very clearly because she would abuse him and cause him to cry ALL the time, to clean it up. Sad to hear she's still kicking and In business and abusing children still. An investigation needs to be done on her. Unless you want your kid to be traumatized for the rest of their life and responsible for years worth of therapy do not send them here. Also the classroom has not changed at all in 23 years. The cubbies in the back would fall right on top of the kids they are not secured. They do not care about anything, minimal effort on all fronts when providing for children

Initially, my husband and I were very excited to send our 3yr old son to the East Meadow…read moreMontessori. We had heard good things about the Montessori style of teaching. The school director was initially very nice and understanding of our military style of life (moving in the middle of the school year), however her professionalism did not last. After about 2 weeks of being in the school, my husband - who drops off our son and picks him up - stated that he had a gut feeling our son was being mistreated. We spoke with our son but he said he liked it so we didn't pull him out. I regret that decision so much, we should have listened to his gut feeling. My son was being accused of hitting other kids and being too rowdy. My son has been in the childcare system since he was 6weeks old and has never hit another child or been accused of anything of the sort. My son had a rough day at school and my husband was asked to pick him up early. After I came home from work, I sat my 3yr old son down and asked him (in small, understandable words) what happened to him at school. He informed me that he was telling his teachers "No" when they asked him to sit down and that he hit his friend because of what he did to my son. I asked him why he got mad at his teachers and told them "no". I asked were they yelling at you, or did they do something to make you mad? He said to me "Ms. Cochrin hit me." I initially got very mad but I didn't want him to see that so I asked him in a soft calm voice, "What do you mean she hit you?". He said like this, as he opened his hand and slapped himself in the face. I walked away to ask my husband if he heard about this and he said no. I went back to my son to verify his story wouldn't change and I asked him, What is Ms. Denise that hit you, and he said "No". I asked if it was the other teacher and he said "No". I said "Did Ms. Cochrin hit you?" and he said "yes". I asked him again how she hit him and his story was exactly the same. The next morning I called the school to speak with the Director, Diane. She was not in the office but her assistant assured me that she would be calling me back. About an hour later I received a phone call from the teacher that hit my son denying it, which I expected she would do. However, I did not want to speak with her, I wanted to speak with the Director to set up a time to talk. The Director called me about an hour after that. As I answered the phone she did not even let me talk. She became very defensive saying that she knows for a fact that the teacher would never hit my son and that my son was always bad and hitting other kids and that she has even seen him throw a chair across the room (which I told her is unbelievable because he is only three, and she said well he did and that he is strong for his age). She never let me explain my side of the story, she didn't ask if there was a mark on my son, nor did she ask how my son explained the hit. Her priority should be the protection of the students. Not the fear of a lawsuit. She was so defensive that she never even let me speak. She blamed my son and informed me that she would have to let him go and remove him from the school. The director was completely unprofessional and rude. You should definitely think twice about sending your children to a school ran by a director that does not put the kids first. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

I have only great things to say about this school. I am a mother of three and all of my children…read moreattended this school for Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten and my Husband and I could not have been more happy with it. First of all, this Montessori school uses the true Montessori Method of teaching and the classroom is set up to represent that. Each child is taught at their own pace so your children will excel in the areas they are best at and be given extra time in the areas they need more help with. In addition, the classrooms are exceptionally clean and neat. They also display your childs school work in the classroom so you can see your childs work. It is a great atmostphere. Each day my kids had music, and then Italian and Yoga was taught once a week. The kids also go on educational field trips which is great considering most Kindergarten schools do not take filed trips. Although this Montessori school focuses heavily on education, they also understand that the kids are young and allow for recess and arts and crafts so you know your child is getting a balance of learning and fun. I have seen what my kids learn at Montessori compared to what kids learn at other Kindergarten schools and Montessori is hands down a better learning environment. My kids learned things in Kindergarten that public school doesn't teach until 1st or second grade! As for the teachers and assistants, they could not be better. They are nurturing and it is obvious they love their job. My kids are always so excited to attend school everyday, and as a Mother this is very comforting to see. They also offer an after school program so if my Husband or I had to work late this was useful. The building is extremely secure and there is a buzzer and intercom system to get into the school. The doors are permanently locked until buzzed open by the teacher. The Director is always approachable and even if she is not in the office, she will always call back promptly and is happy to answer any questions you have regarding the school. Both the Director and her assistant are willing to assist you with anything you need. It is obvious that the Director treats her employees well and is concerned about her business and the benefits the children can gain from her school. I am friendly with a lot of the other parents and they all think this school is as great as I do. I would recommend it to anyone!

My son went to Montessori Minds a few years back and it was a FANTASTIC experience for our whole…read morefamily. The school itself is clean and bright with plenty of room for the children to explore, learn, and play. Jackie Krumm and her caring, attentive staff take every opportunity to make the learning environment stimulating, fun, and creative and are always thinking up new ways to keep the kids interested and engaged. Our son loved the school and the staff so much that there were times that he wouldn't want to leave when we came to pick him up because he was having too much fun! Bottom line, if you're looking for a preschool for your child where they can learn and grow in a safe and loving environment, Montessori Minds Preschool is the place for you!

I had 2 kids in MCR, and both loved the school. Picking them up at the end of the day, I would hear…read morestories about all the exciting things they did: what they learned, what books they read, what song they practiced, what games they played outside with their friends, what art project they worked on after school and so forth. Our experienced teachers really knew kids' personalities, their likes an dislikes. They kept close track of their progress in each aspect of Montessori curriculum and customized learning for them when needed. The school is a very safe and nurturing place with talented staff (after-school program is one of the best I've seen) and rich traditions. By the way, their celebrations are simply amazing! They remain among our most precious memories from that time.

My son started going to Montessori Children's Room (MCR) at 19 months and we loved this school, and…read morehe seemed to as well. When he was about to turn three this past September, he moved into the 3, 4 and 5 year old class. That is when they noticed he had a hard time sitting still and focusing. He was about to age out of EI (Early Intervention) and start CPSE (Committee on Preschool Education), which would mean the therapists that were approved (Speech, SEIT and OT) could work with him in his classroom environment. However, MCR does NOT allow ANY therapists in this school to work with children who have been approved to receive it. So, we were left with no other choice, and had to scramble to find a new school in the middle of October of 2018. Not an easy task considering that most were already full by that point. Luckily we found a school that my son adores. It is a play based, loving and nurturing environment, that is so in tune with nature and outdoor play. I guess everything happens for a reason, and we were very fortunate to end up where we are now. MCR does wonderful things with the students, my son learned a lot in his time there. Their holiday show and graduation are amazing as well, along with their camp. That said, Montessori is not for every child, especially a child that requires therapy of any sort. What bothered me about our experience is how they didn't give me any feedback of his behavior in the baby class (NK) prior to moving up. We did have parent teacher conferences twice in the school year, but they never spoke about how he was disruptive, couldn't focus or sit still. Had I known this was going to be an issue, we could have looked for other schools before he started in the toddler class. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth, as we felt forced out of there in a way. In closing, I debated on whether or not to write a review about my experience with this school. However, I recently learned the same thing is happening with another child there, so I wanted to give other parents a heads up before you consider going to this school.

My three year old daughter is thriving at this school. Wonderful, warm, loving teachers. Clean,…read morebright, and fun, my daughter always has a lot of fun. She makes art projects, learns numbers, letters, how to be courteous and kind. I can't reccomend this place more!

All is as well as it ever has been. Best school ever for 3-6 yr olds. You child will enter…read morekindergarten ready for the 1st grade. Register as early as possible. They fill up extremely quickly.