Parent Review - Please Read Carefully Spanish versión in…read moreimages. Update: This review has been updated to include additional factual details for clarity and completeness. I am sharing this experience so other parents can make informed decisions before enrolling their child. I wish I had seen a review like this beforehand. My intent is transparency, especially for families who rely on childcare subsidies and may have limited options. My daughter attended this school briefly. During that time, we experienced ongoing issues with communication and transparency. The most concerning situation involved my daughter being injured on more than one occasion--twice by the same child within a matter of weeks. When I asked why my child was hurt more than once in such a short period of time, the Director became defensive rather than responsive. On both occasions, I was not notified immediately. After the first incident, a vague incident report was placed in my daughter's backpack for me to discover after arriving home. The report was written on Mt. Tahoma letterhead, which was confusing and concerning, as my child does not attend that school. During the second incident, I arrived for pickup while my daughter was still crying and visibly distressed after being struck on the side of the head by the same child. The teacher who brought her to the gate did not know what had happened, and the Director also appeared unaware. My daughter was initially handed to me as if nothing had occurred. Only after it became clear that I was upset and would not leave while my child was crying, red in the face, and hurt did a staff member offer an ice pack. When the Director arrived, she was unable to explain what had happened. When my daughter identified who hit her, the Director stated, "No, it wasn't him," without clarifying who was responsible. Although my daughter clearly stated she was hit, the school insisted she had been "pushed onto bark." Bark would not cause a bruise on her ear or the contusion later diagnosed by urgent care. The conversation with the Director and owner was brief and uninformative. Neither acknowledged who hurt my child or clearly explained what occurred. Instead, the incident was repeatedly described as "normal child behavior," and it was implied that my daughter's actions caused her injury. Some children at the school are as old as six; my daughter is only four. No apology was offered, and no prevention plan was discussed unless I specifically asked. An incident report was not offered. I requested one and was told it would be provided, but it never arrived. After following up, I eventually received a report that lacked key details, including staff names and a clear explanation of how the injury occurred. Most concerning, the report focused heavily on my daughter's behavior in a way that implied she was responsible for being hurt, while also stating that a teacher witnessed the incident and did not intervene to prevent injury. In a follow-up email--after I continued requesting a corrected incident report and additional details--the Director suggested that I consider withdrawing my daughter and placing her in a private in-home daycare, stating that my concerns reflected "very specific needs," rather than addressing how the school would ensure my child's safety. Beyond the physical injuries, my daughter showed signs of emotional distress while attending this program, including difficulty playing with peers and fear associated with school staff. Since leaving the school, these reactions have continued. I have not been able to return to work since November, as attempts to transition her into other childcare settings have been unsuccessful due to her extreme distress and refusal to enter facilities. The emotional impact on our family has been substantial. What troubled me most was not just the incidents themselves, but a pattern of delayed communication, limited transparency around supervision, and dismissal of legitimate safety concerns. I have since withdrawn my daughter and am sharing this to encourage other parents to ask detailed questions about supervision, injury reporting, communication practices, and how children are supported emotionally. This review reflects my personal experience as a parent.

My oldest son has been enrolled here for nearly two years, and the growth we've seen academically,…read moresocially, and emotionally, has been extraordinary. He came in shy and hesitant, and he has blossomed into a confident, curious child who loves learning and communicating with others. He now problem-solves on his own, initiates conversations, and brings home life skills he proudly teaches his younger brother. Because of the trust we've built, I recently enrolled my youngest son as well. One of the most meaningful parts of our experience has been the genuine care the staff has shown our family. When my father passed away unexpectedly about a year and a half ago, the teachers and administrators surrounded us with warmth and compassion. They checked in daily, supported my son through his big emotions, and made sure he felt safe and loved during an incredibly difficult time. That type of care comes from people who truly value the children they work with. Communication has always been clear, consistent, and responsive. The staff is proactive in sharing updates, answering questions, and making sure parents feel informed and included. Over nearly two years, any small hiccups that naturally happen in childcare have been handled with transparency, thoughtfulness, and professionalism. My son has developed strong, trusting relationships with his teachers, both under the previous ownership and the current leadership. He talks about them with so much affection, and it's evident that they genuinely know and appreciate him as an individual. They celebrate who he is, encourage his interests, and guide him with patience and respect. The sense of belonging and stability he feels at school has been a major factor in his growth. Every family and child is unique, but I can confidently share that this school has been a nurturing, communicative, and supportive environment for both of my children. We are grateful every day for the foundation it has provided, and I am thankful for the teachers who care for my boys as if they were their own.

Not sure why there are so many bad reviews. My son has gone here for 3 years; first in a 50/50…read moreEnglish/Chinese environment, then in a Chinese immersion environment. We're very happy with the teachers he's had, with the friends he's made, with the extended hours of the school, etc. At first we didn't think he was learning much Chinese, but then his grandma came to live with us from China, and we realized he was just shy, and he could actually speak Chinese very well. Overall, great school, happy with his progress in English, math, Chinese. Happy with a structured curriculum that also gives him free time to choose his own passions.

I would give 0 star if I could. This is a fake Montessori school. It has no Montessori…read morecertification. Unlike other Montessori schools, kids play with toys in the afternoon instead of doing work. The classroom is full of Montessori material, but that's only for decoration. The kids have never touched some of the materials because teachers don't even know how to use them. Also, most teachers don't have certification either. The way they treat student is completely wrong. They dont comfort kids when they feel said. I feel like they don't actually care about their students and their feelings. The school is closed this year in March due to coronavirus. Parents send tons of emails asking for tuition refund and we receive no response. Not even to just acknowledge that they have received our email. The director refund 25% of tuition fee for April while the school is closed for the month. Some parents want to hold off their April payment until school reopens. They received a notice from school saying that if you don't pay for April, we will consider this as an act of withdrawing your child from school. The 2 month deposit would be gone. Their decision is very business driven to benefit their needs. They are still making money from us during this time period and use it to support school development(they are building a new campus) and teacher training program. Would a school without certification spend money on teacher's development? I doubt it.

We love Issaquah Montessori. Our child has blossomed from a shy toddler to a very outgoing,…read morepleasant mannered one. Teachers are so patient and nurturing and let the child take the lead. We love the very innovative strategy of teaching kids the fundamentals to read, write and look at them as a whole child instead of focusing on ticking boxes like teaching them to write, read etc, which takes the fun out of learning. We are definitely enrolling our second one here!

Both my kids are now attending the school. My daughter started 5 months ago and even though she…read moregot a new teacher, the quality remains top notch. In regards to schools, it doesn't get better than Issaquah Montessori!!!

My daughter attended the toddler program at Arbor, and unfortunately, our experience was not very…read morepositive. From the beginning, she was reluctant to go to school, though at her age (3 years old) she couldn't clearly express why. On the administrative side, I often found communication confusing and overly bureaucratic. The primary care director frequently stepped in when issues arose in the classroom, but her messages did not always align with the teachers', and she did not appear to have decision-making authority. When we finally decided to withdraw our daughter after several difficult months, the process was particularly challenging. We submitted our withdrawal notice one day later than the contract required (on a Sunday rather than Saturday). While I acknowledge that this was our oversight, the financial impact was in the thousands of dollars, and the school was unwilling to make any accommodation. Discussions with the primary director, assistant head, head of school, and eventually the owner all reinforced the sense that policies were rigid and prioritized the business side over the child's well-being or the family's situation. I later spoke with another parent who had a very similar experience regarding withdrawal fees, which made me realize this was not an isolated case. To be fair, there are dedicated teachers at Arbor, and I know some children do well there. However, if challenges arise, families should be prepared for limited flexibility and a process that may feel more focused on contractual obligations than collaborative problem-solving.

very unfriendly, not welcoming staff. Atmosphere/ environment is dingy not well lit, a bit…read moredepressing in-fact. not family oriented and to say it lightly biased.

I had such a great experience here. They were willing to work with me through a bunch of hurdles,…read moreand I really appreciated how supportive and patient they were the entire time. No matter what came up, they helped me every step of the way and made sure things worked out. Truly above and beyond service I couldn't recommend them more.

They are so kind and patient with my kiddo who was woefully behind in his reading skills. Their…read moreeducators are skilled and joyful and my kid is now interested in something he used to think was a huge challenge.

I have 3 daughters enrolled at this school and we couldn't be happier! Warm and caring staff,…read moregreat organization and fun learning environments for all 3. We've never been more excited about school!

I have nothing but great things to say about this school where my children attended…read morekindergarten-8th grade. I was able to observe the foundation of inquiry, compassion and community the k-5th grade experience provided for the further growth opportunities presented in middle school. These kids are smart, grounded, actively participate in their own learning and are 100% ready for high school academically and socially. Don't let the small middle school fool you! Students thrive socially in school and out. Furthermore, WSMS offers field trips, experiences and out of state travel for all, (not just a select few that have means) teachers and staff that care about all students and their educational path (not just those with parents that are able to volunteer) and a strong educational, service and community foundation that carries into adulthood. I want to be a Montessori kid

My daughter has been going to this center since 2018, with a pause last year due to the…read moreCoronavirus. Overall our experience has been very positive! She is learning things, making friends, talking about her day with excitement, talking about her friends, and the activities she did. The staff, from the director to the teachers, are responsive and detail-oriented. I receive weekly update on the learning plan and menu. Before the pandemic, there were several events where parents can get involved, for some you can meet other parents. Now that we are in the pandemic, they have cancelled all the in-person events for parents and established stricter protocols in the center regarding drop-off and pick-ups, and parents cannot go pass the front desk anymore. I am actually fine with the protocols as long as they can keep the virus at bay, and they have. In conclusion, I would recommend this center to any parents! The hard lesson I learned during the pandemic is that a reliable daycare is absolutely key to the parents. Parents not only need time to work, they also need to know their kids are safe. Bright Horizons at the Highlands, has exceeded my expectation so far!

Our daughter started going to this facility recently. So far its been good gor us. She is in Two's…read moreclass her teachers are quite well versed and know what they are doing. She had difficult time in adjusting in the beginning as she used to go another daycare in San Jose part time and suddenly going from part time to full time took a toll on her but teachers were warm enough to soothe my child so that she jells in with others sooner than later. We keep getting feedback from them time to time which is amazing. Thee only thing I am not a big fan off is cleanliness there I feel the facility can be kept a little more clean than what its today. Other than that all seems good to us so far.

After narrowing my preschool search down to montessori style instruction, I visited 4 schools, all…read moreso very different. But what sold me on SPM were the kids. On my first visit, my son had jumped right into the classroom and was trying to muscle in on one girl's art project. She politely told him no and then showed him how he could do his own. She got better results than I ever did in getting him to listen to her! Seeing how well the other kids were obviously projecting the lessons of sharing & instruction that they'd learned was huge for me & I hadn't witnessed that at any of the previous schools.

I joined Yelp specifically to review small planet. I love, love this school. My daughter…read morethoroughly enjoyed going here for the one year that she did. Martha is a wonderful human being and teacher. My daughter has special needs and is a very nervous child. But she was always happy to go to school here and asks for Martha even though we have moved out of town. Her new school isn't nearly as good and we miss Martha dearly. I urge you to send your child here, you won't regret it.