REVIEW OF Head Start Montessori School BY parent, Xuyang Tang

(5) Student Experience

My child really enjoys her time at Head Start Montessori School. Since going to Head Start Montessori in their youngest class, my daughter has developed great gross and fine motor skills. She loves and cares for the environment, others and herself. She has been taught to approach anyone with grace and courtesy. She loves the teachers and staff at the school, all of whom attend to the kids with nothing but love and encouragement. She's developing into her own person with independence and guidance from her teachers. She loves all experiences, especially music, circle time, math, practical life activities and socialization. At 4 and a half years old, she has started to learn basic math in a way that supports kids' understanding and development. She has a great vocabulary and speaks clearly and logically. She's also learning to write. She loves dancing and singing, and she approaches any activity with confidence and eagerness.

Why Head Start Montessori School?

When I toured the school, the school was clean and bright. While speaking with the school's director, I felt that every decision made by the school staff and leadership was in the kids' best interest.

Expectations vs. Reality

The school exceeded my expectations in all aspects, including kids' learning, the school environment, the care from the teachers, and the freedom with which the kids are encouraged to develop their independence.

Your Advice

At Heat Start, kids develop into their own person in a 3-year curriculum, and parents might not necessarily see obvious progress in Year 1 or Year 2. But by the end of Year 3, the kids' development should be clear. Furthermore, the school staff tailor their teaching to the kids' progress. If the kids exceeded the existing curriculum, the school provided additional material.

(5) School Leadership

The directors are at the school every day, same as the teachers. They are educators themselves and are very hands-on on an as-needed basis in all classrooms. They know the progress and personality of each kid.

(5) Teaching

I'm happy with the quality of the instruction, and the teachers are knowledgeable about their material. They communicate effectively and provide constructive and useful feedback. They support the kids well, and my kid has had a great experience with them.

(5) Academics

I'm happy with the school's academic strengths. The teachers have a set of age-appropriate curricula for the kids, and they monitor the kids' progress and encourage them to develop in areas that need work. I feel this academic program will adequately prepare my kid for her future endeavours.

(5) Extracurriculars

The school offers so many extracurriculars. We've had music, chess, taekwondo, gymnastics, robotics, to name a few. The school also has regular field trips to farms in the fall and maple orchards in early spring.

(5) Students

The kids are so happy there. I pick up my kids from school most days, and I've never seen an unhappy kid at the end of a school day.

(5) School Life

My kid loves going to school because she really likes her teachers, and she enjoys the activities. Sometimes she will try to coordinate outfits with a teacher, or she will bring books or photos to present to her class.

(5) Community

I feel like I really built a community with the parents because the parents who choose Head Start mostly have a like-minded view of children's education and development. I have been great friends with many of them.

(5) School Location

School is in an office building. The school's front door is inside the building's door. I feel very secure about that. The school also has a fenced yard which backs to a parking lot and is not close to any busy street.

(5) Admissions

My process was easy, but it was also during the COVID era. I toured and signed up while I was pregnant because I didn't want to risk a long wait list. The admission officers were literally the teachers and the directors.