Acton Montessori School

My daughter spent two years at AMS, we feel so fortunate that we found AMS for our daughter, she is getting a wonderful education in a supportive and caring environment.
Oct 8th, 2018

Our daughter started at Acton Montessori School this past September. We can’t say enough how pleased we are with her experiences there. Our daughter has a slight hearing loss, coupled with a fair amount of distractibility, which is exacerbated by overstimulating environments and/or background noise. AMS’s calm atmosphere is the perfect fit for her. Moreover, the teaching staff is top notch. They are warm and loving, and encourage her to pursue her curiosities while building upon her strengths. They’ve also created a cohesive classroom in which she feels that all of her classmates are her friends. Best of all, our daughter loves it. She goes to school happy, and comes home even happier!
Aug 23rd, 2018

This place is terrrrrrible. There are many other local options that won't drain your wallet and will actually provide a good education to your children.
Jun 6th, 2018

I had several issues with this school, especially with the administrator!, and had to take my children to a different school. Don't make the same mistake I made!
Sep 29th, 2017

There are different schools that work for different types of kids and parents. Acton Montessori absolutely did not work for us. In fact, despite paying the full tuition in advance, we’ve decided to withdraw our son two months before the end of year because his physical and emotional well-being are more important than any amount of money to me. The director gave a great sales pitch when I first visited AMS. I had no reason to believe the information she provided was inaccurate at the time, but what I learned very early in the year was that it was just that- a sales pitch. 1)This is not a Montessori school. There is much more structure and sitting required than we had been led to believe. They do not follow the child’s lead. Yoga, barre, etc did not begin until November and were sporadic, not consistent each week. 2)Communication with parents is minimal and sporadic, and for me, very awkward, defensive, and even bizarre at times. For example, my son entered at 2.7 years. In September, the “lead” teacher made odd comments about his pants being too big around his waist( He was going through a growth spurt)- the pants had an adjustable belt. She also complained he couldn’t put his shoes on by himself. When I said he wasn’t even three, he might need more time, her response was “other kids his age can.” Later that same day, at home, I asked my son if he wanted to play outside, since it was still nice out in the early evening. I asked him to try and put on his shoes by himself. He began crying inconsolably and refused to go outside if he had to put his shoes on. I did confront the teacher the next day. I don’t know what she said to him, but it clearly had a negative impact that lasted for some time. It took a lot of work on my part to help him get past it. That was September,this type of bizarre and developmentally inappropriate behavior on the part of the school continued. For example, upon picking him up from school, the director told me in regards to him covering his mouth when he sneezed, “he just didn’t get it.” He wasn’t three years old yet. When I asked routine questions that either the lead teacher or director, who often fills in for the teacher, perceived as questioning them or the school in anyway, they became defensive, argumentative, and impolite. It became impossible to have even simple conversations with them. (I tried to resolve these communication difficulties honestly and amicably to no avail.) This tone and overall approach clearly had an impact on my son, physically and emotionally, which is why we’ve ultimately withdrawn him early, despite the financial loss. 3) The original “lead” teacher left mid-year. Apparently this happened the previous year, too. I wish I had known in advance. The substitute teacher is great, but she isn’t there consistently. No one seems to know why, and parents have not received much information regarding this concern. (I never met even one of the teachers elaborately described on the website.) 4) The administrative aspect of the school is poorly done. Parents receive emails intended for other parents, information is not professionally distributed, etc, but I could forgive that if my son felt safe and loved. The anxious behavior I witnessed related to attending school makes me feel guilty for having tried to push through as long as we have. I feel like we lost a year of what could have been a great experience if we had attended a different school. I don’t want other people to experience this. Ultimately, parents have to figure out what’s right for their individual child/children, but for our son, it was mostly negative. The only plus side is I met some nice parents and we will continue those friendships with their children outside of AMS.
Nov 24th, 2017