My daughter has been enrolled in the Toddler Program for over a year, and I have nothing but positive things to say about our experience. The reason I say “our experience” rather that “her experience” is that CMS truly embraces the whole family. Through attending school events and volunteering, we have enjoyed meeting other families and feel that we are a part of a larger community of parents and children who embrace Montessori teachings. My daughter has truly blossomed over the past year, going from a non-verbal 18 month-old who cried whenever we left the room to an outgoing chatterbox who can’t wait to go to school everyday. She loves talking about her teachers, friends, and classroom pets and teaching us new games and songs. As an educator for almost 20 years, it was important that I find a place where our children could learn, grow, and enjoy childhood surrounded by trusted adults. We are very happy that we chose CMS, and would highly recommend it to other families.

We enrolled our daughter in CMS after a very frustrating experience at another facility, as well as hearing wonderful stories from friends that had children enrolled at CMS, and have never been so happy we made that decision! After many lengthy conversations with my husband, we decided that a Montessori approach to her education could help her overcome the frustrations from her old environment, and get her on the right track for a positive learning experience. From day one at CMS, we have never felt more at home. The staff is wonderful, the other children are a pleasure to be around, the fellow families are one big family, and our daughter showed immediate progress just in the first few months. Her fine and gross motor skills immediately improved, as well as beginning to speak full words and sentences, something she was not doing when she arrived. Our daughter is already counting to 10 and sings her ABC’s by herself, and she is only two years old! We cannot speak more highly of CMS, the CMS staff, and the Montessori method and what they have done for our daughter and our family.

-Michael and Andrea Callanan

Hello! My name is Kamry Wells and I am a senior at Scott Co. High this year. I will be attending Asbury University in the fall of 2016 on a softball scholarship. I am in the Co-op Program for students wanting to major in education. My initial thought was to co-op at a public elementary school until I interviewed at CMS. I loved every part of how the children learn here. They are not rushed into their learning, but get to experiment with different subjects at their own pace. I absolutely love it and have found a home at CMS. It was definitely the best decision I could have made when choosing my Co-op School!

CMS has taught my son how to respect others, show kindness, and to be a good citizen. I am also thrilled with how far he has come under the care of his teachers. As a five-year old he reads Shel Silverstein, he makes change correctly, and he can tell you where most countries are on a map! Most importantly, he delights in learning—he knows that he can learn anything if he sets his mind to it. I cannot take credit for teaching him any of these things—all the credit goes to the wonderful teachers of CMS!

What drew me to CMS initially was the welcoming environment, the talented and amazing staff, and the dedication to inspiring children. What kept me was undoubtedly the enthusiasm for learning that each and every child in the school exhibits. Kids at CMS don’t just learn to read, write, and do complex math; they also learn to ask, to experiment, to wonder and to try. They are taught, from the very beginning, that education is an adventure to take—fun, exciting, and most importantly, up to them. My oldest, a CMS graduate currently in the fifth grade, still uses this philosophy and pursues interests through research and experimentation outside the classroom. I credit CMS with instilling a love of learning in her before she was even aware that not everyone has that.

Children’s Montessori School has been a wonderful place for our boys! Our eldest graduated after 3 1⁄2 years at CMS with a very strong academic foundation, doing math and reading well above grade-level, and had a terrific rapport with his teachers. This carried over seamlessly into a public school where his self-confidence and comfort with his instructors has served him quite well. Our youngest son is following a similar path. The boys together are amazingly kind and patient with one another. I can’t help but credit their Montessori background.

I am blown away by how self-sufficient my child became during her time in the toddler program at CMS. She learned to wash her own dishes, put away her coat and shoes, and use the restroom on her own—all before the age of 2! These skills are a godsend for parents. What is more, she learned to explore her world through Montessori works and take pride both in doing work and putting it away properly. We also saw an enormous difference in my child’s wellness after moving her from daycare to CMS. They do a wonderful job teaching the children about washing hands and general cleanliness – I know this greatly reduced the number of illnesses in my family. Thank you, CMS!