Keystone Montessori Charter School

I can't say enough about how happy my whole family is with Keystone. The teachers are so dedicated, the administration is well organized and fair, and the school has a caring and respectful tone. Parent involvement creates a supportive environment and a community feel. Most importantly my children are happy, challenged, and passionate about learning. We have been at Keystone since preschool and on and I would recommend the school with out hesitation. We feel truly lucky to be there and know the school has something very special going on. The only area I feel could use some improvement would be in communicating changes. They do a good job but not as strong as they are in other areas. To reference some comments I saw below, I have never witnessed favorable treatment to families who are able to donate more money, that has not been my experience at all in the five years we have been here. Also, this is a true Montessori school. To avoid a mismatch in schools where comments like I read below come from, "great if your kid wants to be a janitor" please make sure you understand the Montessori philosophy before you pick Keystone and you won't be disappointed.
—Submitted by a parent

Keystone is an amazing school with outstanding students, teachers, administration, and parents. The school is an authentic Montessori program that nurtures each child's individuality. My two children have attended the school for 6 years starting in Children's House and it is the only school I see them going to through the 9th grade. I have spoken with other parents of children who have transitioned out of the school and into high school and they have all had wonderful things to say about their children's smooth transitions, social adjustment, and academic accomplishments. This school is an authentic Montessori, privatel like quality school that depends on donations to operate at this quality level. I personally feel that parents need to understand that public funding does not provide the means to deliver a quality program; this is why people are unhappy with public school. I chose Montessori and I chose Keystone.
—Submitted by a teacher

I recommend Keystone without reservation. In addition to becoming lovely human beings, our children are thriving. Our 5 year old is reading, writing, and comprehending mathematical concepts. What I love is that the children have a deep love and understanding of all that they learn, rather than simply the ability to memorize and regurgitate information. As a result of their time at Keystone, our children have an inextinguishable love of learning and respect for the world around them. The Keystone campus is lovely and the teachers and staff are very caring and dedicated. Keystone is a traditional Montessori school that follows the teachings of Maria Montessori and uses traditional Montessori materials. Parents considering a Montessori school should consider reading up on the philosophy and methodology before enrolling. Montessori schools develop character AND intellect on an individualized basis. Children develop at different rates. Montessori schools provide an environment to facilitate self-motivated activity where the mastery of the work is its own reward. Children spend 3 years with the same teacher. This creates a meaningful bond between student, teacher, and parent.
—Submitted by a parent

Reviewer below could have been me ( see July 27th review). Her experiences at this school are similar to mine. I also believe that parents who donate are in a league of their own and their kids are better attended to. I pulled my kid in mid-year because she was not showing much academic progress at all, although teachers assured me that my child us "progressing at his own pace." My child seemed to enjoy his time in the classroom, but was never eager to go to school. My biggest complaint is that our teacher was not willing to listen to my worries about lack of progress. Default position of this teacher was that she knows best and that I should patiently wait to my child to start showing motivation to learn. I regret my decision to enroll my child there. When we moved to another school (mid-year) my child showed sudden interest in learning. But the reviewer below was right: our learning curve was steep. My child is now excelling and is doing quite well. Don't be deceived by attractive, well-dressed surface of this school. Other people seem to have much better experiences, but like the reviewer below said, "hit or miss" is also a theme at Keystone.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at Keystone are hit or miss -- some are good, although many have no formal college education. As other reviewers mentioned, there is high teacher attrition. In the classroom, there is a strong emphasis on "practical life" learning which includes things like cleaning, cooking, and tending to the outdoor environment. Unless you aspire for your child to be a janitor, cook or gardener, this isn't where you'd want your child's focus. When I transfered my child to the Kyrene School District there was a steep learning curve because of deficiencies in his learning at Keystone. As others mentioned, there is a constant pressure to donate money. Those who donate are favored and get better teacher assignments.
—Submitted by a parent

I visited every Montessori school in the Phoenix metro area. When I stepped foot into Keystone I just knew it was perfect for us. The facility is like no other school. You can tell the school was built for the children! The tools that are readily available in each classroom is outstanding. The teachers are truely invested in every child. We could not be happier with our daughter's experience.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an amazing school! The teachers are great and really care about the children and always want to make sure that they become the best that they can be. My daughter was at Keystone from Kindergarten until 8th grade. The transition was very hard for her because she went to a large high school in the area. I wish that the adolescent program had prepared her a little more for high school and gave a little homework- even though thats not the Montessori philosophy the children are going to need to do homework in all the other schools that they go into. This is an amazing school and I think that my daughter learned how to be kind to others and how to help others that could be in need of help. True life skills were learned at this school. We are truly appreciative of the staff and teachers at this wonderful school!
—Submitted by a parent

My child was in a Montessori preschool and did well. I then placed her in Kyrene Public Schools for kindergarten. Although our Kyrene school was rated a 10 and was "fun" for my daughter, she was totally bored and unchallenged for the entire school year (even after talking about it with her teacher)! We finally got her into Keystone and the transformation in learning has been extraordinary! I can't believe all the things she is learning and all well beyond what she would be doing in public school if we had left her. I feel like we lost an entire year in Kyrene but at least she's making up for it now. Her teacher is amazing and although the fall fundraiser was a bit steep in price, they only do it twice a year and my child isn't bringing stuff home to sell every week. Much worth the donation in my opinion.
—Submitted by a parent

Keystone is nestled in the foothills of Ahwatukee but is miles away from ordinary. Children are directed through learning without being forced, making them eager to take on new challenges while learning at their own unique pace. From first grade on, students are also treated like young adults, resulting in engaged, well-rounded, community-minded achievers. Every day our son comes home saying, "I love school," we're truly thankful that a better way thrives in Arizona. And yes, you will too...
—Submitted by a parent

This school is outstanding. The teachers are superb, the children get lots of attention, and the parental involvement is very high. I have no complaints whatsoever, and since I'm a university professor, that should tell you something about how I value the quality of my child's education.
—Submitted by a parent

Our child attended Keystone Montessori School from Kindergarten - 9th grade. We are so fortunate for the education and life skills that he gained. He was very well prepared when he transitioned to high school as a sophomore. In high school, he has been enrolled in honors and AP classes, he is a member of the National Honor Society...and he enjoys learning! He is now a senior and looking forward to furthering his education even more next year in college. The school definitely has high academic standards, however, the beauty of Keystone is that along with academics, learning revolves around the "whole child". Children are respected as human beings; they learn to make good choices; they are confident and they are surrounded by cultural diversity. We believe that all of these aspects combined make it possible for students to be successful in whatever path they decide to take in life!
—Submitted by a parent

My family transfered to Keystone from another valley montessori school a few years ago. I did alot of research and fact finding in order to make the decision. My children have gone through all levels now at the school and have received a very authentic Montessori education. The fact that donations are requested is due to the low State funding, and for a premium program a donation is truly worth. I have never felt pressured. As for test results all Montessori students do well, they just know this stuff due to the great program. It just might not be for everyone.
—Submitted by a parent

I can't say enough thank you's to all the amazing staff at Keystone! My children love school and are always eager for the school year to begin again. Keystone is Montessori 100% and I can't imagine my children anywhere else!!!
—Submitted by a parent

I really feel like the teachers & staff really care about my child, it should be voted as America's Favorite School because of the awesome curriculum and wonderful experience they provide to their students.
—Submitted by a parent

Last year my family joined Keystone to find the most wonderful staff. We moved from out of state and having attended, what I thought was an authentic Montessori environment, only to learn that I had found an even better place for my children. The entire community, from parents, faculty and administration has met my expectations in every way. We couldn't be happier.
—Submitted by a parent

We were very dissapointed with the school's ability to retain their AMI quality teachers and the adminstration is judgmental towards families who can not pay extra to their financial campaign
—Submitted by a parent

Keystone is a great school and my child has really blossomed since he started attending this school. The teachers and administration are great. The parents are very involved and active and the school and are dedictated to its success. We are very pleased with our experience so far.
—Submitted by a parent

Keystone is, by objective measures, consistently a top performing school, but it is also a school that, operating in the grand Montessori tradition, inculcates a genuine love of learning in students by helping students discover their own strengths and weaknesses and giving them the means to work toward capitalizing on the former and working to strengthen the latter. The school is wonderful, and beloved by its community.
—Submitted by a parent

My two children went to Keystone for several years. Our experience has been mixed. The extra curricular activities at Keystone are fantastic, the field trips, the year end tours, the science fairs - fabulous. Considering the fact that they do all this with little or no extra money from the parents is great! Parental involvement is also phenomenal. One thing I have a major peeve about Keystone is about the quality of teachers. There is a very high turnover of teachers - my kids had a new teacher every year, which defeats the Montessori advantage of having mixed age classes (grades 1-3, 4-6 etc). Teacher quality was mixed at best, there were a couple of teachers who had major difficulty communicating with the students and the parents. They didn't encourage gifted children by providing extra challenges or opportunities to learn. I have decided to move both my kids to another school.
—Submitted by a parent

My son was really struggling with school when he attended a traditional public school. I decided to move him to a Montessori setting, and chose Keystone because it was a good size, a beautiful campus, and most importantly the teachers seemed very engaged with the kids. We have been so happy to find that Keystone was everything that we hoped it would be! Within just a few weeks, my son was reading at grade level, and his behavior was excellent. He has been motivated to learn in new ways, finding engagement in subjects that weren't even an option at his previous school. I highly recommend Keystone Montessori.
—Submitted by a parent