Scripps Montessori School

Our son is about to complete his 2nd year at the school and there was not one day he would rather stay at home than go to Scripps Montessori. We are extremely happy with the school environment, the attention of the staff to students and the general atmosphere of both the classes and daycare. Every time we walk into the school we are impressed with how friendly the feeling is - between the teachers and the kids, the teachers and the parents and among the kids. Our son has made tons of friends and has been exceeding our expectations in development - from getting potty trained within weeks of starting the school at the age of 2 to starting to read two years later (not that there is pressure to read and count - he just picked it up at his own pace). The most impressive of all is for us to see him functioning as a complete person - seeing his emotional and physical development in addition to the "measurable" progress like math and reading. We will have our 2nd child attend the school when the time is right without a second of hesitation. Highly recommend the school!
--Submitted by a parent

Our daughter has attended Scripps Montessori for two years and she is absolutely thriving. She loves all of her teachers and Directress, and loves the fact that she has such caring and responsive adults around her. On the academic side of things, it is thrilling to see her increasingly inspired by her classroom work and fascinated with learning about the world around her. She takes a healthy pride in the great strides she s making in school, and my husband and I can see how satisfying it is for her to learn and develop at her own pace, rather than being subjected to the lowest-common-denominator approach many times used in the public schools. In addition, our daughter is always looking forward to the next adventure that is, always looking forward to the unique and varied real-world learning opportunities her and her classmates get to experience on a regular basis. Great job, Scripps Montessori! Two thumbs up!
--Submitted by a parent

This is the second year for our daughter in Scripps Montessori School. She started there when hse was three. And to our amazement she started reading after 4 months. Now she is also good in writing and addition tables. Ms.Ada really understands her very well and adheres to her needs. Also my daughter was a poor eater, with Ms.Ada's continuous effort in teaching her to respect her food, she has improved a lot. Ms.Ada makes her to sit and finish lunch even after lunch time. For a four year old to come back from school and talk about Planets, Continients, Countries in various continents, Banking stuff was very amazing for us as parents. Also our son is also there in elementary classroom this year, We moved him from public school system to Scripps Montessori when we saw how our daughter was performing. Also we feel very safe at heart when we drop the kids at school in the morning. Even though my son came from public school system he got very adjusted to the montessori classroom, because of the constant guidelines from his teachers.Also the Principal Ms.Ciara is always reachable with any issues we have. She is more friendly to the kids too. We are very happy here.
--Submitted by a parent

My children have been attending Scripps Montessori School since they were three years old. The school provides a nurturing, academic Montessori environment. Both children were reading by kindergarten. I can see that my children are developing confidence in themselves and respect for others. They have learned to work independently, with focus. There has not been a day that they did not want to go to school. They love their teachers. The administrator, Ciara Concepcion, is professional, warm, and kind. The elementary students just had an international week where students gave impressive presentations about their heritage. Last year, there was an international dance recital where all students participated. For grades 2 and higher, there is an annual school trip to Catalina Island where children are taught by a marine biologist. Tom Newton teaches elementary and understands each child. I have appreciated his suggestions. Parental involvement is high. They encourage healthy food. Before I knew better, I packed candy for dessert and Ms. Ada sent it back! The teachers are bilingual. I would like to see Spanish more formally incorporated into the daily curriculum.
--Submitted by a parent

We started our 2 year old during the summer and have had a great experience with the school. The staff is very open and approachable. The facility is beautiful, clean and organized. Best of all, our daughter loves it.
--Submitted by a parent

Our 4 1/2 year old son has been attending Scripps since June 2010. Prior to that, he was in a private day-care with one other child. We are extremely pleased with his experience at this school. He seems to be maturing wonderfully and learning and developing new skills continually. We are very happy with his progress. I think the teachers are very knowledgeable, thoughtful, caring and respectful of the children. The Directress is outstanding! She is always available for my questions, concerns and comments whether by email or phone. I honestly cannot say enough good things about the school. Our son seems very happy there and seems to be thriving. The only negatives I have found are relatively minor: sometimes they are late in starting their drop-off line in the morning (particularly during the summer) and the lunches could be healthier.
--Submitted by a parent

As a first-time mother who works from home, I needed to send my 21-month-old to school for the first time in 2010. I was nervous about the idea of her being away from me in a new environment, but the staff at Scripps Montessori School was more than compassionate, accommodating and helpful. They worked with me on the transition and continue to understand what it means to be a new parent, and I appreciate this tremendously. In addition, the school's curriculum and programs are outstanding. My daughter has grown socially, academically and physically through the carefully selected materials and Montessori approach. She has developed into a accomplished little lady in less than a year with the assistance of the high-caliber staff at this school. I am so pleased that I found this school and would recommend it to any parent looking for a quality experience for their little one.
--Submitted by a parent

Our daughter will be completing her second year at SMS and we couldn't be more proud. She has blossomed socially and academically under the guidance of Ms. Erika and is now reading chapter books and doing simple addition. She has also taken part in the extracurricular dance/tap classes offered at the site. The Directress is experienced and very hands on with the day-to-day operations of the school. There is a sense of community and all children enter and leave the school happy.
--Submitted by a parent

I just cannot say enough great things about this school. Here are a few that top my list. The communication with the teachers and staff is outstanding and helpful. They always have great suggestions to help correct unwanted behaviors. This has been a huge help for us. Anytime I need to talk to the staff, they are more than willing to make the time to discuss any questions and concerns. I know that my children respect their teachers because they never want us to tell the teachers if they are misbehaving at home. The flexibility of the after school daycare program is very convenient and affordable. They offer the Chick Peas Lunch program- a local organic, fresh, healthy and affordable lunch that my kids love. Most of the teachers speak Spanish, and that has made my children excited about learning Spanish. My daughter has been in the Spanish class now since Sept. 2010 and loves it. My children love the friends that they have made here and because the school is so multicultural they have learned about different cultures and get excited about telling us. My husband loves how advanced our kids are compared to others their age. A true testament to the Montessori system.
--Submitted by a parent

Well it s decided. Scripps Montessori is the best of the best. We toured many schools looking for what we believed to be the best for our children (ages 2 & 5) and this school hands down surpassed even the High and Mighty in town. We attended the Elementary School Open House last month and it was amazing. The presentations that these young children did had my daughter begging to attend this school. I love the diversity of the students and the unrivaled lesson plans and materials that the Montessori system offers. We met some of the parents whose children attend SMS and all had raving reviews for the school, the staff and the extra curricular activities offered including Spanish, dance and sports. We made our commitment for the upcoming year and I can not wait. If you are looking for a new school and have not checked this school out yet please do. It is well worth your time.
--Submitted by a parent