I really wanted my children to go to a Montessori School over public school. However, after the end of the year my child who has had two years of Montessori before entering kindergarten is way behind my friends children who are in public school and have not even had preschool! I believe in the teachings of Montessori but after this year I know there are huge variations in the teaching that vary and if it is not done right can really hinder our children. This attitude that any Montessori is better than public school is just for those that really have not witnessed what they are actually doing in public school. I went to watch in on my friends kindergarten class and it amazed me what the children were learning and they all appeared so happy. My child is never this happy coming home and I think it is because most of the day they are isolated and made to teach themselves. I want to point out before all the Montessori pit bulls come after me that I believe in Montessori but just because it says it on the building doesn't make it such. This is my opinion and my experience that I am entitled to.
—Submitted by a parent

My oldest child is in kindergarten at GMA and so far I have been very happy with this school. The teacher and teacher's aide are terrific! I like the size of the school, the weekly newsletters, the class updates, and love the responsibility taught to the children in addition to academics. I have not had any bad experiences with GMA.
—Submitted by a parent

RE- Last Post: How can anyone say anything negative about this school. It is wonderful now ( my children have attended GMA for two years now). There has been zero teacher turnover this year and enrollment has increased 20%. It is such a known desirerable school, that they even hold a lottery for new enrollment. I would say that the previous poster has problems everywhere they go, hence they shop for schools everytime there child has an issue. All I can say is; as an active involved parent, check it out for yourself. The South campus is awesome!
—Submitted by a parent

This is literally the worst school any of my children have ever attended. I'm convinced the good reviews are rigged. I had my child in this school for 2 years, and in that time not only did her self esteem and confidence plummet, but her academics slowed to a halt. We have had great montessori experiences prior and since, but this school was not even good for a traditional public school. There is a huge turnover every year in both staff and students. The teachers typically have little to no experience in any type of teaching, and are very young and immature. They regularly ignore IEPs. They don't allow students to work at their own pace or level, which is a cornerstone of montessori. Complaints from parents are treated as nuisances rather than an opportunity to resolve problems, and I would even suggest that any issue makes your child s target for punishment. All the parents I knew coming in have since pulled their children out, and that includes us. My child has soared to wonderful new heights since leaving. I wouldn't recommend this school to my worst enemy.
—Submitted by a parent

An ok choice if you can not afford a true Montessori school. School needs to work on parent communication and fostering a more positive environment.
—Submitted by a parent

My child started 1st grade in one of the renowned public school. It felt like he was being molded into the "norm," stripped of his individuality, and coming home with piles of repetitive homework papers. Halfway into the year, his public school teacher knew NOTHING of his strengths/weaknesses and showed little concern for challenging him. We found GMA and have been nothing but delighted with the leadership, his teachers, the passion for learning that they instill, and the celebration of each child's individuality. He is no longer stuck at a desk, lost in a crowd, or passively listening to teachers lecturing. Instead, he's researching, working on teams, learning life skills, exploring, and ultimately developing a love of lifelong learning in a manner that's much more consistent with the real world. Although other comments reference the teacher turnover, I will say that the teachers I have come in contact with teach because it is there passion, and they are given the freedom to teach to the children's needs and NOT just to ensure certain test scores are met. It's a beautiful place.
—Submitted by a parent

This has been a great fit for my son and daughter. This type of atmosphere is great for all self driven learners. My only complaint is high teacher assistant turnover.
—Submitted by a parent

GMA is our school. This year, GMA is under the jurisdiction of a new principal, as well as around 75% new faculty. It is so much better this school year.
—Submitted by a parent

OMG! I was so excited to win the lottery and get into this wonderful school. All my friends were bragging about how their children were so happy and learning so much. The staff was great! Mrs. Trisha spent so much time with my husband and I talking about this school. I seriously cried when I got in!! Today, I just found out that the leadership has changed and most all of the teachers have quit! I've been reading the facebook page and I am very concerned! I am not taking my child and my friends are pulling out too! Parents should be informed of all the changes!!
—Submitted by a parent

GMA was once a good Montessori school until about 2 years ago when the school ran into management problems. They lost ALL the Montessori teachers, and moved to the current location. Most of the newly hired teachers are fresh college grads. Not only do they have no knowledge and experience of Montessori, they have no teaching experience. Since then it is one crisis after another; every month someone quits: teachers, special ed. staff and support staff. This is a strong indicator of substandard management of the school. The ISTEP test may still look OK, but it is trending downwards from previous years. Check their NWEA scores for the last few years too. Because the students do not have to sit at their desk all day and the school has a more relax curriculum, it seems to work well with kids with autism or ADHD. Most parents with special needs kids are happy with the school. Got Montessori? I got it at GMA is the slogan for the school. A marketing campaign using incorrect grammar to draw attention to a product is one thing, but a SCHOOL doing that? It just sums up the academic standards of GMA.
—Submitted by a parent

I have gone to nine schools in my life, and I transfered over to GMA in eighth grade. GMA was my favorite of all nine schools. The middle school program was wonderful; a great alternative to your average public school. I feel that GMA's middle school prepared me for high school very well. I learned many skills not taught at most middle schools- leadership, teamwork, and independent learning, to name a few. The middle school took monthly trips to help out at a farm, and had many other hands on learnig experiences at other field trips. Academically, GMA is very strong. We worked very hard to do our very best in all subjects of school. The eighth graders passed all of their ISTEP tests. This was all thanks to the encouraging environment created by the teachers. All of the teachers at GMA care a great deal about their students, and love to teach. The other students are all very friendly, and never leave anyone out. I thought of the other students as family. Overall I highly recommend this school to everyone. I love GMA!
—Submitted by a parent

Awesome is the best word to describe this school. Our son has a great teacher and assistant. We have been so blessed to find this school. We wouldn't think of going anywhere else at this point. Our son loves school. He is very active, so being ENGAGED in learning is fun for him. He would struggle with busy work because it doesn't tax his mind. I do not understand the negative posts because everything in our experience has been positive. As for the staff, I would like to know what a previous poster is talking about. I've been to many school meetings where the head of school answered many questions well. Her answers were very detailed and accurate. I have never heard her "talk in circle's". By the way, our son's teacher keeps us involved with regular updates on progress. As for academics, our son is reading 2nd grade material and is half way through 1st. He excels in many area's because of the learning environment that has been created. Please, don't take my word for it. Come tour Geist Montessori Academy and see for yourself.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our first year at GMA. I could not ask for anything more! It has been the greatest experience. My child's teacher is so dedicated! My child loves going to school and learning! The entire staff works together to make sure that students and parents are known and welcome at all times! We are truly bessed to have found GMA!
—Submitted by a parent

We are so pleased with GMA! There are a lot of new teachers but my son who has some learning difficulties has flourished. We gave regular public school a chance k-2 and this is not public school with montessori materials as another suggested. It may stray a little from hard core montessori education but they are doing something right! My son's reading level jumped a full grade in 3 months and he looks forward to school everyday instead of breaking down in tears. Looking forward to Upper Elementary next year!
—Submitted by a parent

Not a horrible school but not montessori and not much different than regular public school. Most of the teachers are new and most don't have Montessori Certification. Probably better for younger students or older students that don't need much instruction. If you have a different learner this is also probably not the best choice. I heard that previous years were much better and a google search of Istep scores support that.
—Submitted by a parent

I am glad that some families have found this to be a good option, but it is NOT Montessori. The administrator cannot answer the most basic Montessori questions and tries to cover her ignorance by talking in circles. Clueless about how to run a Montessori school and uses we are a public school as an excuse not to try. The teachers have the materials, but they still use lots of worksheets because that is all that they know. It might be better than a regular public school and may include some Montessori instruction, it is not even close to a Montessori atmosphere.
—Submitted by a parent

We have had a wonderful experience this year at GMA. I'm so glad we found this school!
—Submitted by a parent

We chose this school because we did a lot of research on the Montessori Method and felt that it was a good fit for our child. This school was not the answer for us. There was a 100% turnover in staff from when we had toured, so we were a little anxious to see how this would work. The children that had been in the old school were separated into different classes from the children that were in their first year of Montessori. The parents are highly involved and I feel that the teachers and administrative staff take that for granted. The head of the school does not return a phone call or email unless it was an emergency, which was the last straw for us. When we tried to get a textbook rental refund because we took our child out, messages, emails, and in person visits did not work. Finally, after a lot of phone calls and emails, we received a textbook rental refund in the mail a month later. I would only recommend this school if you were able to volunteer every day and if your child has been in Montessori in the past.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have attended Geist Montessori Academy for several years. I am so pleased with how my children have progressed, academically and socially. They love their school and their teachers. I am so grateful that we have a free public Montessori option for my family.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing, public Montessori education.
—Submitted by a parent