Stepping Stones Montessori

After being told by my daughter's kindergarten teacher, half way through the school year, that she needed to be kept challenged and would get lost in the public school system, I searched for other options. I was blessed to have found Stepping Stones Montessori! My daughter is finishing her third year of college and my son his first (full time students with part time jobs). Since leaving Stepping Stones, both children have finished each year with a 3 point or above, scholarships, and honor roll recognitions. I believe Stepping Stones truly enhanced some very important life long skills where my children are concerned: self motivation, perseverance, time management, working well with others, and patience. THANK YOU!
--Submitted by a parent

We started our children at 18 months and 3 years. We decided to pull our second child after 5th grade. The school academically has not been strong for years now. The head of school does not know your name. The teachers are not "following the child". They don't know a child's strengths and weakness. Nor what to do for them academically to get them to the next academic level. Our second child reports they now feel "alive" and joyful, "I was very down at SSMS". There is no "3 year cycle".
--Submitted by a parent

This is our child's fourth year at Stepping Stones. She spent three years in Children's House and is now in Elementary I. We have always been pleased with how the classrooms are run, the respectfulness that is expected between peers, as well as between teachers and students, and in general, the inclusiveness of the SSMS community.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers are amazing! They take the time to really get to know and work with each student. But the most amazing thing out Stepping Stones is the student body. The students here are the most welcoming, engaging, and accepting children that I have ever come across. They fully accept each other for the truly unique individuals that they are.
--Submitted by a parent

I can only speak for the infant and toddler programs our son has attend for the past two years. Amazing. We have two older children who have attended other Montessori programs/schools, and this is by far the best we have witnessed. The faculty, staff and entire environment is welcoming and calm and nurturing (to all!--even parents). Many of the faculty, aides, and staff have children attending there and it just feels like a small tight-knit (yet inclusive) community who all share the common goal of creating the best possible learning environment for OUR kids. I am so very impressed (which is isn't easy to do!) :)
--Submitted by a parent

We started looking at Infant/Toddler programs in the area when our daughter was about 10 months old. She started SSMS at 13 months. We had researched Montessori and knew that this philosophy fit well with the dynamics of our family. We're now moving into Children's House and adding our youngest to the Infant/Toddler program. There is something really special about this school. The instructors are patient and caring, the environment is rich in activity, and the parent involvement is supported and encouraged. We are constantly impressed with what our child is learning and doing, and we love being a part of this diverse community!
--Submitted by a parent

We were initially attracted to Stepping Stones because they had programs for younger children. We started our son there last year in the Toddler Room, He has continued on this year and is in his first year (as a 3 year old) in the 'Children's House' program. We are thrilled with the way our son is opening up and developing in the stimulating but safe environment that Stepping Stones provides. He is thriving, and we feel good about our decision to put in this school. Although the 'Montessori' part was not a primary factor in our decision to enroll our son, we are more than impressed with the results and would highly encourage others to consider this school!
--Submitted by a parent

Initially I found this school when looking for an enriching program for my 2 year old, which is difficult to find! We have loved Stepping Stones so much though that we will be doing preschool there as well. In addition I am going to move my older child there as well in the Fall. We have enjoyed so much seeing all the growth our child has experienced in relation to reading, drawing, life skills, etc. that I wouldn't dream of sending him anywhere else. The teachers are stellar and this school has been worth every penny.
--Submitted by a parent

I can only speak to the SSMS infant and toddler programs, which have been outstanding. First, the children, from infancy, begin to understand the basics of order and responsibility. The sense of independence and personal accountability, which is reinforced in lovingly and tirelessly by the teachers, has fostered our son's own sense of agency and ability. Secondly, the environment is quiet, calm, and aesthetically pleasing, and facilitates the concentration so critical to the brain development of young children. Montessori encourages learning through all the senses, so the objects and tools the children use for their work have pleasing tactile, visual, and even aural qualities. I can't think of a better way to develop a young mind.
--Submitted by a parent

Although my husband was the one to initiate our children's enrollment and I was skeptical of the cost, I can now say that Stepping Stones is worth every penny we've invested there. I love the way it builds confidence by playing to a child's strengths, while still addressing areas of concern. This has become more obvious in our second child, currently in 1st grade. He has a gift for geography and has just flourished as he's been allowed to explore it to his hearts' content. The teachers are amazingly dedicated and truly feel like family. They develop such incredible relationships with the children, as the children spend 3 years in the same classroom. We've been with the school almost 6 years and each year I see a new advantage to this style of education.
--Submitted by a parent