Forest Hills Montessori School

Our child has been at this school since he was 3 years old. He is now finishing his last year (6th grade) in this school and his experience there has been outstanding. The education has been amazing right from his 1st year there. He and 3 of his classmates (out of 7) were able to test for Hunter exam (an honor in itself). These same 4 children have each been given Academic scholarships to a local private school to attend the 7th grade there - truly an honor and a representation of the outstanding education especially in the 4th -6th grades. Whenever there was a challenge, the director, took control of the situation and made sure the problem was resolved. My wife and I both highly recommend this school to anyone who values an amazing experience and education for their child.
—Submitted by a parent

I had intended to send my child to this school from pre-k and onward, but within 6 months I realized I had to change plans. The education itself is good, but the class seemed overloaded with kids and the teachers appeared frazzled and stressed out from dealing with some of the behaviour of some kids. Also they seem to stress rote work rather than independent thinking. I found it was stifling for my child. Tour the school and find out which teachers will be teaching your child. See if you can drop in and observe a live class before deciding if it's the right fit for your child.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is great in all things. From academics to interactions. The teachers are very thoughtful and when a student is in need of help the teachers come to help right away. This school is just outstanding!

I live close to this school and picked this place for my 3 year old. My first impression of this school was very good. Teachers and the staff seem knowledgable and caring. Even during the tour my son (2.5 years then) got comfortable with the teacher. The only negative I see is the lack of outdoor space.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in this school since she was 3. The schools only focus is academics... the school overall is good but i am not satisfied with the way they function. The concept of preK and Kindergartens in the same class is ok but spending 2 years in the same class is something which I dont like. there is no change of material work, the kids are doing the same activities through out the whole 2 years with the same teacher. Also the school does not have place for outdoor play (which should be encouraged for little kids everyday). overall it is an average school.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school. My son is in Nursery. He just turned 4 y.o. Since December he started reading. He is now reading chapter books. I am very pleased with the quality of his care. His teachers, Ms. Motiani and Ms. Byrne are warm and interested in children's education.
—Submitted by a parent

My child joined at age 3, and seems to like it a lot, and has learned a tremendous amount, and it shows in his abilities and confidence level. But the teachers seem to be pushing an academic agenda too early in my opinion. Not a lot of creative play, and no outdoor activities at all. You've got to be quite firm with the teachers in terms of what they expect your child to be. I insisted that my child be allowed to have fun activities rather than doing numbers and alphabets drill. My child picked all this up anyway. Also, the teachers tend to stress on the 'faults' or the more negative things rather than provide encouraging or positive feedback. So at the end of the day, I have mixed feelings about the school, even though my child seems to be enjoying it. They have a good music and french program.
—Submitted by a parent

Nice caring teachers, nurturing environment.Music and extracurricular activities are emphasized upon.
—Submitted by a parent

This is one of the best schools in the Tri-state. Acadamically the test scores in ELA & Math have been one of the highest in over 20 years. Nursery & Kindergarten program is beyond approach. Foreign lagnguage & music begin at the nursery level. The waiting list being long it is reccomended that one should register early in the year. Parents have free access to both class room & staff.
—Submitted by a parent

The quality of acedemic programs is fair.
—Submitted by a parent

So far this school has been great for my son. In his kindergarten class I have seen him grow by leaps and bounds both intellectually and emotionally.
—Submitted by a parent