Montessori Community School

We are very happy with the way our children are developing not just their academics (they are excelling in maths), but also their whole personality. They are very polite- They listen- They know how to interact with other children (younger and older) and adults. They are learning through play- at their pace- and get individualised lessons. We feel that our children are listened to by the teachers and by their friends. In the corridors, the staff knows the name of all the children in the school- quite impressive. We recommend it if you are in tune with the montessori method. It is not for all parents. I feel also that we have a very calm peaceful atmosphere at home because the children are peaceful at school.
—Submitted by a parent

You are really not getting what you pay for with this school. It is very expensive. The best schools have small classrooms with low teacher to student ratios. If you look at the class sizes here, they are very large. Especially the toddler class that has 20 toddlers PLUS 3 infants!! That is against the guidelines for daycare centers in Utah. More importantly, they are neglecting the children with a class this size. You can go to a smaller school, pay half the price, and get a much smaller class with more attention for your child. They also discourage parents from dropping in on the classroom. You can observe a classroom by appointment only. This is a red flag to parents. I have never seen a school with this policy. The communication with parents is lacking. They are giving very cheerful reports to parents until something goes drastically wrong. Then you MIGHT find out the truth or you may be left to wonder what may have happened to your child.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family has been enrolled since 2008. - Tuned in tachers & admin who really understand children - dual immersion Spanish for ages 3-6 - good specialty teachers for art, music, dance, outdoor education, yoga - self-paced learning - hands on materials and methods - welcoming culture that prides itself on tolerance This school fundamentally, through its methods and culture, develops the "soft" skills critical to adult happiness and success: self-motivation, decision making, conflict management, ability to articulate needs of the self and respect needs of others, leadership, project management, work-life balance, and team work. Overall, I am pleased with my children's academic progress and the teachers have responed to my children's emotional needs as well as their academic development. There are no standardized tests but the progress reports detail mastery of specific skills typical for age. There is little homework but my children have met or exceeded all grade level expectations. I agree with the other reviewer that I strongly prefer a school closing much fewer days and including all fees except optional activities in the tuition and reducing the committment fee.
—Submitted by a parent

MCS is an excellent school, particularly for toddler and pre-k. Most teachers are well trained and dedicated with little turnover. However, when deciding on this program, consider that they follow the Salt Lake School District calendar, meaning that you will have to pay additional tuition (literally thousands of dollars more per year) for care during school "breaks" and that the program is closed completely on multiple days for teacher training and for almost two weeks in August. The school day is from 9-3:30 as well, so you have to pay extra for extended hours 7:30-6 pm. Additionally, many of the extracurricular activities cost extra as well ($80-100 each per session). The only criticism I have is that because of the Montessori method, I often feel that I do not have a good understanding of what the kids are learning in the classroom; as an involved parent I would prefer more consistent communication with the teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

The preschool and toddler programs are amazing. The teachers are dedicated and have such a joy of teaching. They have many programs available and the kids thrive. My kids excelled in different areas - my son was a wiz at math at 4 and they let him go with it and was doing fractions and multiplication in kindergarten. My daughter would help her younger friends learn to read and write. The elementary program is not as strong. The teachers do not seem to like what they do and perhaps some fresh faces will change the elementary program. It has great potential for a strong elementary program, but the teachers seem to be the only thing holding it back - and the administration who won't make the changes.
—Submitted by a parent

What a great school...wonderful sense of community. If you're looking for a Montessori school, this is a fantastic pick.
—Submitted by a parent

I have three 4-year-olds entering their 2nd year in the Early Childhood program at Montessori Community School. They thrived in the multi-age classroom last year, wanting to be like the bigger kids who watched out for them! I love the emphasis on the arts, the outdoor classroom, peacebuilding, and community at MCS. The teachers are so patient and they truly embody the Montessori philosophy. As a triplet mom, I'm thrilled when one or more of my kids figures out another way they can be "independent"! And I love the excitement they come home with when they've learned a new fact ("The skull protects our brain, Mom!") or when they've made something of their own with a new work.
—Submitted by a parent

I love working at Montessori Community School and coming to work each day is an absolute joy. We have highly experienced and dedicated teachers - many have worked here for 10+ years and a very talented support staff. We take the word "community" to heart in everything that we do as a staff and we have a very supportive and collaborative working environment. We are committed to being a world-class Montessori school and that commitment shines through in the quality of programs that we offer.
—Submitted by a teacher

My boys have been at Montessori Community School for the past 4 years, in the Toddler, Early Childhood and Elementary programs and they have absolutely thrived in this environment. The school has incredible teachers and a wonderful community of families. The school has beautiful gardens, a dance room, an art studio, a large gymnasium and lots of playground space for the kids. My boys love school. They are doing great academically and are developing the social skills that they would never learn in a public school environment.
—Submitted by a parent