Sunset Hills Montessori School

Do NOT send your child here if over the age of kindergarten. The woman that runs the school is nuts and it is all about money. The philosophy that is preached is not practiced and the staff is a bunch of stoners.
--Submitted by a parent

My shy 2 year old is thriving at the school. He has learned so many new skills and has come out of his shell thanks to his loving teachers. They also provide guidance and help to support our family outside the school. We could not be any happier with the school, the teachers, and the PTA.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended SHMS for 2 years - pre-K and Kindergarten. She just finished her 1st grade in a nearby Fairfax County school. Alhthough her 1st grade teacher was great, she was not as loving and caring and as great with the kids as her SHMS teacher was. And midway through 1st grade my daughter said to me during some home work "this is not nearly as hard or as fun as what I did last year."
--Submitted by a parent

My daughters attended SHMS for five years. Our experience has been mixed. The decision making over the years has been increasingly business driven instead of the interests of the student or the class. One class unexpectedly went from being led by a beloved, experienced teacher to a newly anointed co-teacher. The risk you take is that the the next time the axe unexpectedly falls, it might be your child's teacher. While the school is seemingly fantastic, the leadership and teaching staff is at times unpredictable and unapproachable. If you sign the contract and start with a qualified teacher, will you be happy if you end up paying for a teacher with less experience and an untrained assistant? You take that risk at SHMS.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been attending SHMS since she was 22mos old. I looked at over 10 schools before deciding on this one. She is happy, engaged and learning at a fast pace. It s a great school and I am amazed about the poor reviews that stemmed from an incident that other classes were only vaguely aware of. Use your own judgment, tour the school, sit in on a class and decide for yourself. I highly recommend Sunset Hills!
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been attending Sunset Hills Montessori school for the past three years. He loves the school, his teachers, and the school owner Mrs. Minarik. We are very pleased with his progress and plan to continue with Sunset Hills Montessori school for the near future. I recommend parents to observe the school for themselves and meet the school owner Mrs. Minarik and the staff before making any decisions.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is in a beautiful building. What goes on within the building is unprofessional and disappointing. The administration has hurt many children and parents and has acted in a cold and callous manner. They have tried to spin and sweep under the rug their bad decisions and broken promises. They appear unconcerned that families have been deeply disappointed and have left or are leaving the school. The administration s actions show that they believe families of the school are disposable the apparent belief is that they will just hold more open houses and recruit more high tuition paying warm bodies into the school to offset the numerous disappointed families that have left. Our children will be moving in the fall to a school where parents are treated as partners in their children s education.
--Submitted by a parent

When we first went to SHMS to check out the school two years ago, we fell in love with this school. We immediately could sense that the principal of the school was committed to the education of children and that she truly cared for them. We could also sense that this love and care for the children was present throughout the entire staff. We still feel this way about SHMS. It is an excellent school.
--Submitted by a parent

Sunset Hills is an excellent school; the education is excellent and my children are doing great there.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been on staff at Sunset Hills for three years now. The administration at this school by far has been great. As a professional educator who has worked in many diverse settings, Sunset Hills is truly an environment of professionals who work very well together. Regardless of what others on her have to say, the owner/founder of the school, the Operations Manager, and Asst. Head of School, all have been great to me as a professional, and supportive to me as an individual educator. I love my children, my co-workers, our parents, and our community.
--Submitted by a teacher