Cedar River Montessori School

We have been at this school for two years and I couldn't be more happy with our choice. The school has been challenged with many changes it had not experienced in its past so I do see some learning opportunities for the overall leadership. Despite the challenges though my child continues to learn and grow because the overall community is outstanding! The children are truly learning fantastic things as well as the importance of being a kind and compassionate human being. There is a diverse group of fantastic parents and every single member of the staff is available to discuss whatever might be on your mind regarding the school. The best part is that students learn accountability for their work as well as being able to move at their own level whether advanced or not. I wish I had this experience when I was a kid so I didn't have to wait until college to realize ultimately the individual controls what they learn and exploration beyond the cirriculum develops a love of learning. My child is truly happy and I don't get the "I hate school" comments I hear from many elementary age students we encounter. We have a fantastic public school but CRMS provides us with so much more.
--Submitted by a parent

We LOVE Cedar River Montessori!!! The teaching staff has never been more incredible! My daughter is light years beyond the average 4 year old. I am relieved to know that my child can remain in this school through 9th grade.
--Submitted by a parent

I m very disappointed in the leadership and overall direction this school is heading. Our child attended for over 5 years and although the education from the teachers has generally been great, something that has kept us there; the attitude and treatment towards parents has definitely been poor and inconsistent. For instance, as a parent, I have shared ideas & suggestions for improvements, fundraising and other things, which were encouraged and supported by a large part of the parent population, but then ignored when it came to implementation. Another scenario where previously approved projects were discontinued without discussing with the parent volunteers owning the effort, after countless hours of contribution. I have continually seen favoritism for some families efforts over others, especially if you go along and don t question processes. The board shares very little information about what parents want to know regarding the operations, direction and vision for the school. I have experienced a significant lack of transparency in the board s actions. Over the years our family was unable to confidently share concerns with the board or administration without fear of retribution.
--Submitted by a parent

Cedar River Montessori School is an amazing school that meets the child where s/he is in learning. When my son started 3 years ago, I wasn't a "Montessori junkie" - I heard it was a good style but I didn't comprehend how wonderful this could be for any child. First, the campus is amazing - a true campus feel with everything from barn animals, garden, playground area and a short walk to the Cedar River to continue to explore nature. The friendly "hello friend" you hear from teachers to every student warms your heart. Each and every teacher is there because they want to be - and bring to the classroom a love of learning and allowing every child to express themselves. My son has absolutely flourished - from 'racing' to get through the multiplication problems in pre-K to growing his understanding of what it means to be in a community. The open learning classroom means students who are excelling at one subject can obtain materials from another classroom yet still be in the room with their peers. I love it and can't wait for my second son to start this fall!
--Submitted by a parent

Crms is a great school and wonderful staff. Its a great school and they have been wonderful for both of my children they have both grown in so many ways. They have a wonderful campus. It is so peacful and love the animals. The parents are great.
--Submitted by a parent

The summer program here is EXCELLENT. It has a good balance of play, learning, and SWIMMING! The teachers are gentle with the students and VERY caring. My child loves coming to school. She loves Ms. Sarah. We have seen lots of "growth in her" at the Pre-K level. The price is right and we're glad to hear it's a non-profit school so we can write off dollars over the tuition. Great job, CRMS! (One quick suggestion for the school: We came from a very parent friendly school to this one and we miss the warmth of the teachers and administration and parent to parent that came with the other school. I wonder if there is anything that can be done with this. This is just a minor observation and maybe thought for those in charge. Otherwise, great job!)
--Submitted by a parent

We did a great deal of research into local schools when our son was born. We were referred by other parents and fell in love with the beautiful campus. From that point forward we had our hearts set on Cedar River Montessori. Our son started at age 3 for half days and is now moving to Lower Elementary for First Grade. It has been a wonderful experience being a part of this very special community. The Montessori methods are amazing and this school's approach has been especially enlightening. I am so grateful to have my son learning at Cedar River.
--Submitted by a parent

Over the course of the past 5+ yrs, CRMS has had inconsistent leadership. Unfortunately, this inconsistency has led to a lack of accountability with parents. In addition, I question the decisions that have been made. Many decisions do not seem to have the children's best interest in mind. While it may have appeared to be a great school initially, upon further investigation it failed to impress.
--Submitted by a parent

Our child attended Cedar River Montessori for several years and did have a nice experience there, but we are disappointed by the direction the school has taken. Cedar River relies heavily on the volunteer hours and financial contributions of its families in order to maintain daily operational needs, however fails to have any accountability to the families when it comes to major decisions that affect the children. There are some wonderfully caring teachers on staff, but the administration and board have failed to show the caring and compassion that should be present in a school setting.

Our family has been at the school for 4 years and feel that things just keep getting better. Our son has confidence in completing tasks. We have seen him grow from a young preschooler to a leader as a kindgergartner and this year looking for guidance from the 3rd graders. We really like that the kids are with the same teachers for three years. As he moved into the elementary classroom his new teachers were aware of who he is as it is a small school. The hands on approach to learning has kept our son interested in learning and enjoying school. They truly follow the Montessori philosophy. The school is set in the woods with animals. This is our second backyard since our yard at home is small. Our son said recently that he wants to go to college at CRMS! He feels safe and comfortable at this school.
--Submitted by a parent