Westside Montessori

If you are looking for a school that represents true Montessori education stay away from Westside Montessori. Their mission on their website & framed on their front office wall says “ they foster emotional growth” not only they did not do that they broke my child with making a chart that only showed his wrong doings. Completely opposite of Montessori positive education they advertise. The school has a new director Dr David. He lacks leadership and experience. He doesn’t not know how to handle even the smallest situation that occurs under his care. Most of the time he has no idea what is happening, there was not onetime he asked us to meet together with the teachers. They changed up my sons classroom this year with two new teachers and more kids with learning disabilities. It was unorganized and my son was exposed to many bad behaviors. He was also struggling and the school had no resources. There was no plan or process in places. Just blaming and shaming. As educators and professionals and as a school with over 40 years of experience who advertise about Montessori education they surely have failed. The administration is all about money and except the teachers and 2 people working in the office they have no support. We did have some wonderful teachers like Mrs Shelly, Gabby, Allison and Lydia that we will miss very much but we are definitely happy that all of our kids are out of that school where there are some teachers that dims Children’s light. Teachers like Kariene who after 2 months couldn’t even get my sons simple name spelled correctly. She should go back to teaching art and leave Montessori education to professionals. Also to add they have blocked my husband and I from their Facebook page for just writing them a honest reviews and have asked other parents to write nice reviews after our review suddenly after their kids being there for many years and they haven’t had a reviews in 2 years. How conveniently and dishonest. This is how they do run things there.

UPDATE: Two years later, my kids are in Upper Elementary now, and WMS is better than ever! We were all worried about potential changes to our beloved school when we got a new Head of School about 18 months ago, but Dr. David has been such an asset and everything that we hoped he would be. He truly listens to parents' and students' concerns and suggestions, and he makes thoughtful, respectful changes that make real differences. Everything that we always loved about WMS remained the same, and improvements are happening every day. As a board member, I've had the privilege of seeing Dr. David in very difficult situations, and his instincts for our school are guided by intelligence and understanding. Montessori is not the perfect environment for every child, so very occasionally students are encouraged to move to more traditional schooling, but that is never a snap decision, and it's always done with the best interests of that student and their classmates in mind. Every effort is made to help each child to find what they need within the Montessori structure, but sometimes it just isn't going to happen. WMS is a safe, nurturing environment in which students focus on Montessori-based learning for academics and for becoming all-around good humans, and it is the school's mission to keep that central to all that it does. If you are a family that is considering Montessori for your children, know that all "Montessori" schools are NOT the same. It is easy to use the label, but are the teachers certified? Are they really using Montessori materials? Do they follow the Montessori curriculum that engages students while they learn? Is the school officially Montessori affiliated? WMS is the real deal! ------------------- Our children started preschool at WMS and are now in Lower Elementary. From spending time in the classroom over the years, I knew how wonderful their teachers are - kind, thoughtful, and patient, with such beautiful individual connections with every child. They know how to find the best in each student, working with their personal strengths and weaknesses to allow them to flourish. It wasn't till COVID virtual schooling, however, that I realized quite how special our school is. While so many people around us are struggling with keeping their kids interested and engaged, our kids are thriving. They adore their creative assignments and take such pride in their accomplished work that they often want to work on projects at weekend. Their teachers make the lessons so exciting and engaging that the kids forget that it's learning. We can't wait to get back to in-person schooling, but till that happens, we know that our children are in the best hands. Regular newsletters and dashboards from administration keep us abreast of all school activities and celebrations. Whenever we're struggling, the teachers are so responsive and helpful - texts, emails, and phone calls happen several times a day for our house. I don't feel like I'm alone in this homeschooling adventure. The "it takes a village" proverb has never proved truer. Thank you to all the teachers and staff at Westside Montessori School!

Our family has been part of the Westside Montessori community since September of 2021. We were on a search for an educational environment where our son's individualism and creativeness would surface and flourish. We were sure we wanted him in a Montessori environment but were having trouble finding a school that had the Montessori culture as well as the Montessori tools and structure. So, my wife went online to research the best education we could give our son in the Houston area – and she found it in Westside Montessori School. From the day we came for an interview, we knew we had found the right school for him and every day since just convinces us more. Westside Montessori is much more than just a school. It is a community. A community of kids, parents, educators, and staff all working together to raise our children to be independent, self-sufficient, confident adults. There is constant interaction between the teachers and the parents and between the parents themselves. It takes a village to raise a child and, for us, Westside Montessori is that village. Seldom do you truly see the type of overall commitment to a school and to the students that you find at Westside – from parents and even grandparents volunteering at the school to educators, staff and Board members that truly exude the Montessori culture. I want our son to attend Westside Montessori for as long as he can and take full advantage of this magical place. I would give more than 5 stars, but that's all they allow....

I'm so grateful to have found Westside Montessori School. It's a place where: ✅ The staff sees the strengths in my child and works with us around the challenges. ✅ My voice and presence as a parent is welcome and invited. ✅ The school community and staff is intentionally diverse. ✅ My daughter has rich enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom, and all kids have access to extra curriculars (as a 3 year old she goes to Dance, Gymnastics, and Soccer Shots)!

A HEART FELT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT WESTSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL! Some 17 years ago, we found ourselves in Houston as new first-time parents trying to raise, what we can now admit was, a “difficult” toddler. We were 2,000 miles away from our closest families and had bounced around from day care to day care before we found Westside. My wife was convinced that this was the one but I remained skeptical (it is my nature). Our older son, did not embark on the Montessori journey alone because he dragged us along with him. We are grateful for that experience because we learned more about our son through his struggles and triumphs, and we believe the “hands on” approach prepared us to be better parents – not just for him, but for our other 2 sons, who later attended Westside as well. When the time came to move on, none of our sons wanted to leave Westside because it was all they had known. It was like leaving home! There was apprehension and nervousness on all sides. Fortunately, their Westside experience prepared them well for “life on the outside”. In fact, all the former Westside students we know at their school have done well – making the honor rolls from time to time and participating in extracurricular activities. As parents, we shepherded our sons through Middle School and High School but this time it is different. It is our turn to say goodbye because our younger son, will be leaving Westside at the end of this week. We now find ourselves filled with mixed emotions as we thank and bid farewell to the wonderful teachers and staff at Westside! We are filled with such fond memories of the good times as well as the struggles that we shared over the years. We are glad we were able to give back to Westside and the community and will cherish forever the great friendships we have made over the years. Thank you for taking such good care of us over the years! We will always be a Westside family. Even without a parking spot, we will visit from time to time!

WMS brings out the very best in children! From the very first time I visited this school during open enrollment I was blown away by the respect toward all and the noticeable confidence and kindness the students carried within themselves! I proudly have two grandkids presently attending WMS and I know our world is so much better for it! Kudos to ALL the truly amazing caring WMS teachers and kudos to all the hard working children who are presently and have gained on so many levels the greatest life benefits of being taught by them! ❤️

This has been an amazing learning experience for my son. He can be a kid and learn in a safe and respectful environment. Highly recommended!