Acorn Montessori School

When my husband and I decided to bring our oldest son to Acorn, he was 3 years old right after the peak of the pandemic. As with many parents, there was a lot of apprehension with this choice but we immediately fell in love with the school, teachers and support staff. We were incredibly impressed with the way they handled (and still handle) a very difficult time for both parents and children, and instantly made us feel that our child was in the best place possible for his safety and growth. We then brought our youngest son into the toddler's class and yet again, we knew this was the perfect place; The teachers take into account each child's specific needs and the care, love and patience combined with the warm classroom environment allows for the children to thrive. Additionally, the staff's communication with parents is second to none. Always accessible, proactive and guiding, instead of feeling a sense of being directed, creates a true partnership between us and them. I can't say enough how lucky we are to have found Acorn Montessori. We are so grateful to have fostered lifelong relationships with both the other families and the staff themselves. They are world class teachers and caretakers. The Penders

We are so grateful to be part of the Acorn family! Starting with my child's kindergarten, then primary, and now elementary years, the teachers have been truly in touch with their students' individual needs and personalities and purposefully set the tone for a respectful, supportive, and fun learning space. We also really appreciate the unique and enriching programs embedded right into the curriculum (e.g. art, engineering, music and performance, yoga and mindfulness, Model UN, etc.). Combined with tons of family-friendly events throughout the year, the students (and their families!) benefit from an engaging, balanced, and diverse school experience!

Giving this a place one star I’m not sure if they are racist or elitist. We had a tour scheduled and showed up two days later. Within two or three minutes we were informed that there was no availability for both of our children. It was clear from the woman’s face that a family such as ours would not be welcome. Very disappointing since we just moved to the area from a very diverse area.

Our daughters began their Acorn adventures at the beginning of the 2021 school year at age 1 1/2, and 3. We are closing in on a full year and have been thrilled with the growth we see in our girls, the teachers' attention to their needs, administration, events, and overall experience. Nothing short of an A+ experience for us.

If you are looking for a warm, caring and supportive environment for your child – look elsewhere, because you won’t find that at Acorn! My two kids (ages 3 and 5) attended Acorn for half of the school year. This school has no right to call themselves a Montessori ! Most of their teachers are not certified in Montessori education and the ones that claim to be certified follow the guiding principles very loosely. In a traditional Montessori school the teachers treat children with utmost respect and love, and provide learning experiences that support the child’s individuality. At Acorn – some teachers are cold, unfriendly and lack compassion. They talk to the children in a very stern or indifferent tone of voice, they use punishment and shame, they take away recess – all things that should never exist in any preschool, but especially one that claims to be a Montessori school. If your child naps, they will spend majority of their day, starting with lunch, in a multi-purpose room (that’s not their classroom) and will be mixed with kids from 3 different classrooms. In addition to that, the nap area is supervised by a rotating group of teachers, so on any given day your child will be cared for by 5-8 different teachers - that is a very stress-inducing set up! If your child is neurodivergent, prepare for the teachers to have zero understanding about neurodevelopment and the fact that some kids learn differently. They will be judgmental of your child’s behaviors and will label them as a “bad kid”. Even when a child is in a fight or flight stress response beyond their control, this school will offer no support to the child and will instead blame the parents for lacking discipline at home. Just in case the above-mentioned reasons are not enough for you, take a look at their state inspection reports from November of 2021 to see that they failed to run the required criminal and child abuse background checks for their staff, in addition to being cited for other violations. Your child deserves a better school!

We have a 4 year old daughter who started at Acorn Montessori school at the age of 20 months. My husband and I both work full time. When we began our search for schools, we were so impressed with the staff and grounds of Acorn that we started there without knowing too much about the Montessori methodology. We learned quickly of it's many advantages. It is a great way for children to learn independently and gain self-confidence. We have enjoyed meeting the many wonderful members of the Acorn community and participate in so many amazing events that the parent association and staff of Acorn put together. Our daughter's favorite (and ours also) was this past year's "Cinco de Mayo" festival. It is so important to introduce languages early and Acorn has a wonderful Spanish language program headed by an amazing teacher who organized the festival. Now our daughter is in her second year of the primary classroom. She loves her school and does not want to come home when I pick her up. I see her love of learning from nature and the whole world around her. I am so grateful that we found this amazing school and recommend it without reservation to everyone!

Acorn is a wonderful school. A true blessing in our community. Our daughter attended Acorn from kindergarten through the 5th grade. She loved it. And that love of school and learning has continued in her life. She's a sophomore in college now and has been a straight A student throughout. Because of Acorn Montessori, she has always been ahead academically. But what made Acorn really special is the wonderful lessons she learned about being a good citizen, having good manners, doing what is right as opposed to what is easy and caring for others. We are so fortunate to have a school like Acorn in our community, where kids are taught important academic and societal lessons and not just being babysat.

Both of my children started at Acorn when they were 18 months old (Now 2 and 4). Most of my friends had their children in a daycare, but I was looking for a "school." I knew about Montessori education and I was thrilled that Acorn offered Montessori to children as young at 18 months. Montessori is different and it is a type of education that encourages independence and learning at a child's own pace. I LOVED that about Acorn. The teachers here are absolutely amazing and my children are thriving. The Montessori approach is what sets Acorn apart from the other preschools in the area. I encourage others to come and visit Acorn and see what makes it different. Talk with the exceptional teachers and look into the programs the school offers. You will not be disappointed.