As a former middle school and high school teacher myself, I knew that traditional school would not be a fit for my family--I know that many other parents feel the same way but do not know what would be a better option---please consider Montessori and do the research.
I looked everywhere to find a school for my son, and THANK GOODNESS I found this beautiful Montessori school and I happily drive 30 mins each way to ensure that my son (now 5 years old) will have the best possible experience and education.
The staff are highly trained, friendly, empathetic and really, truly care about the children and their well-being. It is evident that the children are shown great respect and treated as valuable individuals. The school is VERY clean and organized, and I am so impressed with my experience so far....we began during the 21—22 school year and are now back for the 22—23 school year. The Head of School, Ms. Martyna, takes great pride in the school and is always finding ways to make it even better…in the year that we have been at the school so far, she has already expanded the size of the playground and added additional windows to the building. The classrooms are beautiful and have flexible seating arrangements and the very best Montessori materials.
My son has a very strong personality, but his teachers Ms. Mariale and Ms. Nina allow him to be himself without attempting to force him into some “mold”---as a result, he is happier and more confident. The children are given a well-rounded education and guided towards eventually becoming mature and productive adults one day.....for example, I have attended events at the school where the Elementary aged kids have helped host the events, and it is impressive to see the level of social intelligence that they display for their age (especially compared to the children that I worked with while a Middle/High school teacher in the public schools).
Among other perks, there is a full-time Spanish teacher on staff starting when the children are in Elementary, AND the Head of School is very involved behind the scenes and keeps updated on each individual child's progress on a regular basis by meeting with the teachers. This school truly provides each child with an individualized approach and the level of attention to every detail is just amazing.
I could say more, but it is not the same as seeing for yourself. We all want what is best for our kids and I am very blessed to have found this school, so thank you South Florida Montessori Academy for being a wonderful second home for my son, and for providing me the comfort of knowing that my son is in the best possible place!… – show
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Dena T.
August 19, 2022, 5:42 pm
I was very clear that my son is autistic and went into details of what he can and cannot do, I was urged to proceed with enrollment as they have experience with autistic children. After paying $100 registration I was told they don’t have the space and aren’t able to accommodate him. I made it slide, I called just now to check availability for my 2yr old, and asked if i could use the previous registration and was told no, they literally tried to do the same thing, No confirmation if there is space but urging me to register, now I feel played that knew they didn’t have the space and wasn’t going to accept him but just wanted us to pay registration to tell us this and is trying to do the same again.… – show
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V M.
August 17, 2022, 7:12 pm
Our daughter attended the school year 21—22, the lower elementary teacher was disorganized and didn't seem to have control of the class. The administration and owner responses its the children lol. I laugh because parents blaming children for a teacher lack of organization and standard is wrong. There is an observation period before you enter the school, shouldn't the teacher and the director know if any children will be a problem. It's not one but multiple children the Director/owner had a negative comments. Parents if a teacher can't control a classroom, even the good kids will over socialize. We spend an additional school supply fee and field trip fee. I question the $200 school supply fee because I bought supplies for another private Montessori school and it was about $60. When I question there has been no field trips, only the last month of the school year there was one field trip. Now when I was viewing the school, the director was saying the kids go to the park every Friday and their field trip once a month. Now if covid was an issue your shouldn't have charge a school trip fee. Plus when you call the school, no one picks up the phone, not good. Please parents do your research and sometimes it worth driving to a school with a better reputation. Both my husband and I felt that 21—22 school year she would have been better off in public than wasting our money at this school.… – show
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Marcos
July 9, 2022, 7:06 pm
As also shared by another reviewer, I had a very similar issue. Note: This was my son's first experience in school and away from us.
We wanted to enroll him in the Toddler classroom. The school management, even knowing that the class was full already, made us going through all the enrollment process. Everything went well in the 4 visits, but they only told us after the last visit that the class was full. All that time was useless.
A couple weeks after that we received an email from the head of the school saying that they accessed my son maturity and he was ready for the 3 year-old class (Primary program). My son is 2 years-old and already in diapers at that time.
We agreed taking him off diapers at home. They also promised all types of support with that in school, specially if we enrolled him in summer camp. We did all that.
Three months later, summer camp starts and my son was already toilet independent at home. On the 3rd day, I repeat, THIRD DAY, after picking him up, the teacher invite us to go inside and on the front desk I already see some paperwork with highlighted dates. She says in 2 minutes that he's not toilet trained and not ready for the class, to come back by the end of the next month. No talk, no explanations, no warnings, no help. 3 days in a row an that's it? Our work, plans, my son's feelings, nothing matters for them.
I inquired the head of school about that. What it would happen if accidents still happens when he's back. Instead of support, she just said that we have to keep him at home until he is ready and it could take 6 months for him to be ready. After I asked more questions (including from their material which mentions that full toilet independency is between 4—6 years old), she started to allege that my son had aggressive behavior (we had asked that to the teacher and she said he was not aggressive to other children).
To avoid further headaches, I asked to withdraw my son from the program. As a courtesy, they released us from all agreements. However, the substantial amount of money we paid was gone.
Unfortunately, any school can call itself as Montessori and use that as an excuse to blame the children for acting like children.
Be aware, because they played us to enroll our son for something that he was not ready.… – show
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talia f.
July 4, 2022, 7:14 pm
Had an awful experience at this school. I will share in more detail, but also need to get it out there. They tried to mentally diagnose my child. We spent so much money on specialists having him evaluated and of course he is fine. Currently thriving in his new school. Please only go to this school if your child fits in their box. Any child that is smart, creative and independent thinker will not do well here.
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Lisa H.
June 3, 2021, 4:45 am
Our daughter started SFMA this year and she loves it! We are so grateful to have found this incredible school.
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John E.
May 19, 2021, 8:27 pm
My son started at South Florida Montessori Academy when he was three and is currently in his eighth year at this incredible school. To this day he gets up in the morning excited to learn. I have friends and family that send their kids to other local schools and can say with confidence that none rival SFMA. The school does not just borrow the Montessori name but is an AMI school that is operated to the highest standards. Martyna, the teachers and staff always exhibit professionalism but most importantly they care for each child as an individual. I highly recommend South Florida Montessori Academy to future parents and will happily talk in detail about our experience to anyone with interest in the school.… – show
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Jessica C.
April 19, 2021, 5:52 am
My son attends the primary classroom. He is doing remarkable. His teachers are amazing. Montessori education is designed to focus on the whole child. “Children are exposed to lessons, activities and materials that build upon their skill set—they progress in their development as an individual.” The school is clean and pleasingly aesthetic. My son loves school and he is happy. That is very important for our family. The director of the school is very passionate. She is very immersed in her knowledge of Maria Montessori and teachings. She always takes the time to answer any questions I have. She always provides the parents with various educational seminars. The entire school gives off an ambiance of peace. Everyone from the office staff Mrs. Anna, to the teachers are wonderful. Thank you South Florida Montessori Academy for taking care of our son and providing him with a wonderful Montessori education.… – show
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Noemi M.
February 24, 2021, 8:11 pm
My daughter has been attending since the beginning of the year, but in comparison to the VPK she attended last school year, this is such a fresh and positive change. I love the interest all the staff take on getting to know each individual student, the way that they teach and encourage change and learning, and the way that I have seen my daughter grow as an individual. Honestly hands down the best school experience so far. Would definitely recommend 10/10.
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Will C.
October 20, 2020, 12:07 am
This school is great. Been there for 6 years now and have my 3 kids. The classrooms have a low headcount so your kids pretty much receive a one on one private education. The kids are learning at their pace and their knowledge is actually above (1 to 3 levels) their public peers. You can really sign up your kids with your eyes closed.
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Juliana L.
June 16, 2020, 10:10 pm
Great environment with highly trained teachers that implement true Montessori philosophy. Beautiful classrooms that are clean, organized, inviting and cozy!
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Dace S.
May 11, 2020, 4:43 pm
This school is amazing. My son absolutely loved the teachers and work he was doing. This school is AMI accredited and follow very very closely to original teachings of Maria Montessori. I was researching the best school for my son and this school kept coming up on top, we toured the school and we were sold. And it’s the best decision we made. Definitely recommend this school.
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Angelica H.
April 3, 2020, 6:22 pm
My daughter started attending South Florida Montessori Academy when she was two years old, she is now 6 and I cannot be happier with her development throughout her attendance. My daughter is naturally very sensitive and shy but when she first started Ms. Norma made sure she felt welcomed and held her hand (literally) until she felt confident enough to interact on her own with her peers. I saw her bloom from being very shy to being very open and communicative. She then went on to elementary and Ms. Karem has been very communicative with me, letting me know how she’s doing in her progress. They have a software called transparent classroom where the parents get daily or weekly photos of the kids practicing their lessons. You can also access transparent classroom to see the 6 year curriculum and follow your child’s progress. I am in love with the curriculum. It teaches every subject starting from its origins ending in everyday practical life. For instance: math; they teach the history of number and numerals and towards the end they practice with real life experiences like going out to the groceries and paying for your own groceries with cash. All of the kids are very respectful to one another even in times of conflict. My daughter came home one day telling how a friend of hers touched her food and my daughter said to her “can you please not touch my food again?” And her friend responded “ok, sorry, I won’t do it again” and they carried on with their days. Little situations like this and the entire experience starting with the faculty and their work ethic to the cleanliness and tidiness of the facility reassure me of the decision we’ve made enrolling her in South Florida Montessory Academy.… – show
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Karem A.
January 15, 2020, 9:35 pm
Every child is assessed individually, therefore he receives an individualized curriculum to be able to advance successfully in all subject areas. The hands on learning experience brings the child to learn in a fun and concrete way. I recommend this school to anyone looking for a learning environment that considers not only a very advanced curriculum in academics, but also a place that offers the necessary skills for the child to become independent and flourish both socially and emotionally.
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Yasmine C.
January 15, 2020, 7:30 pm
SFMA is an absolute gem! We had tried 3 different schools for our kiddos when we moved to South Florida and were very concerned by the quality of the environment and education provided in each (let alone of those that we had just visited and run away from)… until we found the one!
SFMA is the best decision we made for our children! Martyna, the director, the teachers, and the assistants are all outstanding. The care is individualized, the education approach and the materials are top-notch, and the children come out confident, independent, very knowledgeable, and adoring to go to school.
A couple of times a year, we get to observe them in their environment and have 1:1s with their respective teachers. And for our biggest pleasure, we also get to see them perform on holidays and special occasions, and I lost the count of the times I wept from the beautiful emotions.:-)… – show
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Zainab S.
October 25, 2019, 1:29 pm
We LOVE this school. My kids enjoy their time at school and actually love going. The staff, from the administration to the classroom are all amazing and kind people who are truly invested in your child. They've been there for a long time, which I think is a sign of a quality place. This isn't one of those places where your child has a different teacher throughout the year!
This school is truly a gem in South Florida and a true Montessori school. There's definitely a focus on quality vs quantity and you can tell the difference between this and other Montessori schools in SF as soon as you step in. You just have to see it for yourself. I love that you can schedule an observation (sit in the classroom for half an hour or so and watch) before you chose to enroll. You'll just have to see the magic for yourself!!… – show
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Jesus G.
June 26, 2019, 10:56 pm
This school has a great diversity of students, parents and staff. Loving and caring teachers make all the difference! This is a definite gem in South Florida offering true Montessori education. Love it!
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Alexandra T.
May 21, 2019, 9:44 pm
THE best school! Amazing teachers, very dedicated to each student. Very knowledgeable and trained to teach the Montessori method. Everything is always extremely clean and organized. The teachers, parents and students are all Amazing! Couldn’t have asked for a better school
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Ginna L.
May 4, 2019, 7:59 pm
I had the school tour las month. Martyna was very knowledgeable and showed me the value of having my kid in an environment with great education and so close to my home. My son is enrolled now and can’t wait for him to start.
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Evgenia K.
April 28, 2019, 3:30 pm
The main treasure of the SFMA is it’s teachers. They are caring, supportive, respectful and are highly engaged with “their” kids. This pre-school was the first one for our son, moreover he started it without knowing a word in English. And it all has went so smoothly as it was possible because of the teachers’ and founders’ professionalism. There was the great combination of academic and personality progress. Our son was very happy in the SFMA where he has found so many friends and we miss it a lot after our relocation.… – show
I looked everywhere to find a school for my son, and THANK GOODNESS I found this beautiful Montessori school and I happily drive 30 mins each way to ensure that my son (now 5 years old) will have the best possible experience and ed ucation.
The staff are highly trained, friendly, empathetic and really, truly care about the children and their well-being. It is evident that the children are shown great respect and treated as valuable individuals. The school is VERY clean and organized, and I am so impressed with my experience so far....we began during the 21—22 school year and are now back for the 22—23 school year. The Head of School, Ms. Martyna, takes great pride in the school and is always finding ways to make it even better…in the year that we have been at the school so far, she has already expanded the size of the playground and added additional windows to the building. The classrooms are beautiful and have flexible seating arrangements and the very best Montessori materials.
My son has a very strong personality, but his teachers Ms. Mariale and Ms. Nina allow him to be himself without attempting to force him into some “mold”---as a result, he is happier and more confident. The children are given a well-rounded education and guided towards eventually becoming mature and productive adults one day.....for example, I have attended events at the school where the Elementary aged kids have helped host the events, and it is impressive to see the level of social intelligence that they display for their age (especially compared to the children that I worked with while a Middle/High school teacher in the public schools).
Among other perks, there is a full-time Spanish teacher on staff starting when the children are in Elementary, AND the Head of School is very involved behind the scenes and keeps updated on each individual child's progress on a regular basis by meeting with the teachers. This school truly provides each child with an individualized approach and the level of attention to every detail is just amazing.
I could say more, but it is not the same as seeing for yourself. We all want what is best for our kids and I am very blessed to have found this school, so thank you South Florida Montessori Academy for being a wonderful second home for my son, and for providing me the comfort of knowing that my son is in the best possible place! … – show
We wanted to enroll him in the Toddler classroom. The school management, even knowing that the class was full already, made us going through all the enrollment process. Everything went well in the 4 visits, but they only told us after the last visit that the class was full. All that time was useless.
A couple weeks after that we received an email from the head of the school saying that they accessed my son maturity and he was ready for the 3 year-old class (Primary program). My son is 2 years-old and already in diapers at that time.
We agreed taking him off diapers at home. They also promised all types of support with that in school, specially if we enrolled him in summer camp. We did all that.
Three months later, summer camp starts and my son was already toilet independent at home. On the 3rd day, I repeat, THIRD DAY, after picking him up, the teacher invite us to go inside and on the front desk I already see some paperwork with highlighted dates. She says in 2 minutes that he's not toilet trained and not ready for the class, to come back by the end of the next month. No talk, no explanations, no warnings, no help. 3 days in a row an that's it? Our work, plans, my son's feelings, nothing matters for them.
I inquired the head of school about that. What it would happen if accidents still happens when he's back. Instead of support, she just said that we have to keep him at home until he is ready and it could take 6 months for him to be ready. After I asked more questions (including from their material which mentions that full toilet independency is between 4—6 years old), she started to allege that my son had aggressive behavior (we had asked that to the teacher and she said he was not aggressive to other children).
To avoid further headaches, I asked to withdraw my son from the program. As a courtesy, they released us from all agreements. However, the substantial amount of money we paid was gone.
Unfortunately, any school can call itself as Montessori and use that as an excuse to blame the children for acting like children.
Be aware, because they played us to enroll our son for something that he was not ready. … – show
My son loves school and he is happy. That is very important for our family. The director of the school is very passionate. She is very immersed in her knowled ge of Maria Montessori and teachings. She always takes the time to answer any questions I have. She always provides the parents with various educational seminars. The entire school gives off an ambiance of peace. Everyone from the office staff Mrs. Anna, to the teachers are wonderful. Thank you South Florida Montessori Academy for taking care of our son and providing him with a wonderful Montessori education. … – show
SFMA is the best decision we made for our children! Martyna, the director, the teachers, and the assistants are all outstanding. The care is individualized, the education approach and the materials are top-notch, an d the children come out confident, independent, very knowledgeable, and adoring to go to school.
A couple of times a year, we get to observe them in their environment and have 1:1s with their respective teachers. And for our biggest pleasure, we also get to see them perform on holidays and special occasions, and I lost the count of the times I wept from the beautiful emotions.:-) … – show
This school is truly a gem in South Florida and a true Montessori school. There's definitely a focus on quality vs quantity and you can tell the difference between this and other Montessori schools in SF as soon as you step in.
You just have to see it for yourself. I love that you can schedule an observation (sit in the classroom for half an hour or so and watch) before you chose to enroll. You'll just have to see the magic for yourself!! … – show