What Our Families Say About KMS

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Families Share Their Keystone Experiences

"My son has really thrived at Keystone Montessori"

My son adapted fairly easily to his new setting (with a few tears during the first few weeks) and has grown so much since enrolling at Keystone Montessori School. He learns so much from his teachers and his (mostly older) peers, his vocabulary has grown, he has developed age-appropriate social skills, and has made friends. He talks about his friends from school all the time and every day he is so excited to go to school, his face plastered with a big smile when we walk in the door. That alone tells me he is in good care. Keystone Montessori School is truly a community and that’s one of the things I love about it. Back in the fall, there was a school-wide field trip apple picking and many parents came along. In January, there was a wonderful Multicultural Feast, complete with performances by the children and a potluck showcasing homemade food. Parents and other family members volunteer in the classrooms frequently, sharing their special interests or simply reading aloud.

My son has really thrived at Keystone Montessori, thanks in large part to his nurturing, patient, and experienced teacher, Patricia, but also to the philosophy of the importance of play and exploration and cultural awareness that Keystone Montessori exudes.

"There really is no better place"

My daughter has been going to Keystone Montessori School for over 4 yrs and now her little brother has joined the gang and has been going for almost a year. There were a lot of decisions to be made surrounding the move but the easiest of all was the decision to keep bringing the kids to Keystone Montessori despite the commute. There really is no better place. The teachers are all fabulous! And of course, the owners are too. Every day when I drop my kids off at Keystone Montessori School I’m sure of 2 things:

They’re at the best place they possibly could be.

I’m a good dad for bringing them there.

"It is a warm, peaceful place with wonderful staff"

This is our 4th year at Keystone, my daughter stared children’s house when she was 3 and is in the elementary program now. My son (2.10 yrs), also started this year with Mrs. McMahon. She seems to have a natural gift for teaching and connecting with the kids. She is and very organized and understands each kid’s capabilities and works with them towards their overall development. She is one of the main reasons why we decided to enroll our son. Their Elementary Curriculum is very dynamic and has the best teachers for the program. My daughter looks forward to school every day. She surprises me all the time with the wealth of knowledge she brings home every day. It’s amazing how Kathryn makes complicated topics fun, easy to learn and understand. It is a warm, peaceful place with wonderful staff that not only facilitates academic growth but also teaches them to be respectful and responsible global citizens.

"Here your child comes first"

My son goes to Children’s House (3 to 6-year-olds). We started with daycare and moved our son to Keystone. Here your child comes first. The founder is busy introducing new programs every year & teachers design challenging work (small tasks for kids to do) keeping developmental goals in mind. Classrooms are filled with work where a child has the freedom to choose what she/he likes. Once they master a work, they move on to the next one & so on. Sounds easy but making our 3 year old to stay calm and focus was a daunting task for us. I have found the teachers to be patient and skilled to navigate our child. Our son is very active and he enjoys doing something while not napping. His classroom is filled with variety of work and books & this helps him. Weather permitting, every day kids have outdoor playtime. Our son makes continent maps in his art/craft session, draws objects, goes to field trips to explore nature, etc. The quality of tools, material & guest lecturers exposed to kids is carefully selected by the founder. Our son has made his way to read phonics book as he still continues to decode new words. He can add/subtract single digit numbers. The credit goes to his teacher & school.

"My son really looks forward to go to the school every morning"

This is a great school. My son used to go to a local daycare before. Even after 8 months, he was still reluctant to go (like, he would cry at drop off). One of the reason was that the daycare had too many teachers coming and leaving on weekly bases (heavy turnover is something very common in daycares, I’m told). It was difficult for my son to get familiar with them. However, at KMS, one full year has gone by and we haven’t seen any teacher changes. And, they still greet you with same smile and enthusiasm that they had the first time we met them. My son really looks forward to go to the school every morning and this is really a huge plus.

"This is a school that cares about the growth and development of each individual child"

Wow! I cannot say enough about what this school has done for both my children. The entire school community has given my children the gift of knowledge and life skills. Our two children have learned to be compassionate human beings who love to learn for its own sake. This is a school that cares about the growth and development of each individual child, and focuses on maximizing his or her strengths while addressing challenges cheerfully and productively. I have seen teachers at all levels go the extra mile time and again to make sure my child was held to high standards with care and kindness. Go and look at Keystone if you are interested in an affordable private school that is about quality education and diversity. We’ve been thrilled with the school.

"The teachers made all the difference"

The 1st yr was a big bump where my daughter wasn’t able to focus She struggled with transitioning and learning classroom rules. I felt so discouraged. But the teachers made all the difference. They were so open to hearing my thoughts and learning about my child through my eyes. We came up with a game plan on how to support her. One of which was to get a one on one teacher to help her. By the end of the school year, there was a big improvement. She was happier and felt more connected with her classroom. I really appreciate the quick response that I get from the teachers especially through email. With an understanding that the parents know their children best, they really listen and really respect the parents’ thinking. I love that they take the info I provide and try to understand it to make future plans for my child’s learning. Summary: 1) Children and their thinking are respected (it shows), 2) Teachers and staff are very responsive. They come up with a game plan to make sure your child reaches a goal. 3) They involve parents 4) Kindness throughout the school (between teachers and children, and children and children) 5) Montessori methods 6) My child loves her teachers!!

"The curriculum is creative, challenging and goes way beyond what is offered in public schools"

This school is amazing. The elementary staff are wonderful. You will want to come and observe this school. Our child is in her 7th year at Keystone and is in the elementary program. The difference is in the learning methods and style. Subject matter is applied to whole systems and projects. The curriculum is creative, challenging and goes way beyond what is offered in public schools in terms of depth and scope of experience and knowledge: This year they started an engineering curriculum that caught the eye of the Museum of Science in Boston. They were so impressed that they sent out staff to film the project and include it in their education curriculum. In the spring the elementary students attend Natures Classroom in Groton, MA for one week of outdoor discovery and science from geology and hydrology to fresh water ecosystems. Fifth and sixth graders are doing pre- algebra and algebra. Tennis, skiing and swimming lessons are part of the curriculum. As a result my daughter loves to learn, is confident, and excelling in math, English, science, geography, and writing. What more could you ask for?

"She is showing me that every cent I pay for tuition is actually priceless"

“After looking around at other local day care centers and comparing prices, programs and teacher quality, I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to spend the extra money on ‘Preschool’. After all, 3 year olds just like to color, right? Wrong. I took a leap of faith and enrolled my daughter at Keystone. For 2 years now she has been in the Children’s House full day program, and despite not really understanding how the full breadth of the Montessori philosophy at the time of enrollment, we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. She has shown me that 3 and 4 year olds are so much more capable then we give them credit for. She was thrust into an environment that focused on problem solving skills and innovative thinking. Her outstanding teachers place emphasis on the importance of grace and courtesy, something I feel is grossly lacking in this day in age, and certainly not emphasized in ‘traditional’ environments. And at the end of the day, she loves to learn and she loves to go to school. She is successful. She is independent. She knows what a quatrefoil is! She is showing me that every cent I pay for tuition is actually, priceless.”

"The representatives of the school at the table were so knowledgeable and helpful"

“I stopped by your table at the CMC preschool fair yesterday evening. Both of the representatives of the school at the table were so knowledgeable and helpful, and as a parent going into this process of finding a good school for my son for the first time, that knowledge base and enthusiasm for the school was very much appreciated!”

"Totally impressed by the diligence and care"

“I spent an evening enjoying a thoughtful demonstration by an awesome team of Montessori practitioners. The story format with visuals made it an interesting, fun and an unforgettable experience, can’t think of a better way to explain an important science lesson. Lots of scientific facts and terms webbed together in a comprehensive presentation, without overwhelming in anyway. Exposure to basic and essential knowledge in a clear format that nudges the inquisitive mind to explore the depths and learn. Totally impressed by the diligence and care, obvious in the cosmic-education demonstration at KMS. If I could only enroll myself for the same!”

"Children really respond to their enthusiasm"

“My 3 year old is currently enjoying her first year at Keystone Montessori and I cannot say enough good things about the experience. The teachers are all very invested and engaged in their work – the children really respond to their enthusiasm. The school provides a large variety of experiences for the children – academic, cultural, social, physical – it is very well rounded. My daughter gets such loving attention from everyone at school – it really has become her “second” family. The teachers and staff patiently and kindly guided my daughter through the trials of potty training and tantrums as well as through the joys of her first written word and her first songs. In addition to a warm and welcoming environment, Keystone is also providing a first class Montessori education to my daughter. She learned so much exploring the “works” – she now brings the intense concentration that she’s applied to her school activities to her explorations at home. It’s such a joy seeing her apply the “one-until-you’re-done” and “everything has its place” rules to her home environment. I don’t regret for a second paying a bit more than we would for daycare – the learning environment at Keystone is worlds away from anything she could experience at a day care center. We definitely plan to have her continue her elementary education here.”

"He was definitely interested in the work and came home excited and happy at the end of each day"

“My family has been with Keystone for years at this point. Both of my children spent their pre-K and kindergarten years there, and when first grade rolled around, we enrolled our oldest in public school, and he was miserable. So much homework, so much busy work, and too much being shunted from one place to another, with the school pressuring us to get an IEP so they could put additional aides in his classroom for him and the other children with similar difficulty staying focused on the worksheets. Then, though, the IEP was rejected, and the school psychiatrist told us our best bet was to supplement with after school and summer programs for gifted children. Frustrated with the idea of the school day being, essentially, wasted time, we enrolled at Keystone for his second grade year and it has been like night and day. That’s not to say that he didn’t have trouble focusing at Keystone, he did, but his teachers worked around it and with us and he was definitely interested in the work and came home excited and happy at the end of each day. The elementary program is amazing and we have continued to send him there. It is worth every penny.”

"The quality of teachers is outstanding"

“The Keystone Montessori School has by far been the best school our family has experienced. Our 2 children joined the school last year and started in the Children’s House full day program where they had a fantastic year of learning and personal growth. This was our first Montessori experience and we are so happy we made this choice. Our eldest child experienced the richness of the Kindergarten curriculum, which offers additional learning modules and activities, and both children have flourished there. The quality of teachers is outstanding (compared to 3 other learning/preschool centers we have attended over the years) – they are dedicated, knowledgeable and show through their actions how genuinely they care about your children’s learning experience and development. I can’t say enough about the dedication and enthusiasm of the Director – she has created a high quality school and a wonderful community around it. We are all looking forward to returning for another year in September when our eldest child will enter the Elementary program and the youngest returns to the Children’s House. I thoroughly recommend this school.

"We feel so good every time we drop him off"

“We feel at home at Keystone. From the time we attended the open house to present, we knew we were in the right place for our son. He is in Pre-K and we feel so good every time we drop him off. The school moved across the street to their new and improved location. Their playground is now very close and all of the classrooms and offices are on the same first level. I appreciate the security implemented in the school and the level of cleanliness exceeds my expectations. The administration makes themselves easily accessible to discuss anything and ask questions about anything. Everyone is friendly, informative and organized. We are about three towns away from the school and the drive is worth it for us. I could not have asked for a better first school experience for us as parents and for our son. We appreciate the thoughtful and kind teachers, the professional and friendly administration and the welcoming, warm and safe environment provided for the children who attend. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and passion that is consistent, reliable and a breath of fresh air to any parent wishing the best for their child.”

"Their kindness, compassion, and zest for life has nurtured them"

“The Children’s House teachers at Keystone have been tremendous role models for our children. Their kindness, compassion, and zest for life has nurtured them. Our children were so sad to learn that there will be no school during summer.”