The Ivy School

This school claims to be a Montessori school, but close to none of its lead teachers actually have Montessori training from an accredited institution. While the ratio of students to teachers is technically 15:1 (each classroom has a lead and assistant teacher), they have completely bombed at mastering the model of Montessori while trying to align with some of the public school system demands, especially for those with special needs - either those gifted/performing above grade average, and those who need extra support. The school is full of children who have had trouble in traditional public schools and are seeking alternatives, but the administration is incredibly faulty and doesn't/hasn't provided extra professional development and resources for their teachers to help support the influx of these students: This is something that is too costly, as reported by the administration to teachers.

If your child loves school, has friends, does well in school and loves adults and doesn't need special needs/IEP/extra guidance, this school will swallow them due to the fact that the overworked teachers are stretched too thin working with an overcrowd of students with special needs.

There is a serious lack of parent education options about the Montessori model of education and overall curriculum, especially for parents who are interested in enrolling their children in Montessori for the first time. This has led to the high population of students with special needs, because good parents are desperate to find solutions for their children when traditional public schooling has failed their children. Parents at Ivy aren't given the information they need to understand that transferring into an authentic Montessori program at the age of 7 or older without having any experience in this model of self-guided education does not do their child any favors, regardless of whether they have been successful in a traditional classroom or not.

My daughter has been a lifelong, self-described "Montessori kid". She's been in Montessori programs since she was seven months old. She started at The Ivy School in second grade.

Before she started, I was concerned that most of the children there would not have had the benefit of years spent in a Montessori primary school, would not know the routines, and would not be well-practiced in grace and courtesy. My concern, it turns out, was justified.

The Ivy School seems to attract a lot of families with children who struggle with their emotions and have extremely high needs. The school is not equipped to deal with these students, as Ivy School doesn't have a counselor and the teachers are not trained to handle this. The teachers really are doing the best they can given they have mixed-age classrooms of 30 students each, and a wide range of abilities and needs to cater to-- all without the benefit of the resources available to neighborhood public schools.

The administration is terrible. The Director doesn't have a background or training in education and she doesn't appear to support the students, teachers, or fellow administrators. The first time I met her, she immediately got in my face about how "you Montessori parents have to realize we do standardized tests here!" It's laughable that she works in Montessori education the encounters I've seen her have with students are cringe-worthy. What appeared at first to be occasional lapses in professionalism turned out to be just who she is-- defensive, hyper-reactive, bullying.

It quickly became apparent to us that our daughter wasn't learning anything at Ivy School. She was spending time in the hallway to avoid her noisy classroom. Some days her biggest accomplishment seemed to be sharpening a bunch of pencils. Her friends were being bullied with racist comments. Students in her class were biting, punching and throwing things at other students and the administration was turning a blind eye to everything.

We approached the campus admin to have our daughter moved into another classroom-- hoping just to delay switching schools until after Lower El. What followed was a series of unprovoked emails from the Director essentially telling us to shut up and tow the line or leave the school. (Turns out, it's not just some students who have no knowledge of grace and courtesy.) Numerous pleas for a civil, in-person conversation went un-answered. So we left.

If you are looking for a quality education for your child in a school where s/he will be respected and safe, you will be wise to stay far far away from Ivy School. And if you are coming from a Montessori school, this is a far cry from anything that you have been used to.

The Ivy School is a young school with great curriculum. Montessori education is ideal for self-directed learners who want to move at their own pace. The new principal is energetic and full of great ideas. After 1 year, I am optimistic about my child's education.

The March 5, 2012, comment is about Maria's Place preschool, which is run by Tammy Kennedy and is on the same campus as the The Ivy School, but is NOT the Ivy School! Ivy School is a 1st-7th grade public charter school. Maria's Place is a private preschool for ages 2-K. Not the same institution!

The Ivy School is a fabulous learning environment for self-directed, curious students who are ready to thrive in a Montessori environment. Our child (first grader) is having a fantastic time, rushing off to school and coming home brimming w/knowledge and love of education. Great choice for our kid!

Also, please note: the demographic and other info for the school on this website is inaccurate (there are 6 teachers, w/ 6 assistants, for example; and ~13% free/reduced lunch, etc.)

We were so excited about the possibility of having our son attend one of Ivy's programs. We met with the director Tammy Kennedy and looked around the school. The classrooms were beautiful and the curriculum engaging. We were also excited about our son who is bilingual, continuing his exploration into Spanish. We then made it to the open house. What we heard made both my partner and I skeptical. There were several families with young children who were told that their child's fears about going to the bathroom alone were silly. That there would be no exception made to meet student's individual needs. We were also told that if our son got muddy or happen to pee his pants, something that has happened once since he was two, that we would have to come from work and deal with it. Parents of three year old were told the same thing. The director Tammy Kennedy was judgmental in her tone while addressing these concerns of parents. She was judgmental of the children's skills as well as the parents concerns.

I saw little care or consideration for difference. I do not want my child to go to a school where accommodations are not made for a diverse student body. I want him to know and see a teaching staff and a school that really sees what individual students need and is willing to meet them.