Madrone Montessori School, LLC - El Dorado Hills, California

Cortni H.

I have two children enrolled at Madrone. Something that I really enjoy about the school is the way my twins are encouraged to share, work together, and at the same time practice independence. They are both in the same room and both my husband and I are pleased with the staff and their commitment to early childhood. This Montessori program offers a natural and hands on approach to learning about science, nature and math. The director speaks to the children with love and compassion as well as to my husband and I. There are a lot of ways to be involved and my husband and I have both learned more about how to take the Montessori method into our home and encourage our children to be more self-reliant. This school has been a great experience for us and I only wish that my kids could stay here a few more years!

Kaitlin P.

My friends have 2 children who attended Madrone Montessori and I watched them flourish and learn to be self-reliant, kind, and loving children. My partner and I are anticipating the need for a preschool that offers one on one direction and care. I have visited Madrone Montessori School many times during pick up and drop off and what I notice is the compassionate way teachers greet parents and the children are happy. I observed a child take his mom to an area of the classroom and show her what he did for the day, he was proud of his work in the classroom and discussed with her what he learned during Spanish. This is the place for our family because we both like the way the kids get to be free to express themselves while learning in a Montessori environment. Our friends children are flourishing in public school and they rave about Madrone Montessori and the foundation it has provided for their children.

Pete B.

I am thrilled with the staff at my son's preschool. I have been a parent at Madrone for 1 year and I am inspired by the school's overall energy and outlook with regards to children and the community outreach program. My wife and I work full time and so I appreciate how the school gets involved in community service projects where my child has the exposure to helping the community and giving to others. Recently I attended our parent/teacher conference and even though I wanted to hear how advanced my son is, I got to see how he focuses and shares with his friends. I am impressed with curriculum and implementation of theme's of study. The teachers have a way of bringing the topic of study to the child with a hands on activities, food, music and art. My son loves gardening and doing yoga on Friday's. I like that he is exposed to soccer with a Spanish speaking coach twice weekly. Thanks teachers, keep up the great work!

Cortni C.

We are a family of Madrone Montessori and our favorite part of the school are the teachers and our daughters favorite part are the water jobs. She pours water at home and at school and is learning to clean up as she goes. As a family we are drawn to Montessori because of the diverse learning environment and self correcting materials that allow the children to learn from their own work. I am looking forward to the day when my daughter has mastered work and will have the opportunity to show the younger students how to do jobs. At home she has a circle each morning, reads, suzy sound and sings, yet her participants are invisible and she loves to pretend. This was a question I had prior to entering Montessori, "Would Montessori foster my child's imagination?" I am learning that Montessori does indeed foster my child's ability to be creative, think and create. She loves to explore and I notice at school she is encouraged to imagine and be insightful. At home we do the same thing and she seems to be flourishing in the area of self-confidence. She is a spirited child and we are happy to have landed at Madrone where teachers are sweet and kind and vibe is what makes me happy. This is sometimes like heaven on earth when my child walks away from me at drop off, in the morning, smiling and ready to greet her friends and start her day. We are proud parents of Madrone Montessori school and just want the world to know how lucky we are to have found this school.

Janelle K.

Madrone Montessori is an amazing school with a warm and welcoming environment. Both of my children attend this school, and I couldn't be any happier with the progress that they are both making. The teachers place a huge emphasis on peace, kindness, and respect, and it definitely shows in the classroom as well as at home. My older one is almost five, has been there less than a year, and is already reading, among many other things. Both of my children have become independent little people who have learned how to solve their problems in productive ways, which I think is very much needed in our society. This school has taught and continues to teach my children how to be productive on their own, while also teaching them what they need to know to go on to elementary school. All of the teachers implement a very calm and loving approach to every situation, and encourage the children to use their words and think for themselves and make good decisions. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who is searching for a great school. They accept children as young as 18 months, which has been a lifesaver for my husband and I who both work full time.

Heidi O.

We have been at Madrone for close to a year and half. My son started at age 2.5 and is now 4 and attends full days. I have been impressed with the heart and dedication of the teachers and director of this school. My son has been a challenge, to be sure. But they have always given their best shot at working with him, supporting him, and helping him grow. The director, Krista, has been very communicative with me through our struggles to help our son grow socially. It has always been clear that she has the kids' best interests at heart.

The school's themed learning and activities are great. The facility is roomy and spacious. My son loves when they bring in experts to talk about their jobs, like dentists, police officers, or a SMUD line crew. My favorite parts of the school philosophy are the emphases on self reliance, charity and volunteerism, and care for our environment. Teaching kids these things at such a young age, I think, should really result in some compassionate, purposeful, capable human beings. They are important values that drew me to the school in the first place.

Realize that not every school is right for every kid. Even the really great schools. So relying solely on internet reviews is not a thorough way to weigh your school options. Do your homework. Madrone is Montessori, not free play, so understand what that means. Take a tour, ask questions, and be honest about your expectations with any school. Also, for any school, read the family handbook to be sure it jives with what you want for your child, your child's personality and capabilities, and what you are willing to put into your schooling experience. If you are willing to ask, I think everyone at this school will give you honest answers to your questions to help you figure out whether this is the right spot for your child and your family.

Chris H.