Lowcountry Montessori School

749 Broad River Drive

School District

School Public Charter
Grade

PK, K-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:7
Type

charter

School Map for School Public Charter School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 26, 2022

I have three of my children here and absolutely love the community and teachers.
Submitted by parent on February 24, 2022

As an educator, I was so excited to see a Montessori program near our new home. I have worked with Montessori guides in the past, and it is an amazing approach to learning. I enrolled my children with very high hopes only to be disappointed. The middle school is a glorified babysitting program, and not a good one. My child would come home and I would spend an hour teaching them the concepts for the lessons, then 2-3 hours on the daily work. The guides aren't even all qualified to teach, and it shows. They use being new as an excuse not to do their job, so they often go into class without knowing the curriculum, leaving the students scrambling. A teacher told a student that bullying was only physical, but physical fights happen all the time. A female student who was being harassed was told that they needed to be nice to their harasser because he had autism. If your child recieved any services through special education, or if you feel like they qualify for special education services, run far and fast. The teachers try to deny services, and it may take over a year for them to get around to testing after it's requested. The younger students programs are better, there is no homework and the teachers care, but without caring leadership their work is in vain.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2021

A mixed bag here. Easy carefree environment. No real standards - If you are looking for a strong academic program, keep looking. Our child lost ground in basic academics while at this school. We switched and should have done that faster. The SC school report card shows this place failing in almost every measurable area. Staff are friendly and appear to try hard. I don't think there's much guidance from the top. Feels like they bought a Montessori kit but don't know what to do with it.
Submitted by teacher on June 22, 2019

This is an amazing place where staff treat students like family.
Submitted by teacher on June 18, 2019

I have been lucky enough to be part of Lowcountry Montessori as an educator and a parent since it opened. My children are flourishing. We take pride in instilling a love of learning for all students. This school has heart!
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2019

Two years we would take back if we were able in a heartbeat. Our student has fallen so severely behind we barely feel they will recover sufficiently and be capable of functioning at grade level in their new school.
Submitted by parent on May 07, 2019

This school has been a god send for my children. They have all thrived in the environment and it has supported them as individuals. For anyone that is looking for a loving and caring community that is concerned with every aspect of your child, this is the school. They teach skills that will last a lifetime.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2018

This school is amazing! There is a really special sense of community and amazing teachers.
Submitted by student on October 11, 2017

I think this school is a great place to learn and that most students here are comfortable with their surroundings. Students (like me) get their education through hands on, visual, and auditory learning environment. LMS is a great place for your children to learn.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2017

I LOVED the concept of a Montessori school for my children. HOWEVER, that is NOT what we got at LMS. It was disorganized, mismanaged, and in the long run did SEVERE damage to my child both emotionally and educationally. While I'm sure the administration had the best of intentions upon inception, they had ZERO experience and/or know-how to run a school. Furthermore, a large amount of the staff (including my child's teacher) had no business teaching or managing a classroom. My child's teacher in particular took a "Lord of the Flies" approach to classroom management. After witnessing and hearing of several incredibly worrisome situations with the class, I questioned the teacher with regards to classroom policies and procedure. The teacher proceeded to explain to me that she allowed the student to make up their own classroom rules on a daily basis. Furthermore, she expected the students to self-govern by enforcing the rules and imposing consequences on their peers. We're talking about SIX YEAR OLDS here. It was a recipe for absolute chaos - and that's exactly what ensued. By the time my family finally parted ways with LMS, my child had already suffered emotional damage from the situation and was lagging behind educationally.
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2017

We had very high hopes for Low Country Montessori. The idea that children learn better through a low pressure curriculum sounded perfect, but the result is lackluster. I attended a gifted school as a child, and I therefore expected an environment that fostered creativity while providing challenging work. What I saw instead was an administration that seemed to have never run a school before and a classroom experience that caused my child to regress rather than progress. First, during orientation, registration, and through the first week parents were told repeatedly that hot lunch would be available. That never actually became an option. Second, they have draconian rules in place as to what parents can pack for lunch. Nothing can have sugar as one of the first three ingredients. Even a small piece of candy will be confiscated. Oddly enough, sugar free drinks are also barred because they contain "chemicals" (no specificity was forthcoming upon request). Thirdly, the security on campus is worrisome. There have been multiple occasions when we have arrived to pick up our child and no one knew where she was. She was found within ten or fifteen minutes, but that is a nerve wracking time. The whole school simply seems disorganized and fly by night. Finally, my child was homeschooled her kindergarten year. During that time, she was reading, writing, adding, and subtracting. As we are nearing the end of her first grade year, she has regressed. She has forgotten words she could previously spell. She has a difficult time with phonics. She has not progressed at all in math. She has fallen in every measurable category.In all, I gave two stars due to the horrendous condition of other schools in the area. Many other local schools require metal detectors. The one benefit I can see from this school is that I feel my child is safe from other students.
Submitted by other on February 13, 2017

Great place to teach! I have support from families and staff.
Submitted by other on November 01, 2016

Alot of favoritism goes on at this school. Staff are really rude to the students..One of the high school teacher has tantrum fits and sits in the corner, calls kids names..alot of discrimination at this school..
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2016

My children loves going to school. They like the Montessori learning process. They learn about self discipline & responsibility. They know the lessons they need to learn & work independently in doing their school work.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2016

Teachers, administration, and parents are dedicated to fulfilling and enriching the whole child instead of only "teaching to the test." My child has never been more engaged in and excited about her learning than at LMS. We are so lucky to have this gem in Beaufort.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2016

The staff at this school have been super responsive to my special-needs child. The administration, led by Amy Horn, has worked feverishly and tirelessly to provide a top-notch Montessori education to the lowcountry. There are some wrinkles that need smoothing out that come with any new venture. If you are looking for the cookie-cutter, state-mandated, top-down, rigid environment for your child, then this school is not for you. If you want your child to "think outside the box" and experience a diverse and vibrant community of students, then you should seriously consider LMS.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

The administration at the school is unprepared for charter school mandates. In addition, the school lacks racial diversity (BIG TIME) and is served by teachers who are not certified. Many faculty members turn a blind eye to bullying occurring in the classrooms. Furthermore, the writing level of students is several grades below average. It's frightening. Due to inappropriate implementation of the Montessori Method by untrained teachers, many areas of curriculum and state standards are not taught at all in certain classrooms. In other rooms, these standards are not adequately addressed. Also, many kids go through school producing very little work. Because of the larger class sizes and the Montessori approach of individualized and small group learning, students fall through the cracks and receive very few "lessons." I could go on and on.Things need to radically change or the school is likely to fold.
Submitted by other on December 05, 2015

The school is not set up for day to day operation. There is no plan for curriculum, test prep, attendance, or anything like that.
Submitted by other on October 06, 2015

My children are blossoming at this school. They are learning their academic subjects in a way that is interesting and fun to them, while they learn about their personal strengths and individuality. They are respected as human beings, and are guided to be the best they can be while helping others to do the same. We love it!