Montclair Elementary School

1151 Newport Street

School District

Denver County 1
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Denver County 1 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 November 13, 2023

It's the best. We are unfortunately move from Denver and I transition my boys to Aurora. The teacher is the best. Montclair School has a safe and inspiring learning environment for children. Appropriate spaces are provided for play and exploration and to enhance social interaction between children. The team of teachers at the school works with high professionalism and love for children. They understand the needs and requirements of young children and use innovative and appropriate educational methods. Montclair School is interested in providing diverse and comprehensive educational programs. These programs may include learning through play, arts, music, sports, and developing children's social and emotional skills.we miss it.
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2022

We loved the Montclair neighborhood and our old sturdy brick bungalow but were forced to move out of the district because we were unable to choice out and kept getting stuck with Montclair Elementary school. The old principle, Ryan, has left. He was not engaged and avoided parents concerns.They removed the "academics & enrichment" title because they ran out of funding after Hickenloopers kids left years ago. Trying hard just to get by at this point. Not actively engaging students in learning. The direct Montclair neighborhood does NOT reflect the student population of this school. They all choice out or choose private school because this school is so poorly managed. Teachers try their best but are no supported by DPS.
Submitted by other on July 24, 2022

As a former student, I strongly do not recommend this school. I previously attended private education prior to going to Montclair, We were learning concepts for a grade below. My poor teacher struggled with the kids' lack of respect and actions. It's not just kids being kids, they were straight up making offensive jokes about the special ed kids in the building and other disabled kids in general. The lunch ladies were rude and lacked knowledge on how to cook. I'm grateful for their service in working at the school, but they were insanely rude and disrespectful. The school is falling behind severely in academics, no matter how much DPS tries to change this school will stay the same.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2022

We are a happy Montclair family. The teachers have been warm, caring, and effective. The community of diverse families and children also makes Montclair a special place. If you’re inclined to pass on a school because of its number/color rating on Great Schools, do a bit of research about why those ratings are narrow and problematic. Montclair is a good school!
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2022

We have had our two children at Montclair for the last four years and it has been a wonderful experience.The teachers differentiate for learning styles and abilities.The diverse nature of the student body means our children have learned about East Africa, China, India and Mexico without leaving their classroom.The curriculum is challenging, but not overwhelming. We very much appreciate the focus on character and on being aware of how one's behavior impacts the entire community.Throughout the entire pandemic, the leadership has been supportive and done a wonderful job communicating.I highly recommend this school to others.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2020

The name of the school is "Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment". The ratings on this site show "Test scores at this school fall below the state average. This suggests that most students at this school may not be performing at grade level." So not very good in the 'Academic' department. How about Enrichment? Nope, this 'Innovative' class school follows the default DPS curriculum. Zero innovation, zero enrichment.This once amazing and innovative school is now a disgrace. The leadership is only focused on a very specific evaluation metric and it has lead to a significant decrease in the quality of this school and it's learning environment. Montclair used to focus on every child, making sure each progressed to their fullest potential. Now the administration only focuses on being as average as they most possibly can. Neglecting the advanced and average students, and focusing on lower performing students only in the hopes the 'achievement gap' will be narrowed.Many families have transferred out of Montclair either due to their child not getting adequate attention and growth (they weren't challenged...at all) or the rampant bullying which had zero consequences for offending students. Walking the halls you would see students openly arguing with teachers and harassing other students...near zero actions were taken by the administration. I strongly encourage you to volunteer for a Montclair field trip. The experience is mind blowing in how little accountability there is for students and their actions.Look at the school ratings (average 3/10) now combine that with a narrow focus on making the achievement gap narrow (which they have done by stalling advancement of the upper and average students and bring up lower performing students.) You need a school that challenges each student to be their best, not one that only wants to pad a statistic to keep their jobs.Do not send your child to Montclair until the current administration has been replaced.
Submitted by parent on February 23, 2018

This school is OK and just OK. It does not represent the Historic Montclair neighborhood as much as it represents East Montclair (Quebec east to Yosemite, 11th north to Fax). The school is acceptable for children under 7, but I would not enroll my child over 2nd grade. The enrichment program is a good experience for kids. I like that the school focuses on physical activity, art and performing arts. The administration is kind and caring but has a lot of turn over. Overall, the kids are going to be okay. If you're educated and smart parents, than you're kid will do better but will not get the resources or attention that low-income and special needs kids require. This school focuses on low-income children. I'm concerned that my kind and considerate caucasian child is overlooked because there are children in their class that need adult attention and and other resources not provided at their home.. The PTA community here is amazing, the other 75% of parents are inconsiderate, uninvolved, entitled and straight up rude. I know that several parents in the school are involved in gang activity. I've witnessed parent smoking pot on school grounds (reported, nothing happened). Parents continually park in no parking zones, over crosswalks and speed around to pick up their children. I have to dodge cars daily at school pickup. I've reported all these incidents several times to the school and the city to no avail. If you can't choice into another Denver school, Montclair isn't the worst place to be.
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2018

As both a parent of two students who have attended the school since ECE and a part time employee, I highly recommend Montclair.
Submitted by parent on December 30, 2017

We have had a great experience at Montclair. It’s a welcoming community and we have all made lasting friendships here. If we’ve ever been concerned with something academically, the teachers or admin have been responsive and open to communication about the issue.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2017

We choiced into this school after our neighborhood school on the other side of Colfax was so disappointing. I absolutely love it! I think the economic and cultural diversity at this school is a huge benefit. My daughter makes friends easily, loves her teachers, and is learning so much without feeling an intense "pressure" to learn - it seems to come naturally when she gets home and tells us about her day. I highly recommend this school!
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2017

I cannot speak more highly about our 10 years at Montclair. My 9th grade daughter is excelling and we have the foundation provided by Montclair to thank for that. She appreciates diversity in a manner that we could not have taught in the home. We have had strong teachers for both of our students every year. The school's commitment to enrichment including signature grade-level field trips as well as rotations of art, music and PE have been irreplaceable.
Submitted by other on May 06, 2017

We are happily in our 7th year at Montclair. I can echo all of the other comments here. What I can add: in a school this diverse, there are naturally culture-related challenges. It's easy enough to say, "that's just how it is," but not at our school. Our administration and faculty constantly ask themselves 'how can we do better when it comes to equity?' There's a long way to go when it comes to equity in the curriculum (DPS and other districts). What I value is that our teachers and administrators are open to critical voices. They are creative in their approaches. This takes time but they are doing the work. Our staff is a group of rockstars. Heart, intelligence, passion, patience, humor. This school has helped shape the people my kids are becoming. Separately, my honors 7th grade student was better prepared than many of his friends new friends when they started middle school.
Submitted by parent on January 27, 2017

I have had children in Montclair for 7 years now, and I will be the first to admit there have been ups and downs. This being said, under the current administration, the school has stabilized and grown to become a truly great school. Some parents may have been cliquish in the past, but have really come together for the community and students. I cannot say enough about the global thoughtfulness, enrichment, and academics at the school!
Submitted by other on January 17, 2017

Sadly could not get my kids out fast enough. Heard so many great things but once we were there, it was another story. Overcrowded, kids with so many needs not met. Under-qualified staff sealed the deal. many of us left last year. Feel awful for the kids who need a good school and have no where else to go. Only reason for 2 stars is the parent community. Nice but divided byrich/poor.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

We have been at the school since our oldest (now a fourth grader) was in kinder. We choiced in from a nearby neighborhood and have been very happy with all that Montclair has offered our two daughters. The teachers are phenomenal and are committed to making sure that every child gets the best possible education. I've seen many of them go above and beyond in their dedication to their students. We also appreciate the diversity (over 20 different languages spoken and a very broad socioeconomic mixture), the fact that we offer all three specials (gym, music and art), and that we are an innovation school. Also, a big draw for us was the unique enrichment model at the school - our students experience many more field trips than the average school, have many in-school experiences, and can explore topics more in depth through a program called Explorations. Overall, it is a wonderful community!
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2012

Our son recently finished his first year at Montclair (in first grade) and we are very pleased with this school. The teachers are enthusiastic, caring, and seem to really enjoy their work. Also, there are many opportunities for parent involvement. Activities such as International Night and the Fun Fair help create a sense of community. Our child greatly enjoyed the special learning opportunities available at Montclair- clusters and brown bag lunches. This allowed him to learn more in-depth about topics such as the Olympics. In addition, the diversity (racial and economic) at this school is wonderful. We also appreciate the fact they are an Innovation school which means they have more independence and decision-making capacity than regular public schools. Our child had a bumpy year in kindergarten (at a different school) and a good year at Montclair- we contribute this to Montclair's supportive, caring environment and its focus on the positive. As with most other public schools, critiques can be made (more funding! smaller class sizes!) but overall this is a terrific school with great teachers.
Submitted by other on January 28, 2012

I attended Montclair Elementary School from 1954 to 1958. Had it not been for the excellent teachers I may never have discovered both my academic and athletic abilities. Also, I remember the extracurricular activities which were available and so very valuable at that formative age. I still live in the Montclair neighborhood and pass by the school quite often reminding me of those wonderful days of so long ago.