Montessori Community School

4512 Pope Road

Durham, NC 27707

7 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 01, 2018

We have been at MCS for 7+ years, and are very happy! Great curriculum, teachers/staff, gorgeous campus. Our kids are thriving.
Submitted by parent on July 31, 2018

Our family has attended this school for 6 years and we have had great experiences with the Lower El, Upper El, and Adolescent programs. The Adolescent Community, however, is especially strong both academically and in terms of character and leadership development.
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2018

A great school and so happy that both of my children were able to experience it. All schools should be this loving and nurturing. This is more than reading, writing, and math! The focus is on the whole child and their social and emotional development, encouraging independence and leadership, all while cultivating a love for learning. Definitely worth taking a tour and learning more!
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2015

We considered other area private schools (Duke School, Friends, DA) but chose MCS because of its unique combination of academic rigor and a caring, village-like atmosphere. The teachers know your child very well and they are dedicated to helping him/her grow intellectually, morally, and socially. We really feel grateful to have such gifted adults focusing on our kids. MCS emphasizes "grace and courtesy." Children develop good old-fashioned manners, and good personal habits like putting away toys. In all of our time on the playground, there has never been an incident. Bullying doesn t exist. As practiced here, the Montessori method fosters creativity and independent inquiry kids learn for fun. On International Night, 40 countries are represented. My kids have teachers from Ecuador, France, Kuwait, and Germany. The community is both diverse and integrated, which is rare. Extracurriculars are great: beautiful art, pottery, and music studios, a nature preserve, and afterschool classes (Indian and salsa dancing, soccer, art). After touring other private schools, I m surprised that MCS doesn t have a higher profile. From pre-k through 5th grade, I consider it the best in the area.
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2014

This is a great school and we are so happy to have found it. The public schools in Chapel Hill have a decent reputation, but I wanted more for my kids. We definitely got what we were looking for! My child is in the upper elementary program now and started in the toddler program. My child is engaged and is enthusiastic about learning inside and outside the classroom. What is nice is that other parents from different schools notice that MCS kids stand out - they ask thoughtful, intelligent questions, they are independent, resourceful, kind, polite, and are natural leaders in group situations. It's a wonderful community of engaged parents and faculty. There are many social events to get to know other parents and children. My child has made some great friends that will last a lifetime. The campus is huge - the view from the street is not the entire school! I would encourage you to take a tour and learn more about all there is here. There is a new Science Lab, an Art Room with a Clay Studio, a Music classroom, sport field, sand volleyball, and many play ground areas.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2013

I have two sons currently in their second year at Montessori Community School-- one in the Adolescent Community and one in Upper Elementary. We chose this school after becoming unhappy with the limitations of nearby Cary, NC (Wake County) public schools, which seemed to be focusing more and more on test scores and less and less on fostering an environment where children would be consistently treated with respect and kindness. I'm sure budget cuts related to the economic downturn played a large part (high test scores = more funding), but my kids were really beginning to struggle in a system that stifled their individuality. Enrolling in MCS has been hands down the absolute right thing for our family. I can't say enough about what a wonderful community it is! Teachers are interesting, dynamic, enthusiastic, and sincere. The Head of School is fantastic-- intelligent, dedicated, caring, engaged, and clearly excited about and proud of her school. And my kids are thrilled to be having more choices and taking a more active part in their own learning and development. I'd give this school more than 5 stars if I could! Highly recommended.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2012

Read this review with the knowledge 1) I am an Asian and we want our kids to do excellent in academics. 2) This is critique of Montessori System in general Montessori system was developed in east Europe 100 years ago where most people would learn a vocation by the age of 15 or so - and do that for life. Now, we all study up to age 21 or so without much specialization, and then decide on specialization. What worked 100 years back may not work today. The specific criticism is that: 1) Most kids is public school can read by KG, not in MCS. The reason being - let the kid choose what he wants to do. If your kid is lazy, he won't learn to read - irrespective of how bright he is. 2) MCS kids come from highly educated families - as it is a private school. However, the performance of kids in standardized tests is just average till grade 3. Again blame it on Montessorie - kids are not forced to learn hence they don't learn. 3) The staff and teachers at MCS are pleasant - and your kid would like it here because they get 2 hours of play plus 30 min lunch each day. I don't know of any case of bullying.