Morehead Montessori

909 Cobb Street

School District

Durham Public
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Durham Public School District

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 08, 2025

Just a word of caution if you expect "Montessori", what you'll find instead: so much testing. The current administration is obsessed with testing. Students have a test every Friday and they practice for standardized tests a lot. They also do a lot of worksheets. They have so many worksheet packets that they have to do on their own because the teacher has to teach 2 or 3 grade levels in each class. What this means in practice is that students are given worksheet packets and complete them at their own pace in mostly loud and chaotic classrooms. The packets are graded too, which is too early in 1st and 2nd grade. The AIG program isn't consistent either. In our previous school, kids would get pulled out consistently in small groups. Here, all the groups seem to focus on testing techniques or more worksheets. There is no longer a separate science program at the school because the position was apparently cut. The Spanish class is just more worksheets and cartoons that are shown in English, not Spanish. The teachers are mostly very caring and the classroom assistants are fantastic but there is a high turnover. Curriculum wise, it has been a disappointing experience and we wish we had not been redistricted. The PTA is the saving grace because they are fantastic, truly above and beyond, and provide a lot of enrichment opportunities after school. The parent community really lifts up the school. Overall it's an OK school if you live in the base zone and many students walk or bike. It's also small and that is probably the best thing about the school, though that is changing because enrollment is growing, but I would think twice about accepting a lottery seat there if you expect a Montessori experience. Unless you get one of the very few Montessori trained teachers, and even then, that's not what you'll get because of standardized testing and dps curriculum requirements.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2013

Great PTA, My son did PreK and is going to Kindergarten, he is reading on his own and writing stories. Good parent involvement to help teachers to better support each student individually. My son became more independent about doing observations and writing on his own, he begs to go to the library, takes a book, sits and reads it on his own. The librarian of the school cares about getting the kids interested in reading. Maybe not the best academic overall achievement, but they have to do Montessori too as well as meet state standards. Also the teachers seem to care about challenging each student.
Submitted by other on March 31, 2009

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