Villa Montessori School

2100 48th Street

Moline, IL 61265

29 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-3
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 08, 2023

Our daughter started at VMS about a year ago and went from being almost behind on a few things to ahead. She has blossomed so much here! The staff and other students have been wonderful, and any issues have been dealt with swiftly and professionally. She is treated as an individual, and she is excited to go to school. As for other negative reviews, I can't speak to their experiences, but I haven't noticed much turnover since Oct. 2022 to now. The teachers have remained the same, and most of the other staff is the same as well. I thoroughly researched before sending my child here by reaching out on parent sites via social media, reading reviews, etc., and this is the ONLY place I've heard anything negative. My experience has been 100% positive, and I would recommend VMS to anyone.
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2023

When our son was there, there was significant staff turnover, largely due to heavy-handed and misguided administration. They were proud of the fact that they don't offer "special education," which is an ... interesting... approach to 21st century teaching and learning. They were not particularly concerned with children's emotional wellbeing, either. The place has been run by the same woman (and now her daughter) for decades, which in itself should indicate that they are not very open to criticism or change.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2023

My kids have been at Villa for 3 years and have been in the infant, toddler, pre-primary and primary classrooms. All of their teachers have been truly excellent and have connected with them personally. My kids are more capable than I expected and know more than I expected for their age (compared to their friends in other Preschools). My kids are very different from each other and they have both had thoughtful and unique developmental experiences that indicate to me that our teachers know them and understand their needs. Our whole family loves VMS and we would not consider another child care option. The only two things that I wish were different: cost (very high for the area, but I believe it contributes to higher teacher pay and better teacher retention) and extremely conservative pandemic based health and safety policies (which are simply following IDPH and CDC recommendations for child care facilities).
Submitted by teacher on October 25, 2022

Poorly run, constant staff turnover, teachers are responsible for cleaning, materials are old & beat upStudents are not challenged. There is no curriculum that prepares a child for public or parochial schools
Submitted by teacher on July 22, 2022

I have worked here for 3 years and am continually impressed with the level of care provided by the administration and staff. Administration is kind and flexible, and has high expectations of professionalism and work ethic from their staff. I wouldn’t want to work in this field with someone that didn’t set their standards high. While this small, non-profit may not be able to offer large company perks, we are well compensated, trained and respected when earned.I am proud and humbled to work with these talented, caring teachers who show up for kids every Great thought is put into the individual learning experiences for children and parent conferences keep families up to date with progress. Admin is quick to help teachers identify and support children and families with higher educational/emotional needs and parents are sometimes asked to provide outside support. Teachers have always been honest about their level of knowledge and ask for outside support/therapies when needed. I highly trust this team to provide an outstanding level of care and education.
Submitted by parent on December 11, 2021

My children attended the elementary program for part of the 2020 school year. We thought this would be a great option as we had some concerns with the public schools. Everyone was very welcoming and professional at first, but I immediately noticed that myboldest child was becoming more and more distraught about school. Several "behavior concerns" were brought to my attention by the school - primarily that my son was crumbling up his school work and putting his head on the table in frustration. He was also having a hard time with getting along with his peers. I figured it was normal kid angst transitioning to a new school. However, complaints about my son's behavior continued on and off through the fall and winter. I was called to the school in March, 3/4ths of the way through the year and was informed that my son would no longer be allowed to attend the school because of his emotional outbursts. They claimed he was suicidal because he made a statement about being dead. His previous "emotional outbursts" had been him, sitting quietly at his desk and crumbling up his work. I was so concerned about my son's "behavior" (as I was lead to believe that it was so out of control,) I got him evaluated in therapy. What came out during therapy was that the principal, who often came into the elementary classroom to act as a monitor, was isolating and bullying my son - implying he was stupid or lazy if he had a question about his work. My son also claimed that the principal pinched him or squeezed his arm if she was upset with him, which I now believe has some truth to it. Given no notice that our son was getting kicked out of school, we were lucky to get my kids into another school (QCCS). Since transferring, my son has had no behavior problems, has been much happier and now enjoys school again. We also discovered that my youngest son had actually LOST academic skills during his 7 months of being at Villa Montessori. We ended up having to move him back a grade level when we transferred him to QCCS because he was testing lower than what he started the school year and he could not keep up with his peers. I thought that the small elementary program would offer a unique education setting for my children. There was a total of 10 kids in the elementary program when we were there. 4 or 5 of them were the principals own grandchildren. The program is definitely set up to cater to them and find peers for those children to interact with.
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2020

0 it deserves lower in my book. Should close it!
Submitted by parent on August 26, 2020

Amazing! They truly care about education. I appreciate that they have high standards for the kids, parents and staff. Leadership runs a tight ship!
Submitted by parent on August 19, 2020

Our family's experience has been wonderful. From our tour through enrollment and interactions with the office and teaching and support staff everyone has been very kind and easy to deal with. The growth I have seen in my child is amazing and I am very happy that we have chosen Villa to help them grow and develop.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2020

We couldn’t be happier with our choice in Villa.
Submitted by teacher on December 10, 2019

I would highly recommend you go find another school. This school is run by a family who are rude and condescending. The atmosphere of the school is tense because the teachers are trying to tiptoe around the office so as not to mess up in any way. They morph whatever scenario they think you will like while giving tours so they can snag you, but it's a lie.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2019

VMS is a wonderful and educational early childhood learning center! In a day and age that children are often over stimulated and are constantly on screens, it is wonderful that they can come to school at VMS and be able to hear their own inner voice. At VMS children are given space to find what truly interests them, and then are given the tools to explore, discover, learn, and grow in that area. I love that I noticed a change in my daughter within a month of beginning in the program. She seemed more at peace with herself at home, and was able to play independently, instead of always being glued to my hip. I love my daughter dearly, but it was comforting to me to witness her being at peace with herself, and feeling more comfortable in her own skin. Her independence has thrived and she has more self help skills now than she ever has before! She has also become more courteous and aware of others. It is evident that VMS employs a knowledgeable and loving staff who work together seamlessly as a unit and happy team. The management has always been kind, courteous, fair, and responsive with any matter I have brought them. I am excited for our second child to begin attending VMS this winter!
Submitted by parent on August 15, 2018

There are several good teachers on staff but my impression is that the management treats the staff terribly. The school suspended multiple children my son’s age —3 years old!- because they didn’t know how to handle normal kid behavior. Disgraceful. All of those children, including my son, were pulled by their parents from the school and went on to thrive elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2018

It has been the most positive experience I could have ever imagined. Every person that works there is so nice and supportive of my kids and I. My kids are learning and growing faster than I can keep up with and performing at least 2 grade levels above where they are. I feel reassured that they stand by their policies - for me and for other people - so that I know they are applied equitably to everyone, not just to parents who don't have a tantrum. They care so much about my kids that I feel good when I drop them off to go to work and know that if anything comes up, I know they'll call and let me know if my kids aren't acting like themselves, are sick, or if anything else comes up. If I'm traveling for work, I can call and they'll send me detailed updates and pictures of what my kids are up to (and are even more informative than what I get from my husband while I'm gone). My parents and in-laws have stopped in sporadically too and have just had glowing things to say about what they saw our kids doing and the way they were treated by the office and teachers. If you like to be in a partnership with your kids' school and be on the same page, then Villa is a great place for you. If you want to yell, be mean, throw fits and have teachers and office people give into you, then Villa is not the place for you. Go somewhere else because I don't want you around the office people and teachers that work so hard to create such an amazing environment for my kids.
Submitted by other on December 19, 2017

A true Montessori school is all about hands on experience, real life experiences, and grace and courtesy. None of which is practiced inside the walls of Villa. The materials are broken or having missing pieces which prevents children to be successful in using the material - the children are not allowed to do any real life work - aside from cleaning that benefits th school. Management sends out statements that they feed the children healthy -natural - allergy free food. 95% of meals have some sort of allergy food (diary, egg, nuts, wheat, etc.) I understand it is challenging to meet all those but don’t claim that you do when you don’t. Family are not allowed to bring in their own snacks for their Child. Many of times the children are not even offered proper servings. This school is not suitable for child care and far from being true to Montessori.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2017

We have loved our time at the school and look forward to the years ahead. We started in the infant class, loved Toddler, preprimary, and primary. Right now our child is in elementary and it's fantastic. We are welcome to stop by or meet with his teachers anytime. Teachers and the administrators are on the same page. They make changes if something could be done better instead of just sticking with it because that's how it's always been done. I love how kind, adaptable, flexible, and supportive everyone is of my child and family. Go check it out and find out for yourself if it's a good fit for your family - it sure is for mine.
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2017

When my child attended her pre-primary class and was taught by Montessori trained teacher and aid (the aid also quit), I was happy. My child thrived socially and academically. Everything went downhill after she transitioned to the primary class in June 2016. That class was turned into revolving doors for unhappy teachers. As a consequence my child's progress was stalled.... each time a new teacher walked through the door, they took months to get to know the kids and figure out what is it that their job encompasses. Overall, if you like the Montessori method go for it but choose a real Montessori school. This one isn't it.
Submitted by other on June 27, 2017

Leadership is awful and unethical in their practices
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2017

We had an outstanding experience at Villa Montessori School. They were very welcoming and put our child at ease. As a parent, they had areas available for us to observe our child so we truly knew what was going on. The professionalism of the staff is mirrored in the students. It is hard to find another place where attitudes are so positive and respectful. We really enjoyed our time there.
Submitted by teacher on March 08, 2017

A wonderful school for children, families, and staff. I am a current staff member and have been for several years and have worked in every age group before becoming a Lead Teacher. What drew me to Villa Montessori was the philosophy – how each child’s uniqueness is supported and encouraged rather than stifled. Having worked at traditional schools, I became burnt out trying to encourage/force children to do things they weren’t ready for or interested in because my one lesson plan was supposed to fit everyone. Seeing children struggling to keep up or being slowed down because of the pace of a large group was not a good fit for me. Here, I can work collaboratively with the children and my colleagues with the support of our leadership team and families. If something isn’t working for one of my children or my class as a whole, I know I have everyone’s full support to really dive in and see what we can all collectively do better or differently to ensure everyone is thriving. Children really are able to learn and grow at their own pace and it is absolutely lovely and exciting at the same time. In order to do this successfully, there is not “one right way” or “one right answer” for everyone at all times. This requires us as teachers to be open to change and reflective practice, that I have seen some former staff members struggle with. And if VMS wasn’t a good fit, then I’m glad they moved on. It personally breaks my heart to see such unkind and untrue comments posted from a supposed former colleague with the comfort of anonymity, when I know that if they were truly that unhappy, they had ample opportunities to say or do something to address it.It is true that not every school is for every teacher, family, or child and this applies to both private, public, and parochial schools. As a teacher, if you are looking for a school that provides you with a collaborative, supportive, adaptable environment that supports you as an individual and as a professional, then I encourage you to check it out. As a parent, if you are looking for a school that values your child as an individual, challenges them to do their personal best, and keeps their natural love of learning alive from 6 weeks to 6th grade, stop by and visit.