San Marino Montessori School

444 South Sierra Madre Boulevard

Pasadena, CA 91107

27 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 15, 2016

This is an excellent school. The staff and teachers are great with the kids and they get a leg up on the education system next to what the LA Unified School District can offer. I highly recoomend this school!
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2015

This school is amazing! The staff and teachers were their for our child every step of the way. Learning through the Montessori way has helped our child be focused and academically for many years to come. Thank you to all the teachers, staff and administration for all your help through the years.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2015

This is indeed a great school. My grandchildren have been attending to the "Victory Montessori Schools" and have learned tremendously. The individualized attention they offer as the true Montessori school they are, has helped the children in unexpected ways. Not only did they learn how to read and write at an early age (3-4yo), but also learned higher level mathematics, courtesy and manners, etc. with the lovely approach the teachers and administration always show. From the bottom of a grandmother's heart, THANK YOU to the lovely management/administration you ladies offer there. GOD BLESS YOU and may you continue to offer such lovely education for our children... our nation and world's future.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2015

We have two children who are both attending this school. I believe that my two-year-old has a more difficult time at the school as they really do not seem to specialize in that age group. They already expect the young children to be fairly self-sufficient. My son was pretty close to being potty trained but seems to have been set-back by being in a class where there are specified times to use the bathroom. On the other hand, my daughter had a wonderful teacher, Ms. Sanjuana, who was patient and encouraging. She recognizes that children will not always react the same to any given situation and seems to adapt to what the child needs. I look foward to having my son in her class next year. Also, a good word for their after-school activities. Both their ballet and sports classes were a hit with our kids!
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2014

My daughter is in San Marino Montessori school (Preschool)from 2 months and really after these two months I can see how different she is now .now she can understand and speak more English ( as we are not USA citizen).she also start to write letters and know words for each letter. Her teacher miss Sandra is an amazing teacher and she knows how to give them the information in a very simple way. I highly recommend the San Marino school .
Submitted by other on July 23, 2013

My school is great!!! I'm a grandparent here, and truly, for the great service and true care they dedicate to our children, they should higher their tuition a notch, though I'm pretty comfortable with what I'm paying now, given the current global economic situation we're all in. I recommend this school in a blink of an eye!
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2013

Great School!!! If you're looking for the best program for your child, THIS IS IT! It is wise and to your benefit, to disregard negative ratings, it's obvious they were written by unhappy personnel, or anyone looking to get out of the contract, which is REALLY a reasonable one, compared to any other private and/or MONTESSORI schools, given their EXCELLENT program and personnel... All teachers in the school are state-of-the-art qualified and beyond, and the Management/Administration runs with such ease and control. The communication is always clear and Parents as well as Students are ALWAYS taken care of... Teachers too! The maintenance and cleanliness are impeccable I would have LOVED to be in their schools when I was a child :) Simply the best!!!
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2012

I have two children at this school and couldn't be happier with the level of education and care my children are getting. I have one in Preschool and another in 1st grade. My oldest started out there at 3 years old and we decided to try a PUSD school for Kindergarten. That was a learning experience. We brought her back to this school for summer and 1st grade and her demeanor changed back to the bright, sweet girl she had always been. All the teachers know both my children by name and are genuinely invested and concerned with them and their education. Frankly, for the attention they are receiving and the level of learning, the price can't be beat. Those other reviews that talk about it being a business and nickel and diming us, I just don't agree. My only complaint is that unfortunately enrollment is down and I'm now trying to find another school beyond 1st grade. If there were enough students enrolled there through 8th grade I would keep my kids there all the way through. For parents who work full time, this school is fantastic. When she was at public school, I could not keep up with the demands for volunteering in the classroom, lunch room, playground, etc. SMM is great.
Submitted by other on June 23, 2012

This school functions as a business rather than as a school. The priority of the owners of this school is to make as much money as possible without getting closed down by licensing. They have numerous citations from state licensing and there are valid reasons for those complaints. I have personally spent time in all of the classrooms at this site and only, maybe, 20% of the teachers are competent and do their job appropriately. The reviews of this school from parents who are happy with the program are highly likely to be because the parents don't know any better; don't know about the field of child development and what a good school SHOULD be. Many of the teachers employed at this site, and at the other Victory Montessori Schools are NOT Montessori Certified. The absolute worst classroom at this school currently is the two year old classroom. The teachers in that class are VERY lazy, rude to the other staff, administration, and the children, and the diapering practices in that class are ATROCIOUS! I've been on the inside and seen the real happenings of this school and I would NEVER enroll my own children at this school, even if they were offered a full scholarship. It's awful!
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2012

I have all three of my boys in this school and do not have one complaint. The teachers and administration is great! They are always doing little extra around the school, which sets them apart from other schools. Last week they did an Easter egg hunt, and a few weeks before that they hosted a trike-a-thon event. In my opinion this is a best school and I plan on having my boys stay here through 8th grade.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2012

Horrible, They will nickel and dime you for everything. Please review you statements they make mistakes often. My daughter went here for one year of their pre school program. They automatically enrolled her for the following year without my consent, even though I was open and honest with them that we might not return, since we were moving. When I tried to dis-enroll her they tried to have me pay first and last months tuition plus material fees for the entire year even though my daughter wasn't going to attend which I told them before the school year started. Material fees alone were around $700. I asked the principal what exactly that covered her response was paper, pencils, and markers. What preschooler uses $700 worth or paper and pencils!?! Thats $700 per student...Dont bother there are several other montesorri school that are better!
Submitted by parent on January 27, 2012

I am so happy I found this school! I just enrolled my son in their twos class, and my older daughter who is in third grade. Their Upper elementary is not Montessori, but its still a wonderfully flexible school with a great curriculum. What sold me on this school was all of the extras they offer during the day, like computer and music, it just does not compare to other schools. The staff is caring, and the office is very helpful. So far, so good.
Submitted by parent on January 03, 2012

This school is good only for preschool and kindergarten. Teachers are good but administrative is really bad. All they care about is money not your child's education. Again, teachers are good. The admins will do anything to cut corner and make money.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2011

I am glad I decided to write a review for the school considering the last one is not a good reflection of their elementary program. My son has gone to this school since he was 3 years old, he started off in their Montessori program, but since he is now in their elementary school, it is not Montessori. I have been very pleased with the class, the teachers and the curriculum, and my son is very happy here. it is true they do have different grades in one classroom, but it seems to work. They have two teachers that are very attentive to my son and his needs. The teachers do not seemed to be bothered with the mixed ages and grades in the classes. I have only had positive experiences with the administration, I find them to be very helpful and kind, and they seem to be very present with what is happening at the school. I am not sure about the parent volunteer since I have never asked to volunteer, but I would not see them having a problem with it, if i wanted to volunteer.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2011

I sent 2 children to this school. Pre-school through 1st grade is competitive and a good value, but after 1st grade the program just isn't up to par. Classes are combined due to dwindling enrollment (our last year there, they were 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders in the same classroom). Tough on teachers, and a disservice to the children. The program's lack of attention and focus on building reading and writing skills put all students at a real disadvantage. Administration is not present, does not invest in school, does not welcome parent involvement. Would not recommend,
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2011

am very dissappointed with this school and how they handle their Pasadena Location. I was a parent who had 2 children attend at different times and this last time was thankful my child was ready to move on to elementary school. The teachers were very nice and really cared for the children, however the administration was horrible. The good teachers were pulled from the Pasadena school constantly and the substitute or new in training teachers were placed at that location. In addition social services visited the school a number of times. Now when parents went to talk to the administration about their concerns over the teachers being switched out almost every two months they were blown off. Lastly, the school held a contest to get teachers to come and make a positive comment about the school for their names to be placed into a contest for a paid early day off. There is not adequate security at that location and subpar to their main location in San Marino. I had the opportunity to get to know numerous parents and a large number changed schools or planned on changing. I loved the teachers, just felt they neglect this location, and the parents with it.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2011

This is such a great school, my 5 year old son goes to their kindergarten and my two year old daughter is in preschool. I find that the teachers know both of my kids in side and out, they know their development, both academically and socially and base their lessons off of that My son is doing so well, he knows how to do multiplication and division and my daughter has learned all of her letters and numbers. This is a wonderful school with caring staff.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2011

My daughter had been in SMM for 2.5 years before she went to 1st grade. We love the school. We were always surprised how much she learned at school. The teachers are very caring and patient. Although the student/teacher ratio is high, kids are always kept busy by learning. Compared to some expensive daycare, this school is definitely a better choice.
Submitted by other on February 22, 2011

This is an excellent school. The campus is very warm and inviting. The staff and teachers are very caring and act in a very professional manner. I especially like the Montessori model teaching approach with all of the individualized attention. The afterschool program is also an invaluable option for even more learning and growth opportunities. It is a great option. The fees are very reasonable for all that is provided.
Submitted by parent on August 05, 2010

My son has attended SMM for a year now and every day w/in this past year, I never fail to be pleasantly surprised by what he's learned. His particular room teachers had an effective approach to teaching where they were firm, yet caring. This completely reinforced my teachings at home. I am more than confident that he will be prepared for kinder & will excel.