Khalsa Montessori Elementary School - Phoenix

2536 North 3rd Street

School District

Khalsa Montessori Elementary Schools
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

charter

School Map for Khalsa Montessori Elementary Schools

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 March 06, 2019

Some good, some bad. Our family has been disappointed.
Submitted by other on January 10, 2019

It's a special school. And when I mean special, I'm really trying not to mean it in a negative way. My children loved this school environment, but this was pre-2010. A lot has changed from then & now, and a small charter Montessori school like Khalsa has a lot of growing to do. But I truly stand by after all these years that it was the best choice for my kids and spending their elementary years here only helped them to become the supremely intelligent, independant, adaptable adults they are now. My one daughter had issues with executive functioning, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. The school back then only had (1) teacher with any disability training, and outsourced what little they could to help my daughter. It was effective for her, but I feel it would limit others. But as all my kids are very independent, my daughter strongly believes that Khalsa was the only school that would give her the time she needed to thrive academically. This is given the fact that none of my children when through the primary school, which is HIGHLY recommended. Many students who transition from private/public to Khalsa end up leaving and can't adapt or thrive at Khalsa. You're not being lectured and told what & exactly how to do for all 8 hours of the day by a teacher. You're child gets taught a concept, and is expected to practice it on their own, asking for student/teacher help when needed. Khalsa really treats these kids like little adults, and less like babies who need to be force fed 'facts.' My one daughter said when she was 10 years old that she felt like public schools were 'telling how to think, but Khalsa helps me think.' She also said Khalsa felt like 'a mini-civilization. I feel like an adult! I have a job, with coworkers & bosses.' The teachers are really there to guide the student & help them learn all the core subjects & more. I feel the need to make clear though that as a small charter Montessori school, they don't have any of type of funding private and charter schools get, and even theirs is marginal in Arizona. PARENT PARTICIPATION & COOPERATION IS A MUST! I know it seems strange if you went to a regular school, I know as a single mom that for a single working parent this seems hard, and I know even with the dual-parental household it's still hard. But I truly believe it is worthwhile. It's not a perfect school, but it can be perfect if you make it so.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2019

My son enjoys this school. He likes his teachers and there is no doubt that he is getting an excellent education. Unfortunately, the overall culture among teachers, staff and administration is extremely uptight. Be prepared to be talked down to or snapped at. They are rigid and lack the warmth and flexibility you would hope to see in a school. I was warned about this before I enrolled my son, but my options were limited in central phoenix. We are trying for ASA once he finishes 4th grade.
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2016

I have had 2 children at this school. One is now in high school, the other is still at Khalsal. The strength of this school is the commitment and dedication of the teachers and staff to the Montessori education they provide my children.My children have not just excelled academically. What I find invaluable is the way the school has taught my children to respect the opinion of others even though they may not agree with them. They have taught my children how to communicate and work in a community. The teachers have guided me as a parent in countless ways. As a small school parent participation is very important for the schools ability to take every class on a field trip every month. As a parent chaperone, it was fun to be able to hold my child’s hand at the field trips when they were younger and the teachers guided us all through the process of letting them go to be part of the classroom community as they got older (and not holding their hand on field trips) In so many ways if we follow the guidance of the school philosophy- the Montessori philosophy- we let our children do their own 'work' They then get to have pride in their 'work', are responsible for their own 'work' and it truly becomes their 'work'. Whether that is the work of the classroom where they learn to pour water out of a pitcher in the toddler classroom, or their end of year research presentations in their final year, they truly own their effort and are capable of doing their own work. As my child left Khalsa at the end of 6th grade and went on to middle school, the work habits developed there never left. I do not have to worry now in high school about the homework or any other projects due. And I see the ability to work with others still present. Academically my children have done very well. the concepts they learn in the higher grades (even now in high school) are concepts they began learning in Preschool and kindergarten- especially the math and algebra concepts. My children truly understand the concept of a number squared or cubed and what that means.
Submitted by other on February 25, 2016

So far my experience with this school has been through tours, observations, and meetings with staff and it has mostly been positive. I'm a bit concerned that they may be cherry picking students since they do an assessment prior to admission (even for charter grades) and that scores may be higher simply because of the number of students who repeat a grade. I'm writing this review to correct what I keep seeing the in other reviews, though. Khalsa was not #2 in the state for AZMerit scores. As a whole, 92% passed the English Language Arts portion of the exam. This is a great score and it might be what other reviewers are referring to. On the math portion, though, 77% of students passed the exam. In both cases, females didn't perform as well as males. This is very different from how scores fell across the rest of the state, where females greatly outperform in ELA and stay even with males in math. These scores are still far better than the rest of the state and should be celebrated. It's worth mentioning that Khalsa values independence and self sufficiency far more than other schools and should be given more credit for that than their test scores.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2016

It is with great pleasure that we have the opportunity to be a part of this amazing school. Khalsa Montessori has enabled my son to exceed far beyond the expectations of a child his age. My friends and family always ask me what I've done to ignite such academic interest with my son, and I give full credit to his learning environment at Khalsa, with Ms. Carie, Ms. Jodie, and the staff. He has discovered, and continues to learn how to be self-directed, focused, and in control of his actions. I never need to wonder if he's receiving the best education available in Phoenix... Just look for yourself if you're in doubt; Khalsa's students rank 2nd in the state for achievement! Way to go, Khalsa students and teachers!
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2016

In the time that our child has been at the school, my husband and I have seen immense growth in his/her sense of order, independence, confidence, social skills and most importantly patience and perseverance. All the teachers in our child's classroom are respectful and hold her/him appropriately accountable for personal actions. We wholeheartedly support the school's vision and see how hard the teachers and other staff, including assistant teachers, work to create consistency and a respectful environment where our child is nurtured as a unique individual. Suggestions and feedback are given us from a place of honesty and love, which helps remind us to be open to looking at the feedback objectively in order to help her/him reach his/her optimum potential. Congrats on your rating of #2 elementary school in the state, Khalsa Montessori - your work is yielding amazing results!
Submitted by other on January 17, 2016

I would say it's 4 1/2 stars. We have had our children at this elementary school for over 5 years (and 3 years before at the primary school) and they have thrived in its supportive environment. All along, they have been partners in our challenges to address our kids' special needs and at the same time, they have expected them to challenge themselves. Our children know themselves and their capabilities at a level that I did not experience as a child.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2016

My daughters independence, problem solving and peer to peer conflict resolution skills have truly blossomed at this school. My daughter is completing her 2nd year at Khalsa. Her teacher has been at Khalsa for 30 years and clearly cares deeply about her students. Of all the schools I visited, this school had the most experienced Montessori certified teachers, all of whom share a long history of commitment to the school. It's no coincidence that the students at this school were just ranked 2nd in Arizona based on AZ Merit scores. Each staff member has treated my child with dignity and respect and has helped her develop her creativity, free thinking and independence.
Submitted by parent on January 01, 2016

We pulled our child out in the middle of the 2014/2015 school year after 2.5 years of attendance. Why you ask - because my bright, out-going, happy child was made to feel worthless and inadequate by the teachers and administration at Khalsa. My 7 y/o actually told me they "felt stupid" and "wanted to die". That's when we knew it was time to leave... This school manufactures their test scores by holding kids back and tormenting them until they leave the school. They have a very limited view of what makes an ideal learner; it's shameful that educators could be so narrow-minded and emotionally abusive. We are at a Madison school now and our child is flourishing. It's amazing what a positive educational setting has done to reverse the damage that Khalsa did to our family. Tour other schools and observe the classroom before deciding whether Khalsa is the right fit for your child and don't let test scores and superficial ratings sway you - trust your gut instinct!
Submitted by other on July 26, 2015

As a parent of two children, who attended Khalsa Montessori at different time frames, our experience was very positive each time with the loving and caring staff and teachers. My children felt extremely comfortable and safe here. Khalsa prepared my children as independent thinkers resulting in an easy transition from the middle to high school and now college. I would like to thank the teachers for the tireless and sometimes thankless hours they put in helping us sharing our responsibility in raising our children.
Submitted by other on July 25, 2015

This school is a place where a child can feel like they are legitimately cared for. As an alumn, I can say that this school has had a huge impact on my growth both as a student and a person. With a system that encourages self discipline and accountability, the Montessori system is very well embodied through how this school is administered both in the classroom and out of it.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2014

I wish I could give Khalsa 5 *s. If it's just education, and your child is motivated, then your child will likely do well here. My child went to Khalsa for 7 yrs, starting at the old toddler house. I can honestly say that the last 2 years were an utter living hell for the both of us. And no, it wasn't because of grades or scores. My child always topped the charts and did well in school. The problem was in her particular class, the teacher provided no encouragement what so ever yet routinely yelled at the students. Montessori philosophy is to teach the child to want to learn and succeed for themselves and not for outside influences. That is great in theory, but if a teacher isn't going to give the carrot, then she should not be giving the stick. There were more than a handful of occasions where I heard the teacher actually yelling at a student for "not making a very wise choice!" The admin has heard from many parents of the situation and chose to turn a blind eye. The final straw was when I learned my 8 year old was sent out into an unwatched, non-secured parking lot to throw trash. The admin's answer was "we've always done it this way." The 70's approach to security is ridiculous.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2014

Fantastic school! My daughters attended for five years each. Totally agree with prior post that the only problem is finding a school to keep your child challenged after 6th grade. We decided on BASIS as well and made the heart-wrenching decision to move our kids before completing their cycles to make sure we had a spot. I want to tell you that the Khalsa kids who came over to BASIS took care of each other like only family can during a very rocky school launch. They have all done beautifully and watched out for each other. My kids are masters of time management. They do their homework afterschool and rarely bring anything home. They take responsibility and they are organized. Khalsa taught them that. It also taught us as parents to trust our kids to manage their own work and that makes all the difference. While other parents run around with their hair on fire about what homework their kids should be working on, we know our kids are getting it done and if they don't they need to learn the consequence. Their grades bear this out; both scored well above average. Adjusting to tests is hardest challenge but they will master this in time. Khalsa's system works!
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2014

My two daughters started kindergarten at Khalsa up to 4th and 3rd grade, this is a great school. The Montessori program, the diversity of the students, very good teachers, (Miss Susan and Miss Lori) I was very happy with the school, the level of education is excellent, your kids will be prepared for the best schools after Khalsa, actually that is the problem, after Khalsa is hard to find a school that challenge your kids. I decide to move my kids to Basis, just because later is hard to get a spot at Basis and Khalsa only goes up to 6th grade, but I'm very thankful to Khalsa because the current success of my daughters at Basis is because their Khalsa background.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2014

This school has been great for my kids. It is not perfect, but no school is. I have never had any problems with the administration, but to be fair, I've not had much occasion to deal with them. On occasion, my kids complain about certain teachers being mean, but that's life...we will not like everyone we meet, and we need to learn to deal with people whose personalities don't jive with ours. This is a small school with limited resources, so if you are expecting all the bells and whistles, this may not be the school for you. I believe my children are getting a top notch education and I am grateful that they have been able to attend Khalsa Montessori.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2014

We are finishing our fifth year at Khalsa. I now have two children attending (each with very different personalities and learning styles). I am delighted with the education they are receiving. Khalsa is not for helicopter parents. Kids learn to be self-reliant and self-motivated. It is amazing how much responsibility you can successfully give a child. As the children move into elementary, the academics are fantastic. They get a fair amount of homework, but it teaches them organization and time management. The best part? Unlike my friends who struggle to help their children with homework, Khalsa does not create busy work for parents. Parents are expected to contribute to the school community, but are not saddled with micromanaging their kids art/science/whatever take-home projects. If you need daily updates from your child's teacher, you won't get it here. But I have found the teachers and administration to be responsive when something comes up. Both of my children love going to school each morning and are full of smiles (and dirt) when I pick them up each afternoon. I don't think there is a better endorsement for a school than that.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2014

Khalsa is known as "pure Montessori" by anyone who is familiar with the school. You will find other Montessori schools in Phoenix, but none who follow this method of teaching by student initiated learning and experimentation as well as Khalsa. Three of my children have gone here and are curious about the world and their environment and enjoy getting up every day and going to school. They have deep friendships due to the small family-like environment of the school and have traditional reading/math skills that exceed their neighborhood friends at the public school. I highly recommend Khalsa and am glad to be a part of this diverse and humble environment.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2014

If you'd rather write a check than volunteer to help with a school event--move on, this probably isn't the school for you. If you are wary of dumbed-down public school curricula, and are willing to engage as a member of the school community and as a team member in your child's education, check out Khalsa. My daughter was "held back" due to a learning disability, but the extra time to mature, and to experience the full Montessori growth cycles, has been beneficial in her high school years. Teachers and admin were proactive about designing a sensible IEP, and regularly evaluating and adjusting it. The sense of community and belonging during her Khalsa years has made my child a more engaged and involved citizen of her high school. KMES is a tough school, with no sports and few extra-curricular offerings. Some parents find certain teachers off-putting, the admin unyielding, and the curriculum too demanding, and some kids don't make it through. But the academic and emotional rewards for those who graduate are core-forming and lasting. God bless Maria Montessori!
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2014

I was very unhappy with the administration here. They were so disrespectful to parents. It was never their fault, either the parents needed therapy or the child had a learning disability or needed therapy. They like to diagnose your child with no qualifications to do so. Also, school has no sports and no music program.