Archgate Montessori Academy

4660 Legacy Drive

Plano, TX 75024

17 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-6
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 03, 2024

My daughter attended Archgate for 6 years. Primary was good. However, during her three years of Lower Elementary, there was a bully in the classroom. Things went from good to worse depending on the behavior of the girl that would bully her and bully other students. The last time I talked about this to the school principal, she said that we needed to have “grace” for the girl that was a bully. After three years of this going on, that was the expectation. So my daughter could be bullied but the expectation for her was to have “grace” give the bully the “opportunity to learn from it”. This knowing that other parents had complained about the same kid for several times. Now, she’s at a school that holds the students accountable and has an actual policy against bullying and does not tolerate it.
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2022

Good Infrastructure, good musical garden, decent montessori tools/techniques, good view by river, open door policies changes quite often.1) The biggest thing is teachers are complacent, lethargy and do not supervise kids properly.My kid had nightmares indicating that she didn't want to go to school in her sleep. I often noticed rude behaviors with other kids as well2) Landscape issues : My little one had a fracture in her leg due to their landscaping once [which was not reported as an accident] and another time a kid hit my little one with a stone near eye which is again due to their landscaping issues (this too was not reported to me as an accident and was told nothing happened)3) Too many holidays which doesn't work for working parents, no other montessori school in the area has these many holidaysI pulled my kid off of the school and put her in a school in which she is happy to go to school everyday.Bottom line : teacher - student relation matters which is what lacks there and I do not recommend this school.** My kid was in room#2 and #7
Submitted by other on January 25, 2021

Archgate Montessori is a family tradition for us. My children attended when the school opened in 1986 as Montessori: New Beginnings Academy. My grandchildren have all attended and are still attending at Archgate! The name may have changed, but the school remains an excellent place for children to learn and grow. As a non-profit, every tuition dollar goes right back into the daily operation. An active parent group provides volunteers for fundraisers like the spring Silent Auction, held in conjunction with the children's annual International Night performance. Funds raised provide the "extras" - things like Fall Festival or Spring Fling. Major donations from families and the parent group funded the wonderful "Creekside Cove" play area and outdoor learning space. Teachers are Montessori trained, kind, caring professionals; and the staff is top-notch. We love our school, and highly recommend Archgate Montessori Academy.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2020

My daughter has attended this school for two years. She is now in kindergarten. The guides are wonderful with the children! They are sweet, dedicated, kind, and patient with the students. They also keep the parents well informed . For my daughter there is no other school, she loves Archgate!
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2020

We have had a wonderful experience at this little school. Small class sizes, individual student workplans, lovely guides, and an unparalleled outdoor learning environment.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2015

Good facility but management is really poor. I would not recommend this school at all.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2014

Our 4 year old has been coming to MNBA here for some time now, and from the first moment we walked in the door, we knew it was the right school for us!!! After researching and visiting 9 other schools, both Montessori and traditional preschools, this school stood out -- all the way from the director, teachers and assistants to the facility itself. It speaks volumes that the teacher turnover is almost nil and I know my son loves that everyone in the building knows his name! The summer 'camp' is fun and they bring in different and fun visitors for the kids. I remember there were 'scientists' and animals and musicians coming in.... I was a little jealous I couldn't participate myself. Now that regular school is back in full swing, I'm looking forward to seeing even how much more our son will grow this year. He surprises me everyday with what he's learned or can do. If you're looking for a nurturing, challenging (in a good way) and fun environment for your kids, this is it.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2014

My kid is 4 year old now and we recently moved to this state. She is attending Montessori program from 2 years on wards in a different state. She can count till 1000 and can add/subtract 2 digit number and read pretty good (till blue words and blending sounds) . We were told every Friday kids would get their work home from school, and for the last 3 months of her school she just brings only scribblings and pen punched shapes, so I started to talk to her teacher and she say we are going slow and she is waiting on other teacher to come to start the program. Also i heard from my kid if she like to work on maps or math they are not providing . Montessori way is to let kids pick what they want to do and and to progress the skill as they learn. I see this failing in this school. I feel cheated. They have only 3 Montessori certified teachers and rest all of them drive on these 3. Management would just talk sweet to get kids enrolled with no value for the money. THIS IS A MONEY ORIENTED ORGANISATION WITH ABSOLUTELY NO VALUE . If you are kids are from actual Montessori school you will feel the difference during the 1st week of the school itself.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2013

Montessori New Beginnings Academy is wonderful! We have two kids enrolled now and they love going to school. We researched many schools in the area and are so happy with our choice. The teachers and administration are very experienced and really care about the kids.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2013

Montessori: New Beginnings Academy is, IMO, the top private school in North Texas for toddlers through kindergarten! The administration and faculty are top notch! My son LOVED it and still goes back to see his teachers!
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2013

We love MNBA! From the minute we walked in the door we knew this was the school for our family. We searched many Montessori schools in Plano and Allen and were very disappointed. MNBA follows the true Montessori method. The teachers and administration staff are wonderful and have been there for years. They truly care and nurture our child in a fabulous learning environment!
Submitted by parent on May 28, 2013

I have had two children go through this wonderful school and I can't say enough great things about the educators and environment provided them here. I love that's it's a non-profit school, and the parents concerns are really heard. My youngest in particular has really blossomed as he has become a "mentor" to some of the younger children, which is just one of the fantastic attributes of a true Montessory education. M:NBA is a great school, filled with great people who will love your children and help them be the best version of themselves!
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2013

We have been truly fortunate that our son has spent over 4 years of his formative years at MNBA. There are many things I love about this school - adherence to the Montessori method, tenure of the teachers, diversity among students, the international nights that expose children to cultures around the world and the ease with which we were able to connect with the teachers, administrative staff and the other parents. My most favorite part is that for the past four years, every day my son has been greeted with a genuine and warm smile when he walks in, which has contributed to his sense of belonging at this school. He has been accepted at one of the top private schools in Dallas which further validates the quality of education and overall development he has received. Our heartfelt thanks to the teachers and staff at MNBA.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2013

Our son is graduating from KG after 4 wonderful years at MNBA. He started with the toddler program in a very nurturing environment. After that he moved to the "big kids" class. We were quite happy with the fact that they followed proper Montessori method of 'teaching' kids. One thing I'd emphasize is for parents to understand the Montessori method properly before enrolling their kids, especially at the KG level. Being a 'self-directed' curriculum, kids learn at their own pace and ability without any undue pressure to perform. They also learn extracurriculars such as Music, Spanish &Mandarin. We found that teachers were receptive to subject ideas from parents - e.g. our son was really into weather at one point, when his teachers learned that from us, they provided material about weather & encouraged him to follow his passion. I suppose the school administration is par for the course, we didn't have any issues. To summarize, our experience at MNBA was a very positive one. In terms of kids' learning, parental involvement & attention is THE most important factor, closely followed by quality of school & caregivers. We are happy that we found an excellent quality school for our son.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2013

This school is a true Montessori and is an AMS associate member. Some schools claim to be Montessori but don't use true Montessori materials or methods. All of the teachers here are certified and excellent. The building is top notch. Each classroom is flooded in natural light and has its own covered patio that faces the creek. The kids love to explore the creek with its beaver dam, heron, and lily pads, They go on frequent nature walks, plant and harvest vegetables from their garden, and even have an authentic Indian Tee Pee on the grounds for a week in the fall. The teachers make a point to know every child in the school's name, whether they teach them or not. The parent group is active and involved and there are tons of opportunities to be involved in your child's classroom. Every year, the school puts on a fundraiser/music program called International Night which is truly wonderful. The kids learn about their country and perform songs from that country. This is the best Montessori school in the Plano/Frisco/Allen area, hands down. I am so happy we are a part of the MNBA community.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2013

My son attended this school for 1 year and we are not satisfied with his progress. We were told every Friday kids would get their work home from school, and most times there were just scribblings and pen punched shapes, so I started to check what was done in the class, I found teachers were lazy and the kids are just roaming in the class doing nothing. If asked, teacher would lie and give false report of your kid. I feel cheated. Management would just talk sweet with no work done.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2011

We love this school! Our son graduated from New Beginnings after attending another Montessori school in Plano first. The teachers are so experienced and are truly educational experts! We have valued their advice and relationship with our whole family. Their attention to detail provided our son with an extensive educational foundation, that even now years later, he often says, "school is so easy!" He qualified for the gifted and talented program in PISD as have many of our friends' kids that went to New Beginnings. We only wish they had elementary school too- we would have loved to stay longer! We can't say enough good things about this school- the staff and director are warm and nurturing. They know us all personally and genuinely care about the school and all of it's families. The teachers are amazing, the turnover is ZERO- which speaks for itself. I can't tell you how much we have connected to the other families, they are all so dedicated and we all are able to volunteer and help the school anytime we want. The school is our extended family and we can't wait to be back with our youngest one next fall!