The Cornerstone School

146 High St

Stratham, NH 03885

33 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK, K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 10, 2025

We did not have a good experience at this school. After 2 years on the waitlist our 3 year old was excepted into one of the school’s primary classrooms. We started receiving phone calls, emails and were asked to pickup our son early in the day many times due to his behavior in class. We were told this was normal and they were working with him. The school made a plan for our son to take breaks from class and things seemed to be ok for a week or two. We were asked to start OT and ST. No problem, we started the process with that. At the first conference in Oct. we were told he had only one good day so far. We were told he might not be able to handle such a large class size. 22 kids with 2 teachers. The teachers would meet in 4 weeks to see if things would work out. 4 weeks came and went. We emailed the principal asking about the meeting and asked if the school supports our son. The principal told us they supported our son 100% and asked us to come in. We had a meeting the next day, we were told by the teacher they could not support our son because they don’t have Paras. The principal then told us our son would be put on a reduced schedule until after the holidays. This was about two weeks before Thanksgiving. Our son would be dropped off at 8:15-30 and his new pickup time was 10am. So no circle time, lunch or recess. The school is about 20 minutes from Portsmouth so I basically dropped him off and had to wait around to pick him up.In the hand book it says if a teacher or principal suggests withdraw the students tuition will be prorated. If you withdraw your child before Dec 1st you pay 75%. After Dec. 1st you pay 100%This school said themselves they could not support our child and proved it by putting him on a reduced schedule. We withdrew our son after one week on the reduced schedule and were charged 75% - a couple hundred for the reduced schedule, I think. Our son is now thriving with teachers who love him at his new school. I’m so glad we withdrew him when we did. I think this situation could have been handled differently by the administration and staff. This is our third child. Our first two children went to a private Montessori school for 6 years with no problems. We are pro teacher and have always been supportive of the schools our children attend. We understand that no school is perfect. I don’t believe Cornerstone handled our situation fairly. The teachers/principal should have suggested withdraw if they knew they could not support our son.
Submitted by other on December 29, 2023

We came to the school excited about the education. However our 2 years at the school were extremely disappointing. The teachers seem to have very little patience for the active and curious child. After we decided to leave the school we learned many families had similar experiences. The education is fine but if your child is active and asks a lot of questions they will be shut down.
Submitted by parent on January 19, 2023

I have four kids at this school. This is our second year. The teachers are amazing. The Montessori method is so thoughtful and aware of the child and his or her development. My kids are so independent and capable of so much, and school has been the main catalyst for so much improvement that we see at home, especially since the pandemic. The teachers and staff are highly dedicated. And since my kids are mostly ahead of grade level, Cornerstone has kept them all feeling challenged and engaged. I am constantly wowed by the work they are bringing home. My 6 year old is multiplying 45 times a number with 14 digits… it’s so great that he’s able to make up any math problem he wants, his creativity can shine even in math. There’s no feeling of being limited or rote with math, and writing about your passion is so much better than answering prompts. When we have run into problems with behavior or academic issues, the teachers and head of school have been communicative, involved, and connected with me throughout the process of working with my kids and engaging all possible resources to help them, including in-house OT professional visits from KidSHINE. We were able to clear the hurdles because of the thoughtful processes newly in place to help kids succeed in meeting challenges. The kids’ classmates in Primary, lower Elementary and Upper Elementary also love the school. The community is awesome. We have fall festival outdoors with donuts on a string, movie nights, outdoor hikes, parent group meetings and hangouts, lots of play dates and parties and we have many opportunities to connect. I believe Cornerstone is better than our local public school for our kids who were homeschooled during 2020-21 and got very ahead of grade level online. They need physical materials and experiences, as well as access to materials beyond their grade level. They’re getting all that and still can be surrounded by peers. The 3-year classroom allows for so much interesting development, and for kids to be new, then grow to become leaders and mentors for younger classmates. My kids started out in Montessori so when we moved to the Seacoast it was important to us to give them some continuity. We have been so grateful that Cornerstone has truly delivered that very special independent-minded education that honors the child and helps them become their best on so many levels. They truly practice Montessori’s method. We couldn’t be happier.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2022

No school is perfect. And no school is right for every child. But for us, this school has been a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow. It was great to have them here during Covid as the school remained open. Now, it is great to see all the children playing together mixing ages and grades. In Middle School the students are learning self regulation and how to mange their time to get all their assignments finished. The teachers emphasize kindness and inclusion. Lunch time seating is sometimes organized by chance with the children picking out a random card so children end up sitting with different students each day. My recommendation is this: If your child is naturally academically inclined and enjoys learning, then this school is a good fit.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2019

This school is no better than any other school and not really worth the money. If you want to be yelled at for arriving at the school too early or too late, or drive around the "block" multiple times waiting for the ability to pull into the parking lot, sure maybe this school is for you. At recess as the kids are not always supervised and are able to go to areas of the property where teacher's can see them.
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2018

My kids love school and I love that they are developing a love of LEARNING. They receive no letter grades but rather individualized feedback that encourages and guides them. It's a small close-knit community (I found that even the 14 year olds know the names of the 3 year olds!) with families from a variety of backgrounds. I love this little school.
Submitted by other on April 02, 2018

I did not have a positive experience with this school.
Submitted by student on March 22, 2018

Absolutely amazing, changed the way I saw the world and the meaning of “school”
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2017

At first we were so happy to have our son attend Cornerstone as a full time student in their Toddler-house program with 10 other students. (It was his first school ever- He is only 2 yrs old.) Then suddenly in January their teachers informed us that they would not be able to keep him as a full time student the following year. We have two children and my husband and I are both professionals with strict schedules. It was a shock to suddenly be told that our child could only be a student from 8:30 to 11:30am. When we asked them why, they said he would not take naps. Strange, both our children nap regularly EVERYDAY. I was able to talk to the some of the other parents who have children in the same class as my son. A few of them mentioned that their kids also do not nap, but their children WERE attending full time next year. It turns out these families have have other siblings attending Cornerstone. That made us feel that the school was exhibiting some bias against our child. We had heard very little communication from the school during his first 6 months, just mostly generic daily comms, but suddenly we began getting communications 2-3x per week detailing complaints such as our son stepping on bugs, playing with sticks too much or even chewing his food with his mouth open, really?! He was only 2! This continued for weeks which made us feel bullied. This school makes up a lot of stories to cover up their own lies that they tell to parents. The toddler teachers and the Head of school, Lee-Ann are very judgmental. Once the She finds out that you are asking questions about the teachers, some of which are not certified, or questioning their "curriculum", She will make sure that you and your child will have a terrible year filled with multiple early dismissals which cause you to scramble for babysitting coverage or take personal time. Since we been there, the Toddler House class size has dropped by over a third. Do your research, this school has had a lot of issues with the Board of Education and has had multiple lawsuits filed against them, all in the public record. The upper school has a good reputation but their Toddler House leaves a lot to be desired. The reason for my review is to help parents really ask the RIGHT questions before going into this school. Good luck to anyone who is considering entering their child into the Toddler-House.
Submitted by other on March 11, 2016

My Child loves The Cornerstone School. Everyday He comes home so excited to tell me what he had learned.
Submitted by parent on December 15, 2015

The Cornerstone School has been excellent for us . My child has gone on to be extremely successful and I recommend The Cornerstone School.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2015

Our child attended one year at Cornerstone, but unfortunately it took too long for us to learn that, although it may follow the Montessori method academically, it most definitely does not in application of Maria Montessori's whole-child approach. Having experience with three other Montessori schools before this, we know the difference.This school is incredibly insular and extremely unwelcoming to new families - at least if you are not starting from preschool. Our experience in the upper elementary program was horrendous, which started with one of the teachers having no child development experience and a serious lack of understanding the age group she was working with. Until she gets proper training and experience (and not at the expense of another child) she should not be teaching. The saddest part was that her inability to treat all students fairly contributed to an environment which fostered student behavior that was unacceptable - especially what is supposed to be a Montessori school. Unfortunately we didn't know that our child was not the only one suffering (this school makes zero effort to connect families - where in all of our previous Montessori experiences we've felt like family...) until after we left - it was only then that we learned that at least 5 other families had also left for similar reasons.How sad it was to watch our previously confident, friendly and happy child turn inward due to the constant criticism from her teacher and poor treatment (an understatement) from many of the other children. Thankfully we found a MUCH better school and now that we are a few months into the school year, we are relieved to find that she is returning to her former happy-go-lucky self, having made friendships easily and having been welcomed with open arms, by her teachers and the other kids in her class.If you are considering this school, do talk with other parents before you enroll. This is only our experience but it was poor enough to warrant posting this review.
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2015

I can attribute the great education to the staff and teachers. . They have been great on every level. This makes my child's experience pleasurable. He is always happy when we drop him off to school. We highly recommend.
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2015

My son has been at The Cornerstone School for about 8 years now. He has had a wonderful experience there and the teachers have been great throughout all of his years. He is even excited to get dropped off at school in the morning. I would highly recommend them to my friends and family.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2014

This school inspires children to love to learn for the love of learning, not because they know they have to take a test but the genuine knowledge of what they can achieve. I recommend Cornerstone to any parent in the area.
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2014

My child has had some amazing experiences at Cornerstone and is looking forward to what comes next all the time. The teachers at Cornerstone have been great at every level. His current teachers are especially wonderful, and I always appreciate the thoughtfulness and wisdom of the Head of School. I would recommend Cornerstone to any family looking for a Montessori education.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2013

My children attended for two years. Some of the teachers were EXCELLENT!!! Unfortunately, some of the teachers were not. And the administrator was unprofessional with parents and lacked the interpersonal and administrative skills necessary to deal effectively with questions and issues. I also know of a few parents who moved their children to different schools who were told that their children were behind in math and reading. Hope for the best if you place your child in this school.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2013

My child started preschool here and will be graduating soon to attend high school somewhere else. It's the best school in this neighborhood and I wish everyone in the world could afford to send their kids to a private Montessori school like this one. Most children will thrive here, where they are treated with respect like tiny adults and taught with classic Montessori methodology. Result: Independent, smart, thinking children. I have seen this school accommodate kids with learning problems, but those with extreme learning disabilities leave for specialized schools. The school is a close-knit community. Resources are used wisely. No bureaucracy games, even the director teaches classes. b.s. not tolerated: The only time I noticed something negative was when there was a group of parents (led by a public school bureaucrat) that tried to bully the school to create surveys similar to the way public schools are surveyed. Their children ended up getting uninvited back due to the negative atmosphere these parents created in meetings and emails - obviously their goal was seat(s) on the board. They were so aggressive, they even created negative press campaigns and sued the school.
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2013

Our children attended Cornerstone at the same time as many of the parents who chose to leave the school due to difficulties with the school administration. This was not our primary reason for changing schools, although it did play a role. In my opinion, there was fault on both sides. Many of the parents who left were making demands of the school that we found unreasonable and behaving in a very condescending manner toward anyone who disagreed with them. The school administration, for its part, chose more of a "circle the wagons" mentality rather than trying to engage more parents in the discussion and build consensus. In the end, I think it's fair to say that there were no "winners". It was the students who were asked not to return who suffered most. It was sad to see, because we adored the majority of the teachers that our children had in their two years at Cornerstone. Even worse, one teacher who was the focus of many parental complaints left the school after the end of the year. I do think that Cornerstone's administration needs to open up and become less insular, but the overall educational experience is still very good, albeit pricey.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2013

Our child has grown into an incredibly self-motivated, successful student at Cornerstone School. The child-centered Montessori approach, combined with deeply caring and innovative teachers, offers children opportunities to blossom academically and as conscious individuals every day. The life skills gained from planning and executing field trips, including abroad, are fabulous. The Junior Class teachers offer enthusiasm, expertise and an unmatched team approach that blends curriculum across the board. Before enrolling my child in Cornerstone, we were told by a graduate that she "hated school vacations" and that Cornerstone prepared her better for college than the private high school she attended. We have experienced just such a place, where real writing skills are honed, high-level math, history, reading and science is taught with unique approaches, hands-on learning abounds, all led by individuals who teach from their heart and soul. We have an eighth grader who has mapped out his future with such enthusiasm and attention to detail, we could not be more blessed. And we have Cornerstone School to thank for this love of learning and innate curiousity. There, it is cool to be smart.