Carlisle Montessori School

My granddaughter attends Carlisle Montessori School. If you want your child(ren) to flourish, I highly recommend Carlisle! I love the hands-on learning materials, multi-age classrooms, and the child-centered learning activities. The teachers are amazing and patient! Ms. Gina (the owner), is pretty amazing also!!

Amazing Montessori primary education for our child, who is going through the kindergarten year. They take Montessori seriously and put a lot of thought and effort into delivering the experience for the children. Tip -- They have half-day, until 3pm, and until 5pm options. And they have summer camps too.

I visited Carlisle Montessori School to inquire about enrollment for my child and was disappointed by the cold, dismissive energy I received from one of the staff members. I expected a welcoming environment, especially from a school that promotes nurturing and community. Instead, I left feeling judged and unwelcome. First impressions matter, and this experience raised concerns about the culture of the school and those bringing up the next generation. I hope they reflect on how they engage with prospective families.

We have a 3 year-old son who was diagnosed with high-functioning autism a year and a half ago. His diagnosis presents mildly, primarily through a slight speech delay and a lack of interest in traditional, structured settings. He is a very creative child who thrives on stimulation and exploration, something we felt his current daycare was not providing. That’s what led us to seek alternative options, and Montessori programs came highly recommended for children like him. Our first experience with Carlisle Montessori was very positive. We were warmly welcomed, and the tour left a great impression. We loved the homelike atmosphere, and the small size of the school gave us the feeling of a “family setting” where children could receive more individualized attention. Our only concern at that time was the small size of the classrooms in relation to the number of students. Despite that, we felt optimistic and moved forward with the enrollment process. We completed the application paperwork and were met with excitement and openness. Then came the enrollment form, where we were asked to disclose any learning, behavioral, or emotional diagnoses. We shared our son’s diagnosis and emphasized that it had not resulted in any disruptive behaviors, something confirmed by his current daycare, where he’s been for two years without any issues. We simply wanted an environment that could better support and engage him. After sharing this information, we noticed a clear shift in the school’s tone. We began receiving phone calls with questions that felt more like attempts to determine whether our child would be a “problem” for their setup. We answered these as honestly as possible and reassured the school that, as his parents, we would not place him in an environment we didn’t feel was the right fit. They asked to speak with his current teacher, and we agreed. His teacher reinforced everything we had said, sharing her positive experience and highlighting his strengths. The school then scheduled a 30-minute meet-and-greet, saying it would be the final step before enrollment. However, that visit turned out to be a very negative experience. The feedback we received focused almost entirely on the school’s concerns, with no effort made to recognize or discuss our child’s strengths. They then requested a second, two-hour observation to reassess whether he would be a “challenge” to their environment. At that point, we decided to withdraw our application. Throughout this process, the tone and messaging consistently emphasized how the school didn’t want to enroll a child who might be disruptive, instead of showing curiosity, empathy, or a willingness to understand and support who he is. This left us with a very painful impression that our son’s differences were being used as reasons to exclude him, rather than as opportunities to meet a unique child where he is and help him grow. Had they taken the time to really engage with him, it would have been obvious how joyful, social, and curious he is. Sadly, we came away feeling that the school is not equipped, either in tools, staffing, or mindset—to support children with diverse needs. The overall expectation seems to be that every child must adapt to a one-size-fits-all model, which is exactly what we were trying to move away from in the first place. This review is not intended as backlash, but rather as a message to help other families. If you’re a parent of a child with diverse learning or developmental needs, we hope this helps you avoid the same disappointment and emotional strain that we experienced.

We sent both our children to Carlisle through and including their kindergarten year. We are very fortunate to have this school in the neighborhood. Our daughter and son each learned a lot about life and being a good friend as well as writing in cursive, reading, and math. If you live close to Carlisle and have young children, you owe it to yourself (and your progeny) to visit the school and consider sending them. I often recommend the school to neighbors and friends.