Montessori In The Park

For over a year and half now, we have always had a positive experience with Guidepost Montessori Goodyear. Both of my sons are in Children's House with Mrs. Doll and Ms. Julia. I know they are in such great, caring and loving hands with them. Ms. Tara, Ms. Heather and Ms. Carolyn have given support to our family. I have always felt heard whenever I a needed help or reassurance. I will not forget all the support from the toddler guides as well Mr. Chainey, Ms. Susan, and Ms. Brandi especially during my younger son's toilet training days. Everyone here is always so welcoming and helpful. This school teaches based on authentic Montessori principles which helped both my boys build their independent skills.

We've had a great experience with the elementary program at Guidepost Montessori Goodyear. Ms. Lynn and the guides are supportive, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in each child's growth. Our child has become more confident, independent, and motivated to learn since joining the school. The Montessori approach encourages critical thinking and real-world skills, which we truly value. Communication with Ms. Heather and Ms. Tara is excellent, and the environment is calm, respectful, and engaging. I've seen some negative reviews and empathize with those parents- it is important that every child feels safe and supported. That said, our experience has been very positive, and we are grateful to be part of this community.

While the curriculum of Guidepost is excellent, this specific location leaves many concerns for child safety and lacks in communication. We pulled our child out after 3 weeks due to safety concerns and issues. I would caution any parent to take a look at the policies which allow children three and up to mingle on the playground with very little oversight, the doors which lead out to the parking lot that are not secure and have led in 2/2025 to children escaping to the street from the toddler room, ask questions about how new children are transitioned in to the environment and what communication you can expect when something goes wrong (in our case it was 48+ hours between communication in several instances), and what their policy is on communicating with parents when you have a concern. This school has been great for some families and we believe in a Montessori education. However, much is left to be desired on physical and emotional safety of children which failed to keep our child safe leading us to leave the environment abruptly.

We send or toddler here and absolutely love it. First we love the Montessori principles - but there are so many impressive things with the school. The staff is awesome- the administration are warm and friendly and take the time to get to know parents as well as the kiddos. The teachers and classroom support are engaged and truly care for the littles. Our son loves going to school and he is gaining so much independence and loves the purposeful work they do, even at toddler age! The school offers care most days of the year and before and after care - so really accommodating to our non-traditional work schedules.

I used to love this Montessori school and truly believed I had found a long-term home for both of my toddlers. Unfortunately, after three changes in the Head of School position, the current leadership has significantly altered the environment in a negative way. The new Head of School, who transferred from another location, has demonstrated a cold and impersonal approach, interacting with parents more like subordinates in a corporate setting rather than partners in early childhood education. This is particularly concerning given the nature of the service—we are families entrusting our young children to your care and paying a premium for that trust. The situation became unacceptable when my 3-year-old son was able to walk off campus and into the parking lot on a busy main street. Thankfully, other parents intervened and ensured his safety, but the implications of this failure are alarming. Since that incident, and following a meeting on Tuesday, May 6, the school has chosen to send my son home daily and is now requesting that I provide a 1:1 aide at my own expense, effectively passing the burden of classroom management onto the parents. If a teacher is unable to manage a Montessori classroom safely and effectively, that raises serious concerns about qualifications and oversight. Given the pattern of poor communication, unsafe practices, and unreasonable demands, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw both of my children from this school. It is disheartening to see how drastically Guidepost has declined due to poor leadership choices. I sincerely hope future families experience something better