Windsor Discovery Center & Montessori School

All I can say is...WOW! I wish my parents sent me to Montessori when I was younger. I have my Master's Degree in Nursing Education which is a huge achievement for myself and my family. Seeing the curriculum today with Ms Jessica totally put everything into perspective for me. My perspective after curriculum night: Teaching children by theory like I was taught growing up is ok for some kids. But those who want to understand hands on go to Montessori. Montessori teaches kids with physical objects,hands on in addition to theory for a greater in depth understanding of the lessons. Watching the demonstration of the curriculum I was in awe of this specific way of teaching, and absolutely amazed with the methods taught as I know my daughter learns best with hands on Education.

We love, love, love Windsor Montessori. The academics are exceptional and the Montessori Method produces children who are self-confident, self-reliant, tolerant, and excited about learning. This is WAY better than we could have done if we had kept her home for preschool or in a 3 day-per-week program. Excited about Kindergarten! By the way, our 4 year old is reading, writing sentences, and doing math! There is also plenty of time for play and creativity too with Spanish, Art, Music, and Drama. There is aftercare and before care, as well as holiday and Summer camp available too.

(Updated Fall 2017) I cannot say enough good things about this school. I would recommend it to any parent who is looking for either infant care (in the Discovery Center), or preschool in the Montessori program. I am a university professor, and education is a top priority for me. By way of comparison, we experimented with Bright Horizons and Educational Playcare. Neither could hold a candle to the education, organization, and attention that this school offers. We found the classroom environment in these other preschools disorganized, often chaotic, and with very little stability due to rapid staff turnover. In contrast, when visited the Montessori program we literally were stunned by the quiet and calm focus of students. We immediately decided to enroll our first child, and have considered it one of the single best decisions we made. Moreover, the continuity and quality of the staff at the school provides tremendous stability to the school. Everyone knows everyone. When my daughter loses her hat, someone finds and returns it to her brother's locker -- it is like the school is a single organism working in harmony. When our older child first enrolled, he was lagging behind his peers, struggling with language, and we worried we would need to hold him back. That quickly turned around thanks to the personal attention at the school. He completed Kindergarten at the school, and lots of first grade ended up being review for him, thanks to the excellent preparation. Based on these positive experiences, we enrolled our younger child in the Infant program. Again, the experience was outstanding. The 3-to-1 ratio in the infant/toddler room means kids get a lot more personal attention. The longevity of the staff allows for bonds to form that have continued for years. We subsequently switched (within the school) to the toddler Montessori program. In this program, the younger child (not yet three) is already starting to recognize written words, can write many letters and numbers, and speaks in complete sentences. It is remarkable how kids connect using the Montessori methods. She continued to the primary program, and is now completing her kindergarten year. The only downside? It is not cheap (no child care is). But I definitely feel it has been money very well spent. In short, if you're looking for quality education and daycare, visit this school and see what you think. You will not be disappointed.

We had a really difficult time finding a childcare situation for my son when I went back to work after maternity leave. Trying to stay within a budget, we tried a multitude of day care centers, home day cares, and babysitters. Nothing felt right, and I could not concentrate on my work because I was constantly worried about my son. I knew that he was safe, but did not feel as if he was being loved and nurtured. Finally, when he was 9 months old, we enrolled him in the infant/toddler room at the Discover Center, and we COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. He had not napped more than 20 minutes at his old facility, and we were told by the staff that they "didn't have time to help babies get to sleep." From the very first day he started at the Discovery Center he has napped the appropriate time for his age, which has in turn helped him to sleep better at night. When you go to the Discover Center, the teachers are always holding, rocking, singing with, reading to, or otherwise engaged in nurturing children. Meal times are done family style, with all the toddlers sitting together around a table, and babies as close to the table as possible. There is a gross-motor skills gym where the kids have the opportunity to run around, use push toys, and play on indoor play equipment. The outdoor space is wonderful, too. My son, who is very mommy-clingy, now happily walks in, hugs his teachers, and gets right to the busy work of playing. I have never once felt at odds with the staff, they respect my wishes for my son, and keep me updated regularly on what he does in a day, any new developments they have noticed, and any concerns they have. I learned the hard way that when it comes to finding high quality child-care, that you get what you pay for. I'm so thankful I found the Windsor Discovery Center so that I can continue doing a job I love, while being confident that my son is being loved and nurtured.

My (then 2 year old) daughter started with Montessori Toddler Summer Camp in 2013. We adored her teacher Ms. Susan. She has a wonderful way with the kids and parents. I learned as much as Madeleine did! Due to the wonderful experience in the camp program we enrolled our daughter into the Montessori Toddler Program for the school year. The school year program is more "serious" and gave our daughter opportunities to build her skill set while being in a productive peer social setting. The toddler room is comprised of kids 18 mos to 3 years. One might imagine that the room is chaotic, but during my visits I found just the opposite. The children are guided to do work, in between group time and active play time. August 2014 Madeleine started in the Montessori Primary class. When we were planning our move to one town away in 2014 I searched and visited other preschools. We couldn't find any preschool experience that matched what Windsor Montessori offers. The lessons, freedom and disciplines create a wonderful learning environment. Her teacher, Ms. Jessica finds the right balance with the kids. She's very encouraging and caring, yet she knows how to be an authority figure. You can see her students respect her. Our daughter is doing very well in the Montessori environment and it is my opinion that the majority of children would do as well. I know that she is getting the best foundation for her future learning.