Willow Montessori Academy

Willow Montessori Academy feels like a second home to everyone who enters. The children feel comfortable in their environment, love their teachers and friends, and are ready to learn something new every morning. It's hard not to smile when watching the children focus so intensely on their work. The outdoor environment is the cherry on top of this phenomenal program. 

Having never been exposed to the Montessori system of learning before and while looking for a school for our first-born, we were bought into the concept but were unsure of how well the beliefs of the Montessori system were going to be implemented.

My son started at Willow when he was 14-months old. He almost immediately started displaying superior social skills when compared to his peers. Today, at 2.5 years, he definitely surprises us with his vocabulary and everyday life skills.

Willow is a fabulous institution that feels like an extension of a family home while maintaining the sanctity of a learning space. With the founder Barkha’s huge emphasis on interior design, the school is a really adorable little space for the kids or friends, as they’re known. Frequently investing in doing up the space and constantly evolving the layout of their classes keeps things fresh for the kids. If you asked my son what his favorite feature of the school is, he’d probably say the two pet chickens they have in their backyard!

As parents, we’ve been constantly engaged through frequent zoom calls and when safe, community events at the school. My favorite has to be the biannual discovery sessions where parents walk through the school in total silence on a Friday evening and then engage in a group discussion on Saturday morning with other parents and teachers alike - again, a Montessori staple.

The faculty are amazing. Starting off in the Nido class, currently in Toddler and soon heading off to Primary, we’ve seen Willow and Barkha ensure the highest levels of faculty for the little ones. Even during the pandemic when there was a fair churn of their staff, she kept her head high and managed to quickly backfill positions with quality faculty members and we never felt like the learning or fun ever stopped.

Special shout out to our son’s toddler class teacher, Ms. Adela. She treats her students like her own kids and adopts a very, very practical, hands on approach to teaching with her kids. I also love that both she and Ms. Angie are imparting a bilingual medium of education to the kids in English and Spanish.

I can’t say enough good things about Willow and if you’re considering the school for your little one(s), I can just say a wholehearted, vehement YES!

Teachers are blamed for any violation and are intimidated into silence. Parents are not notified when or why teachers leave. Parents are given paperwork to sign that has verbiage absolving the school of any responsibility for COVID-related disruptions/exposures even if it is a result of a poor safety protocols.