Oneonta Montessori School

My son began attending Oneonta Montessori after a private preschool, public TK and then a false start at a local private, Catholic Kinder. In short, he struggled to find a good fit. From the first day at Oneonta, however, we knew he had found his home. Ms. Terri was his kindergarten teacher and welcomed him in such a way that made him feel safe, loved and celebrated! His foundational reading skills exploded during Kinder due to the multi-sensory approach. His curiosity about numbers was sparked by all of the fun games and activities that encouraged math thinking. Additionally, his behavioral challenges were mollified as well due to the "keep active minds busy" approach. Ms. Fiona, the school director ,is instrumental in creating a culture of imagination and acceptance and this isn't done in a random way. Teachers are strategic with the curriculum and instruction but lead with the Montessori pedagogy that is so powerful! Our son moved into 1st and second grade with Ms. Vangie who was an example of teaching excellence every day. Our son adores her to this day and every time we pass Oneonta he shouts out a "Hello Ms. Vangie!" to her. In third grade, he rounded out his time there with Ms. Blossom whom he adored as well and grew so much in his maturity and writing skills through her patient and steady approach. Today our son is back in public school and thriving. The foundational skills provided by Ms. Fiona and the academic team at Oneonta have been invaluable and our son loves learning. I feel certain that this is, in large part, due to his rich time spent within the walls of Oneonta. I can't recommend this gem of a school enough.

Oneonta Montessori School is the best!! This school was our son’s second home from 1st through 6th grade, and he absolutely flourished there! The director, Ms. Fiona, and all of the teachers were very nurturing towards the children and responsive to any parent concerns. The kids were not only provided with a safe and fun-filled environment (creating beautiful artworks, adventurous field-trips, end-of-year sports day and talent show, etc.), but were also challenged academically with thought-provoking books to read and analyze, eye-opening science and cultural geography research projects, accelerated mathematics, etc. Oneonta Montessori engaged the kids in a yearly Spelling Bee, Science Fair, Poetry Contest, and Math Whiz Competition. They also taught the kids the importance of giving back by having them participate in the Spark of Love (giving Christmas presents to needy children) and Pennies for Patients (raising money for leukemia patients). This school provided the children with many opportunities to explore their unique talents and consistently encouraged them with a “yes-you-can” attitude. Our son loved this school! He was more than well prepared to enter junior high school. If you want a great academic program and a well-rounded education for your child, I highly recommend Oneonta Montessori School!

I had both of my children attended OMS since 2.5 years old. My oldest just graduated from 6th grade. We loved this school so much. The teachers are awesome and patience with the kids. The Montessori learning style gives the children a strong foundation in academic and personal grow. I am so proud to be part of the OMS family.

We have had two children attend Oneonta from 2 years to 5 years of age and we loved it!! All of the teachers in the early school are amazing - warm, thoughtful, and creative educators who care for the children as family and also inspire curiosity, learning, and kindness. Ms. Audrey, the Assistant Director, is the creative energy behind the curriculum and programming. Each year the overarching themes are different but they always focus on connection with others and empathy. The kids are engaged in service learning. One year, my daughter's class (with Ms. Audrey) adopted a cotton-top tamarin at the LA Zoo. Each child was responsible for figuring out how to raise money to contribute to the class adoption. The kids were so engaged that they learned about the Titi (cotton-top tamarin) Festival in Colombia and performed a class dance just like the kids in Colombia do during the festival. This year, my other daughter's class (again with Ms. Audrey) adopted goats for a family through Heifer International. As part of their learning, the kids had a goat milk day when they got to taste test various goat milk products. They also made goat-milk soaps. In addition to service learning, they also learn language - Spanish and Mandarin, which my younger daughter loved! She would come home and teach us new words and new songs in Mandarin. My daughters have also had Ms. Vanessa, Ms. Esther, and Ms. Melinda... all equally warm and loving and inspiring as educators. When my older daughter struggled with transitioning at the beginning of the year, Ms. Vanessa took her under her wing. Every day, my daughter would seek out Ms. Vanessa and was able to smoothly transition into class with her extra care. And I would be remiss not to give due credit to Ms. Fiona, the school director. She is open, understanding, and always willing to help. I strongly believe that a school culture is dictated by the director... Ms. Fiona has fostered a wonderful community of learning and warmth, exactly what we desired in a school. Honestly, we would have continued into the older grades at Oneonta except that we had already committed ourselves to a Dual Language Immersion Catholic education because of our bilingual/bicultural home. We highly recommend Oneonta to anyone seeking an excellent early learning environment and/or a Montessori-based education for any age.

I'm am sure there could have been no better place for my son. He started at two years old and has developed into amazing learner. Although we belong to an excellent district, we have kept him here due to this enriching environment.