Intercultural Montessori Language School

bad food , bad teachers, bad teaching, bad people

Over the past four years, this school has been in a steady decline. The administration consistently prioritizes its own interests over the students, staff, and community. Each year, we lose more high-quality educators due to mismanagement and a literal absence of leadership.While a small group of dedicated parents is working hard to rebuild the community post-COVID, a growing "drop-and-go" culture has stripped the school of its neighborhood feel. Safety is a major concern: fights and bullying are constant, and the school has undergone numerous soft lockdowns due to parents fighting on campus—yet there are zero disciplinary repercussions.The academics have also suffered. What was once an accelerated curriculum is now taught to the lowest common denominator. If your child isn't placed with one of the few remaining veteran teachers, they are left to struggle through a year of endless substitutes and busy work. Furthermore, the front office staff is unprofessional; I have witnessed the receptionist bring children to tears when they arrive injured or tardy. Notably, every teacher who had a child enrolled here has already moved them elsewhere. My advice is to set roots elsewhere; without caring leadership, this former gem will only continue to decline.

My autistic son, with an IEP, recently graduated from Pre-K at Smyth's. We had an excellent experience at this school. I loved. Ms. Young, Ms Molitor and Ms Hall are the best teachers. Ms Muller is amazing with kids. My son loves her. The school offers an excellent Pre-K program .Thespeech therapist, occupational therapist, case manager and staff are all amazing. They all showed how much they really care about the students.

Bennett’s administration frequently failed to communicate effectively. They neglected to inform us when initial problems with our son began, leaving us unaware until situations escalated. School leaned into the behavior concerns and did not see the connection between behavior and academic challenges. In one instance, she called to discuss my son's challenges while he was in the room, ignoring the privacy and sensitivity of the matter.School recommended we have our son tested, because they did not know what more they could do and ‘maybe’ medication was an option. So, yes we had our son tested and learned he has an IQ is in the gifted range and a reading disability. He is a 3rd graders with 1st grade reading skills. Thanks to CPS, he has access to a special education teacher, and in-class support to ensure he can fully participate. Bennet is a great option if your kid does not need support. If you kid needs help, school administration becomes passive aggressive till you leave.