Wellan Montessori School

This is our first year at Wellan, and first school experience, and it has been a great year so far. We chose Wellan because of our interest in the Montessori method of education, but also because it felt like more than daycare – it’s truly a school and one our 3-year-old can grow up in for many years. The classrooms are beautiful – clean and bright. Everything is tailored to the children and facilitating their independence (such as child height counters, tables, and shelves, eye level artwork, child size sinks and toilets). They establish great routines and consistent schedules which has even helped with creating routines as home. The communication between families and teachers is great. They are very responsive to e-mails and for the younger children, updates are sent on a daily basis. The curriculum is engaging, and they incorporate seasonal or other relevant topics throughout the year. Parents are even invited to come share on a topic once a week. The feedback from the teachers at parent-teacher check-ins is very thorough.Throughout the enrollment process the staff answered all of my questions and they even accommodated separate tours for my husband and I when our schedules didn’t coincide. I knew what to expect at each step and it was an overall smooth process. As a new parent I have felt very welcomed into the school community, with lots of opportunities to meet other families and the staff. I don’t feel judgement for not being “perfectly Montessori” and in fact they have an educational series just for families and caregivers who want to learn more about Montessori and incorporating it at home. Throughout the year the school and the Parent Association hold many events and activities where you can meet other families or parents. There are “fireside chats” with the head of school, student performances, community service events, and many others. Everyone at Wellan is warm, welcoming, and you can absolutely tell they have a passion for what they do.

This schools is the best. There is a strong, welcoming community of teachers, parents and staff. The students grow up to be well-rounded, emotionally balanced, open-minded and academically very strong. Cannot recommend it enough! My daughter started here as a toddler and she is now in lower elementary school. She loves her school, her teachers and her friends. The school’s philosophy is deeply rooted in Montessori but not limited to it. There are also many opportunities for extracurricular / afterschool activities including drama woodworking and athletics. The school would benefit from more green outdoor space.

Our son is flourishing at Wellan. He joined as a Kindergartener and is finishing first grade this year. Yes, academically he is doing really great; the Montessori approach is a good fit for him and as a result he is progressing faster than he probably would under a more typical pedagogy. But what makes us so happy - and why we would not consider any other school at this point - is his love for school and his social and emotional development. He is happy heading off to school in the morning and he is full of ideas and accomplishments and interactions to share when he comes back. Socially, he is learning progressive values and becoming a more gracious, caring, and empathetic person. He had struggled with this before Wellan but we're seeing a kinder side of him develop. It feels great to know that his moral compass is being tuned both at home and at school. Emotionally he is learning to recognize and manage his emotions better, especially frustration and impatience. Sure, it's nice to see your kid doing well academically in 1st grade, but that love for school and that social and emotional development is what gives us confidence that he will be able to navigate and succeed in school and life as he gets older. And that's what I think a really great education and a really great school prepares your child for: a happy, healthy and successful life on their own terms.How does Wellan do it? They have great leadership all the way to the very top with Beth Black - an ambitious vision, a pragmatic plan and a steady hand. They hire great teachers - not only skilled but also committed and caring. And the parent community is invested and committed. As a parent in this community, let me ask that if you think of yourself as a "customer", please do not join our community. This is a school where parents, teachers and the administration strive to partner and achieve goals together. There's a lot of pride in how the whole school came together to continue teaching in person through COVID. I'm grateful for it. Rather than fall behind this year my son had one of the years ever! It takes real direction from leadership, tireless effort from the teachers and commitment from the parents to make it all work - the protocols, the communication, the trust, the sacrifices. Despite unusual and challenging circumstances Wellan really showed its character.

Wellan is a young school, and that comes with its own set of strengths and challenges. That said, my child has attended for the last three years and is now in the upper elementary program. I've been impressed with the school's ability to create a quasi-normal and highly engaging environment during COVID - he has been in person and continued to make forward progress both academically and socially. He LOVES going to school, loves his teachers - especially some of his specials teachers - and his creativity has blossomed here. He feels like he belongs, and he feels like his teachers care about him. This helps him buy in to his whole day. His classroom cohort is strong, and his teachers are supportive and communicative. I'm so grateful to the school and the families for keeping our kids safe, engaged and positive!

we are a current family at wellan montessori, and we cannot wait to leave next year. we had read a review once from another parent that classrooms are like islands there and that is true. some are great some are terrible.A couple of years ago during our child's first primary year there the teachers were cool, we invited them to our house and they both came to dinner with their families, although we found out later on that that was not allowed!!when it was time for our second child to enter primary the teachers barely say hi, we have not spoken two words since the beginning of the year and we have no idea what is going on in the classroom or with our child. there is so much inconsistency between classrooms, between teachers and between teaching styles.not to mention the bullying incidences in the upper classes that were never addressed that the families ended up leaving.the entire place is completely unprofessional, there is so much inequality in the way they treat the children and the families