St Louis Priory School

It's been four years since my family left this school, and we still suffer from what I can only describe as PTSD. There are many good Christian schools around - but not this one! Bullying, unfair treatment, incompetent leadership, misdiagnoses, and more. Run run run away.

If you're here because you're curious about if Montessori is right for your child, this is your sign that CMS is a school you should very seriously consider. I was a student here back in the early 00s, from 1st-6th grade, and I can honestly say that CMS was the catalyst for a lifetime of joy of learning. Many of my most cherished memories come from my time at CMS: learning long division with the "racks and tubes" in lower elementary; tracing the chronology of our history on the timeline of life; presenting a research project on stars in upper elementary. At CMS, I learned more than just math facts and how to write an essay--I learned how to be responsible for my own learning and how to nurture meaningful relationships with my teachers and peers. I have now returned to the CMS community as an adult and have found that the school's commitment to its students and to the Montessori approach has not wavered. CMS is the real deal - the Montessori education is authentic and empowering, and the staff care a tremendous amount about the students and the school's mission. If it's not already, CMS should be on your short list of great options for your child.

While Andrews has many great qualities, such as their arts program, music, and lauded public speaking, it is, at heart, a mill for students' expected matriculation towards the more expensive private schools in the area. If your child is a "square peg", they will not fit in here, and no attempts will be made to help them understand that their uniqueness is a strength, and not a weakness.

Rossman has provided our family with the best educational, social, and developmental environment we could imagine for our child. The speed at which he has learned new concepts, his ability to think critically and problem solve, his interest in various cultures and topics, and perhaps most importantly - his self confidence - has been taken to a level far beyond his peers at other schools. Teachers are invested and actually seem to enjoy their jobs. The other children are the type of kind, considerate kids with whom we want our child to become friends, and their families are equally as wonderful. We are confident that in choosing Rossman, we are giving our son the best possible educational and developmental foundation.