Montessori School Of Durham

I have 2 kids at the school and another who will be joining next year. 1 in dual language, 1 not. Is it perfect? No, of course not, but in not being perfect it is the school I want for my kids. Learning that everything may not go to plan, truly connecting and working with folks of many different backgrounds, thinking of what’s good for everyone instead of what’s only good for you, and learning about the different perspectives and cultures of families in our neighborhood are all wonderful things Lakewood offers. Teachers care a lot and the principal and AP could not be better. The parent community is open and welcoming and there are many ways to engage in helping the school. Breakfast and lunch is free to all (lunch is actually good!) and the community schools team brings in resources from all over the city. Tier 2 and 3 kids get great services on both sides. Wish DPS would budget for a better playground (we’re due!!!) but besides that the kids are happy, confident, and kind. We love being Bulldogs!

Just a word of caution if you expect "Montessori", what you'll find instead: so much testing. The current administration is obsessed with testing. Students have a test every Friday and they practice for standardized tests a lot. They also do a lot of worksheets. They have so many worksheet packets that they have to do on their own because the teacher has to teach 2 or 3 grade levels in each class. What this means in practice is that students are given worksheet packets and complete them at their own pace in mostly loud and chaotic classrooms. The packets are graded too, which is too early in 1st and 2nd grade. The AIG program isn't consistent either. In our previous school, kids would get pulled out consistently in small groups. Here, all the groups seem to focus on testing techniques or more worksheets. There is no longer a separate science program at the school because the position was apparently cut. The Spanish class is just more worksheets and cartoons that are shown in English, not Spanish. The teachers are mostly very caring and the classroom assistants are fantastic but there is a high turnover. Curriculum wise, it has been a disappointing experience and we wish we had not been redistricted. The PTA is the saving grace because they are fantastic, truly above and beyond, and provide a lot of enrichment opportunities after school. The parent community really lifts up the school. Overall it's an OK school if you live in the base zone and many students walk or bike. It's also small and that is probably the best thing about the school, though that is changing because enrollment is growing, but I would think twice about accepting a lottery seat there if you expect a Montessori experience. Unless you get one of the very few Montessori trained teachers, and even then, that's not what you'll get because of standardized testing and dps curriculum requirements.

Be careful sending your child to this school. They have changed the curriculum and are pushing ideologies on super young children. They are reading books about gender identity and trying to normalize boys being girls and girls being boys. They are getting away from educating and making it a social experiement on rich kids. They don’t tell the parents what they are doing. In middle school they are telling boys they can use tampons to make it all inclusive. In the lower school they are reading books about how a boy can transition to a girl at a early age. They need to get back to what they are known for and that’s excelling at actual learning objectives. I don’t think parents and donors realize what is actually happening at this school.

This is our first year at Cresset. It is a small Christian school, with a real sense of family. The classroom environment seems to be smaller classes which allows for the teachers to connect more with each student. The school is fairly diverse, with families from many different socio-economic backgrounds. The academy level seems to be pretty high as our daughter is learning much the same content as high academic friends at other local private schools. Last year, all the graduating seniors were accepted to 4-year colleges or chose to enter the work place in trade related businesses. Many of the students play on the sports teams and the entire student body comes to cheer on their games. We really like the closeness of the students and families at Cresset. Everyone knows everyone.

Duke School is an inclusive, inspiring environment to teach, challenge, and guide your children from preschool through eighth grade. We have had children there since 2015. Our oldest is now in public high school and constantly says that he is excelling and prepared because of “that good Duke School model of reflect and share.” Some parents may wonder about the lack of grades or calling teachers by their first names. Trust the process - it creates learners who feel valued and engaged. And our teachers are respected as experts and trusted for their insight and knowledge of child development. We have also benefited from the financial assistance of Index Tuition. We are forever grateful for a place like Duke School to help us raise confident, compassionate and resilient kids.