West Side Montessori

My kids have been at West Side since they were two years old. They are now in first grade and they are excited to go to school every day. Their teachers are 100% dedicated to their success and the school's approach to education is exactly what I wish I would have had as a child. They spend their mornings working independently and in small groups on academics in the classroom and their co-curricular classes are beyond what most parents would expect in elementary school: World Languages (starting at age 3), Art, Music, Technology, Outdoor Education, and Physical Education. The Toledo campus is huge - almost 40 acres and is just gorgeous. The children spend a lot of time outdoors on their patios, in the woods, on the natural playgrounds, and in their classroom gardens. It's truly a magical place!

We love this school! My daughter has had an amazing year here in their children's house program! She has amazing teachers, the entire staff is welcoming and kind! My daughter loves going to school and hates leaving! She has made amazing strides in reading and handwriting this year, more than I ever thought possible for a five year old. We could not be more pleased and we are proud to have Westside Montessori as our daughter's school!

My family has been at West Side for 7 years. I have 3 boys in 4th grade, 2nd grade and pre-K. My boys LOVE going to school every day. The environment is positive, beautiful and stimulating for children at all levels. Children are taught independence in tasks, in thought and in expression at a very young age. My 2nd grader is extremely creative and he gets bored with routine work and worksheets so his teachers suggested that he use colors to make beautiful worksheets. It's amazing the impact that little suggestion had on his engagement. What most impresses me about West Side is the care and attention that teachers give to the whole child, academics are only one small part of the learning experience at these ages. They focus on age-appropriate interpersonal skills, emotional nurturing, fostering each child's passions and interests, courtesy and respect for themselves, their environment, their peers and their teachers. On an academic level, children are encouraged to move at their own pace. Children do not move on to the next skill until they have mastered the one that comes before it. Early on, I wanted to push my children to tackle harder works and it was frustrating when I did not see them progressing like I wanted them to. With coaching and support from the teachers, I learned how to encourage and support their efforts and to follow their lead. I felt my oldest son was behind in reading as a kindergartner because of what I saw at home. The teachers assured me he was where he needed to be. Then all of the sudden, in first grade I could not get a book out of his hands. He reads and reads and reads and loves it!!! The teacher's really know how to inspire kids and that is really cool to be a part of as a parent.

We have two kids at west side one in upper elementary and one in children`s house. Between the two kids we experienced all levels of west side except the middle school. Here are reasons we love and recommend West side:- The school places great emphasis in adhering to the Montessori philosophy which includes seeing and teaching the world as a connected, inspiring, collaborative, hands-on, and peace-based place to be. As such, the school brings together the people that believe in these ideas and creates a utopian world in a way. It feels good to be a part of this community where you are surrounded with positive people working towards a common goal. If you are not on board with the Montessori philosophy, you will likely not be happy at West side. So, you may want to take the time to read up on Montessori and decide if it is something you want to get your child and family immersed in. In fact, read up on Montessori before you even visit the school. When we toured not knowing anything about Montessori, we didn`t appreciate what they were doing. But once we educated ourselves, everything they do now makes a whole lot more sense!- When I am dropping off my kids, everyone is smiling and welcoming, getting me (and my kids) started right with our days. There is a positive, upbeat feeling throughout the school where you can see most teachers and staff creating a positive outlook for herself/himself which then radiates out to the class, hallways, and the car-line (pickup-dropoff). - Teachers are trained to `follow the child` and this can make a big difference especially when you are having problems. When my child drove me crazy being stuck on Beyblade toys and everything Beyblade, and I had exhausted all options for distracting him; his teacher took this obsession and turned it into a math based project with my son coming home proud of his Beyblade work (!) and me being relieved and totally surprised on how the teacher turned my problem into something that both my son and I felt proud of. I am always learning from the teachers that I need to also follow my children!- Before elections, when I was bitter about the country being divided over politics, I saw two teachers wearing Hilary and Trump masks going into classrooms shaking hands, as students held their own elections and voted for a president. There was a celebratory, unifying feeling at school and I left the school in a very positive mode thinking, yes, we can indeed unite and work together despite our differences. West side brings out the best part of people.- When my child fails at a task, he is directed towards improving himself. In fact, kids check their own work a good chunk of the time. They themselves find and correct their own mistakes. In a parent conference, you see a self-reflection from your child where your child might have commented on how they think they are doing, examples of their best and not-so-good work that they picked, and how they plan to improve themselves. So, the internal feedback mechanism is embedded in the learning environment through this and other reflective processes. When my kids do well, they do not receive a reward and when they do poorly they are given constructive feedback and encouraged to try again. I find these as important practices for becoming independent and self-directed individuals.- My kids` teachers have been excellent role models for my kids and FOR me. I am constantly learning from the teachers (AND from my kids who learn it from the teachers) on how to approach my kids, what language to use, how to be kinder and how to solve problems in a peaceful way. -The first three grades of having no homework were a blessing for us as I believed my child needed that time for play. This meant an exponentially harder curriculum where a lot was expected in upper elementary but I actually really liked this approach for my son as I thought it was right on target developmentally.- A democratic feeling permeates throughout the school (except for the parking lot where you have a few spots reserved for certain individuals). I love it that kids call their teachers by their first names. In any classroom, you will see kids doing a variety of activities many of which are kid led. Teachers ARE facilitators at West Side; there is no or very little spoon feeding of knowledge; most work is setup so kids explore it themselves after a lesson given by the teacher. Kids are in charge of organizing parties throughout the year. They are in charge of running meetings. They are actually asked to be in charge of their learning. In upper elementary this means that they start using a planner where they have to track their workload and meet the deadlines. - West side invests in training its faculty and staff. Most of the faculty and staff attended the national Montessori conference last year! West side also invests in educating the parents; they created a Montessori university curriculum! Yes, west side is not just for you; it is really for the whole family and you should take the time to learn from them!Here are some other things to consider:Yes, West Side is a private school. Yes it is expensive. But, yes, reduced tuition is a viable option for many families. You can see the most expensive, average, and least expensive cars on the parking lot. Bottom line:-For kids younger than 1st grade, West side curriculum and teachers will provide an amazing education for your kid and YOU and the cost is not that higher than other good preschools elsewhere in the Toledo area. What you learn at West side will change your life. If you are on board with their philosophy, sacrifice from other expenses and give West side a try.-For older kids: This is where things get tricky because we have a lot of good public school systems in the suburbs and West side`s tuition may create a big difference in your lifestyle. Enrolling at West side may mean you lose out on other things that require money (e.g. vacation, eating out, early retirement etc.). It is really where you stand on West side`s goals that will determine whether you will enroll, support and stay. You are investing in a way of thinking, learning, and living life. Don`t think of it as investing in just a private school. Here are some key questions for you: How important is developing the `whole child` and how good a job do other schools do on this? How much do you care about tests versus the Montessori approach to life? Your answers to these questions will determine whether we will see you at West side or not.

I could not love this school more. My 8th grade son is happy to go to school. He is excited to learn, investigate and contribute to his community. I had toured over 10 schools, with Westside being the 4th school I toured. After touring Westside, I found myself comparing all other schools to Westside and knew this was the place for my son. Westside has helped shape my son into a wonderful, intelligent, caring, young man who is an independent and creative thinker.

We have been parents of two boys at West Side for 11 years. Both started in the Little House (toddler program.) We have watched our boys flourish year after year. When they were very young and pouring their own milk out of a small glass pitcher, family and friends would marvel at their independence and ability. They learned that in the Little House. They began learning to speak Spanish in the Children's House (preschool) and then French in Kindergarten. They learned the continents of the world. I mean they could look at the map and point to and name the continents! They experienced the language, dress and food of different nations. Those lessons and experiences are such a great gift to our children. We have always felt supported by their teachers and know our children are safe and well cared for. There are two Montessori-trained teachers in every classroom with low ratios. That was very important for us in deciding where our children would attend school. The attention to detail and the level of care is possible because of this fact. The academics are important to us, of course. But, what is equally as important to my husband and I are the life lessons our boys are receiving. They can stand up in front of their classmates and give presentations or lead a morning meeting and have no fear. They are actively learning how to be supportive of each other, how to work with others who may have different strengths than their own and how to learn from mistakes. This is all possible because they know and trust their teachers and peers. I highly recommend West Side to anyone who is looking for something other than the traditional model of education and wants to be an active participant in their child's education. You really have to come in and see the school in action. You will be amazed!

WSM is an excellent school. The teachers and administration is wonderful and it feels like a family. My kids enjoy going to school.

We have been so pleased with this school. We have two children, one who is in her ninth year at West Side Montessori, and another in her fifth year, so we have a great deal of experience with the teachers and the curriculum. Students are active, involved, and committed to their work. They are given just the right balance of guidance and freedom in following their academic pursuits. The curriculum and teachers foster engaged learning and independence. Not only is the school's approach strong in academics, but it also helps students develop socially and emotionally. I can't imagine a better education for our children.

West Side provides an engaging curriculum that stimulates the students development to the fullest potential. I would highly recommend this school to anyone that desires to see improvement in their child's abilities. West side seeks to nurture the student while challenging their intellect.

My oldest is now in 9th grade and has moved on from West Side. Both our children entered West Side very young. My oldest was weaker in writing, reading and comprehension skills and stronger in math and science. With every passing year, his abilities in his weak areas improved, as demonstrated on the yearly nationalized testing. This continued into 8th grade to a point that his weak areas were now just as strong as his math and science as scored on a percentile basis. He entered high school and tested into honors Science and Math classes, but also honors English and Spanish, his weaker areas. Now I watch as my younger child is experiencing the same effect, but her weak areas are Math and Science and her strong, strong areas are writing and comprehension. The staff is using her strong areas to teach her the weaker areas, and she is clearly improving in her weak areas. Additionally, both children are self actuating to an unusual degree for people their age and are capable decision makers and communicators due to the style of educating children at West Side.

As a parent of Westside over 7 years, I am happy to say our children have become independent leaders and continue to progress in a caring, safe, loving environment.They enjoy going to school and being with their friends. They love to learn because the Westside teachers make learning fun and not a chore.They make every lesson exciting and base these lessons on specific children's interests. The teachers really take time to learn about each child and what helps them to progress.I feel the communication between the staff, teachers and parents is very good. We are very involved parents and have always had any issues or concerns answered immediately.Westside feels like a community and your child is not just a number. They strive to make every child feel special. We look forward to see our children continue to grow and become independent, confident leaders while sustaining their love of learning in this environment.

West Side Montessori is a terrific school! The teachers are very high quality. The children have the same teachers for three years, so the teachers really know the students. The lesson plans are individualized, and the students are involved in planning their week so they learn time management and organization. The parents are very involved and encouraged to observe. The students lead the morning meetings, so they learn to speak in front of a group and lead others. It is a wonderful school.

Our kids love going to school and WSM is the reason why. Aside from that simple critical fact WSM also earns high marks on other parental concerns. It promotes stimulation & learning. They go beyond mere numbers/letters & are filled with materials for reading, writing, math, practical life, geography, art, science, culture, zoology, music, & more. It promotes social education. The children learn how to interact with each other & how to resolve conflicts. They learn mutual respect & how to help each other. It promotes independence. The kids are able to make their own choices for activities. They are encouraged to work until completion thereby helping to develop concentration & self-esteem. It is designed to promote discussion & stimulate collaborative learning. Children move freely within the rooms & select work that captures their interest, rather than passively participating in lessons selected by the teachers. We purposely moved into Sylvania as it had a reputation for relatively good public schools. But we have continued to decide to keep our children at WSM. We feel a good education & a love of learning is the best gift we can give our children. We have found both at WSM.

An incredible educational institution providing the base for a lifetime of success - unavailable elsewhere. Children are motivated, organized, and self driven from the experiences and education they receive.