The Cobb School, Montessori 112 Sand Hill Road, Simsbury, CT 06070

"We came across the Cobb School when we moved from NYC in 2014. After walking through the classrooms and meeting with the staff we instantly knew that this is the school we wanted to send our girls. This is a second home to us, the girls love their classrooms, friends, and teachers. The Cobb community believes in building relationships and bringing families together. We're thrilled to be here!"

"We happen to believe that early childhood education is an often overlooked but essential piece to raising the well adjusted, happy and capable kids that we are all aiming for. When we came across The Cobb School Montessori we knew immediately that we found a very special place. One year later we have to say that The Cobb School far exceeded our hopes and expectations and our family could not be happier with our experiences here. This school is a true hidden gem nestled in the hills of Farmington Valley. Here are some of the things that The Cobb School brings together for our children: Caring and Dedicated Staff - The staff of The Cobb School are wonderful. The teachers are very caring and knowledgeable about the Montessori curriculum and they quickly get to know your child very well. There are many long time members of the school community, which shows that they know that this is a special place. This school has a collection of good, solid people working hard to bring out the best in your child. Carefully considered environment - When you walk through The Cobb School, one thing that becomes immediately apparent is that everything is put where it is with the children in mind. From the spacious hallways and classrooms awash in natural light, to the Great Hall which acts as a central meeting point for the community, to the spacious outdoor fields and playscapes which are constantly buzzing with busy children. This environment has been refined over 45 years by a very dedicated staff and especially the vision of Mrs. Cobb. Intricately assembled classrooms - When you tour the classrooms you see an environment thoughtfully put together by each teacher. As you take a tour, you quickly discover how there are seemingly endless engaging activities that your child can take up while busy at school and each is geared towards teaching something valuable. On the surface you might just see a classroom, but when you look closer and you speak to the teacher, you realize the depth of this type of education. Rich educational philosophy/guiding principles for curriculum - The Montessori method of education is deep and has been refined for more than 100 years. That refinement continues to this day and this gives the teachers a powerful resource to draw from when planning out their curriculum. The Montessori community is rich in knowledge and sharing of ideas. Mixed age classrooms - Kids learn a lot from each other. Younger kids are inspired to reach a level of mastery that the older kids have and older kids learn to take pride in mentoring younger kids. We look at how our oldest mentors our youngest in a very deliberate way and the pride he takes in doing so and we know that comes directly from The Cobb School. Caring and dedicated parenting community - The Cobb School is more than a place you hastily drop off and pick up your children everyday, it is a community for parents as well as children. The staff of the Cobb School is very good at breaking the ice between parents that don’t know each other and facilitating bonding between parents with carefully planned events. You get the most out of this community when you get involved whenever you can, you will find a warm welcome when you do so. Alumni - The Cobb School is a special place and it helps lay the foundation for happy, well-adjusted adults. We see signs of that everywhere at the Cobb School and in particular in the alumni who seem to frequent the school long after they have graduated. We have no doubt that our kids experiences at the Cobb School will always have a special place in their hearts and they will be returning to visit as alumni as well. We love the Cobb School, it is the cornerstone of our new found home here in Connecticut and its enrichment of our children is obvious. We can go on but this review is already too long. Feel free to reach out with specific questions about our experiences here. We expect to be involved in this community for many years to come."

"The best decision I have ever made for my kids was sending them to Cobb. All of the staff members are warm, patient and true to the Montessori philosophy. This school stood out to me because it truly is an authentic Montessori school. My children loved going to school every day. The teachers have such a positive influence on your children. There were many times I knew my toddler was repeating lessons of encouragement she learned from her teacher. For instance, if I dropped something my 2 year-old would say, “You made a mistake, and that ok.” Not only have my children learned a great deal from The Cobb School, but they had flourished into compassionate, attentive and kind children. The world will be a better place thanks to the value this school adds. I have wanted to move from Connecticut to get closer to my family in New Jersey for a long time, but my love of this school was the only thing keeping there. I knew it was a gem."

"We're in our third year at Cobb and we couldn't be happier. My daughter is extraordinarily shy and had just come off of two back-to-back school transitions from moving. At Cobb she quickly found a comfortable, nurturing place where she can explore and grow at her own pace. She went from dreading school (crying at drop-off) to being excited to go. We love the teachers, staff and community. We are big believers in Montessori, but Cobb elevates the experience even further."

"We stumbled upon Cobb after moving to CT from New York City and truly felt at home right away. We were new to Montessori education but that didn't make any difference. The community of teachers, staff and families brought us right in and we haven't looked back! We drive our two (and soon to be three) children there everyday with huge smiles on their faces. There is nothing better than finding a place where your children are thriving academically, socially and emotionally."