The Beddow School

"4 stars because there is always room for improvement. I have two boys here at Beddow (Primary and Lower El) currently. We landed here after searching high and low for the right fit for our "different learner" and then, in the midst of COVID this was one of the few fully in-person options. We are so happy. The school began the year under new leadership. Ms Cotone is wonderful! The change was hard for some but the school not only weathered both the changes and the pandemic, but from our perspective our boys are truly thriving there. We look forward with anticipation to see what next year brings!"

"We truly value the Montessori education our three children receive at the Beddow School. The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable, and the small class size allows them to tailor their instruction to the students’ needs. They are also able to use the large, beautiful campus to provide hands-on and innovative learning experiences as part of the regular curriculum. Our children come home every day excited about what they have learned in class. The school also utilizes the various cultural and nature centers in the area to expand the educational experience through frequent field trips."

"Really do not understand the 1 stars for this school and I think I can help provide a little background for parents genuinely interested in finding a great school for their kids. We, like most parents, were interested in sending our kids to a great school that instilled a love of learning. We finally found Beddow after many searches. I was actually in Iraq at the time, so my wife was doing the heavy lifting and researching schools for our next move. She met the head of school and the teachers and relayed to me what a wonderful place this would be for our kids. I was excited and we were fortunate enough to send our kids to this school for the first year. Now, we had our eye on John Hanson Montessori because it is hard to beat free. We entered our kids in the school lottery...and one got in. We spent the next year with two in Beddow and one at John Hanson and I have to say, I really regret the decision. I wish we would have kept our child at Beddow instead of John Hanson. I will never speak ill of another school because there were positive experiences, but overall, the learning, creative, and loving environment at Beddow is not what we experienced at John Hanson. We brought our child back to Beddow for that reason. We are now in 2020 and could not be happier with the decision. Love that our kids go to this school. If you are a parent researching on where to send your kid, then please read all of the reviews and then schedule a visit so you can make your own assessment. This place is truly wonderful and you will see that when you stop by. Look forward to you visiting our community."

"My child attended this school 3rd - 5 grade. During the most important transition year the upper elementary class teacher became ill and the upper elementary kids were transported to the sister School in Ft Washington. The class size remained tolerable approx 14 kids. Some how dispite the small class sizes the school still had several instances of bullying. There is a culture silence and no transparency. I had a difficult time ascertaining what skills they were actually working on. During the only parent conference that discussed your child’s progress the teacher could enumerate 2 actual skills that they were working on it was late April. When I asserted that during my home review I noted a regress in his math skills; It was said to me several times that my home reinforcement was the problem. I’m currently actually TEACHING skills not covered this year. I have had to employ a tutor also. I looked into moving my child early in the year and secured a spot. Late April/May the parents are brought in to be informed that the school would be consolidated into 3 schools. The consolidation is probably smart but could the parents and staff been given the opportunity to apply for other schools/scholarships earlier in the year? They have now employed a dean of schools, that may help w the overwhelming and collective feeling of not being kept abreast of issues related to the students. Montessori doesn’t give homework necessarily, but I feel every parent should know what their child is working on week to week at minimum. It took 3 conversations to receive this. Magically around the same time my child moved on to some new skills. After speaking to other parents, I was not the only one with the concern. A waste of a year and waste of money."

"This school is a great private school for those who are looking for smaller class sizes and non-secular education. The teachers genuinely care about the education of the children in the school and make every effort for the children to succeed. Every child is given the tools to be able to take individual responsibility for their own education, which is a great tool for them to have when they reach the college years. Also, the tuition for the children's education is reasonably priced for the education they receive. We cannot say anything negative about our experience."