Harbour Oaks Montessori School

"DO NOT enroll your minority children at HOMS—your kids’ mental health is far more important than any Montessori curriculum. The severity of the prejudice, retaliation, and negligence toward my family does not capture the levity displayed by HOMS regarding the incidents BOTH my black sons of Egyptian and Jamaican descent experienced. ————————————— Incident #1: My kids were placed in a vehicle during pick-up and not one single person thought to ensure the safety of my kids by verifying the actual adult. When I brought this issue to their attention, I received excuses to justify how busy carpool can be especially as they iron out challenges in the beginning of the school year. Incident #2: My 2-year-old's dread loc was completely “combed out.” The school assured me there were no combs in the classroom so technically his hair wasn’t “combed out.” His hairstyle represents our connection to Africa, pride in our blackness, and a spiritual connection to God. When I brought the removal of his loc to their attention, it was explained that the staffer was ensuring his comfort for naptime by removing the sand trapped in his loc’d hair. I received an excuse by the lead teacher that she had no idea what his hair was. Incident #3: My family’s nanny had been accused of spanking my eldest in the parking lot of the school (and no, there are no cameras or video to support this allegation). This accusation was made by a 1st grader, whose mum initially stated she witnessed said spanking too. I incessantly questioned the mum through the Assistant Principal Colleen Crewey as this is a serious allegation. Colleen, on the other hand, was bothered by my need for data points on this fireable offense. Anna then began engaging with me taking questions to the mum that witnessed this spanking. Again, HOMS showed no concern for the welfare of my children when I asked questions. Instead, my questions were deemed too much by these women. The mum later admitted she had not seen anything as she was focused on driving. I was given a reminder of what is not allowed on the school’s premises. Incident #4: On January 6th, 2022, BOTH of my children were “released” from their contracts with HOMS. On December 15th, 2021 my eldest had been bullied then jumped by students (boy-girl twins) in his class. When he successfully defended himself against the twins, he was described as impulsive & aggressive. I was mandated to create an action plan for my eldest son’s teachers. I was told that part of my action plan needed to include him seeking medical attention to address his impulsivity and aggression. I spent my winter vacation chasing these mandates. Once submitted on January 6th, there was no discussion. Instead, my efforts and concern for my son were dismissed by HOMS. Both boys were released from contracts with HOMS. If this decision was intended to be a consequence for my eldest, then why was my youngest son released too? ————————————— Furthermore, if HOMS is “dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment while nurturing a child’s natural desire to learn, to teach valuable skills, and to instill the love of learning that will last for a lifetime,” why did staff allow my eldest son to be targeted and bullied by other children? Why did he fear going to school? Where was the nurturing? What valuable skill was taught by “releasing” my children? Where was the love of learning [about different hairstyles] when my son’s loc was being combed out? However, what does last a lifetime is the prejudice, retaliation, and negligence inflicted upon my family by Harbor Oaks Montessori School. I, like many other parents, want a safe learning environment for my children. I am even more cautious and cannot trust that my black sons will not be judged by the color of their skin by a school that encourages this type of behavior. I am also concerned for the children left behind and under the leadership of these 2 sisters. I KNOW my sons are not the first to experience this, and I am afraid they will not be the last."

"Harbour Oaks has been the change we needed for our son. The calibre of the staff and delivery of the Montessori approach are authentic and meticulous. Our son’s talents have emerged so quickly, and we are seeing an incredible transformation. His love of learning has re-emerged!"

"I am beyond thrilled with this school. My son has been thriving here. He's allowed to express his individuality, explore his own curiosities and solve his own problems. All of the staff care not only care about the child but the entire family, it is a community where we want not only the best for our children but their ability to be themselves. It was such a smooth transition for us and yes it takes trust in your child to take responsibility for their own education but in the end it's much more valuable. I only wish we found them sooner"

"Reasons why I love HOMS for my daughter •Every material she could want is available to her. I love looking around her class, into every tray. It doesn't matter if she uses a material once or once a day, I appreciate that she has the opportunity to experience, touch, explore so much. •Large windows, flowers, natural materials - Montessori classrooms are among the most beautiful I've ever seen. •Being surrounded by like-minded people. Books, blogs and emails offer so much but being surrounded in person by other Montessori parents is wonderful. •A love of learning is paramount. It's heart warming to see children so excited about learning, when she uses the moveable alphabet to spell out some words, it does not matter that they might be terribly incorrect, what matters is that she is excited and enthused by the material. With her enthusiasm the knowledge comes easier. •Cleanliness and order. I love that everything has it's place and it's the responsibility of the children to maintain the cleanliness and order of their class. So many children can be working each at a different table or on the floor, each doing their own activity and there is still order and calmness. •I love the freedom of movement. If a child is thirsty they can get a drink. It they need to visit the bathroom they can do so. No one is forced to sit still or has to ask to move around. •They are continually adapting the environment in order that the child may fulfill his greatest potential -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Most of all, HOMS is an extension of our home."

"After working in both public and private schools, I was horrified be the failures of the traditional (I hate this word since Montessori has been around for well over a century) education model. I knew that I had to find a better environment for my children. Harbour Oaks is a fantastic school that tailors the educational experience to each individual student. Multiple age groups in the classroom allows for guided peer education and reinforcement of both academic lessons and acceptable behavior. The ability to have a student soar in the subjects that they are interested in, while continuing to progress in the other disciplines. The teachers have unparalleled knowledge of the science behind learning, and present lessons for in differing ways for each type of learning style. If you have not had a chance to research Montessori education, I highly recommend spending the time. My children are eager to return each day to do their work; not because they are made to, but because they enjoy it."