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San Marino Montessori in San Gabriel, California

San Marino Montessori Detail

(626) 577-8007
444 South Sierra Madre Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91107
Levels: K-8
District: Private


San Marino Montessori Census Data

Census InfoValueYear

San Marino Montessori Ratings Summary

Average Quality Rating3
Average Principals Rating3
Average Teachers Rating3
Average Activities Rating4
Average Parents Rating3
Average Safety Rating3

San Marino Montessori Reviews

Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2010-03-29
“Too bad a preschool! My daughter stayed there for 4 weeks and cried all the time after she came back home. The teachers are not kind at all. Always left my daughter there alone, even for the first several days! I wanted to withdraw my daughter from the school, I had to pay 1 month full tuition plus 30% of all the remaining academic year!!! Watch out the contract!”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-12
“I can t believe how great of a dancer my little ballerina has become since we started letting her do ballet conservatory here at the Montessori. As soon as she shows other interest, we ll put her in the yoga program as well. She has such a passion for dancing and we are very thankful you offer it!”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-11
“We ve heard all the latest raves about Montessori schools and decided to give it a go with San Marino Montessori School for their kindergarten program. So far we re very happy with the choice everythings been really good.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-11
“This is one of the best schools around. I give the Montessori School 5 stars for their curriculum, different approach to teaching, and the amazing staff! Both of my children have excelled here and couldn t imagine going to a public school. We ve been telling all of our friends what an awesome place this is and hopefully word spreads like wild fire!”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-09
“They re able to communicate with parents and let them know when they see a problem. We have a nontraditional family and work a lot, so we need all of the help we can get and this school actually gives it to us without making us feel as if it is our fault.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-08
“Elementary is great very good teachers, kids are having fun. Don t know much about the preschool.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-07
“My little troublemakers love it here. They re high-energy kids, but they re doing great. I think most of their stuff had to do with the poor education system at their old school! That s not the case here at the Montessori School.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2010-02-05
“My son has been going to San Marino for the past year now. At first I didn t expect much because of this site in particular. Sure they have a nice looking campus, but looks aren t everything. There are plenty of other schools in the area with nice campuses. But you know its been amazing. The other schools around don t offer half the things San Marino has included with regular tuition. To be honest, I really don t understand how they are able to do everything for the tuition they charge. Nice after-school programs too. I don t really enjoy driving all over the place in the evenings so I m very grateful.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-04
“Teachers here seem to be able to give a lot of one-on-one attention. Had I chosen a public school, I know I wouldn t have these kinds of results this fast or this great.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2010-02-04
“I can t believe the changes I have seen in my twins in the short time since they ve been attending San Marino Montessori! As two children who seemed a little behind just a few months ago, my kids are now excelling. I like the individualized learning idea. It seems to make a big difference.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 2
Post Date:2009-01-24
“Unfortunately, the quality of this school has taken a downturn. The campus is not as well maintained as prior years, homework has dropped off significantly, and there is literally no communication between admin/teachers and parents about the program generally or about individual student performance. I worry about how my child will test this year. Office staff are generally unwelcoming and appear annoyed by parent inquiries. Afterschool classes are overpriced & very inconsistent with regard to quality. Instructors change frequently for some of the after school classes without notice to parents.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2008-06-17
“Both of my children went to San Marino Montessori for Pre-K and Kindergarten. My daughter, now in public school is at the TOP of her class. My son is about to enter public school and he too is showing signs of being at the TOP of his class. I will be forever grateful to SMM. If you want your kids to play in a sandbox all day this is not the school for you, but if you want their minds to be sharp, alert, responsive and capable of anything..... send them here. Thank you SMM. Sorry for the grief I gave you over minor things. What you did for my kids will serve them well their entire lives.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2008-06-10
“My job doesn t have a home-base and I get transferred to a new place every 2-3 years. I am never very sure about choosing a school, because I never know much about my new city. I met with the office for a tour and I knew this was the place for us. My daughter s attended this school for the last 6 months and is really happy here. She has made so many new friends. Compared to her earlier school, her test scores are much higher now. San Marino has a strong program and has so many extra activities for the students from in-house to their after school activities to field trips.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-06-09
“This is great. I was really worried about the negative reviews. I don t really believe everything online, but it can get to you after a while. It s nice to see that the school is having its parents post about their experiences. We ve enjoyed our time here too. We re leaving for Arizona in a few weeks, but we ve loved our time here.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-05-21
“From what I have seen since I have been working here, the children seem especially happy at san marino. They seem to form friendships and develop distinct personalities in a surprisingly mature fashion for children of such young ages. There are rarely serious issues, and certainly never in the classroom itself during the time I have taught. As far as the quality of education goes, I suppose I cannot speak for myself as a teacher, but I do find that I am held to a high standard of excellence by the students themselves, who arrive at my computer class so clever that I find myself unable at times to think of them with anything less than the utmost respect. I can only credit the other teachers at this school with fostering such cleverness in the children here.”
This review was posted by a teacher.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-05-20
“Our kids currently attend this school. We are very happy with the situation. The teachers are excellent and we recently had a minor dispute, which the administration handled admirably. We hope to keep both of them in this school until junior high.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-05-20
“A friend recommend this school to me and its just been fantastic. It s sad to see all the negative stuff on here, but we haven t run into any of it. We have one more on the way, and we re already talking to the school about saving a spot for him/her (we don t know yet!) Our son who is attending loves the teachers, and cries when we try to take him home! We re so happy we ve had such a wonderful experience with a school. We were so scared at first to put him in a center. We talked about me staying home with him for a few more years, but this was the best decision we could have made.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-05-19
“My son attends this school at the elementary level. I have seen much improvement in all areas, particularly the language. He receives extra help from the aide in his classroom, who is a credentialed teacher. I am surprised at the comments from people who say they are so unhappy. I have been very pleased with San Marino Montessori.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2007-09-26
“My son went to this school for 4 years from age 2-6. The preschool education was of very high quality. The teachers were dedicated, and most children began reading at age 4 and were well-prepared by the time they enter 1st grade or kindergarten. The education above 1st grade was more uneven and very teacher-dependent. The school and teachers allow gifted children to work at their own appropriate level so they can remain challenged. This is a big plus since most schools are quite rigid in this regard. Music and Spanish are regular part of kindergarten curriculum, and Fench was added in 1st grade. The teachers are very caring and receptive to suggestions.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-05-13
“Parents reading postings on this web-site should be aware that one of these negative posters has been repeating the same post for many months, leading me to believe the poster could be an unscrupulous competitor. The charges are absolutely preposterous. To say that children are not taught to respect others is just laughable. It really is a lie, and anyone visiting this blog should realise this. If parents would just visit our school and see for themselves, they will know what I mean. And if this person is real, please, let them call us and tell us. We are completely accessible as administrators in the school. Otherwise, I take it for granted that they are not authentic, and so should everyone else. The unfortunate thing about internet blogs etc., is that there is just no oversight as to the authenticity of these things. This is a wonderful, well-run school.”
This review was posted by a other.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2008-05-09
“My daughter has been going to SMM for years and is now enter junior high. She has enjoyed growing up with her classmates. And it is nice to see the montessori pricinples being used daily.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2008-05-05
“My daughter currently attends San Marino Montessori School. She loves going to school everyday and very happy with her teachers and playmates. she has improved her language skills and social skills. We are excited for kindergarten next year.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2008-04-10
“it is true that there is less communication between teachers, adminstration and parents, but on the other hand there are few teacher in san marino montessori who are real good. those teacher give quality education. parents need to come together and talk to adminstration about their problems, rather then complaining. let the office know what you all go through. don't complain about teacher, it seems they are also under pressure.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2008-03-22
“I do not understand all of the negative press this school is getting. Our son has been going to pre-school at SMM for over 2 years and he is doing great. The only issue I agree with is the somewhat high turnover of teachers but that seems to have settled recently as I think the administration was made very well aware of that concern. I have always felt the administration was quite helpful when I brought issues of concern to their attention. I think a lot has to do with the approach the parents take. Our current teachers are wonderful and all of the daycare teachers know our son as well and are very kind and warm. The school is very clean and I have not encountered an overcrowding issue. Most importantly, our son is learning, thriving and most often doesn't want to leave at the end of the day.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 3
Post Date:2008-03-09
“Not Bad, when my son switched schools to a different private, catholic school he was ahead in math and Spanish. Good as a lower grade school but a little iffy on the upper side. Admin us distant but friendly if you can get a hold of them.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-01-22
“As a parent I thought I should share my experiences so that others can benefit. My son has been attending San Marino Montessori from the age of three. Now he has been in school for almost 3 years. The teachers have given him love and care and he's so socially and emotionally stable. The atmosphere has given him amazing progress academically. His reading level is high and now he even tries to read the newspaper. I write these few line in appreciation of the good work done by San Marino school. Keep it up. Cheers!”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2008-01-07
“My children attended San Marino Montessori School for two years. My sons are now ages 12 and 13. They went to SMM for preschool through first grade. The amazing thing is that at 12 and 13 they are still asking me if they could go back. There are several things that they talk about when they recall their experience. The first and most striking is that they felt as though their time spent in the classroom was actually fun and not work. When ever we drive past the school they still beg me to go inside and visit their old teachers. Sometimes we pop by and I let them play on the playground after school hours. I believe that San Marino Montessori creates a safe, nurturing, dynamic atmosphere for children in which they can rise to their fullest potential.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2007-11-08
“Both my children attend San Marino and it is fine. They have tested well - and have had quite a bit of homework every year. As for materials fees, etc... the equipment and supplies used by the school are in good shape and/or new. The teachers are caring and the 'extras' offered (yoga, art, chinese, magic) quite good.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2007-11-07
“Although the price is OK, what parents are getting out of the school is not. You pay this enormous 'supply' fee but never did my child come home with homework. While the teachers were 'OK,' the Administration made our lives miserable. Beware and don't send your kids to this school.....”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2007-11-01
“My son has attended this school for 4 years, we are happy with the schoolas are most of the parents that we talk. I was therefore pretty shocked to read some of the negative comments posted. The cost for the quality of education is actually quite reasonable at $600/ month including daycare before & after school. Some of my friends pay more for academic education that is far less vigorous than provided by this school. The classrooms are not overcrowded. There are one teacher and one assistant teacher for maximum 28 children, a reasonable ratio. The class size get much smaller in the grade level. It's true that there was a high level of teacher turn over in the past year which has been resolved. However, the administration did not handle its relationship with parents well when parents voiced concern about the turnover rate, which would explain the negative comments.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2007-10-21
“I work in the administration of this organization. Each parent who has ever come to me with an issue has had my undevided attention. If there was a workable solution we found it together.”
This review was posted by a teacher.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2007-10-20
“Anyone can go visit the school and see that their classrooms are over crowded. The teachers seem tired and overworked. The administration staff and how the director runs the school is quiet unpleasant.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2007-10-18
“This school has been here for over 30 years, and year after year students go out and do extremely well in their continuing education. Please check the school out for yourself!”
This review was posted by a other.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2007-10-18
“You know, I just read some of these reviews. There can be quite a few children as long as they are in ratio. I've never seen this 'overcrowding' situation in the classrooms my kids are in. If you want a good private school education for your kids, it does cost. Small private schools do so much for the children.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2007-05-01
“Horrible experience! Over crowed classes. I pay for art classes for my son and he hardly gets picked up for the class. Administration makes poor decisions.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2007-04-19
“During my daughter's 1.5 years there in 2 pre-school classes, the impression I got about the teachers was that they were over-worked and under-paid. They let their frustration out on the poor little 2-3 year-olds. I frequently heard them raising their voices at the more active ones when I dropped off my child late. The facility is not that great neither. I pulled my child as soon as there was opening at her current school for which she had been on waiting list.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2007-04-06
“Absolutely terrible school. Inadequate student-teacher ratio, little instruction, poor supervision. They care only about money. You can do much better for your child.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2007-04-05
“Please don't waste your tuition money. Ask the parents at the school or ask the ratio of returning students. Seems like this school is in it for the money not education from K-5 experience. School owner is very detached with respect to working with parents. They don't want parents to communicate or get involved.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2007-02-12
“My daughter attended the SMMS preschool program for 4 months and our experience with them was horrible. She had attended another school before we moved to Pasadena so we had valid comparisons. They were too busy paying attention to the 'problem' kids. They have a great website and good tour but do not deliver.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 3
Post Date:2006-12-15
“I moved my child from a highly rated public school to SMMS. At first I was happy but 4 months into the program I feel I have been gravely mislead. I belive in Montessori teaching and like the teachers but the school needs some serious help and the Admin. is unhelpful.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 5
Post Date:2006-09-23
“My 3 children attended Montessori. We are very happy with the results. They have been very well prepared. We have recently joined a high ranking public school district and my children are ahead and above the rest. Montessori believes in helping children academically go as far as he/she can. There are no boundaries to keep them from moving onto the next grade or book. Instructors work closely with their students and really try to get to know and understand them. They teach discipline and tolerance. The preschool and elementary levels are excellent value for the price! However, the 2-year old class is crowded and needs to be split with another lead instuctor. Afterschool activities are wonderful and convenient for working parents. The Christmas and Spring shows are beautifully done. Core subjects are taught, but the curriculum also includes Spanish, French, computer, dance, piano/music at every level. We recommend this school highly.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2005-11-10
“I love the school. People here are loving and wonderful. It is a very culturally diversed school that I feel that my child can learn more not only academically but also culturally”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2005-11-01
“I looked long and hard before selecting this school for my daughter. Its not perfect but for the price range ($5,500 a year) I thought it was by far the best option--there are better schools out there but their tuition is two or three times more. We have had great luck with her teachers--and she has done really well. I particularly like the enrichment activities that are offered both during and afterschool--for a small school, I think they have done an excellent job expanding the curriculum. That said, there is no parental involvement--and I usually get the feeling that the school would really rather that we didn't exist--just drop your kids and your tuition at the door. This can be very difficult when problems arise.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2005-05-18
“The San Marino School has a lot of programs available for children such as Chinese, French, Yoga, Dance, Painting. Children in the daycare program are very well taken care of. My kid enjoys going to school everyday. In addition, the summer program presents kids with diverse activities that are designed to educate and entertain. I am very happy with this school and with the possibilities of education, without the stress, that it offers my kid.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 2
Post Date:2005-02-12
“Our son attended school here and we are pulling him out because of trust, cleanliness, and quality of the teachers and aids. The class was disorganized. It was more of a nursery (fun environment for our son to play) more than a school. It was definitely not an organized and clean classroom. It was very dissapointing.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 1
Post Date:2004-11-08
“This school is great for preschool and early elementary for montessori manipulatives, languages and well-rounded education. Anything beyond first grade is iffy at best with high turnaround teaching staff and no hands on teaching tools. Administration is difficult.”
This review was posted by a parent.
Quality Score: 4
Post Date:2004-07-29
“Wonderful school, great curriculum. Avoid at all costs having to interact with the head director. She always seems to be in the middle of a meeting, so take a number and wait a few days until its finished.”
This review was posted by a parent.

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