It’s taken me about a year and a half to process our experience at Castle Island Montessori. Our son attended for less than a month and we made a mutual decision to pull him from the school as they lacked the staffing and resources to help him grow. We were struggling with some additional needs primarily speech delay and difficulty adjusting to the classroom milieu. On multiple occasions we were told he wouldn’t be able to attend the day due to teacher absence and his day was shortened even though we were paying for full day in addition to both morning and after care. We accepted and adjusted trying to believe in their method. They never bothered to contact his previous childcare provider or speech therapist that could have provided insight in working with our son. What was particularly heartbreaking was that our son, with his limited speech, would cry in the morning, “I can’t do it!” The reimbursement we received was a pittance in comparison to what was provided. They had not one good thing to say about our 4 yr old child. He simply did not fit in to their model. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After this we were able to find a public education supported program and he has simply flourished. Not once has he been described the way the staff as Castle Island did. Quite the contrary actually. He is now a happy kindergarten student who loves school, talks a mile a minute, is starting to read, and is surrounded by teachers with the right experience, patience, and dedication. He knows he is wanted. Don’t underestimate public education. We should not have.
My daughter attended from Sept. 2022 till March when we were abruptly kicked out. Rules were changed specifically for me as a parent: not allowed to go inside, not allowed to speak/email kiddo's teacher. I paid tuition late, and without notice my kid was "suspended" -- an email was sent around 5pm on a weekday saying she was suspended effective immediately for non-payment. I made a payment that evening.
We were kicked out because I was told via email, we had come in late once during the week and tuition was reveived on March 2 instead of March 1. We reveived and email on Friday that week, at 5pm, notifying us were were kicked out.
My kid was out of school for 3 weeks. None of the kids even had the chance to say goodbye, my kid was very upset as were many others in the class.
I have been inquiring since Oct. 2022 because I did not see amy Spanish immersion and ver little work being done. 1 hr recess, 30 min lunch, afternoon "quiet time." I was also a parent volunteer for a few months and got to see and realize that there is lack of staffing, a few teachers are still working on their certification and do their work during school hours, a couple have V1 visas and are temporary. There is a heavy focus on saving money, even when parents pay tuition. Parents are asked for donations like office supplies, bei parent volunteers -- now I can see it is all about saving money.
My daughter is now so behind other 3rd graders, I will need to get her a tutor to help her and make sure she is ready to move on.
The achool does not recognize any celebrations - not even Spanish ones! I was very clear when I met with the Director about wanting to switch to the school for the sole reason of spanish immersion. I was falsely lured and then when I have been complaining and asking to see what the daily learning lesson plan was, got kicked out.
The Chair for the Board of Trustees is the Executive Director's father. So there is no real oversight.
Even after we were kicked out, I was told I owe for termination fees.