Testimonials

Jill, mother of a middle school student

"We are so glad to be part of the Headwater Hills Montessori School family. Recently our 7yr old son was entering second grade and we wanted to make sure that we found a school where he could enjoy the freedom to make many of his own decisions and be encouraged to follow his passions. The following were some of our criteria when searching for a school:

• Kind and supportive faculty members who have a calling to help kids grow
• A balance between classroom learning, sports and regularly scheduled extra curricular activities
• A low student to teacher ratio and open communication with all teachers
• An outdoor space that fosters a love of nature

Headwater Hills Montessori School met all our criteria and we couldn't be happier with our decision. Kids spend so much of their prime time years in school and it gives us an enormous amount of peace of mind in knowing that we picked the best one for our son. Now, if only we could do something about the 40min drive each way...but it's still worth it for us!

I think the HHMS slogan sums it up best, "Be who you are and become who you were meant to be." That's what we want for our child.

Bridge and Mary, parents of one Elementary child

"We are grateful that we found Headwater Hills Montessori School for our son. He started the Middle School this September. We believe that teachers make a difference in creating a successful learning environment. When we had the chance to observe Nancy's (who is the principal and middle school teacher of the school) teaching in action, we knew that we found the right school for our son. Nancy is sensitive, observant and kind, while taking charge whenever necessary. There is a bond between her and her students. The fostered learning environment is nurturing, supportive, engaging, safe and bullying-free. We witnessed how our son was being challenged in a supportive way - giving a speech at the Literary Tea for the first time in his life! Nancy was standing in front of him at the auditorium, helping him to focus and relax. Three months at the school, our son has been given numerous experiences and opportunities. He just discovered another interest - squash. We can't wait to see what other adventures and discoveries await our son facilitated at Headwater Hills Montessori School." 

Lin and Ivan, parents of one middle school child

"As the parent of 3 children who are currently attending Headwaters Hills Montessori I could not be happier with the level of education they are receiving, but just as important the character they have been building in my children. They have built their confidence to levels that far exceed what I had as a child, through regular opportunities to take part in public speaking, music, theatre as well as building important social skills, and their ability to care for others, and support for their fellow classmates. The teachers regularly go above and beyond through their efforts to expose my kids to different experiences such as overnight trips, and numerous field trips from farming to theatre. They have been given the opportunity to try many different sports including skating, climbing, gymnastics, karate, the list goes on. I am confident that my kids will leave this school with a high level of education as well as the life skills to help them be successful in the future."

Alistair, dad of two elementary and one middle school child

"We had our daughter with other full time early childhood care and development before choosing Headwater Hills Montessori School. Our only regret is not starting her at age 2 instead of age 4. Even with her relatively late entry she has thrived more in her first 6 weeks than all the time spent in her previous program. She is now able to write her name, count to 20 in English and count to 10 in French. We feel completely secure when we drop her off each day, knowing that she will have the best care that is nurturing, patient and professional. What we love most is the positive and engaging interactions that we have witnessed between the staff and our daughter. This is important because these are crucial years whereby our daughter is developing mentally, emotionally and behaviorally. As two working parents, we have limited amount of time to influence our daughter, helping her to reach her full potential. We have confidence in the staff at Headwater Hills Montessori and feel that they will teach our daughter the skills that she requires, helping her to overcome any challenges or obstacles she may face in her development."

Donna and David, parents of 4 year old Casa student

"At this school, they are more than just teachers. They treat our children as if they are their own"

Lisa, mom of a 3 year old Casa student

"It amazes us constantly how our girls retain the new things they learn! The hands on experiential learning at Headwater Hills makes a significant impact on how they learn and retain the new information. We never get the "I don't know answer" to the question "What did you do today?". Their response is a long run down of the day's accomplishments! This enthusiasm along with the individual approach to each child's learning style and pace and the excellent teaching staff, make it the ideal place for our kids to learn and grow."

Tara and Ed, parents of 2 elementary students

"Our son is four years old, and he is excited to attend school everyday! Thanks to the dedication of the owner, principal and teachers, we are happy that our child is able to experience the joy of learning in an environment where he feels safe and comfortable. Their method of teaching certainly works. We continue to be impressed with his achievements as he continues in the Elementary program!" 

Velisa, mom of a 4 year old Casa student, now an Elementary student

"What I love about the Headwater Hills Montessori School is the feeling of family ... of safety and trust when I walk away after dropping my 3 kids off every morning. I have peace, contentment and joy in knowing that they are getting the best possible care and education, and that is invaluable to me."

Sarah, mom of a 3 year old Casa student

"Over the last number of years we have seen our son blossom as a result of his experiences at Headwater Hills. His exposure to the varied program of arts at the school have kindled an interest in music. The drama productions have seen him have the confidence to handle increasingly more challenging roles on stage as well as writing and directing school productions. The natural environment of the school grounds have allowed him to learn how to organize and play in an unstructured environment. Intellectually the varied and challenging curriculum has allowed his critical thinking skills to grow to the point where he will be more than ready to make the transition to high school. Headwater Hills does a superb job at helping create well rounded students who are ready to face the challenges of the 21st century."

Jamie, father of a grade 7 student

"Our children had their true love of learning formed in their years at Montessori. I can't say enough about the benefits of this individualized approach to education."

Julie, parent of a graduated student

"We knew we'd found the right place for our child the moment we walked into the open house with our pre-schooler.  There was an immediate sense of calm in the Montessori environment, and our typically shy daughter became engaged in an activity right away with gentle guidance from the teacher. Now, 11 years later, our timid pre-schooler is a graduate of Headwater Hills School, and is a confident and self-assured student at the local high school. The school's strong focus on hands-on, active learning has been an extremely good fit for our second child too. Our exuberant boy thrives on the opportunities to "think with his hands" each day. Thanks to the teachers at Headwater Hills School and the Montessori learning environment, both of our children love to learn. With this foundation in place there is nothing they cannot achieve."

Elizabeth & Bruce, parents of a graduated student and middle school student

"How big a priority is the transformation of a young child to a well adjusted, self-confident young adult?  If you are the parent, it is huge!  There is likely no greater legacy that I will want to leave when I look back upon my life as the happy lives, the character and the contributions of our children.  Do my wife and I want to give them the tools that they will need to navigate this ever-changing world?  Desperately so.  Do we feel it is one of our biggest challenges as parents?  Without question, yes.   Simply put, the development of our children in their formative years is a life priority for us and something that 'truly matters', as opposed to so much in today's world that doesn't.  What we truly value in HHMS is that choosing to send our children there is about so much more than simply 'education'.  It is about truly having an impact on the development of our children's character, their self-confidence, their decision-making, their awareness of the world around them, their communication skills, their tolerance and embrace of diversity... this is far more than simply educating our children (which also happens spectacularly as it turns out), this is about helping them grow into wonderful people.

And it is clear that, in the teachers of HHMS, we have 'partners' that we can talk to about anything.  That is not just 'talk', the small class sizes truly enable this to occur.  Sure, my wife and I are committed to being the best parents at home that we can be, yet anyone who is a parent knows that it takes more than one influence to transform a child into a contributing, engaged young adult.  HHMS teachers partner with my wife and me, as they do with all parents, into actively 'knowing and caring' about our child's development.  And, to be frank and honest, the teachers at HHMS are very good at making sure our well-intentioned parent interests don't work at cross purposes with developing self-confident independent young children.  Boundaries are set for all of us parents that turn out to be very beneficial for every child's development in terms of allowing each child to begin and increasingly take on personal responsibilities, from putting their coats away to initiating their work cycle.  As parents without a Montessori background, it took us awhile to adjust, but it took our kids no time at all.  They love the responsibilities they are given and that they are treated as 'contributors' early on.

Lastly, I would say that I truly value and appreciate the sheer joy and enthusiasm that my kids have every day, both going to school, and also coming home from school.  Every child is different I realize, but we have had three very different children spend a number of years at HHMS and I can honestly say every day they are excited to go to school.  And more times than not, they come home with a rush of excitement, pride and blossoming self-confidence in the activities they have done, and the new things they have learned.   We all hear that, ideally, learning should be a joy and a process of 'discovery'.  Well, at HHMS it is.  And I firmly believe it is because of the environment that the HHMS teachers create, the positive friendships our children develop, and the self-confidence that their 'work' fosters within them.  I believe that a child will never develop as well as when they are happy, secure, confident, challenged and their interests can be engaged.  HHMS continues to do that for all of our children, and I truly feel that our many efforts and our good 'parent intentions' at home are being reinforced and our kids simply could not be at a better place." 

John and Kirsti Burnside, parents of 3 students (Casa and Elementary)

"A priority for me was that my son be in a caring, nurturing environment where he could learn and develop without feeling threatened.  I was impressed with the attention that you (Nancy), Fran and Anne initially gave our situation back in the summer of 2012 when I was making decisions on where to send Carter. And have been equally impressed with the care that Carter has received since enrolling in September.  I noticed an increase in Carter's ability to attend and follow direction at home and other adults have commented on how 'mature' he has become since September.  My original intention was to have him in your school for one year to prepare him for JK in a mainstream program and I have decided to keep him at Headwater Hills for at least his JK year because the program and teachers have served him so well." 

Lea, mother of Casa 3 year old

"It is my privilege to volunteer at Headwater Hills Montessori School, to witness first-hand the dedication of the staff and the effectiveness of the program. Having taught in various school settings over a couple decades, I can appreciate the quality of education offered at HHMS. Here, children develop in confidence and life skills as well as being prepared for academic success. The Montessori program lays the foundation. Headwater Hills Montessori School staff build upon it by respecting distinctive learning styles, abilities and pace. This is where I would want my children."

Roger Kenyon, Ph.D, school volunteer at Headwater Hills Montessori School