Silver Spruce Montessori School

We love Silver Spruce! The teachers are knowledgeable, experienced, caring, and involved. They put a lot of thought into the curriculum, which really addresses the full breadth of child development. We have noticed marked improvement in a variety of areas, such as fine motor, gross motor, and social skills. We appreciate the amount of time spent outdoors and the Montessori approach to learning, with an emphasis on autonomy. The facilities are excellent- a large outdoor area with plants, grass, and trees, a playground, goats, and a spacious classrooms in an old farmhouse. The learning materials are also high quality- lots of wood rather than plastic. Our kiddo has really flourished here.

This school is a gem! Everyone involved is truly committed to the mission here. Maria Mihopoulos, the owner of the school, is a life long Montessori student and has done the absolute best at picking what I believe to be angels walking this Earth to be part of this amazing place. My son's teachers are not only fully provided and equipped with the resources and training needed to create such a beautiful learning environment, but are people that truly care for these kids. Not to mention the school itself is a very clean, cozy and welcoming place. The playground is big with climbing structures, mud kitchen and goats. THEY HAVE GOATS. My son loooves these goats so much. They are kept separate from the kids at all times but the kids are welcome to feed them through the fence that separates them from the goats. Music, yoga, outdoor exploring... This school delivers!

Silver Spruce is an absolute gem of a school. And I mean "school" in every sense of the word - from the top-notch planning and organization from the administration to the meticulously planned environments, lessons and enrichment for the children. We visited Silver Spruce when our 3yo was in a different Montessori school that severely lacked in administration, which trickled down into the classrooms (high teach and admin turnover, lack of proper coverage, visibly burnt out teachers, etc). Silver Spruce is the complete opposite of that and it was love at first sight. 1) the campus! As a certified Nature Explore Classroom school, Silver Spruce boasts a dream of an outdoor space. It's large and extends well beyond playground structures to include intentional gardening, GOATS - yes, GOATS! - mud kitchen, a "building station" with natural materials, and room for children to play, learn, and explore. 2) the owner! We knew we wanted a locally-owned and run school with hands-on leadership. The Head of School is a lifelong Montessorian with an impressive education background. She's an awesome and relatable human being, and she has built an amazing team. To say we were impressed is an understatement. Our second visit, with our son, sealed the deal for us with music class. Silver Spruce is serious about their enrichment programs, and it's a huge differentiator. At 3yo, our son enjoys music class and yoga. Next year, he'll have other choices, such as science, engineering, and arts-centric classes - not to mention the Explorer program for kindergarten-aged Montessorians! Finally, the *heart and soul* of every child's school experience: the teachers. Loving and dedicated early childhood education professionals exist everywhere, but at Silver Spruce, I really believe they are exceptional. The dedicated and *well-supported* Montessori Guides at Silver Spruce are experienced and empowered to nurture the children's curiosity, guide their learning, exploration, and instill in them the spirit of being lifelong joyful, independent learners. Our son is *blossoming* at Silver Spruce. We feel so lucky to be part of this community where the children's experience is truly at the center of it all and careful preparation is the standard in everything they do. Silver Spruce is unmatched - schedule a tour and see for yourself! PS - goats. they have goats. REAL GOATS! PPS - no one beats their weekly-themed summer program. PPPS - no one paid me to write this. I seriously love them so much.

We have loved having our kids at Silver Spruce Montessori School and have had great experiences in both the children’s house and toddler programs. The teachers are warm and loving, allowing the children to grow and thrive, building independence in a supportive environment. The setting is unlike any other preschool in the area, with a home-like building and large outdoor space with gardens, mud kitchen, and real live goats! A highlight for my oldest was “Forest Thursdays”, learning with her classmates and teachers in the woods. I highly recommend Silver Spruce for anyone looking for a high quality early childhood program.

My daughter started at silver spruce as a toddler and she is now in the kindergarten program. When we first started it was important to me to feel like I was dropping my child off to a family member and she was being constantly challenged. She can’t wait to get out of the car in the morning and is upset when we miss school due to appointments. I couldn’t ask for a better school. The favorite parts of silver spruce as described by our daughter: 1. Playground (goats!!!) 2. Being able to pick her work 3. Forest Thursdays