The Children's Workshop Montessori School

My two children (now in their young twenties) attended the Workshop when they were in pre-K and K. In the years since their time there, our family has talked on countless occasions about their transformative experiences in this wonderful school. After just a few hours each day, my boys came home with more knowledge, foundational experiences, and skills than I could ever have imagined. Sometimes they'd come home excitedly describing to me some great painters of the Renaissance period; other times they'd be proud to have graduated to the next reading level. In the close-knit environment of the Workshop, they made dear friends (several remain friends to this day), and every teacher knew every student extremely well. In the world of pre-schools, there can be very loose programming, very strict programming, and other varieties of vibes and school cultures. What we loved so much about the Workshop was that the founder, Kate Birtwell, ran a tight ship with rules and expectations about behavior, but one that was filled with warmth, compassion, and a group of teachers (including Kate and her daughter—the current director, Jill) who so clearly wanted to be there. Interactions my children had over their combined years there are still relevant to them to this day. I communicate regularly with one of the wonderful (now retired) teachers (Linda) who made such a difference in my boys' lives. And my younger son had a special bond with Jill, who was able to teach him in a way that made him excited to get up and go to school. To this day, the Children's Workshop stands out as the best choice we could possibly have made to give our kids an incredible introduction to school. It was a phenomenal place, and years later we still drive by and get overwhelmed by the good memories. Thank you Kate Birtwell for founding this special place, thank you to the teachers we still miss, and thank you Jill for continuing the legacy.

The Children’s Workshop Montessori School in Marblehead was the perfect start to my daughter’s educational journey. The teachers, the environment, and the Montessori methods come together to create a secure, engaging, and fun place for children to explore their potential and follow their natural curiosity. Children are given the space to develop projects over time, return to them, and take pride in their progress. The teachers model kindness, patience, and respect, creating a community where children learn not just reading and writing, but how to be thoughtful, capable people. And the addition of Spanish enriches the curriculum and helps children develop language skills and cultural awareness early on. My daughter spent three years at the Children’s Workshop and left the school not only with strong reading and writing skills for her entry into First grade, but also with confidence, a strong sense of herself, and lasting friendships. Do not hesitate to visit the Children’s Workshop and learn more about what makes it a magical first school for any child.

The Children’s Workshop has been the perfect school for our family. Our oldest was quite shy when she first started, but the dedicated and personalized teaching helped build her confidence and truly bring her out of her shell—she is now thriving in first grade. Two of our three children have attended so far, and they both absolutely loved going to school every day. There is a deep level of care from the staff and a wonderful sense of community, not only for the kids but for the parents as well. We are so grateful for the fantastic academic and social foundation they provided.

We are incredibly lucky to have a school like Children’s Workshop here in Marblehead. It is everything you expect from a great preschool: warm, beautiful, enriching, and supportive. But it is so much more. After three years at the Workshop, our children were reading fluently, writing in their journals, and practicing multiplication and division skills. It wasn’t just that they were doing all of this at such a young age, but also that they were taking so much pleasure in the process. Their experiences, always customized and developmentally appropriate, became the foundation for a love of learning that has lasted ever since. They couldn’t wait to go to school each morning, and they came home each afternoon talking nonstop about everything from composers to types of birds and flowers, historical figures, painters, great thinkers, geography, government, and so much more. They learned to give public presentations, to shake hands and make eye contact, to practice good table manners, to be kind to friends, to clean up after themselves, and even to speak Spanish. And there was also plenty of time for independent play and outdoor activities. Children’s Workshop is an incredibly special community, for students and families alike. Our children, now in their teens and early twenties, benefitted tremendously from their preschool experiences, and we are so grateful to all of the Workshop teachers over the years. This school has been a gift to our family.

We absolutely love the Children’s Workshop. Our children adore their teachers and truly see it as a second family. The teachers are kind, thoughtful, and incredibly attentive, and they do a wonderful job nurturing each child’s individual personality and interests, something that means everything when you have multiples. Communication is excellent, and we’re always grateful for the small, meaningful observations they share about our children’s growth. Our kids attend both the morning program and after-school enrichment and are thriving. They love coming home to teach us new songs and tell us about their days. The teachers are so creative and all holidays are celebrated with history and fun! We wouldn’t consider sending them anywhere else and plan to stay all three years. Highly recommended!!