Stepping Stones Montessori School

Stepping Stones is an awesome school and community made up of great people. The amazing guides and staff are individuals who are dedicated to teaching full Montessori philosophy. I am grateful for all they do and it is inspiring to see how much they care about my children.

It's hard for me to articulate how much this school has meant to our son and family. He attended from 1st grade through 8th grade. It's an incredibly special community of awesome staff, involved and dedicated Board of Trustees, and lovely families. The staff's kids attend there, the Trustees' kids are there, and the grandchildren of founding families too. It's a supportive and loving partnership focused on your child(ren) and their development, not just a letter grade. Montessori education is science-based, time-tested, and around the world (and growing) for good reasons. And Stepping Stones is an authentic Montessori school. We tell everyone we know in West MI to schedule a tour and see how beautiful the rooms are, as they're cared for by the kids; how exceptional, caring and respectful the staff is by modeling grace and courtesy and expecting the same of the kids; and seeing the investment the community is making by expanding to middle school at a beautiful farm in Ada. My son has made lifelong friendships, transitioned well to high school, and now is in college. He is confident in himself, adaptable, eager to learn new things, kind and empathetic. We know that Stepping Stones played a huge role in his development and we will forever be fans and supporters!

Stepping Stones is a special place. After moving from Chicago where our daughter attended a Montessori school, we sought the same in Michigan. We found a home at SSMS, beginning in second grade and staying through 9th. The teachers are incredible, gifted, kind humans. The students are avid learners who develop into responsible, considerate citizens. The parent-caregiver community is supportive and extensive. We drove 45 minutes each way every day for years to be a part of this learning environment. Obviously, Montessori has to be a good fit for the student. But if you have or know a child that is curious, creative, and motivated, you won’t find a better school. The elementary program is intimate with so much attention given to each kid and where friendships blossom. The middle school is just amazing—a place where the kids grow and explore and mature. They get to be leaders and to learn skills that most high schoolers never acquire. Self-management, study techniques, research, writing… Our daughter went off to high school (City High) with everything she needed to blossom in a bigger setting. I’ve always believed the best investment I can make in my kids is their education. After they leave home, they chart their own path. But as a parent, I know I have laid the foundation by sending our kid to SSMS. Check it out, and you’ll find where you belong.

We love SSMS. There are lots of reasons why you should consider sending your child(ren) here: The first reason is found in the name of the school. Stepping stones are the purchase by which we cross obstacles. It’s a plural noun. No worthy obstacle can get be crossed with a single stepping stone! Like each stone leads to the next, each year of Montessori education builds upon the next. This series of steps – this process – shapes not just the soul of the child, but the little synapses and paths that shoot electrons across their brain. The process of learning creates bridges and paths through the matter of the brain, joining the various parts of the mind together to make a well-rounded learner: a scientist who can communicate well; a doctor with compassion; an artist who can analyze; a judge who can interpret, and leaders who can see both the forest and the trees. Our desire for our son to have a mind like Di Vinci, comfortable in acquiring all kinds of knowledge is why we chose Montessori and why we continue to choose Montessori: The process isn’t complete. If we stop now, there are a billion synapses that may never fire and trigger something indefinable in our son so when he seeks “the what”, he will also seek “the why.” The other reason we are glad to have chosen SSMS for our child is based on what I see every day in my professional career. I’m sure we’ve all worked with men and women – brilliant in their fields – who lack the thing. That “thing” changes from person to person, but sometimes they have trouble putting their brilliant ideas into writing. They can heal a person’s malady but are cold and slow to listen. They can participate in meetings but are prone to be prickly and wear poorly on their colleagues and customers. Think about your bosses and peers! Some of them are probably hard to work with. They may be brilliant but stubborn. Creative but indecisive. Think about the new people in your company who are young and ambitious but can’t string an email together to explain simple concepts and their Excel charts make dog’s meat of infographics. We all have those people in our professional and personal lives. And while we might not consider it, we already know that they are not products of Montessori education; they are the products of a system that is designed to satisfy everything except the minds of our children. We want our son to be a person-in-full, balanced intellectually and spiritually. We believe that the longer we attend a Montessori school, the more developed our son will become and when he goes out into the world, the people with whom he studies and works will understand the value of a Montessori education.

Stepping Stones Montessori has been an incredible gift to our family. All three of my children attend, and each one has thrived in ways that speak to the school’s nurturing environment, exceptional educators, and deeply thoughtful approach to learning. From the moment you walk through the doors, you feel the warmth of a true community—one where every child is seen, respected, and encouraged to grow at their own pace. The teachers are extraordinary. They meet each child where they are, balancing gentle guidance with the freedom to explore and discover. I’ve watched my kids develop not only strong academic skills, but also independence, confidence, empathy, and a genuine love of learning. The classrooms are beautifully prepared, inspiring curiosity and fostering both collaboration and self-direction. I’ll also add that the head of school, Jan, is a true rockstar. Having taught at SSMS for 20 years prior to assuming the HoS role, she’s a true servant leader who can be found in classrooms, coaching teachers, grabbing coffees with families who want to get to know her better, or even shoveling snow or handling carline. You don’t see that at any other school. What sets Stepping Stones apart is the whole-child approach—valuing not just what children learn, but who they become. My kids come home excited to share what they’ve done each day, and I can see the ripple effect of their experiences here in how they think, problem-solve, and treat others. I can say without hesitation that Stepping Stones Montessori has been one of the best decisions and investments we’ve made for our children’s education and development. It is a school that truly partners with families to help children flourish, and we feel grateful every single day to be part of this remarkable community.