Reviews of Sunstone Montessori School (Kindergarten)

Milo Close

I brought my son to Sunstone after he had issues with bullying in the public school he was attending. From the day of the interview on, he has felt valued and safe in this environment. He is thriving in the format of the teaching as his creativity has blossomed. I am so grateful for the privilege of having my child attend this school.

Jennifer Wells

We love Sunstone Montessori School. Prior to entering first grade this fall, our son spent the last five years at the Helen Gorden Center at PSU, a Reggio Emilio inspired pre-school and kindergarten program that serves as the lab school for the Graduate School of Education. We have found that many of the Reggio pedagogical practices and theories of education are very congruent with that of Montessori education and that, our son is making a very smooth and natural transition between the programs. The guides (teachers) are absolutely wonderful, not only with the children but also with the parents. They inspire in the children a sense of self-confidence and wonder, which are foundational attributes for learning. The methodologies used in the classroom allow for students to learn core content as well as follow their own inspiration to pursue their curiosities and passions for exploration and discovery. On the very first day of school, my son came home and said that it was the best day of his life! The next day he wisely said, "Mom, it was a good day, but every day can't be the best day." I feel so blessed to have found a school that rises to the occasion of meeting the needs of my young philosopher! As a teacher educator with a doctorate in education, I feel well qualified to recommend Sunstone Montessori as a wonderful learning environment for children and families. The Sunstone community is able to provide what we wish that all public schools were able to provide to all children. With such a model in place contributing to the vital narrative of how this nation envisions evolving our educational systems, perhaps it is possible that one day, all children will receive the opportunities Montessori education provides now.

Lyza Anderson

I could not be more satisfied with the education my two children receive on a daily basis at Sunstone Montessori. This is the start of their 4th year at the school, and with each passing week, month, and year I am reaffirmed that they could not be in a better place. All of the guides and assistant guides are skilled, dedicated, passionate, caring, and provide individualized attention to each and every child. Not only are my children learning fundamental and challenging math and science principles, but their reading, (cursive) writing, and research abilities are extremely impressive: This is all due to the excellent teaching methods and materials at Sunstone, but also the nurturing learning environment that is fostered. I always feel that my children are seen and treated for who they are as a whole person, not just a "number." Perhaps the greatest attribute of Sunstone is the cultivation of a life-long love of learning, curiosity, and independence. Attending Sunstone also strongly supports our family values, teaching our children to be caring, compassionate, citizens and community members, with confidence and respect for self and others. I find all of the administrative and support staff to be extremely friendly, helpful, essential, and supportive of the children's needs and the school's mission. And the head of school is a fervent and inspiring leader, with a strong vision for the school's future, yet personable and connected to the staff and students on a daily basis. I could go on and on and on singing Sunstone's praises, but suffice it to say if you are looking for an extraordinary school to send your child to, give Sunstone a try - I promise you won't be disappointed!

Matt Shook

My son has attended Sunstone for two years now attending both Butterfly (Children's House) and Trillium (Lower Elementary) classrooms, the equivalent of Kindergarten and First Grade in a traditional school formats. I can honestly say that he LOVES going to Sunstone each day, and his wonderful guides have supported his natural curiosity and passion for learning. One aspect that separates Sunstone from other schools is that it is a very warm and loving environment. The administration is very approachable and always open to listening to whatever comments or concerns I may have. My son's guides (and assistant guides) are not only highly experienced and phenomenal at their jobs, they're also very sincere and authentic people who care about the well-being of my son. The cost of tuition can be an obstacle for some families, but the school has been very generous with it's financial aid to families. My family has had to make some sacrifices in order to allow my son to attend Sunstone, but I have no doubt in my mind that it has been well worth it for this opportunity. Within this environment he is becoming a confident and capable person, and a compassionate one as well.

Amos Dunlap

We could not ask for a school environment that is more emotionally, socially, and academically supportive than Sunstone. The guides and staff have supported our daughter in becoming a compassionate and courteous child, a learner filled with curiosity and wonder, and an advocate for her own needs as well as those of her friends. The development we have seen since she began at Sunstone 2.5 years ago is incredible.

Jennifer Ryznar

Our family is very happy to be part of the Sunstone Montessori community. The school's location in John's Landing is beautiful. We have no problem coming from inner southeast to attend - actually our second grade son makes sure we cross the river early - never wants to be late or absent! He adores his guide and the whole staff; he is interested and fulfilled each day by the lessons and social life he enjoys. This school offers authentic, high-quality Montessori environments to children, from toddlers through age 12. The outdoor areas are excellent - from basketball courts and a soccer field to deciduous tree-shaded benches. We are grateful for this school and can confidently recommend it to other families.

Keith Kenniff

Our child had attended a Montessori preschool for three years prior to attending Sunstone. He loved going to school and his teachers would remark to us, during parent-teacher conferences, that they enjoyed having him in their classroom and that he was thriving in the Montessori environment. We noticed an alarming change in our son's attitude toward school after transferring him to Sunstone. He repeatedly told us that he didn't want to go to school and that he was bored there. During his brief time there, he told us that a girl hit him with a lunch bag and another boy poked him hard with a pencil. Another child bullied him with the remark that he was the "weirdest kid I've ever met". Our son had never experienced any instances of bullying at his previous school. After three weeks at Sunstone we realized that we needed to transfer him. We enrolled him at our local school, Alameda Elementary, and the change in our son was instantaneous. He regained his enthusiasm for school, made friends within the first week, and hasn't reported a single instance of bullying in the past eight months. When I recently asked him what his favorite thing about school is, he replied "All of it!". Sunstone refused to provide even a partial refund and so we paid full tuition for our son to attend for three weeks. Despite the financial loss to our family, we feel confidant that we made the right decision to withdraw our son from the school.

Daniel Wasil

Relatively newly housed in an old Portland Public Schools building in SW Portland, Sunstone Montessori is an incredible resource for our community. With about 160 students, Sunstone is a leading practitioner of Maria Montessori's vision of child-led education. Students learn at their own rate, guided by excellent teachers who help children learn by doing, and create a lifelong love of learning and curiosity that is clearly successful: alumni are headed to Stanford, among other fine colleges. I urge folks considering an excellent school for their children to consider Sunstone Montessori.

Dead hedge

Our 2 sons have attended Sunstone for a total of 11 years between the 2 of them. We decided on Sunstone after watching how supportive the teachers were with the students during an observation. Our experience at Sunstone has continued to be positive. We were new to Montessori and impressed how it's created a love of learning with our children. They will do math exercises at home and talk about what they learned at school. Sometimes, our children teach us new things that they have learned. During time off from school, they longingly ask if it's a school day and if they can go to school. There is peace of mind that when we leave our children at school, we know that they are in a positive learning environment both socially and educationally. We can concentrate on our jobs and not worry. From the administrative staff to the teachers to the head of the school, they are dedicated to the work that they do with the children and it shows.

Sara Stone

As a Sunstone graduate I am so absolutely willing to put in a good word for this school. I can't imagine the person I would be without Sunstone. Caring guides, warm welcoming community, beautiful campus and classrooms. This school should be the first choice of any parent looking for quality education.

Amanda Harrison

Great School!

Jen Cunliffe

I have children in both the toddler and the Children's House programs. We have been extremely happy with our experience at Sunstone. Both of my children love their guides/assistants and going to school each morning. They are both thriving academically and socially. I can see the school's influence in them everyday as they develop into kind and curious people. Whenever I have had questions, the guides and administration has been prompt in giving a thoughtful reply to my inquiries. We toured several Montessori schools in SW and SE Portland before deciding on Sunstone. Sunstone won out because of the range of programs (toddler through upper elementary), proximity to OHSU, and the gorgeous and expansive campus.

A Google user

Our older boy just graduated from Sunstone last year and the younger one is in the upper elementary class now. They both love the school so much that they would feel bored if there is an extended school break. This is a genuine Montessori school with the most experienced teachers and supportive staff, with a nurturing environment where students thrive both intellectually and spiritually. As in most Montessori schools, our boys don't have assigned homework, yet their academic progress is far ahead of their grade levels. On the other hand, they have been enjoying a broad range of other types of 'homework': playing music, reading books, participating sports, doing chores, and just having fun family time. What we love about Montessori education is that learning is fun. It's not just what they have learned, but how they learn. It's not just what they have been taught, but how they are encouraged to explore new things with confidence and inner drive. Looking back, we can comfortably say that choosing Montessori education for our kids is our best investment, and sending them to Sunstone Montessori is one of our best decisions made.

Terry Campos

Our son will start his final year at Sunstone in August and we are filled with mixed emotions. We are so proud that he is "top of the school" but so sad that we only have one year left. So far we have had 7 wonderful years at Sunstone (he started in the Children's house as a pre-schooler), and during this time we watched our son grow to a charming, funny, HAPPY pre-teen. The staff and guides (teachers) at Sunstone are amazing. They have supported our son's emotional development through some difficult times, as well as provided him with a great education. If you want a school that strives to be a community and build relationships among families, that is a safe, nurturing environment for your child(ren), and provides an amazing educational opportunity then I highly recommend Sunstone.

Julene Quinn

My children are happy to go to school each day. They learn such independence. They teach me about so many subjects and issues I have not heard about. I like who my children are becoming. The nurturing at Sunstone is marvelous!

Belinda Z

Newly arrived in Portland in 2011, I discovered Sunstone Montessori and from the minute we walked through the door, felt welcomed. The Children's House and Elementary campuses joined together last year at the new John's Landing location and watching the "little" ones with the "big" ones, in this great community, underscores Montessori's philosophy and commitment to the role children play in educating and supporting each other. My daughter went from being the oldest in her class in Children's House, to the youngest in her Elementary class, and has learned as much about the different roles she gets to play as she has learned about language, math, science and other topics the curriculum covers. As a parent, I believe our role is to raise confident, independent and inquisitive children. My experience is that Sunstone Montessori puts this into practice every day.

Debbie Hall

I am a parent of a former Sunstone student, who is definitely better for having been at the school for 3 years. He now is curious child who questions the why behind instructions, not just blindly follows. The parent education offerings along the way helped me become a better parent--more patient and honoring of his intentions, not just wanting him to conform to a traditional rote-memorization model of education. I would recommend Sunstone to anyone wanting quality education with thoughtful and caring teachers.