Bright Montessori School, Inc.

After touring ten or so preschools on the east side, we decided on Bright Montessori Preschool. The teachers and schedule are wonderful, we love the other kids and their families and we've seen tremendous development in our little one. We have now moved abroad so we were very sad to say goodbye. The immensely positive foundation in learning, language, arts & music and social skills has helped our child tremendously. This school is a hidden gem!

Bright Montessori is a great place for children to develop and grow in a caring environment.  Ms. Sakina is excellent.

When I dropped my daughter off at Bright for her first day at the preschool she was 2. I will never forget that day: She stood in the playground and cried for me as I walked off. My heart broke. I will also never forget what happened next: A little girl who was older (and later became her friend) came over to comfort her, offering her a ball to play with and some water. Then Mrs. Shirley scooped my daughter up and held her until she calmed down.

This is a loving school. On the outside, it is a simple school. Some may say the playground is sparse. But it is what's inside that counts. I do not mean pretty interior designs. I mean what is inside of the hearts of the staff, students and families who come together here.

I would choose this school again over any "elite" (or more expensive) Montessori in neighboring areas. Here is why: Mrs. Sakina, the principal, is its anchor and guiding light. She is totally devoted to the school and the students, putting on events, field trips, parties, festivals. She is warm and giving and everything you want in a school leader.

I trust the teachers. Mrs. Shirley, Mrs. Michelle, and Mrs. Sakina in particular have watched my daughter grow up (she is now 4). (Mrs. Ani is newer, and she's wonderful too). They have all helped her become the confident, spirited child she now is. My daughter adores them. These teachers foster independence, free will, creativity, and fun. They also have to help a couple dozen kids use the potty, wash their hands, eat their food, nap, learn, and play peacefully each day. It is a thankless job. So I thank them publicly here.

This is not the kind of school where parents get stressed out because we may have forgotten to bring an extra pair of clothes, or we came too school late, or we had to switch our schedule because of a vacation. Mrs. Sakina will work with you, and the teachers work it out without making you feel like a parent who is not on top of her game!

My daughter also enrolled in karate and dance classes at the school (it offers soccer too). She has learned how to sing and count in Chinese (thanks to Mrs. Shirley), and Spanish (thanks to Mrs. Michelle) and she also has learned about Armenian and Indian culture (thanks to Mrs. Ani and Mrs. Sakina). Her classmates have taught her about Hawaii, Pakistan, Taiwan, and beyond. This is truly a culturally diverse school, which is refreshing in comparison to some neighboring preschools. My daughter also loves the vast array of excellent Montessori learning tools and activities: counting beads, insect games, art supplies, shapes, letters, puzzles and much more. The school keeps kids active, rotating from different activities constantly.

It is affordable, flexible, safe and most of all it is the kind of place where the teachers know each child personally--not just their names, but their favorite songs, and colors, and hobbies. You might drive past this school and not even pay attention. You might browse the local preschools on your neighborhood Facebook pages and not even come across this one. It's not pushed by moms clubs and it has little to no advertising. But it is a precious little place indeed, and those of us with kids there also know how fortunate we are to have discovered it.

When I think of Bright Montessori four words come to my mind: community, generosity, devotion, and diversity. Our family loves Bright Montessori! It has become such a vital part of our daughter and son's life. Bright is not only preparing them as students, but influencing and shaping the person they will one day become.

Let me start out with the first word that describes Bright: community. Since enrolling my children, Bright has been like a second community to our family - from attending school concerts (Christmas and end of year) and activities (Halloween parade, Mother’s day breakfast), to going on field trips (Discovery cube, Strawberry picking, Little India), and engaging in school potlucks and celebration (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and graduation). Bright has shown it is committed to not only being a school but a place where the child and family can call community.

Second: generosity. Ms. Sakina is a very generous and warm director. I believe directors sets the tone for the school they are running. Simply by Ms. Sakina’s nature, the school is unsurprisingly generous and warm. I remember when I toured Bright Montessori with my daughter, the attending children were very interested in getting to know her. They asked her for her name, they asked her if she was coming to the school, one child was eating a snack and asked her if she wanted some of his cheerios. The kids were warm and welcoming and I knew that Bright was the place she needed to attend. The children and teachers at Bright help each other learn and grown, and I can see that the children there work hard and take great pride in being kind and generous to one another.

Third: devotion. Bright is extremely devoted to the children’s growth and development. Ms. Sakina has two parent-teacher conferences within the school year. These conferences have been so important in communicating to us our son's and daughter’s strength and weaknesses and what action plan to take in order to make sure they continues to thrive. The parent-teacher spreadsheet report that Ms. Sakina gives us is very detailed and the amount of work that goes into making such a report shows her devotion to the students. Additionally, any concerns that I have risen with Ms. Sakina, she has been very responsive in working out a solution. Her commitment and communication style shows the devotion she has for the children and the school.

Fourth: diversity. I find myself being extremely proud that my children attend a very diverse preschool. So many of our friends in Eagle Rock and the surrounding areas want to find the “prettiest” looking school but often the student body looks fairly homogenous. What I love about Bright is the different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Children learn to embrace other cultures and take pride in their own. Not only is the student body diverse but Bright Montessori has shown their commitment to diversity by having cultural week, celebrating other cultural holidays, and introducing children to different ethnic foods. Bright has been a beacon for diversity.

There are plenty more wonderful and amazing things about Bright Montessori. Community, generosity, devotion and diversity have been most prominent to me. Bright has been such an integral part of my children's growth. It is such a joy to have a place where little children learn to become loving and warm people.

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