Interview with Westmont Montessori School PARENT, Luke Geiger
Luke, a current parent at Westmont Montessori School, shared his perspective on the school's strong community, comprehensive Montessori program, and the beautiful campus. He highlighted the personalized attention from teachers, the long-term investment in children's development, and the school's supportive environment tailored to each student's needs and personalities.
Highlights from the interview
The Montessori method and the way that the education is delivered seemed to be a different experience, which we felt was best suited for our son, given his personality.
We have definitely seen a lot of advancement in letters, numbers, and the arts and crafts that our son does. What he appreciates most about the school is probably all the different arts and crafts and activities he gets to do, being outside, and playing with his friends. The way that he learns and develops in the Montessori program is more in line with his personality.
An academic institution where you can start children off at the age of three and have them go all the way to Grade 12 is truly a gift for their development. We've definitely appreciated that we're making a long-term investment in our son’s future.
Prior to going to the school, I did not have a full appreciation of how beautiful the campus is, as it backs right out onto the ocean into Witty's Lagoon, with an incredible waterfall on the property. I know that he spends a lot of time outside at the school because, even though it is now mid-May, he has tan lines from his glasses on his face.
Community is probably the value that you feel the most. It comes up at board meetings and in conversations when dropping kids off at the parking lot. You really feel that, and that's a true value because it goes beyond just lip service.
Almost every day we get feedback from the teachers about his development. They have a relationship with every student and genuinely want every student to succeed. They're not afraid to tell you about any challenges, which shows they really care.
The administration of the school is deeply invested in a Montessori program that goes from ages three to Grade 12 and sees the value in having that comprehensive educational environment. They are really passionate about the school and the students, which is evident when you spend time with them and receive weekly email updates about what's going on at the school.
The learning environment, both being a Montessori program and the natural landscape of the campus, is significant. There is a lot of room for growth with Westmont, both in personal development and in the school generally. If you're thinking about joining now, you’d likely have a positive view of what the future holds for Westmont and its community.
The advice I would give a new family searching for a school is to take a long-term view of what you think your child should be experiencing and what environment is going to best help your child on the road to happiness. Not everyone is going to enjoy the Montessori experience, just as not everyone will enjoy the public school experience. It really comes down to the environment where the child is going to thrive. It's worth putting in more time to figure out how you're best going to achieve the desired outcome.
