Testimonials

North Shore Montessori Parent Testimonials

Please read what the parents have to say!

I am so sad about my son graduating from this lovely, warm, and all embracing school. At North Shore Montessori, there is a loving hug around every corner, noses are always wiped and boo-boos are mended in the kindest, most gentle manner.  I fear that, personally, I shall need five boxes of tissues to get through graduation.

To be honest, I have been dreading Graduation Day for three years. Silly, right? But now it is here, and I feel that my son is being sent out into a great big world –my husband and I along with him. I know we will be fine, and I am so proud of him and his accomplishments. But we will miss you all so very, very much.

It is just that you are all like our family… true family to us. Not only has our son received the absolute best preschool education possible on Long Island, learning about academics, art, music, and art, most invaluably, he has learned about leadership, how to make his own choices and formulate bold ideas.

As a parent, I too have grown. From you, I have learned that it is okay to let go –just a little bit– of my child’s small hand. That my son will be safe, be loved and be looked after in the best possible way without my needing to be there. This trust is something that cannot be measured. It is as immeasurably important to new parents as education is invaluable to children. In the caring embrace of this exceptional school, young children can grow and thrive into themselves…even at the tender age of 3.

We are so grateful to you, dear North Shore Montessori School. So grateful to you, your incomparable teachers, your ever-loving staff, your dedicated Head of School and your compassionate nurse. We love you with all of our hearts…

— The Zakrzewski Family


We are so grateful for the education our children received here. It’s not just the skip counting, or the reading, or being able to identify the continents or even the roller skating — though that’s very important.  It’s the lessons in independence and the confidence gained from knowing their way around their environment and being able to shape it. It’s also the joy of working with and learning with others. We’ve been so pleased with the foundation our children have received, and we still see the benefits in our oldest who is halfway through elementary school.

I also want to thank you all for taking such care with us as parents. Thanks for understanding and acknowledging our concerns, particularly with the food allergies, and inviting us to be a part of the classroom experience. Whether coming in to make smoothies, or bake cookies, or watch the kids do their work, our visits to the classroom reinforced our confidence in a Montessori education, while also giving us special memories.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, your humor, your creativity and warmth. We will miss this little school, but we will leave knowing that it was the best beginning for our children.

With our gratitude and warmest, warmest regards

— Anonymous


Our praise for NSMS goes beyond the extraordinary.  Every day the entire working crew from teachers to office staff to the volunteers, all have shown our family just how much they care for the children.  A kind greeting each morning as they collect the child from the car (even when it is raining), superb care in learning new tasks and meeting new friends in the class rooms, extra effort shown to each child during the after school programs, especially when the kids were learning how to roller skate.  I simply could not believe the quality of care and attention provided to each child.  I’ve observed a whole lot more this year then last and in each class I visited, the teachers and children were all enjoying each other and the NSMS programs.  While simply walking down the halls and peaking through the classroom windows, the same loving atmosphere was clearly observed.  Even the Head Of School was observed directing traffic.  WOW, what a wonderful team!  Above all else, our granddaughter comes home after school, both happy and wanting to learn more, and that is a wonderful experience to watch. Thanks to all the people at the school for making such a delightful year.

-Bruce & Jennifer Lawrence


My girls are polar opposite personalities but despite their differences they have grown so much as individuals with the instruction and nurturing that takes place at Montessori. My oldest who came

through the doors independent, yet introverted socially, blossomed into a curious, and dedicated student.  Thanks to the strong foundation at Montessori, she has embraced friendships and intellectual

challenges with poise and confidence.   My youngest has never been accused of being shy.  Montessori has provided her with the structure and academics that consistently challenge her inquisitiveness. Both girls have grown so much personally and intellectually because of the tremendous staff at Montessori. Thank you!

-The Brouthers Family


It is our firm belief that, as the adage goes, “it takes a village to raise a child.”  And what an amazing village we have found at the North Shore Montessori School! As our son’s second year comes to a close, we reflect on how much he has grown from the shy toddler attending school two days a week with Mrs. Brenner, Ms. Angela, and Ms. Terry to the confident, engaged, curious little boy in his Children’s House classroom with Mrs. Andresen, Mrs. Casa, and Mrs. Kraljic.  We have seen him bask in Mrs. Brenner’s glow, grow more independent with Mrs. Andresen,  cheered on in Creative Arts and at summer camp by Miss Annie, Ms. Gina, Ms. Mac and Mrs. Healy, overcome his fear of using the big boy bathroom with Nurse Jayne.  As we embark on his third – and final – year at NSMS, we can only marvel at this village and the devoted villagers who help us, on a daily basis,  to raise our son to become a self-directed , intellectually curious, amazing boy.

-Shannon Handley and John Grossman


When we heard about the North Shore Montessori School, never in a million years did we realize how wonderful it would be.  We have three much older children and we wish we had known about this magical school then.  We have watched our daughter blossom into a confident little girl who believes she can do anything.  This is a testament to the program at NSM.

-The DaSilva Family


My son is one of 4 boys, and when he came to NSMS he was extremely shy and quiet. Within a few months we were able to watch him grow and develop with such confidence, in addition to developing skills and friendships that will serve him well as he moves on. NSMS gave him the opportunity to become an individual that we are so proud of.

-Anne D. Shybunko-Moore


We would highly recommend North Shore Montessori School!  It has provided our daughter with a quality educational experience in a fun, loving and warm environment. The values we teach at home are reinforced through the teaching and example of her teacher, Mrs. Sztabnik and assistant Mrs. Healy.  Our daughter loves school and is excited to learn.  We love the diversity of the classes; library, art, music, gym, Spanish, creative arts and more!  We can’t say enough about the school but more importantly about the entire staff, they are a first class group who love what they do and love all the children.

-Deanna & Eric Bavlnka


The most influential factor in selecting North Shore Montessori School for our daughter’s educational and social needs was the nurturing yet academically rich environment which the school had to offer.  NSMS classrooms are bright, warm, and inviting. They are filled with plants, animals, art, music, books, intriguing learning materials, fascinating mathematical models, fossils, historical artifacts, computers, scientific tools, and animals that the students are raising.  You will not find rows of desks in the classrooms at NSMS. The learning environments are set up to facilitate student discussion and stimulate collaborative learning. One glance and it is clear that the students feel comfortable and at home.  Students will typically be found scattered around the classroom, working alone or with one or two others. They tend to become so involved in their work that one cannot help but be tremendously impressed by the peaceful atmosphere.

The NSMS classroom is a carefully prepared environment designed to facilitate the development of the children’s independence and sense of personal empowerment.  Young children move freely within the rooms, selecting work that captures their interest, rather than passively participating in lessons and projects selected by the teachers.  In a very real sense, even the very youngest students at NSMS take care of their own child-sized environment. When they are hungry, they prepare their own snack and drink. They go to the bathroom without assistance. When something spills, they help each other carefully clean things up. Small children in Montessori classrooms sweep and dust, carry pitchers of water, and pour liquids with barely a drop spilled. These little ones normally go about their work so calmly and purposely that it is clear to even the casual observer that this is their environment: The Children’s House.

We selected NSMS for the staff’s outlook, philosophy, and flexible approach to individualized attention to each students needs; their creative methods of working with the student to address not only his/her weaknesses but also his/her strengths. There is no greater proof of NSMS success than our recognition of the positive changes and the developmental gains which we observe in our daughter on a daily basis.

– Meri & Joe Rizzo