Urban Montessori Charter School

---

Feb 2016

We are considering Urban Montessori Charter School for our son for Kindergarten in the Fall and would love to hear from current parents who have their children enrolled in the school - who like it or not - for whatever reason. We are interested in the alternative school format, since our son is very energetic, autonomous and has an aversion to sitting still for more than very short periods of time... teoco

---

I have been an Urban Montessori parent since the opening and have ridden through the ups and downs over the past 3.5 years. We left our local OUSD school (high performing ''hill school'') because we wanted a Montessori experience for our kids that is very intentional about inclusion, diversity and justice. While it has not been perfect in all of these areas at all times, we are happy at UMCS and are glad that we made the move. I find the parent community to be strong, creative and involved. My son, who has relative strengths in math, has been able to work ahead of his grade level or classmates because Montessori is individually paced and he absolutely loves the Montessori math manipulatives and methodology. He has really benefited from having the same teacher for 3 years, who knows him deeply and is committed to his long range growth in academics, but also in social/emotional and leadership skills (as the elders in the class help and support the younger kids in Montessori). To be fair, there have certainly been growing pains at different points in the evolution of the school thus far, but we now have a principal who is very committed and seems to be here for the long haul, which adds a tremendous amount of stability. I've never been part of a start-up company, but I've heard the experience at UMCS compared to that (especially in years 1 and 2), that some things are getting figured out while you go, but the commitment, excitement and energy of the staff and community are palpable. In comparing our OUSD experience to our UMCS experience, I would say that your child will definately get an ''outside the box'' learning experience at UMCS over OUSD and for us that has primarily been very positive. Feel free to email me to discuss it further if you like. jlcabroad

---

You had asked for current parents at UMCS and we were there last year but I wanted to give you our perspective as I originally chose Urban for similar reasons to what you stated. We sent 2 children to Urban, mainly because one child seemed to need a less traditional model for education. She was very active and seemed to need to do things on her terms. We thought Urban would be perfect for that.

For us it was anything but perfect. Even though they will tell you the kids are up moving around the classroom, it really was not enough for our active kid. There were long (3 hour) work periods in the morning and afternoon. (This was after spending the first 2 months sitting for hours being taught how to use the Montessori tools and work in the Montessori way)

The year we were there, there was one recess at lunch and a second recess that I saw frequently taken away for misbehavior. Our classroom (maybe others were better) seemed to be lacking in much positive discipline; I worked in the classroom often and witnessed a teacher making 3 kids cry on different occasions, and 2 instances where a child's behavioral mistake was pointed out to the entire class. As a new parent it was really hard to try and talk to the Administration, the ''Founding Families'', and parent groups that were there to be the go-between for the families and principal, because there seemed to be such a desire for the school to succeed that it felt like nothing negative could be mentioned. Having 3 principals in 3 years was just too much and only very high level problems could be focused on. (which is entirely reasonable in a way, but is really hard on incoming parents and students)

It was such a hard year for our child, who was having a tantrum every morning, and who ended the year explaining to me that she hated school and would always hate school no matter where she went (we told her at the end of the year we were changing schools) Fast forward to this year at an OUSD ''traditional'' public school and this same child jumps out of bed every morning to get to school and often tells me how much she loves it. Her new school gives them repeated recess breaks so they are not working for really more than an hour and a half at a time. (Of course, I'd love to see even more outside play time.) They have yoga balls in the classroom. They have PE twice a week as well. And what has helped tremendously is she has a teacher with a smaller class who really seems to get kids, their development, and how to respect them.

 All of that said, I will say that it was a very diverse, equitable community that is trying hard to make the school succeed. I think in about 5 years, if they make it, the school will be great. But in the meantime, I would think really hard if it really is the best environment for your child. Ask to observe the classrooms as much as you can and advocate constantly for your child, if you decide to go there. Best of luck whatever you decide. Disillusioned

---

Nov 2014

I know that Urban Montessori experienced some start-up pains, but am wondering how this year is going. I am considering sending my kindergartener next year, and would love to hear if things seem to be running smoothly now. Thanks for any thoughts or reviews! Interested Parent

---

My son is a kindergartener at Urban Montessori this year. He loves school and loves, loves his sweet teachers. The community of parents and families at UMCS is fantastic and the teachers are experienced and very hard-working. Although we are happy at Urban, we are aware that the school is still experiencing some growing pains. We have a new Head of School this year, and he has an impressive tract record with start-up charter schools in Oakland, which leaves our family feeling hopeful that UMCS will succeed. There are a few things to consider when looking into Urban. First, we did not come from a Montessori background, and I have to admit that I didn't fully understand the Montessori method of teaching. At first I wasn't sure what to make of what I saw in the classroom, but I have looked to the families who came to UMCS from a Montessori background and they seem to be pleased by what they see. If you are not from a Montessori background, then you should educate yourself as much as possible on the Montessori method of teaching prior to applying to the school. I'm not talking about all the praise out there for Montessori (which I believe), but how learning actually takes place in the classroom. The second consideration is that Urban is in fact urban. It is not meant to be a small, private Montessori. Don't expect a private school feel. Expect an urban feel, and all that is good and bad that goes with it. I get the sense that some parents have come to Urban with a different idea in mind and have been frustrated by what the school is really trying to do. You should definitely check out the UMCS open houses and get a feel for yourself what the school is all about. We are happy with our decision to opt out of one of the hills schools to attend UMCS. Happy Urban Parent

---

My child has been at Urban Montessori since it opened its doors. There are many things to love about the school: a can-do community, truly dedicated faculty, creative, challenging method and a fantastic mix of socio-economic backgrounds.

That said: the school is still growing, still learning, and trying to figure things out. If you're in any way expecting a private preschool, upper middle class environment, forget it. This is a start-up school, with a start-up mentality: we're putting out fires on the go as we build this thing.

However, if you want your kid to learn in a student-centered, vibrant, truly original public school, that allows kids to challenge themselves every day? And you have time and resources to help out? We'd love to have you! --Frank talker

---

We are in our second year at UMCS and our son is happy, likes his teachers, and is progressing well academically. So we are quite happy with the school. And the parent community is just wonderful--committed, energetic, friendly, and diverse.

That said, the ''start up pains'' are still very evident. There has been a new principal every year, and every year some classrooms have experienced staffing shake-ups (that is, teachers quitting or being fired in the middle of the year, and staff moved around to cover the holes). Obviously the parents in the affected classrooms tend to be very concerned about the lack of stability in the teaching teams. And communication can be an issue--many of these major changes came out of the blue or weren't adequately explained to parents at first.

The good news is that the administration is actually quite open and responsive; it's easy to get a meeting with one of the school leaders and we have always gotten quick action whenever we had an issue. And *most* of the classrooms now have experienced, committed teachers who are familiar with the student body. We weren't here for the school's first year, but I've gathered that discipline was a significant challenge at first--that seems to be much less of a general problem now.

So, a lot depends on your particular classroom. To some degree that's true at every school, right? My kid is in lower-elementary now but my impression is that both of the kindergarten teaching teams are very strong (and were strong last year too).

Bottom line: the school has a lot to offer, but there is still a fair amount of instability in the administration and teaching teams. Lower El Parent

---

Feb 2014

I'm looking for new information about Urban Montessori in Oakland. Prior reviews repeat that there was a rough start but are any current parents willing to give an update? I'm interested in the TK program which I know is new, but any info about the school would be appreciated. M

---

My son is in kindergarten at Urban Montessori this year and we have been happy overall. The parent community is great (very committed, friendly, vibrant, and diverse) and I've been really impressed by the administration too. UMCS has a new principal this year who seems to really have it together, and she's been able to impose a lot more order on the chaos. This is our first year at the school, but the consensus from everyone I've talked to is that this year has gone much, MUCH more smoothly than last.

That said, there are still hiccups. My son was initially placed in a ''lower elementary'' class rather than kindergarten due to his age (he's an August birthday and we gave him an extra year in preschool because he was so happy there and didn't seem ready for a more structured environment). He was terribly, terribly unhappy in that class so after a week I approached the administration and asked for him to be transferred to a kindergarten class. To their great credit, they listened to me and then agreed that kindergarten seemed like the appropriate placement for my kid, and made the switch without any further fuss. He has been MUCH happier in the kindergarten class and really loves his teachers.

However, the teacher in the class that my kid left ended up getting fired a few months later. As you might imagine that left the classroom in limbo, being taught by the ''support teacher'' with the aid of substitutes for the rest of the year, and we feel like we had something of a narrow escape.

So my feedback on UMCS: great community, great administration, and the school is definitely finding its feet, but the start-up challenges are not quite over yet. Your experience at the school would depend very much on your kids' particular teachers (but isn't this true at every school?) Fortunately I can tell you that all of the kindergarten teaching teams seem to be really solid. Shannon

---

We started at UMCS last year, it's first year of operation. It was a rough start, mostly due (in retrospect) to the fact that teachers and admin were sorting out what kind of school they would become. There was passion on all sides, and parents like me were also sorting out how Montessori works, and determining if it was the right fit for my child. A new head of school this year has set the right course and the admin functions are much better.

From an educational perspective, I have gotten more attuned to the Montessori teaching method and now that my son is in first grade, I can see how he is learning and am very pleased with the results. I see in my son and the other children curiosity and confidence about learning. I also find that the social scene has improved significantly since last year, when there was a lot of teasing and bullying happening among the children.

It was worth sticking it out through the rough first year. I don't expect everything to go swimmingly from now on. A good school (maybe soon to be a great school) depends on everyone being dedicated and involved. I think UMCS has that potential. Happy Parent

---

Sept 2013

Urban Montessori Charter School is a new public school in Oakland with a very ambitious vision to bring Montessori, arts integration and design thinking to a truly diverse student population that is reflective of the racial and socioeconomic mosaic that is Oakland. The school opened for the first time in Fall 2012; the school is located near Mills College.

There is no question that there were many struggles in our first year: some teachers couldn't hack it and quit mid-year and some families left. As in any start-up environment, there has been some turnover of staff as well.

But several families, including ours, chose to stick it out. We are only one week into Year Two, but I have been thrilled with how it is going so far. Our new head of school is Jill Stansbury, a seasoned Montessorian who relocated to Oakland from Chicago. Each classroom has two teachers, including several male teachers. The staff spent three weeks together this summer doing professional development, including a three-day workshop on design thinking at Stanford's d-school. We've been chosen after a highly selective process to join the Ashoka Foundation's Changemaker Schools Network. The families who are invested in the school are coming from all over: the Oakland hills and the Oakland flats, Kensington, Alameda, Hayward.

This year, there are two kindergarten classrooms and six classrooms that combine grades 1, 2 and 3. Students work at their own pace and learn from each other. There are no assigned seats or mountains of ditto sheets. We begin each day with a school-wide circle and sing ''This Little Light of Mine.'' You can learn more at www.urbanmontessori.org UMCS parent

---

May 2013

Re: Oakland Montessori School-current reviews?
I am a parent of 2 children at Urban Montessori and I can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else. First off the parent community is one of the best I've ever experienced. We are extremely grateful to be a part of a school that actually represents the community we live in. The (all volunteer) Board, which I think is a smaller subset of the original Design Team, are a set of very committed, knowledgeable and hard working folks. Many if not all have their own kids in the school and in my opinion have done a phenomenal job and ton of work not only to get the school up and running but to deal with inevitable startup challenges.

It has definitely been bumpy and I know that some parents and teachers have been unable to hang in there which is really sad for all of us. Both of my kids classrooms have had teachers exit, but the Administration has worked hard to stabilize the classroom and let me just say - the right teacher makes all the difference!

I would have to say that if you're expecting a school experience free of basic challenges (behavioral, financial, etc), this would not be the right fit for you. The school is entering Year 2 and has worked hard on ironing out a sustainable budget while having to make changes to its original format. There was a lot of disagreement about how art and music will be structured and World Languages have been cut temporarily until a way to build them back into the budget can be found.

Class sizes are still larger than what people want, but when you see the formulas on what the state gives per child and try to balance with all the things that a truly great education requires I understand why private elementary tuition is $20K (and most private schools would argue that still isn't enough!). The Board has made an explicit commitment to reducing class size pending any kind of positive change in budget. There is a lot of interest in the school from outside funders and there are parents in the community who have connections to private donors that will eventually benefit the school.

What keeps me on board is that I have witnessed a core group of people who have the love, commitment and know how to right the imbalances and fundamental problems. For some parents it wasn't fast enough. But for our family, we can see that the issues will be ironed out in due time and that the school will break the traditional learning mold and change the face of education in the State of California for the long term. We want to be a part of supporting that Vision of creating an effective model of learning that engages and produces critical thinking, empathic and happy learners.

I can't give you a solid answer on whether there has been a concrete behavior policy put in place - MAINLY because I don't know. I know that the way my child's behavior has been dealt with has changed throughout the school year and I've appreciated what the school has done to intervene on his disruptions in the classroom.

Lastly, we will miss the director Amanda Klein dearly and I have confidence that the Board will hire a great new Head of School. Erin Hennigan is Director of Instruction and I'm looking forward to seeing him be able to perform his role full time. He has been the lead teacher in my 8 1/2 year old daughter's classroom since her teacher left and she went from being doubtful the school could teach her anything to excitedly reporting each day what she's learning. Erin is a gem and has really hung in there and worked tremendously hard to keep both jobs responsibilities fulfilled.

Catherine B

---

May 2013

Every day that I leave my Kindergarten aged child at UMCS in the morning, my heart swells with joy and pride that he is going to a school where children are having the opportunity to thrive at school. The UMCS team is phenomenal. Their after-school program is beyond my wildest dreams (I'm not kidding) in terms of options.. everything from ceramics, cooking and gardening to capoeira, theatre, and woodworking is offered here. This school excels at making the entire program accessible to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. And most of all, this new school is on the road to becoming the first charter K-8 Montessori school in Oakland. As it is a new charter, it has experienced a steep learning curve in its first year in terms of creating an environment that can truly support all the diversity and special needs that are intrinsic to an Urban start-up. Stress around these issues has caused some hardship in some of the classes, and in fact some teachers have left the school, and the children who depend on them. While this is stunning and has left a bitter taste in some parents' mouths (such as the earlier poster), it makes room for teachers who will truly persevere to step in. My child has been fortunate to be in a stable classroom throughout the year and he loves school, his teachers, his friends, and learning. I am proud to be a pioneer at Urban Montessori in Oakland and I am excited for all the families who may have the opportunity to enjoy all that Montessori has to offer within a charter school format for years to come. Grateful Mom

---

April 2013

I am a parent of a 2nd grader at Urban Montessori Charter School. Let me add to the reviews from earlier in the year -- the honeymoon is over. I think that the lack of a Montessorri background for many of the kids has made for a very challenging environment. The school tried to prepare for this by having 5 half-day orientation sessions. This was not enough. I have witnessed regular behavior problems in my child's classroom which never seem to get addressed. The Executive Director has informed us that she is leaving after this year. The school is having financial difficulties and the Board -- well meaning parents who have children in the school -- will have to figure out how to handle that, as well as the various other administrative issues the school is dealing with. We are researching other schools as of today. UMCS disappointed mom

---

Feb 2013

We are considering Urban Montessori for my daughter entering next year for kindergarten. I understand some families left after the first year, and I would me most interested in learning the reasons for the decisions to leave. If you were a family that left Urban Montessori, would you be willing to share why? Thank you kinder mama

---

Let me first add the disclaimer that I am a current UMCS parent.

I do, however, know parents who have chosen not to stay at UMCS, and I'm happy to share some of the reasons they gave me.

I don't think UMCS is the perfect school for everyone. And I think everyone should have a good idea about the character of a school as a part of making the decision to send their children there. UMCS has a definite character and quality to it. It is intentionally inclusive (one of the most ethnically and socio-economically diverse schools I have ever even seen in this area) and that means that, especially in this first year, there has been the challenge of integrating some of the most diverse backgrounds you could imagine into a new culture that promotes freedom with responsibility. This is definitely a challenge but one I think the school is up to. UMCS is also working diligently at being a real Montessori school (not a Montes-sortof version) I think that Montessori education can work for every child, but it may not work for every family.

Let me clarify that there are not that many who have left compared to those who have stayed, and we currently have a waiting list for people who wish to enroll. However, the reasons for those who have not chosen to stay at UMCS relate to these two qualities of the school. The first, let's be honest, may have to do with parents who want a free private school or another option of a hills school. Which this is not. It is an amazing school with an immense resource pool ( lots of active parents and fundraising) that can make you feel like it is. It is an innovative curriculum and incredibly skilled teachers. But it is not free private school. It is an inclusive environment, and the challenges that come from that are not present in private schools.

The second reason families have articulated to me is that they were not liking the Montessori education. They thought it was ''not rigorous enough'' or not academically focused enough. Montessori education is holistic in that the skills of owning your own work, creativity, collaboration and socialization (like the skills needed in the real world) are as much the focus, as math and reading. When the school started, none of the parents had been able to take a school tour, so many of them had no prior experience or knowledge of what Montessori looked like. No homework? Small group instruction instead of class lessons? Why isn't my kid producing reams of worksheets? Some families are attracted to a school that is more military style (sorry I don't mean to make that sound bad, but I can't think of another word). I could tell that for the first few months there was more emphasis on socializing the kids and norming them in the classrooms than academics. That doesn't mean that academics weren't happening, it means that they were balanced with other needs. I won't lie, this made me nervous because I am a person who values rigorous education. I hunkered down and decided to give the school a chance to norm and to really give the Montessori system a shot. A month into school my child came home having multiplied for the first time - and enjoying it because they were working with a material they called the stamp game. My other child came home excited about learning geography because of the materials they were working with - a light box on which they were tracing huge maps and watercoloring different countries - how cool. So that's when I was hooked. Even as I know the school is continuing to work to build culture I am confident my children are working up to grade level - doing multiplication/division, learning grammar, earth science/zoology, and geography, etc. But more than that they are really loving their learning. Owning their work. They are working on making friends, and there is a diverse group of wonderful kids for them to be friends with.

I absolutely love UMCS, and am passionate about the schools mission, which to be frank I think is bigger than any individual students experience. It's about bringing the amazing opportunity of alternative learning to a broad population of our town. Having said that, my kids (I have two at the school) are having a wonderful experience. UMCS Parent

---

Jan 2013

Re: Kindergarten recommendations for Down syndrome
Today, my daughter is attending Urban Montessori Charter School. Montessori model is very SPED friendly based on the multisensory and individual instruction. UMCS is an inclusion school and services are provided by Seneca. We are extremely happy with the staff from Seneca. Our daughter is doing well in the inclusion environment and her peers accept her. However it's been a hard transition for me as a parent leaving the supportive nature of the SDC environment. I recommend you schedule a visit and ask to speak with Seneca before applying. 7% of the school is on IEP. 10% is considered full inclusion. The administration believes that another 7% are unidentified but working through assessments and RTI so the population ''true'' number is around 14%. I would welcome your daughter with open heart and arms at UMCS. All means all! Good luck! Anna

---

Jan 2013

We are so thrilled with our daughter's elementary school, Urban Montessori. It is a free public charter school located near Mills college (in a quiet residential neighborhood). The school is in its first year and it has already done some amazing things! We've been there 5 months and we feel that our daughter has really blossomed. Since each child moves at their own pace with individual projects, there are no limits for how fast a bright child can learn. Our daughter is already doing fractions in kindergarden! There is a lot of excitement in the school about creating a brand new, better type of learning experience for students which allows each to learn at their own pace, intuitively and freely following their interests within a structured framework. The school follows the Montessori method which has been around for 100 years and has given rise to some of the most successful entepreneurs of our time. It is also incorporting design thinking principles---definitely a concept which will be essential for future leaders. The teachers, principal and staff are extremely dedicated and the after school program has amazing variety of creative and physical activities. Diversity is highly valued, as is a peaceful environment. I highly recommend this school.

---

Oct 2012

Re: Hands-on, no-homework private/charter elementary?
Urban Montessori is the school you want then. A public charter school in Oakland, the school was founded on Montessori/Design Thinking philosophies. Hands on, project based with no homework is pretty much the exact model of the school. For more information visit http://www.urbanmontessori.org/about/our-mission UMCS parent

---

Sept 2012

I would love to hear how Urban Montessori Charter is going in its first month and what thoughts anyone has on this school. My child has just started kindergarten at a top-performing Oakland public school but I'm already wondering if the high-pressure, cookie-cutter setting is one she'll really thrive in. She loved learning so much until now.... Please share any insights into where UMC is at, and appears to be headed. Thanks so much!! -Want my child to love school!

---

My daughter is in kindergarten at Urban Montessori. We got into a very good OSD school but decided to take a chance, and I'm glad we did. We are new to Montessori, so this has been a learning experience for us. She comes home every day with something new--a word, a song, a story. She's taking yoga and Mandarin and in aftercare has taken a cooking class, jewelry making and African dance. They managed to get a great cross section of families-- there are black and white and straight and gay and rich and poor.

For a brand new school, it's incredibly well organized. Yes, there are glitches-- information isn't always easy to get, and they're still trying to figure out their best practices-- but far fewer than I expected for a start-up. Everyone I've encountered has been friendly and supportive: from parents to staff to teachers.

The location stinks-- it's way out by Mills College-- but they won't be there forever, they're going to outgrow it soon, and they're hoping for a more BART central, Uptown-ish location.

At this point, I have no regrets, and I'd tell anyone looking for a 'different' approach to school to try it! I have a feeling in 3 years it'll be like NOCCS, and everyone will be desperate to get in. New Montessori Mama

---

When I saw this message I decided to go straight to the source and ask my first grade daughter how she likes her new school and she said, ''I give it three loves.'' The teachers are amazing and the design team that founded the school is unbelievable. There are challenges as there would be with any start up, but that is also part of the excitement. This is a public school so don't expect the low student to teacher ratios. There are 34 students and 2 teachers in my daughter's class. There is an amazing amount of diversity, which is a major draw but also a major challenge as there are children at very different ability levels. If you are looking for the equivalent of a private school you are not in the right place. But if you are looking for an alternative to a regular public school but with a public school feel than UMCS might work for you. If you're not familiar with Montessori (I have no prior experience with the method) it is a bit of a leap of faith. But I feel like I can trust the teachers and founders to provide my child with a wonderful education. And I plan on volunteering a lot to make this dream school a reality. Oh and I love love that there is no homework. Last thing, the parent community has been fantastic. When the school couldn't provide after school care for the first week people quickly came together to help each other out. I agree with my daughter, I give Urban Montessori three loves! Signed: UMCS Parent

---

My daughter is in first grade at Urban Montessori and so far it is going very well. There have been some bumps along the way but I feel that they are now settling into a groove. In addition to the Montessori classroom, the kids have music, art and language (Mandarin or Spanish) a few days of the week and PE every day. When I ask my daughter what she likes the most, it is those special classes that she mentions. She also likes that she gets a lot of time to draw in her journal during the work period (she still does her other tasks). I worry a little bit that with the independence that kids get in the Montessori model that my daughter will spend too much time on the things she likes and not enough time on the things that are hard for her. After talking with her teacher I can see that she (the teacher) looks at each child and finds ways to use their strengths (for my daughter drawing) to help in other areas (reading and writing in our case).

Last year my daughter was in kindergarten at a different first year charter school. I can tell you that the staff at Urban Montessori is doing a much better job at dealing with the inevitable issues that come up when starting a new school. I believe this is a school that will continue to improve over time. I am very impressed by the teaching staff and the administration. They have a very ambitious mission and they seem to be on track to achieve it. happy UMCS mom

---

Hi, So far UMCS has been wonderful for my second grader. My child has come home learning how to divide and multiply in the first three weeks! I find the focus on personal responsibility and independent thinking remarkable. We have had a gecko at home for two years. It mainly sat quietly alone with the parents taking care of her. But two weeks ago, my second grader asked to have a lower table for the gecko and is now regularly feeding it and giving it water (I am still working on having the cage cleaned). it has been a transition in terms of friends and schedules, but overall I would say my child is thriving.

I won't deny that there have been some hiccups regarding communication to parents, but this is a start up public school with limited funding so I am patient and working hard to correct this issue as a volunteer.

I will fully disclose that my family has been involved in the start up of the school so i have tried to focus on my child's progress and comments to me. Christina

---

We are so pleased to be a part of UMCS this year. The vision the design team is holding is an ambitious one, but the resources are there to meet it. I have loved the community created at the school, and the parental involvement. For a start up, this school is organized and clear in its vision. They're also willing to review and revise as needed. I'm excited every day my daughters have something fun to report - working with materials, cooking, capoeira, yoga, and the lessons taught by talented teachers. UMCS Parent