Experience with Shining Stars?

[Anonymous]

What were the facility issues?

[Anonymous]

Lack of heat, lack of AC, backflow from the plumbing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lower elementary is really really fantastic.

Can you say more about this? We got a spot in lower elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lower elementary is really really fantastic.

Can you say more about this? We got a spot in lower elementary.

Join the SSMA parents group on Facebook. If you scroll through, you'll see posts about sewage backing up in the lower level classrooms, toilets backed up, no heat in winter and so on. The administration was slow to inform parents of the issues.

[Anonymous]

My kid is entering K and completed the last two years at SSMA. We’ve had incredible teachers for primary and my child is reading and doing so well in math (addition, subtraction and multiplication) and receives so much emotional support. Another kid in class was doing long division. If you get a good instructor and your kid is a good candidate for Montessori, I recommend it. The other issues mentioned by other posters are true with many families happy with lower grades and community, but there are admin issues and the question of how well the higher grades are performing.

[Anonymous]

The building is owned by Howard University, and rented as is, unfortunately. I don’t know how much can be blamed on HU (know for some slum lord tactics) vs the school administration. Maybe a combination of both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is entering K and completed the last two years at SSMA. We’ve had incredible teachers for primary and my child is reading and doing so well in math (addition, subtraction and multiplication) and receives so much emotional support. Another kid in class was doing long division. If you get a good instructor and your kid is a good candidate for Montessori, I recommend it. The other issues mentioned by other posters are true with many families happy with lower grades and community, but there are admin issues and the question of how well the higher grades are performing.

Multiplication and long division before K. They'll be doing calculus before middle school. Sounds odd considering the amount of worksheets and coloring activities some other SSMA parents complain about.

[Anonymous]

Bumping this as we are a military family who received their orders after the lottery deadline, and are approaching the top of the list for our lower elementary kid. I noticed that in the job postings on the Shining Stars websites, lead teachers aren't required to have a Montessori degree or experience? How integrated are Montessori materials in the classroom? Is it all in or 50/50? We are coming from an NC Montessori charter that isn't yet AMI certified, but wants to get there, so all guides have to have a masters in Montessori teaching

[Anonymous]

We are a former SSMA family.

Especially in Lower/Upper El, Montessori fidelity is lacking. The Upper El is basically not Montessori at all.

If you’re looking for AMI-like, you won’t find it at SSMA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this as we are a military family who received their orders after the lottery deadline, and are approaching the top of the list for our lower elementary kid. I noticed that in the job postings on the Shining Stars websites, lead teachers aren't required to have a Montessori degree or experience? How integrated are Montessori materials in the classroom? Is it all in or 50/50? We are coming from an NC Montessori charter that isn't yet AMI certified, but wants to get there, so all guides have to have a masters in Montessori teaching

Thank you for your service! If you tell us your other options we can help you compare.

[Anonymous]

Right now our option is Leckie, and maybe Bridges or Langley if we are willing to make that commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right now our option is Leckie, and maybe Bridges or Langley if we are willing to make that commute.

I don't know how Langley compares with Leckie, but I do see a bunch of little kids getting off the JBAB bus at Langley every day, so clearly some people are choosing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this as we are a military family who received their orders after the lottery deadline, and are approaching the top of the list for our lower elementary kid. I noticed that in the job postings on the Shining Stars websites, lead teachers aren't required to have a Montessori degree or experience? How integrated are Montessori materials in the classroom? Is it all in or 50/50? We are coming from an NC Montessori charter that isn't yet AMI certified, but wants to get there, so all guides have to have a masters in Montessori teaching

All lead guides are required to be certified. The job postings indicate so. The school requires it to maintain all its accreditation. They are also piloting a Spanish program, started a little slow but is taking great shape. New guides have been hired in the upper levels to address previous issues and most of the facility problems have been address. It’s a great school, with a nice and diverse community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this as we are a military family who received their orders after the lottery deadline, and are approaching the top of the list for our lower elementary kid. I noticed that in the job postings on the Shining Stars websites, lead teachers aren't required to have a Montessori degree or experience? How integrated are Montessori materials in the classroom? Is it all in or 50/50? We are coming from an NC Montessori charter that isn't yet AMI certified, but wants to get there, so all guides have to have a masters in Montessori teaching

All lead guides are required to be certified. The job postings indicate so. The school requires it to maintain all its accreditation. They are also piloting a Spanish program, started a little slow but is taking great shape. New guides have been hired in the upper levels to address previous issues and most of the facility problems have been address. It’s a great school, with a nice and diverse community.

How is the administration responding to the bad test scores?

[Anonymous]

No upper level class at any public Montessori in DC approaches AMI standards; they have to worry about PAARC prep and other things (including a population of students with no Montessori backgrounds) that make that too big of a hill to climb.