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June 2024 by Terrence Brown
Excellent and diverse environment with a nurturing staff.
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March 2024 by Parker Smith
We have loved our time in the infant room at MAOD. We have had some great teachers and the facility and administration are very professional and easy to work with. The ProCare app has been a great communication tool, and we love getting updates and photos of our little squirt!
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March 2024 by JR Zincone
Wanted to take a moment and share our incredible experience with MAOD (Montessori Academy of Decatur). We sent our then 4 year old son there this year and were immediately welcomed into this wonderful community. From administration to the classroom teachers, each person involved with out child's education and growth was amazing. They fostered kindness, respect, personal accountability, and growth in our son and did so in a safe, caring environment. Facilities were clean and well taken care of and secure. Classrooms were filled with tons of educational opportunities for the kids to discover and lessons were shared as much as they were taught. Outdoor play was a big part of our son's day and he loved the enclosed playground. Our son made some amazing friends while at MAOD which speaks volumes about the type of children that attend the school. We saw subtle positive behavioral changes almost immediately after starting the program and were very pleased with the good habits our son picked up during the day - things like independence, cleaning up after himself, and mindfulness. We were very pleased with MAOD and couldn't recommend this school more highly. Great place to start your child's educational journey.
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February 2024 by Justin Benoliel
My daughter loves everyday here which makes all the difference in the world. We highly recommend this school. We love the staff and feel very loved as well.
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January 2024 by Autumn Hewitt
My review is based on administration - I chose to seek childcare elsewhere based on the complete incompetence of their admin staff. I figured if my experience just to get my son enrolled was this bad then I most certainly do not trust the care they would provide for my son. I spoke with the old director, Candice, back in Sept 2021 to get my son ready to start May 2022. She was very helpful and made me feel confident in the school so I submitted the application fee and completed all the paperwork. At that time they were supposed to charge my deposit to secure a spot for my desired start date, but they apparently did not. I didn't realize this, but nevertheless, I had my son and reached out in February to ensure we were ready to enroll. I emailed several times before getting a response. It appears Candice does not work there anymore and the new staff are rude and unresponsive. They had no record of my desired start date, and told me I needed to pay the deposit with no direction on how. Their school is closed to outside guests and parents (which is illegal in GA), but I showed up anyway (in proper PPE) as that was the only way I knew to pay the deposit. When I was in the building I heard several shrieking infants - like purple crying, something is wrong crying. I knew then I shouldn't send my kid there but given the limited options on such short notice, I convinced myself it would be fine. May came and I never heard anything from admin. They were supposed to send the missing parts of my application so we could ensure everything was ready. I called to request what was still needed, and asked to observe the class for a short period as I was feeling uneasy leaving my 3 month old. They repeated that they do not allow outside guests on campus for COVID (mind you when I was there, the two girls at the desk had their masks down by their chins like straps so they clearly aren't taking COVID very seriously if they aren't wearing their face coverings properly). Because GA law requires that parents be allowed in any area of the childcare facility while their child is in their care, I asked if I should just come observe on my son's first day (wearing full PPE). They again repeated that I am not allowed on site. At that point, I realized I was fighting for something I didn't even feel comfortable with - this school is one of the only schools I have talked to (which is almost all of them in Decatur because I had to frantically find my son another spot somewhere else for June 1st) that refuses to allow parents to come on site. What are they hiding? I can tell you in the 10 minutes I was on campus and the few email exchanges I've had with this school, I am not impressed. This is unfortunate because I will lose $1250 in deposits and fees and it is literally a 2 minutes walk from our new house.
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January 2024 by Tonya Miller Roberts
We have been very pleased with Julian’s growth and development while attending MAOD. Specifically, we are very happy with Ms. Karen Clarke’s professionalism and expertise in early child development. Julian adores Ms. Karen and so do we. It is reassuring to know that our little one is in such caring hands. Our experience has been so rewarding! We highly recommend MAOD!
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November 2023 by Lindsay Ellsworth
My daughter loves school and absolutely adores her teacher, Mrs. Parham. She truly cares about my daughter’s development and wellbeing. I can’t explain the peace of mind this gives me and my husband as first time parents. I highly recommend Montessori Academy of Decatur and appreciate their level of genuine care.
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November 2023 by Link
I take writing reviews seriously, and I like to do a fair assessment from my experience. Overall, I think this school has a dedicated owner who wants to see not only his business do well, but the kids who attend this school do well also. The school has had a rocky journey over the last several years; yes, with a lot of turnover both in teachers and in directors and staff. But, so have a lot of other schools - Covid threw a wrench into the childcare industry just like it did into the service and healthcare industries. There were times where it seemed a promising new face would show up at the school, and then be gone the next day for another position. There were also some hirings that were probably made more out of necessity than really good choices, and while those people were at the school things weren't great.However, the owner continued to make efforts to find qualified leadership and teachers to join the school, and to weed out staff that weren't a good fit for the school. He invested in a special air filtration system; he maintained a masking and testing policy far longer than any other preschool I was aware of, and that resulted in literal years before there was ever a Covid case transmitted at the school, while other schools were shutting down for a week or more once a month in some cases. I find that kind of stability incredibly valuable; after all, if the students can't attend school, parents can't go to work reliably, and everything gets harder for everyone.At this point, the school has settled out with a trusted and dedicated director, lead teachers in most of the classrooms who have been at the school for years, an excellent onsite chef who prepares daily vegetarian (not vegan anymore) meals, and multiple extracurricular activities for the students throughout the week - Play Ball, Mandarin and Spanish lessons, Dance and Music. Plus, of course, a Montessori based learning environment. I've watched kids who attend this school come in not knowing how to put on their own shoes, and within a couple weeks are independently following an entire morning start routine from putting on "inside" shoes, to hanging up jackets and bookbags, to washing hands before starting activities in the class.None of that is to say absolutely everything is perfect, and if a parent is looking for a school that's got all its "ducks in a row" (as it were), this school may not feel satisfying. It's more of a work in good progress. There are still some challenges with communication about changes, making sure teachers and parents both feel thoroughly supported and heard in their concerns and interests, and that when there is discontent, that it is handled with care and transparency. These kinds of issues can be present at any school; at a school that has struggled to find its identity and become stable in its staffing, the persistence of those kinds of issues can rub wrong on sensitive nerves. But this school has remained dedicated to bringing in experts in multiple areas, from administration to Montessori training, to get help, guidance, and correction. A place that doesn't care, won't keep consulting with people to help them or challenge their vulnerabilities to do better.At this point, MAoD, to me, feels the most comfortable as it ever has. It's not a sterile, industry school - it has personality, it has good days and bad days, it has happy teachers and assistants, it has students who I know to have grown developmentally in leaps and bounds, specifically because they were cared for by these invested and loving teachers. All of that comes from an owner's dedication to a child development philosophy, and I'm happy to see that vision coming into very clear view.
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November 2023 by Art Nail
Mrs Kong, Mrs Qian and Mrs Jessica are great teachers. We loved it.
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September 2023 by Angie Yonzon
I am the director of this Montessori school . I enjoy coming to work here even though it is an hour away . The atmosphere is great and the camaraderie among the staff is amazing. Everyone looks out for each other . It is truly a wonderful place to work .
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September 2023 by Emily Nance
We love it here. The teachers are wonderful with our son. My son has the biggest smile when he sees Ms. Parham in the morning. I would recommend this daycare to other parents.
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September 2023 by Nick Nonneman
We had the absolute pleasure of having Ms. Karen and Ms. Valerie as our childcare providers for our daughter in Infant 2, and we cannot express how truly amazing they were. From the very first day, it was clear that they would make our daughter feel incredibly special.Every morning, Ms. Karen welcomed our family with warmth and love. This made us feel comfortable and grateful knowing that our child was in such loving hands. Our daughter adored them, and we could see the genuine bond they shared.We are forever grateful for the love, care, and dedication they showed to our family. If you are looking for someone who will treat your child with love, and a genuine commitment to their development, Ms. Karen and Ms. Valerie are the teachers you need!
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August 2023 by 404 DRIA
My time at this daycare school was an absolute nightmare. The directors displayed a shocking lack of professionalism and seemed to prioritize profit over the children's welfare. It was clear that they were more interested in cutting corners than providing a safe and enriching environment. The staff turnover rate was alarming, and the constant change in caregivers left my child feeling anxious and unsettled. The facilities were in poor condition, with broken toys and unsanitary conditions. I would strongly advise parents to steer clear of this daycare and find a place where their children's needs come first.
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May 2023 by Red Homixide
If I could give this daycare 0 stars I would! DO NOT ENROLL YOUR CHILD HERE ! My child has Been enrolled in Montessori for only 2 months. Just like most of you I was blindsided by the school being a Montessori school. I knew it would be great for my child’s development. The facility is nice and big, it seems clean, the staff seem nice and engaging. All of that is a front put on to take your money. This school is about 1500/ month. Yet they do not provide breakfast, they provide snacks, and they never discuss with the parents that lunch options are “vegan”. The “directors” are terrible, they only ever greet you and even then that’s barely. If you come to them with an issue they have absolutely no resolution and they don’t make you as the parent feel heard. The school recently had a case of hand foot and mouth spreading around. According to CDC regulations the school isn’t allowed to close the classrooms down. When asking Ms. grant (the African American director ) and Ms. Rie (the Caucasian director) they repeatedly for 10 minutes on two occasions refused to give any clear advice on how the school is moving forward to keep the babies safe. Ms. Grant stated “there’s nothing we can do. It doesn’t affect me or any of us if your child doesn’t come to school. I still get paid and if anything it makes our day easier to have less children to look after”. Neither of the schools directors could explain their cleaning process, what changes were being implicated for the safety of the children. They only cared about their business being sued for forcing parents to be aware of their children’s health and safety. They didn’t implicate any temperature checks when coming in , they didn’t provide any safety precautions for the children who may have been coming into the building affected. My child has been in and out of the emergency room the past few weeks because this school isn’t taking the health of the children seriously. I called the school to inform them again that my child is sick yet again. I mentioned the child in the classroom who was in the classroom with the same symptoms my child is currently experiencing, and was told again there isn’t anything they can do. My child being enrolled in a daycare for 6 months prior to coming to this facility , he was in perfect health. Ever since being enrolled here he’s been having seizures, diagnosed with enterococcus bacteria(only found in hospitals or caused from improper hand cleaning), fevers as high as 105. As a parent I am concerned and his health is only my concern. However when a school continuously shows you they have no care or regards for any of the children’s health and safety whole in their care that becomes a major red flag. As far as the teachers they are very communicative, friendly, and they do their best. But the cleanliness of this facility is at an all time low. The directors do not know the definition of customer service. As a parent all my concerns should be addressed and met. I should feel like the staff care and are empathetic. It doesn’t matter if a child’s tuition is paid from cash or through the state, each child and parent should be addressed and handled in a certain matter. I shouldn’t have to feel like the staff are trying to argue with me, or be confrontational. I hope my experience will be the reason you do not enroll your child here. There are several reviews based on the cleanliness of the school and I looked passed it. Here I am in and out of the hospital with a child whose health is declining. Don’t risk your child’s livelihood.
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January 2023 by Alia Vander Lind
My son is in the Mandarin immersion class and he absolutely loves the class and his teacher. He is excited and happy to go to school every day. I've been impressed by how much Mandarin he's been picking up, as well as everything else he's been learning. The facilities are pleasant and clean, and they have a really fun, safe, and somewhat unique outdoor play area.
