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October 2022 by Megan A. Smith
Bergen-Lafayette Montessori school is absolutely incredible. We sent my daughter there when she was 15 months old and she was enrolled until we moved out of Jersey City when she was 3. Our son also started there at six months in the infant room before we moved. The teachers are loving, caring, and attentive. This is a legit Montessori education that is truly transformative - what my daughter was able to learn and accomplish at such a young age, and the independence she gained from attending this school has authentically shaped who she is today. The infant room teachers cared for my son deeply and supported his transition from being home from maternity leave to going to school. They were also excellent partners while we worked on potty training for my daughter. This place also builds community in a beautiful way, with many opportunities to get together at the school site and have fun together. My daughter has made lifelong friendships and the parents that I've been able to connect with are warm and welcoming. We would have stayed if we hadn't bought a house in another town, but I still bring the kids up to attend school related events (as they are open to alums of the school), and my daughter still says that BLMS was her favorite school (she's four now).
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July 2022 by Jackie S
BLMS is well-managed AND full of loving and skilled staff. My son is in his second year of summer camp there and he says he wants it to be his camp forever. Even for his half days for a few weeks, they have fostered his independence so much. He comes home and tells us all about the experiments they do and things about other countries. The camp price tag is a total bargain. I think much higher quality than so programs for twice or three times the price.
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January 2022 by Huijun Wang
Be very careful to register your kids to this school, especially during this pandemic time period!!!I enrolled my son into the Toddler class in September 2021. The school claim once you register your kids, you need to stick with them for the whole year. To ensure that, they charged me two month tuition in advance and $1000 material fee. In December, the school had one toddler got COVID and the toddler class was closed for 14 days. It was really over 30 days including the holidays. As a working parent, it made my life very difficult. I had to call my cleaning lady and pay her hourly to watch my kid since I had to work. It cost me over $2000 while at mean time, the school charged me $1700 for the same time frame.I asked the school to consider partial refund becasue for the whole month my son was not allowed to attend school at all, and my whole paycheck was spent on watching my son by hiring someone else. The school should give me refund since they did not watch my kid for a day in the past 35 days since Jan 7. However, Queenie, the school employee, told me that no refund from school because her school policy said so. I had to bit my tongue and eat the cost.After this class reopen in January, only a little over a week, another kid got COVID. Mayani, the owner, announced another 14 days school closure. AGAIN, I need to pay my own nanny on top of the $1700 school fee.School closure is constantly occurring. I'm not surprised that the 3rd and the 4th closure are happening very soon. And the worst part about this is, when I ask the school to help working parents not just charging tuition, or allow me to change to another school , they gave me long articles of what the health department policy was and what the school policy was......... Basically they are saying, I have to bear with it, no matter whatever circumstances or whose fault it is, I have to pay them. .Be very careful with this school! They just want to tie you up for the whole year ...
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August 2021 by Heidi Coluni
My girls loved everything about BLMS and they have both truly blossomed under Myani and their teacher’s care. It’s a nurturing environment that makes learning fun. My girls were excited to go to school, see their friends and could not wait to tell me what they learned that day. We always knew our girls were taken care of and never worried about them. This is a special school - I highly recommend it to anyone considering a Montessori education for your child. We have recently moved and I greatly miss this school - as do my girls. Thank you BLMS for the wonderful years!!
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March 2021 by Tria Covington
Please don't say you don't remember me. I have two daughters that came to enroll in the summer program. You asked me what school they went to and I said the school name, side note, it'sa great charter school. The owner said Oh, well that school only goes up to second grade. Side note, The school had to relocate and they have continued in the same school just a different town where it goes to 12th grade. Yaaaay!!! My observations of the owner is very snobby. My girls are currently in a 5 star school and both are on the honor roll. My oldest is reading at a level Z+. And my youngest is a math whiz!!! Thank you for turning us down. Everything happens for a reason.
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February 2021 by Laura Martin
I searched everywhere in the NYC metro area and found this gem of a school! We travelled from Lower Manhattan every morning to avoid the Manhattan school price tag. This school gives a top notch private school education. It doesn’t have the fancy building, but all the Montessori materials are the same and the teachers are well-trained and passionate about what they do. This is a true Montessori school. We loved the diversity of students. Myani truly cares about her students. A wonderful parent community too. Highly recommend!
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January 2020 by Jennifer DeLory
We absolutely love BLMS! Our 3 yr old son had previously attended other schools downtown and this is hands down the best experience we have had so far. The Montessori method has been amazing for our son and the small class size has really helped him blossom. He loves the aftercare program as well and honestly never wants to leave when we go to pick him up! Unlike other schools he attended (and looked into) they have their own playground so the kids are able to spend much more time outdoors instead of just taking walks. The teachers are so caring and Myani, the director has created a really wonderful community with the teachers, parents and students. We highly recommend this school.
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January 2020 by Juliana Lepasana
I was initially nervous to enroll my 2 year old daughter in a program because she was previously at home with me and was working through some separation anxiety. BLMS teachers and staff cared for her so well that after a few weeks, she was begging to go to school every day. When you join, it feels like you join a family. She receives intentional, gentle, and loving care. I highly recommend BLMS.
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January 2020 by Marjorie Pierre
My daughter is 4 and on her 3rd year
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October 2019 by Stephen Walsh
Our daughter attended pre-k 4 and kindergarten at BLMS. We loved everything about this school. The teachers are warm and caring. You can tell they really enjoy their work. We loved the playground and the emphasis on outdoor time. (The school tells you clearly- if the temperature is above 32 degrees, we're going out!). It is so important for small children and so sadly rare at other schools we looked at. We loved the Spanish immersion aspect. The students are at the age where they can truly learn to speak another language, and it was so great to see our daughter's enthusiasm about it. We are so sad to see that the public school she has started at will not start foreign language until middle school- and that then, it will be once a week. We loved the aftercare program as well! Each teacher at the school takes one day of the week, and does a little mini-session of something they are interested in. Last year, Monday was cooking, Tuesday was art, Wednesday was science, Thursday was sewing... you get the picture. It was terrific. We also loved that in the diverse community that is Jersey City, BLMS strives to be diverse- both economically and racially. They have a scholarship fund to try to make their fantastic school accessible to more members of the community. And lest you wonder whether all this magic happens at the expense of learning- our daughter finished kindergarten reading at a third-grade level. Sign your child up- the only part you will regret is when it's over.
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September 2019 by Aislinn Black
My daughter is finishing her third year at BLMS. I am happy to have found a school that supports her natural inquisitiveness and helps her grow socially and emotionally. The teachers and director are the warmest and most dedicated professionals. The school also walks the walk in terms of reflecting and celebrating the diversity of our city.
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September 2019 by Valencia Khoussein
I agree with the other negative comments. My daughter was also very unhappy at this school. The kids were very mean to her and she would come home crying. She never wanted to go to school because of the environment. The owner was never actively involved in the classroom to see the issues. Many kids have left this school to go to better private schools or local public schools. I do not recommend this school.
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September 2019 by secret1955
This the safest and warmest school I've visited in a very long time. The children are clearly comfortable and learning. The environment amplifies a genuine creative learning experience. Outstanding!
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September 2019 by Anne Smith
Absolutely worst school in Jersey City. I have witnessed children being snapped at routinely by teachers. I have seen children bully or hit other children without teachers correcting them. Myani, the owner of the school, does not accept constructive criticism and only cares about money. My son was very unhappy at this school and told me he was left out of many activities at school and was given dirty looks from the teachers and cried daily at drop off. I have spoken to many parents from the school and they had similar experiences. Other parents have witnessed teachers shaking kids’ arms because they were crying or misbehaving. This is a very costly school to be having so many issues. My son is now at another private school in Jersey City and is thriving and very happy.
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September 2019 by Michelle Missaggia
I have two sons currently attending BLMS and I could not be happier with our experience with this school. The teachers and staff are amazing people and my boys are learning much more than they would at a traditional preschool. BLMS is a dual-language school that reinforces the Spanish they've been introduced to at home, and uses the Montessori Method to ensure that they master practical-life skills. I wish every community had a school as wonderful as BLMS!
