Reviews of Barrie Montessori & Elementary Private School (Kindergarten)

Ashley Messinger

How hard is it to get a hold of these people?? I've been trying for over two weeks, even made an unexpected drop in looking for information. Filled out the "Book a Tour" on the website, no response. Finally get a hold of the principle 7 days ago, give her my email address so she can send me info and pricing...no email. If they are this unorganized with potential students/families, I can't imagine how they are with the curriculum :S

Liz Fletcher

I can’t say enough great things about Barrie Montessori School! My daughter is currently in Grade 3 and has attended BMS since she was in Junior Kindergarten. Over the years, BMS has provided a wonderful learning environment. My daughter is consistently challenged and continues to perform above grade level. All of the teachers are extremely nurturing and I see first hand how my daughter has been provided with a solid education in a nurturing and caring environment. Without a doubt, BMS has become a second home to our family!

Leanna Sargent

After speaking with Dawn, the school director and asking detailed questions with regards to my child’s needs, Dawn said she would send me a welcome package and I never received it. I phoned 3 days later to speak with her and she did not reply. I can’t help but feel that the reason she was ignoring me was due to the fact that my son is speech delayed and I had asked her about having an inclusion working if my son required one if he was attend Barrie Montessori. I am extremely frustrated by this experience. I found it biased and very unprofessional hat Dawn blatantly disregard my request for a welcome package and ignored my follow up phone call. Wow! Very disappointing!!!!!!!

Dave C

This school is NOT Accredited with The Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators. Find an accredited school or at least one that is seeking accreditation. Completely dissatisfied with the Principal/Administrator of this school. Three weeks ago we took our son for an orientation day to see if Montessori was right for him. We dropped him off to begin his day and within one hour the school called us to pick up our son. No explanation was offered at the time of the call. When I arrived to pick up my son school staff stated they were unavailable to discuss the matter. The Principal to this date ignores my emails and fails to return calls. If something happened at the school, we as parents have a right to know what went on. Do your research and check out the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators website. Was hoping to find a better alternative to the public system... I didn't find it a Barrie Montessori.

Stacey Stanton

Our 2 children have been attending BMS for the past 3 years. The most important thing to us, is how much they enjoy going to school every day. The teachers are fantastic, administration is great, and the before and after care and summer camp options are a terrific bonus. We have been very happy with this school.

Kim Neil

For anyone looking to enroll their young ones in a high quality, conscientious Montessori school, the Barrie Montessori School should be at the top of your list. I was nervous finding a school during the pandemic as my son, who was three at the time of enrollment had very little social exposure and we were concerned about safety protocols. Ms Allen, Ms Dane, Ms Sarah, Ms Neda and all the teachers in the CASA program went above and beyond to ensure that he had a smooth transition and felt welcome. They were patient and kind, and provided personalized updates on his progress when we picked him up. He developed incredibly fast with vocabulary and motor skills, and enjoys singing songs with his classmates. My son loves the school so much that when he's not there, he pretends to be one of the teachers and I'm his student. I have always received very prompt communications and in my opinion, the registration process is a good thing. It gave me the confidence that I was placing my son in a school that holds all parents to the same level of accountability when it comes to the health and wellbeing of our children. Enrolling our son in BMS was the best decision we as parents made in 2021.

Michael Polson

Since the day we first visited Barrie Montessori & Elementary Private School and had a chance to learn about the program from Ms. Allen, there was never any question in our minds about where our children would attend school. I can’t say enough good things about the entire staff (teachers and administration) at Barrie Montessori School. They are a wonderful group of educators who are passionate about the Montessori philosophy and dedicated to its approach of following the individual child. We see the results of this on a daily, weekly and yearly basis. Our children, as different as they might be, are happy, courteous, respectful and self-confident individuals who learn for the joy of learning. Our eldest daughter finished at BMS last year and transitioned into public school for her Grade 7 year. Her current teachers often comment on how our daughter approaches learning and easily sees the interconnectedness of subject areas. Her knowledge base is incredible, and she applies her knowledge to the world around her. She collaborates with her peers and takes pride in her work. We also observe our youngest daughter learning to do the same. I can honestly say that BMS prepares their students academically, socially and emotionally! We regularly receive complements on how polite, respectful and articulate our girls are when meeting new people. The programming and staff at BMS deserve much of the credit for instilling these traits in my daughters. My wife and I also appreciate the level of communication that we receive daily. In addition to being able to talk to the teachers at the end of the school day, we also always have access to administration. The “open door” policy that Ms. Allen offers, ensures that we always have our questions answered in a timely manner. For the past 9 years, Barrie Montessori School has consistently surpassed our expectations. Thank you, Barrie Montessori School! Now...how about a high school??? Update: With one full(ish) school year with my two daughters now complete in public school, I have an even HIGHER regard for Barrie Montessori. Both my girls did extremely well academically in public school. The instruction at BMS set them up to do very well. It is the instilling of the values of respect and maturity at BMS that is sorely lacking in the public system. Choosing BMS for our children was an inspired choice, one that will serve them well in future.

Jennifer A

The teachers are fabulous. The care is exceptional. The negative reviews do not reflect my experience at all. (My child has homemade food in her lunch.) My child has attended this school for 4 years and that is reflected in her academic achievements.

Angela Clarke

Amazing Staff, amazing organization, amazing school. I can’t stress enough how much my son and I love this school. The teachers know all the students and visa versa. Kids are taught more than just academics. They learn how to socialize properly. I volunteered on a field trip with my son and I’ve never seen such well behaved children. Other schools were on the same trip and the kids were out of hand. The difference between the kids was mind blowing. I am so proud that my son is part of this school. Can’t say enough good things about them. The fact that anyone could speak poorly of them is upsetting. Take advice from a parent who has a child here not just someone whose mad about an interview. No nuts or nut products just like any other school and no high sugar foods. Home Baked items must be labeled with an ingredient list just to be safe due to student allergies. This to me isn’t unreasonable and I have an extremely picky child. Barrie Montessori has been and continues to be outstanding. We will be attending this school right up until grade 6. Hoping by then they will go to grade 8. You won’t be disappointed!

T C

The administration is insane. Drafting letters of intimidation to parents is a priority over pedagogy. Prepare to be terrorized and given a monetary penalty if your child is a few minutes late to school.

Sara Connelly

I contacted Barrie Montessori school and I received a phone call back right away! The principal was very knowledgeable and took the time to answer all of my questions. After comparing other Montessori daycares, I am confident that Barrie Montessori is authentic in following the Montessori philosophy. Their classrooms offer a lot of natural light and are very spacious. The playground is huge and the gym is a great place to play when it is raining outside! As a parent of a child with a peanut allergy, I appreciate that the school does not allow outside food to come in. I look forward to many years of education at Barrie Montessori School!

Matt Fraser

Our son has been attending BMS since he was 18 months, he is almost 4 now. We have only wonderful things to say about the teachers and kids. We felt 100% comfortable leaving our son there and that he was in the upmost care.

Nadia McIlveen

I have sent both of my children to this school; my eldest attended from grades 3-5 and my youngest attended from CASA PS-SK. Both children greatly benefitted from the warmth of the teachers, the principal and the rest of the school community. Their academics improved greatly. Since leaving Barrie Montessori School, the children often speak of fond memories of their time there. They have excelled in their current schooling, extracting from the confidence of their learning at BMS!