A Child's Place Montessori School

Posted: July 12, 2026

Our experience at this school was heartbreaking, and withdrawing our daughter was one of the best decisions we made for her well being.

We chose this school because it advertised the Montessori philosophy, fostering independence, following the child, and allowing children to learn freely in a respectful environment. Unfortunately, our experience was very different.

From our perspective, the school placed a much greater emphasis on compliance and unquestioning obedience than on nurturing independence, curiosity, or confidence. Our four-year-old daughter.
was healthy, bright, curious, and full of personality, yet she was repeatedly singled out for age appropriate behaviors.

She was asked to sit on a bench during outdoor playtime. During lunch, the children were expected to remain completely silent for about 30 minutes so the schedule could stay on track. When my daughter tried to talk with classmates or be playful as many 4 year olds naturally do, she was separated and made to sit with a teacher instead.
The most concerning part was the change we saw in her. She began saying negative things about herself, such as that she “doesn’t have good listening ears.” She started biting her nails, grinding her teeth in her sleep, crying before school, and waking up multiple times at night crying. These behaviors were new and deeply concerning to us.

We also felt she was beginning to be labeled rather than understood. No healthy 4 year old should come to believe that their personality is a problem because they need developmentally appropriate guidance.

After we withdrew her and enrolled her in another school, the difference was remarkable. She flourished. Her confidence returned, her joy came back, and the emotional distress gradually disappeared. That experience confirmed for us that the issue was not our daughter, it was the environment.
I intentionally waited seven full months before writing this review. I wanted time to reflect, separate emotion from fact, and ensure my review was thoughtful, fair, and truthful. After watching my daughter thrive elsewhere, I remain confident that this review accurately reflects our family’s experience.

Posted: July 12, 2026

Posted: July 12, 2026

Posted: July 12, 2026

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Posted: July 12, 2026

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

They don't have parking facilities and have stone filled dirt road that caused punctures in my car and made me to replace the tires. Very expensive (they have too many center closure and don't provide lunch) and rude management staff except for admin (Amanda). Play area is mulched unlike the other day care that have rubber mats for safety. No Sign in/Sign off sheet. They lack basic setup for good daycare/school.

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED AND THIS IS WHY ***The school is underfunded, what we observed during our kid stay are – This day care is operated in old house with medium size backyard. In summer there are tons of mosquitoes, insects (even we used insect repellent our kid got bite all over body/face/eyes) – Day care is still run in old technology, Unnecessary Holidays called Teachers Planning day which were coupled with long weekend to get more breaks for teachers (parents will end up taking may days up lol), No or Limited parking when dropping off they will make you park in Street which is not safe for kids drop off. Our kid was more stressed while she was with this day care with strict rules for small brain, so we pulled out. It turned out to be she developed (mentally) way faster in her new school. I highly recommend all Parents out there to share your bad experience so that new parents save their time and money.

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Posted: May 29, 2018

Our toddler attended this school and had a horrible experience. Often he would be upset when I picked him up and there was one time I was contacted to pick him up early because the teacher "did not have time" for him that day. He was evidently having a rough day and was asking for one too many hugs. The environment is far from being nurturing! This school also uses punishment to teach lessons, which is inappropriate for a child that age. I wish I had something good to say about this school because we had high hopes based on what we had observed prior to starting the program, but were greatly disappointed. Pulling our son from the program was the best decision we made. I would recommend looking elsewhere!

Posted: March 26, 2018

I believe the teachers encourage respectful behavior. When there are conflicts, I have seen teachers support and guide direct communication so that the children learn to resolve their own problems. This is one of the best life lessons they can come away with, in my opinion. Children come away with and understanding of empathy, compassion, and tools for learning to deal with conflict in a healthy way.

Posted: March 26, 2018

My child attended this school from 1 year to 3 years old and has returned for summer sessions over the years following. We incorporated some of the Montessori methods in our home to continue the life skill lessons learned in class and it continues to be very successful.

Posted: March 26, 2018

As soon as I went for an observation in the toddler class, I knew this was the right place for my child. The teachers are knowledgable and want to work together with the parents.

Posted: March 26, 2018

My daughter took great pride in learning to do things for herself. That baseline was set at an early age and she continues to have confidence, compassion and, respect for others. I've seen evidence of this in conflict resolution amongst her peers. They learn to talk through conflicts and approach them directly.

Posted: March 26, 2018

I have always found them to be responsive and honest. There does not seem to be a lot of staff turnover which tells me that the employees are in a good environment and that they love what they do.

Posted: March 26, 2018

From my experience, the teachers are very observant and are always watching the development of the children, making recommendations for each child's individual needs.

Posted: March 26, 2018

Excellent experience. We constantly comment on how fortunate we were to have had our child attend ACP and for the teachers in her life. The teachers helped me through some developmental stages with my child and I am grateful. The foundation of learning and the calm and peaceful environment no doubt had a great impact on my child and when she started public school, she had the skills to be confident, compassionate, and enthusiastic about learning. I have recommended this school to many parents and will continue. It was perfect for my child and I feel they encouraged her spirit. I love the independent and positive outlook that she has and ACP encouraged her to try new things and take joy in being responsible for herself and caring for others.

Posted: August 25, 2017

The child is expected to learn at his/her own pace. There is no constructive measurement of their progress. The only thing they measure is attendance especially for the VPK payment/reimbursement.

Posted: August 25, 2017

There is one good 3-6 class teacher. The rest of them are hippies that want to pass as caring teachers. Many of them are nannies at best.

Posted: August 25, 2017

Teachers talk down to the kids. This is no way to build compassion or respect.

Posted: August 25, 2017

The involvement from the principal is little to none. Both Pam (Principal) and owner (Geoff) treat all parents like dirt. They will not hesitate to tell you that you don't know how to care for your child.

Posted: August 25, 2017

Don't have an opinion about this topic. Haven't experienced this.

Posted: August 25, 2017

Don't have an opinion about this topic. Haven't experienced this.

Posted: August 25, 2017

Bad experience overall. Don't spend your money at this school.

Posted: February 7, 2017

My oldest started at ACP when he was 3 and still loves it 2 years later. The projects and lessons he has learned and brought home are amazing! He has made great friends and has shown such maturity and sense of leadership since starting school at ACP. His teacher and support staff show genuine concern and support of my son and keep great open dialogue with parents. My husband and I are so happy with ACP we will be sending our youngest there next year as well. He is also excited to start school and be there!
Don't judge the school unfairly, by reading some of the older low rating comments. Take the time to tour and ask other parents about it.

Posted: September 1, 2015

My wife and I came to the conclusion within two weeks of the start of school that our goals and objectives were completely incompatible with the manner in which A Child’s Place Montessori School is carrying out it’s interpretation of the Montessori philosophy. As a result, the only logical conclusion was to remove our daughter immediately and seek another school.

We had a complete a lack of trust in A Child’s Place Montessori School and in our daugther's classroom staff. This however was not because we overlooked the “…more than 30 years combined experience…” it is because the classroom staff in particular and the school in general do not portray the qualities that we consider fundamental to instilling confidence and trust into parents and consequently into the children they are entrusted with on a daily basis.

Experience is one quality that is important in almost any endeavor or career because if forms the basis of practical knowledge and comes from the practice of direct observation and/or participation in ones field of expertise. However, this is not the only quality important to the teaching profession. The ability to motivate a student, to excite their quest for knowledge and growth and to create a positive and caring environment in which to acquire knowledge and interact with their peers are all qualities equally as important as experience. It is in these qualities that Ilaria’s classroom staff and as a consequence, A Child’s Place Montessori School, falls short.

The execution of the very noble ideal of Montessori cannot be successful without classroom staff that exude confidence in themselves, that carry themselves and interact in a manner that demonstrates to both children and parents that they really care about the childrens' wellbeing, and that stimulates a child’s desire to learn and explore his or her world.

We would be more than happy to allow our daughter to remain in the school if we felt she was doing so in a positive environment with motivated and caring professionals as has been the case in the past at almost all the other schools she has attended. However, this does not exist in her classroom at A Child’s Place Montessori School.

My wife and I are very committed to the philosophy and techniques created and developed by Dr Maria Montessori, however, just not at A Child’s Place.

Posted: September 1, 2015

Posted: September 1, 2015

Posted: September 1, 2015

The school does not discipline harassment of one child by another. Therefore, honesty, integrity and fairness cannot be developed in an environment where harassment is allowed to go on.

Posted: January 20, 2014

This school is amazing! Both of my girls have attended since they were infants and we love it. One of my daughters is about to "graduate" and her academic, social, and conflict resolution skills are seriously impressive. I have seen their teachers go out of their way to address the special needs of children many times and find creative ways to solve personality or learning challenges. Many of the teachers have been there for over 10 years and have continued their education and professional development in Montessori -- this tells me that they enjoy and are committed to the school they are working at (which says a lot to me in a sector that has a fair amount of turnover). I absolutely adore the Director at Southpoint -- she is fair, compassionate, and cares deeply about each and every child in her school. Each classroom has iPads that the kids use for research and reports. I urge anyone who is genuinely interested in Montessori to tour this school and make their own decision.

Posted: June 12, 2013

BAD! I dealt w/ this school for 5 years w/ 3 different kids. The school is underfunded, doesn't have the proper resources or techology, or the proper number of certified teachers for the number of students enrolled. The infant & toddler program is great but they totally sucks when it comes to primary education. U must literally do exactly want they say & your child must fit their mole which is quite, average or slowly developing kids. If your child is expectionally gifted or talented, the school doesn't have the adquedate teachers to suppport & development the child properly. They are contantly short staffed & love to make it your problem by having u to pick your kid up early because they are supposely sick or suggest to reduced the kids schedule for their conveience while blaming it on the kids needs. After checking with other former parents, this is a common for them. Over the years I have seen some improvements in the schools materials but they tremendously lacking behind other schools when it comes to techonlogy. But most important, they love to tell U have to run your marriage which causes many problems between U & your spouse. Other former parents totally agree.

Posted: November 7, 2011

We are very dissapointed with this school. I get the sense that something is wrong in there. There is a fake sense of caring, of enjoyment, and of actually wanting to be a teacher/educator among the staff and teachers. It is surprising and sad at the same time. I heard and saw one of their teachers talking to one of the students and I was shocked and just wowed at how cold and uncaring the teacher's approach was. The look on that child face was memorable, just sad, being talked down to. But its not that one teacher, the principal is not much better. Just take your child somewhere else in a more loving and nuturing environment, they deserve better. If you plan to pay for school pay for somewhere where they actually care and are not fake.

Posted: March 9, 2011

My daughter has been at this school since she was 3 and she is now 7. We tried a new school for a short period of time in 1st grade , but after daily complaints of how she was so bored in school because the work was far too easy, we put her back in this school. This is the perfect school for a independant , motivated child. May daughter has thrived on having the tools to be able to explore work that was way beyond her grade level.

Posted: May 9, 2010

A previous review of 8/21/10 said 'Their philosophy is that the children will tell them when they want to learn.' My understanding of Montessori from reading is that yes a good Montessori school follows the child when they are most receptive to a particular skill or task. 'Follow the child' is a key component in a 'prepared Montessori enviornment.' I trusted the Montessori philosophy with my two daughters and I'm convinced that it helped them to grow into inquisitive, caring, compassionate, self driven young people. No, it's not about how fast a child learns, it is about how well and how motivated a child is when learning. In my humble opinion, these are the more important lessons we took from a Montessori environment.

Posted: April 20, 2010

The principal does not listen to what the parents are trying to tell her and the owner is not involved with the parents at all. The primary class teacher is not interested on encouraging the children to learn new things at all, thus the children develop a lot of lazy habits. Their philosophy is that the children will tell them when they want to learn, but it makes no-sense since children have no idea what they are suppose to learn. Skip this school if you are looking for a primary school.

Posted: March 10, 2010

not happy with the school at present. my child is in a toddler class and teachers are discouraging parents involvement, no role of prinicipal in this school. No one to complain. Unhappy with the teacher's knowledge about child development. Thinking about taking my child out.

Posted: March 6, 2010

My daughter graduated from this school last spring after over 3 years there. Comparing to the other kids in the private elementry school now, she is advance in reading ability and keeps natural curiosity for learning and strong independence. She still often mention her teachers, their teaching of broad spectrum of knowledge, and the lovely environment over there.

Posted: February 14, 2010

This is my review from last year that was posted to incorrectly spelled listing: Posted April 10, 2009 My 5 y.o. has been attending A-child's place since he was 2.5. My other son, now 20 mo. started in an infant community at 12 mo and moved up to toddler community at 18 mo. Both are doing great. We love the school. It is located in an old house and has a 'home' feeling to it. It has a wonderful treed playground and all classes spend a lot of time outside. Children eat outside weather permitting (almost all year round in Jacksonville). Small classrooms, structured environment, no ugly unnaturally colored plastic toys :) We love the school, but, unfortunately we might have to take my older son out due to financial reasons - he'll most likely go to a public school this year.

Posted: February 14, 2010

There are two locations in Jax - my sons go to the smaller in size Southpoint location. We love the school, the attention my boys get there. Compared to tuition in other schools the tuition in A Child's Place is a little bit higher, but I think it is justified by the personalized attention the children get. My older son (6 y.o) does addition and knows Van Gogh paintings when he sees them. He is absolutely independent when it comes to self-care. So is my other 2.5 y.o. son, who's been potty trained by the staff at school since he was 1.5 y.o. The children spend a lot of time outdoors - they have a wonderful shaded playground there. The teachers absolutely love the children. They do not serve lunch - very convenient for parents of kids who have special dietary needs. I am all out space....highly recomment the school.