Clay-Platte Montessori School in Kansas City

Posted: June 12, 2025

Weve had a truly wonderful experience at Clay-Platte Montessori School over the past two years. From our very first tour with Lishchkaya (who became Head of School shortly after we started), we felt welcomed and seen.

We were drawn to Montessori principles, but what really impressed us was seeing how beautifully those ideas are lived out in the classrooms. Our son was in a Primary classroom with Mark as the lead guide, and we watched him grow so much in his independence, confidence, and curiosity. The teachers and staff are top-notch: patient, caring, and incredibly intentional in how they observe and support each childs development.

The access to nature has also been a huge highlight. Whether it's exploring the creek or building outside, our child came home full of stories and wonder from his outdoor experiences. And beyond just academics, he learned real, practical life skills (things like how to care for his space, solve problems, and take initiative), which we know will serve him well long after hes left the classroom.

One of the things we appreciated most was how well they got to know our child and us. Its a place where relationships matter, where each child is respected as an individual, and where learning is joyful and meaningful. We couldnt have asked for a better foundation for our son's early education, and were so grateful to have been part of the CPMS community.

Posted: June 12, 2025

Posted: November 14, 2023

My family LOVES Clay Platte Montessori! Our son is 4 and has been enrolled in primary for over a year now. Our daughter is 1 and in the toddler community. The guides in both classrooms are incredible. Our 1 year old is beyond excited every morning to go to school and is all smiles at drop off. Our 4 year old is learning and developing so much and so well. He's been in a handful of daycares prior to enrolling at Clay Platte Montessori and none can hold a candle to the love, acceptance, growth, and personalized attention we have received from this community. The guides are so kind and involved, the ratios are low, and the administrative staff is wonderful. We are so grateful to have found this community and hope to stay a part of it for the next 17 years!

Posted: November 14, 2023

Posted: November 13, 2023

A true Montessori school that invests in training their guides (teachers). The guides speak to the children with care, understanding, and respect. I know my child is well loved by members in this community. She is happy, independent, curious, and adventurous thanks in part to attending this school. She has a growing love and appreciation for nature from the amount of time that she spends learning and outdoors while at CPMS. We couldn't be happier with our choice in schools.

Posted: November 13, 2023

Posted: September 30, 2022

It's interesting to me that my child who has gone to 3 different schools didn't care about leaving this school. I don't feel that the value was there for the thousands of dollars I spent. I specifically remember talking with the director and hearing, "at the end of the day, it's a business." Well yes, and businesses should provide value for the money received, otherwise, they don't stay in business.

The aftercare seems like a nice feature, but not when it's random high schoolers from the school caring for the children. My child, who is usually open and honest when they make a mistake was completely adamant one of the high schoolers watching them lied about something my child had done. And while my child's teacher seemed to do a good job and care, independent and objective data sources indicated that she carried bias against my child.

Posted: September 30, 2022

Posted: July 28, 2022

I am the author of the review next to this (5 stars, but says "do not recommend") and I just want to make clear that I do completely and highly recommend Clay Platte Montessori. I just clicked the wrong option by mistake and comments are not editable. Thanks!

Posted: July 28, 2022

Posted: October 6, 2021

My daughter was bullied here almost on a weekly basis. When brought to the attention of the owner Jen and asking about next steps, her response was so awful. She said, this is typical behavior of 4 and 5 year olds and if a serious injury occurred there would be next steps. Typical behavior to have the same child push my child repeatedly, have dirt thrown in my childs eye by another child. These things were not only told to us by our child, the Guides watched this stuff happen and sent us weekly emails detailing the events.
When ending that discussion she stated she understood if we met our threshold of what we could take. The school could be such an amazing place but the owner is horrific and I cant understand how she calls herself an educator and cares for the well being of all children.

Posted: October 6, 2021

Posted: August 31, 2020

Not qualified to answer, as I have not been made aware of any bullying.

Posted: August 31, 2020

Not qualified to answer, as our grade level does not req. homework.

Posted: August 31, 2020

Posted: August 10, 2018

As a parent with 2 students at Clay Platte Montessori, I could not be happier with the teachers and administration and their care for each and every student at the school. The teachers work to educate each child according to his/her individual learning style. The curriculum is rigorous in a unique way and allows for project-based learning. The students spend a significant amount of time outdoors, whether it's working with the farm animals, gardening, or exploring the creekbeds. Clay Platte really is a dream come true for those of us who believe in the Montessori method of education.

Posted: August 3, 2018

There is no homework through 6th grade unless the student chooses to bring something home.

In the primary classes, the work is meant to do more than just keeping a child busy, it prepares them for the next levels of achievement. The materials are most effective when presented by a trained guide and practiced in the proper environment, so home use is discouraged.

In the elementary program, the children spend their time learning to manage their time and finish their work during the work periods. The current teachers do a phenomenal job of tracking the students' progress and helping the students stay on target.

As a family, we prefer no homework. If we want to see what the children are doing in class, we stop in and have them (our children) show us! The doors have always been open to us for observation (something most public schools won't allow) and my children are confident that they understand their work because they are never asking us (untrained parents) to teach them (most likely the wrong way) to do it!

Posted: August 3, 2018

Montessori isn't for every family. The teachers and staff have always been fantastic at meeting my children where they are socially, emotionally, and educationally. They foster growth and independence. They engage them in the 10 acres of nature on the property and take them out to explore the city and use the resources as well.

The guides' job is to teach my children to be self-driven, to analyze the world they live in, and to be prepared to meet their adult lives as knowledgeable citizens rather than educated machines. My children are well served by all of their teachers, past and present at Clay Platte Montessori.

Posted: August 3, 2018

The school is under relatively new ownership. There has been a large change (improvement in my opinion - ending year 5, entering year 6 at the school) in emphasis on both educational standards and safety for the children. These changes have lead to both voluntary and involuntary staff changes, which are difficult to comprehend as an observer and can sometimes be confusing. Through all of this, the office staff and director have been helpful, friendly, courteous, and really listen to suggestions presented by parents, acting on them when feasible.

I also want to mention, the level of training that the staff guides go through is phenomenal, and it is no wonder they are such a blessing to our children!

Posted: August 3, 2018

I can only speak to learning differences on the scope of high IQ. The school has allowed my son to learn at his own pace and absorb knowledge at his own pace, even sending him to classes with the middle/high school math/science teacher to keep him actively engaged beyond the classroom lessons.

Posted: August 3, 2018

Montessori schooling teaches conflict resolution. The students are guided through the proper language to use, and allowed to calm down and can be distanced from a situation until they are ready to act with respect. This isn't to say that kids aren't rude, or mean, but there genuinely seems to be less of this, as the students are actively focused on their own progress, rather than the competition with their peers, and they are coached through situations that teach empathy, rather than avoidance.

Posted: August 3, 2018

We are extremely pleased with Clay Platte Montessori. It is a MONTESSORI school in practice, not only in name, and we cannot wait for our children to go through middle and high school there.

Posted: March 31, 2017

Despite having a 504 plan which was provided upon enrollment, staff still had no idea of its existence a year later. Also, after learning of plan and despite mandated use of a computer as an aide to learning, technology was routinely withheld as a tool for rewarding behavior instead of the aide to learning it was supposed to be.

Posted: March 31, 2017

Probably a great school for early age and primary school-aged children, but a total lack of academic rigor in their program for middle and secondary education. When we transferred our son to public school, he was well below average in all subject areas except for art and PE. It took him nearly 2 months to catch up to the other children in his grade. Also, the administration was loose, unprofessional, and unresponsive when we requested academic records be provided and refused to honor a very certain 30-day verbal notification of transfer, choosing instead to charge an extra month's tuition for not providing "written" notice.

Posted: May 25, 2016

The teachers work with each child individually, at that child's learning level. No child is ignored, left behind the class or bored with work that is too easy. These teachers really care about the children as individuals.

Posted: May 25, 2016

Homework isn't generally needed if students are making sufficient progress in the classroom. My son has brought home books to finish reading or a report to finish on occasion.

Posted: May 25, 2016

My son started here as a toddler & attended through 2nd grade. He thought that a bigger school would give him a chance to make new friends. We though maybe a more traditional education style would help him. We tried another school and after 2 years are happy to be back at Clay-Platte Montessori. My son is learning again and is a happy, well-adjusted pre-teen.

Posted: April 28, 2016

I have two kids in the school now, One in the Sunrise room, and one in Upper Elementary. We have one child that did go here but has moved on to high school. I think each of our children has developed well at the school. I think the older ones could have benefited more if I'd signed them up with Montessori schools sooner. The education is great. Our oldest is doing well above average after leaving and the standardized tests always show our middle child doing well above his age group. I love the sense of community my children get in this school. They seem to know everybody's name, they have friends in other classes, they work together as a group on projects, etc. With extras like talent shows, an international themed pot luck dinner, picnics, field trips, and goats (my son LOVES hanging out with the goats) This school is clearly exceptional.

Posted: April 28, 2016

One of my children is three. she sings songs about the continents. She's brought home maps she's created. She loves going to school. Yes, they're very effective.

Posted: April 28, 2016

I like that they work with the students to help them learn about conflict resolution.

Posted: June 1, 2015

My son is below average and that's because these teacher don't care. Students don't get homework because they should have done everything in the school day but if their school day is not productive then your child is learning nothing

Posted: June 1, 2015

The teachers don't make sure the student are using their time wisely. The students do what they want to do.

Posted: June 1, 2015

Students don't get homework. They have spelling words that never come home and other students are suppose to give test but the teacher doesn't keep record of it better yet don't even know if they have done it.

Posted: June 1, 2015

Posted: March 31, 2015

I researched many schools for my son and even considered homeschooling before I found CPCH. They have been nothing but supportive with my son. He was and still is at times extremely shy to the point of not communicating his basic needs. I was able to observe all the primary teachers and pick a teacher that I felt was the best fit for him. The director even did a scripted classroom observation for me. Since then, he has flourished. They teach children at their pace in a non competitive atmosphere as is not found in traditional schools. He is working on addition, subtraction and multiplication because HE wants to. He has not shown as much interest in reading but can read basic books. He is not even in kindergarten yet! I can thank only this school, staff, director and teachers for their AMAZING work! They have worked with me through all my concerns and needs. They never hesitate to answer my calls, email, or have in person conversations. The other negative reviews surprise me as well.

Posted: March 10, 2015

I happened upon this site as I was researching options for my son's high school education. I am absolutely shocked that other reviewers would call this school's teachers lazy. Beside the tremendous growth I have seen in my own son, throughout his seven years at CPCH, whenever I have needed to contact teachers outside of school, they have been receptive and welcoming. This was a great place for my child to develop. I am only sad that they do not have a high school program. He has had opportunities that are remote--at best--in traditional settings. He covered about two years worth of algebra in two weeks because the teacher didn't tell him he had to stop to do other work. He translated an entire fairy tale to Spanish, because he had time to do that at the time he was motivated to do it. He has learned to stand up for people because of the lessons that taught him to value people from all walks of life, all over the globe. Where else would he have learned all that?

Posted: August 19, 2014

You will hear a lot about 10 acres and a creek. My kid was there for 4 years. They have kept NO academic records. And acted like my request was absurd. There is no academic accountability for the students or the staff. Bullying and any disciplinary issues are swept under the rug. Great as a daycare, or for summer camp, but terrible as a school. Current administration is dreadful. High staff turnover should be a red flag. This school used to be great, but now are Montessori in name only. They have either fired or pushed out most of the best teachers, some with YEARS of experience from when it was a real Montessori school. There are other options for private schools in the Northland. I wish we hadn't wasted so much of my child's time and my money at this school.

Posted: March 9, 2014

Clay-Platte Montessori truly is as good as it gets! My daughter is currently in attendance at CPCH. The school has a nurturing environment, that is supported by a talented director and educated staff. My daughter has been able to successfully learn, thrive and prosper! Her teacher is supportive, compassionate, and truly respects each child's individuality. I have seen the "spark", and creativity return to my child's overall outlook, as well as see an increase in her self confidence, since she has joined the school. I am forever grateful to the Montessori "method", and the caring staff at the Clay-Platte Montessori school. My daughter constantly amazes me with her newly found desire to "learn more" as a result of the teaching methods used! Additionally, I have seen my daughter become more "well rounded", responsible and compassionate. She has also developed strong, lasting relationships with her classmates. I would recommend any parent to consider CPCH for their child, as I am thankful for the trained, caring and devoted team, and the positive influence they have helped instill in my daughter!

Posted: January 15, 2014

My son started his Montessori journey in the primary program at this school and is now in the Middle School (7th and 8th). He loves it and we love it! The opportunities he is offered inside the classroom and outside the classroom are priceless. He has been learning fractions, geometry, zoology, physiology, and botany, among many other things, since first grade. Everyday after lunch, he gets to run and play outdoors on grass surrounded by trees and nature. Yes! They still get to enjoy recess in Middle School! Clay-Platte Montessori is a wonderful school with a beautiful campus- every child should have the opportunity to go to a school like this.

Posted: December 12, 2013

My daughter has been going to this school since the beginning of this year. She is in 3-6 year old classroom. The two negative reviews surprise me. The teachers don't expect your child to know how to do everything - the Montessori method is one that fosters independence. I have also never seen anything I'd consider dirty. The classrooms are clean, the bathrooms are clean, and the staff is groomed. All of the teachers are patient and seem to genuinely care about children. I continue to be thankful my daughter is enrolled here and hope to be able to continue my daughter's education in a Montessori setting.

Posted: October 25, 2013

Class sizes for the preschool level are way too large. Teachers seem lazy and expect children to be self-sufficient at this age, and don't want to deal with anything outside of the norm. I agree with the reviewer who stated that the facilities are filthy. It also smells bad. This is a lot of money for children to be herded together in such large classrooms. The messiness of the rooms and florescent lights are also distracting for children with sensory issues.

Posted: April 28, 2013

This school teaches academic work, practical life skills and personal development using materials that accommodate multiple learning styles. We see self control, independence, and a love of learning addressed in addition to traditional subject matter. After having one child in the public school setting (successfully - in gifted program), I have decided to keep the younger one in this Montessori school so that he can excel at his own pace and grow further academically through a combination of self-directed learning, collaboration with older students, demonstrating skills to younger students, and hands -on practical application of skills. The skill my child has shown at this school has has outpaced the academics taught in the public school. The teacher / student ratio encourages a feeling of ownership, community, and parental involvement. The teachers in the classrooms genuinely love their jobs and their students and are committed to the Montessori method.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Savannah West	Apartment Complex	Kansas City	MO		4.8 mi
2	Shenandoah	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Leavenworth	KS		19.7 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Lansing	Lansing	KS	16.2 mi
2	River Walk/ Downtown Area	Leavenworth	KS	18 mi
3	Main Street	Weston	MO	21.4 mi

Base	Distance
Kansas City Military	13.6 mi.
Fort Leavenworth	19.7 mi.

Clay-Platte Montessori School

Kansas City, MO 64151

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Clay-Platte Montessori School

Kansas City, MO 64151

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