The Montessori Academy

Posted: September 26, 2025

Our daughter attended this school for 3.5 years. While the first year was good, we pulled her out due to concerns over her physical, emotional, and academic well-being. She was physically assaulted 3 times during one school year by male classmates, some of her teachers and administrators were unprofessional, and her academic performance was deteriorating. The school was found by the state to be in violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Since then, we transferred our daughter to a public school in Rio Rancho, where she is thriving. We should have pulled her out sooner.

Posted: September 26, 2025

Posted: September 26, 2025

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Posted: September 26, 2025

Posted: December 29, 2022

I worked here for a year and the staff and community are lovely, but a bit disorganized at times.

I’m concerned that I’ve reached out several times to the school after working there for a year for verification employment with no luck. My new employer is so confused and has not experienced this before.

As a teacher, I also submitted several requests for administrative signatures for necessary student loan relief with no response.

It’s confusing and concerning and I wonder if other teachers who have worked there (due to the high yearly turnover) have experienced the same?

I hope they will reach out, but am exploring all options at this point.

Posted: December 29, 2022

Posted: December 29, 2022

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Posted: December 29, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

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Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

The teachers are great. The administration is not so great. As mentioned in all the other reviews it is ran by nepotism. The administration lacks empathy and compassion or any people skills. Since the administration is horrible the teachers change frequently but they still manage to get awesome teachers. My children are still there because the teachers are SUPERB! But I fight with the administration regularly. If I had known what I know now I would not have put my kids in this school. If you enroll your kids here please don’t be afraid to speak up for what you feel is right.

Posted: May 21, 2019

Posted: May 21, 2019

Posted: May 21, 2019

Posted: May 21, 2019

I am outraged by the actions of the abysmal principal. It became clear after three painful years that she has more regard for her ego than for my son's education.

Posted: May 21, 2019

Posted: May 21, 2019

Posted: May 21, 2019

This school seems so good on paper, but the reality is quite different - especially if you ever have to deal with the administration. The principal is downright horrendous, and I have grave doubts about her aptitude.

Posted: May 4, 2019

Awesome! I found this school by chance and have been so happy. All of my children have gone here. Highly recommend it. Especially middle school, it is a smaller school and supportive.

Posted: May 4, 2019

Teachers work so hard to help support my son with organization skills and

Posted: May 4, 2019

The middle school teachers have always inspired my kids to be better people who care about the world and their place in it.

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: May 4, 2019

The administration is hostile and ignores parent contact. They don't care about my kid.

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: May 4, 2019

It depends on the teacher and the year.

Posted: May 4, 2019

Most teachers try their best, but I can tell it is hard for them, with an administration that does nothing to support them. They always seem tired, and some of them got really sick.

Posted: May 4, 2019

It is hard to develop these values when they are not modeled by the administration.

Posted: May 4, 2019

The special education seems to try their best but the administration has not hired enough special education teachers or staff to actually be helpful!

Posted: May 4, 2019

Posted: October 5, 2018

The teachers do their best under an administration that underfunds staffing and support, is unethical, unprofessionally aggressive, and disproportionately punitive to parents and children. If your child never has to interact with administration, then they would probably only feel the effects of lack of personal attention and having a revolving door of teachers. But, what child goes through 9 years of school without some kind of personal interaction with administration? I would think that is very rare. And for those children and their parents who do have to interact with administration——-the administration operates under a policy of nepitism and strong-arm, coercive, and intimidating behavior.

Posted: October 5, 2018

This school could be great if the current family of administrators was dismissed.

Posted: October 5, 2018

Not enough staff or support from administration. The school could be great if the current family of administrators was dismissed.

Posted: October 5, 2018

The teachers are good at this, but they don’t stay at the school very long (except for the staff that are related to the principal). This school could be great if current administration were dismissed.

Posted: October 5, 2018

Not enough special ed or support service staff and refusal of evaluations and IEPs. One person is the IEP specialist, administrator of the special education department and the sole provider of special education for this school of approximately 500 students. Administration intimidates parents into accepting less services than their children need, or they harass families until they no longer want to stay at the school.

Posted: October 5, 2018

They give one parent teaching session on bullying once a year. They have no truly effectual plan in place to work with families to solve the problem. The administration deals with bullying by harassing (bullying) the parents of the children involved, so that the parents don't want to keep their children at the school.

Posted: August 11, 2018

They finally employed a special ed teacher after a parent complained. Near as I can tell, nothing happens. I know of students whose dyslexia went unnoticed for years in their classrooms, and then when finally diagnosed, the school claimed those kids were "doing fine" and not in need of any special ed help. They claim that "montessori solves for everything" and so special ed isn't needed. No gifted program, the classes are so huge that they use advanced students as teachers. It's one thing to say kids work collaboratively, that is understandable and part of Montessori. But advanced kids have learning needs too and those are not met at all.

Posted: August 11, 2018

My child was bullied right out of this school. First by other students, then by the administration who refused to do anything about it and instead invited us to find another school. So we did.

Posted: August 11, 2018

Usually no homework in elementary. Have not experienced middle school homework yet.

Posted: August 11, 2018

Some teachers are good. Many are related to the principal and/or business manager. Some teachers are very checked out. Pretty much all of them seem overworked and under appreciated by the administration.

Posted: August 11, 2018

There is a farce of Montessori "peace tables" which reportedly never get used beyond kindergarten and which the students think are a joke. Children get bullied and the school turns a blind eye because they think it just doesn't happen there. Bullies rarely get punished, but I have seen good kids (not mine) get driven out of the school for nothing.

Posted: August 11, 2018

The principal is confrontational and rude. When real problems arise she prefers to pretend that her school is perfect and the student asking not to be bullied is the problem, because there are apparently "no bullies" at this school. "It just doesn't happen here."

Posted: August 11, 2018

Disappointing. This school was founded on great ideals. Nepotism, mismanagement of money, and a rude and ineffective administrator have really made a mess of it.

Posted: May 26, 2016

Posted: May 26, 2016

Posted: May 26, 2016

Posted: May 26, 2016

Students receive a well rounded education that focuses on more than the basic subjects. The music program is the best in the city. The small campus is great for fostering community. All and all a great charter school.

Posted: April 11, 2016

Some outstanding teachers!!!! A few not so much... Thank you to those amazing teachers! I wish you had a better support system in place!

Posted: April 11, 2016

Posted: April 11, 2016

There are many great teachers and families doing their best to promote fairness, integrity and honesty.

Posted: April 11, 2016

The Principal is dismissive to parents. It's her way or the highway.

The school programs are excellent.

Posted: March 27, 2016

Beware. Most of the staff is related. Principal is confrontational and nepotistic. Children are allowed to walk around unassisted on campus. Would not recommend as an employee or a parent.

Posted: August 13, 2015

Principal is confrontational. Interactions very ugly and unprofessional, so sad for what could have been a wonderful school experience for our child. Words of warning, brace yourself.

Posted: August 13, 2015

The principal is a very abrasive and confrontational lady. Most unprofessional experience with her imaginable. Brace yourself.

Posted: June 17, 2013

i have been going to school here ever since kinder now i am entering 5th Grade the teachers are really nice and they explain things in different ways so that all kids can understand i thing that i dont like about TMES is that 4th And 5th graders have P.E. at the end of the day when it is really hot. Another thing that i didnt like about the pastyear is that there was no general music teacher like how there was one in the past. My favorite part of the past school year was probably the TWO overnight trips the 4th And 5th graders take every year one in August/September and one in May the one in May is more fun because the #rd Graders get to come!!!!. Another thing i love about this school are the Assistant teachers i like both of the Assistant teachers in 9-11. The way TMES puts kids in classes are not like any other school that i know of kinder is only 5 And ^ year olds but 6-9 is not the grade it is the age so 6-9 is 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders and 9-11 is 4th and 5th there is also middle school. I <3 TMES aka The Montessori Elementary School

Posted: April 8, 2013

My son started kindergarten at TMES this year. In all honesty, my list of pros and cons of this school pretty much even out. The school is small, more personal, more individual oriented - and I really appreciate that. I also really like that there is such a strong focus on music and art, but I think that there is a lack of focus on physical education and athletics. Also, the attitude towards standard school and testing is terrible (teachers are very snotty about Montessori being superior to traditional). My son was well ahead of kindergarten grade level in both reading and math when he started school, and it seems to me that he has not been challenged at all. Because he is able to figure things out on his own, he is often left on his own, and instructed to help other students rather than have the teacher do it or have him working on something new to him. I once went to pick him up early from school and was not allowed into the building! I understand not disrupting the classroom, but I should be able to walk in and get my own kid when I need to. I think the anti-parent policy (unless you volunteer all the time) should be addressed. Some of us can't be there every week.

Posted: October 3, 2012

I have worked at TMES for a few years now. The staff is a wonderful group of people who really work together well. It has been a great experience thus far.

Posted: September 14, 2012

This school has a weak or non-exist anti bullying policy. The teacher told my child that the student bully 'was just joking'! We requested a formal investigation and a week later (after repeating our request) we got a terse note that the student was 'talked to'. The student continues the behavior and the principal, lead teacher and classroom teacher are doing nothing to stop it that I am aware of.

Posted: April 1, 2012

We have found this school to be average, at best. Students are supposed to have the same teacher for 1, 2 and 3, and then another for 4 and 5. Our child had a different teacher every year. Only one of these teachers had much experience teaching the Montessori process. The others were either new to teaching, or new to the grade level they were assigned to teach. We have not been impressed by the teacher our child has this year, nor felt particularly welcomed by her. Our child required outside tutoring to bring her up to grade level. While the music program is strong, the visual art program is average. Physical education is taught by non certified staff members. The school has very little, if any, technology for the students. Perhaps with more time TMES will develop into a stronger school. There needs to be more consistency and less teacher turn over, and perhaps a more friendly atmosphere. We see very little advantage at this school compared with our local public school.

Posted: February 14, 2012

We placed our son in TMES for kindergarten because we knew that he needed a more open and flexible learning environment than he would be afforded in a "traditional" classroom, where most of his day would be spent sitting at a desk doing worksheets. We could not be more pleased with the education our son has received so far. His confidence, competence and skills have grown tremendously since he started at TMES. Yes, TMES expects a lot of their students, parents and teachers. This is not a negative thing; actually it is a positive, and something sorely missing from most educational environments. We have high expectations for our son as well, and expect him to do his best every day. Between the instruction he receives at TMES and the encouragement we give him at home, he is thriving. He also gets art, music, physical education, and culture instruction at TMES he could not get elsewhere, at least not without a hefty tuition charge. We feel fortunate to be part of TMES and highly recommend the school.

Posted: October 6, 2011

Teaching at TMES for over 4 years now is a pleasure. We have such a knowledgeable, passionate staff. I love how many family volunteers we have participating daily in our school! The school keeps growing in a positive way and I am excited to see where we'll go.

Posted: May 12, 2011

I have volunteered in TMES for half this current school year (2010-2011). As a retired teacher of 30 years I was amazed at what I witness and observe at TMES. Children are busy learning, working on independent projects, sharing ideas and integrate effectively within their classrooms as community...unified and happy. The classrooms I have been lucky to have worked in have been supportive of the children's levels of learning and provided individual and group instruction so that every child is attended to AT THEIR LEVEL. It has inspired me to return to teaching and get licensed in the state of New Mexico. I continue to be amazed at the music program and recently attend an end of year concert that was unbelievable. Every student learns to play violin and parents are urged to attend lessons as well. TMES was for me, a breath of fresh air to see innovative instructors and children that actually are enthusiastic about learning.

Posted: May 11, 2011

This charter school provides my children a 'private school' without tuition. My 10 yr old 4th grader and 8 yr old 2nd grader are wrapping up their 3rd year and I couldn't be happier with their teachers. The Suzuki violin program offered to every student is a wonderful compliment to the Montessori method. All children are encouraged and inspired to work at their own level. The school has met AYP standards each year while still allowing for a large percentage of self-directed learning. I can't afford private school, but am happy to supplement the school where I can to maintain the high level of instruction it provides. The school has never forced or guilted parents to donate money. They are forthcoming with financial information so parents can decide if they want to help or not. This school has none of the bullying, cliques or prejudice I've witnessed in 2 other elementary schools my children attended. This school teaches cultural, social and environmental awareness and tolerance. Great job, TMES.

Posted: May 10, 2011

My children have attended TMES and its previous private version since they were 2. Here is why I, my wife, and both of our kids (now 11 and 9) are huge fans of TMES: (1) The teachers and staff. Totally committed to the kids, the montessori principles, and the culture (including behaviors like respect, personal responsiility, and conflict resolution). (2) The curriculum, with both the classic "written" form of learning, and the tacticle and spatial experiences of montessori. (3) parent involvement. If you want to contribute, you are welcomed into the process - not pushed away as with other, larger schools. A word on the negative reviewer here... if you take one look at TMES and our montessori materials, art supplies, music program, and the educational assistants (EA's) etc., OF COURSE it costs a little more and the school needs to fundraise. It is not out of line wth what I see at other schools, and TMES offers such a better experience, that I think it's a bargain. Before being a charter school, it cost $8,000 per child so as a charter with no tuition, it's a great deal.

Posted: May 9, 2011

I have been involved with TMES since it transitioned to a charter school over 5 years ago, and I am very happy with the teachers and curriculum of this school. Contrary to a few other reviews here, math instruction at TMES does not result in children being behind. Both of my children are doing fine in math, and if they weren't, I feel confident that the teachers and staff would do everything in their power to help. Any parent who is considering TMES should visit the school, talk to other parents, and read up on the Montessori method --- it is a different way of learning than what you might be used to. I would like to correct another statement made here - TMES does not ask for a $400 donation per child every year. That was a suggested donation for one year, to meet a fundraising goal, but no family is ever required to make any kind of donation. Ever. TMES is a public charter school and is open and free to all. Unfortunately, budget issues have put TMES, and many other charters, in the position of having to do some fundraising, but donating is completely voluntary. And finally, there are many more families who are devoted to this school than who are unhappy with it!

Posted: May 9, 2011

The Montessori Elementary School provides outstanding students with a challenging atmosphere and has an excellent program all around. My children are leaps and bounds beyond their peers from other schools in all areas. I am completely satisfied with the strong teaching staff and I highly recommend this great school for any family.

Posted: April 11, 2011

We left the Montessori school and had to put my child in summer school because she was so behind in math. She is now in a private school and is still playing catch- up in math.

Posted: March 27, 2011

I have two happy children who enjoy learning that go to this school. The staff is friendly and very competent. I consider it a real privilege to be able to send my children to such a well run school. I truly believe they are providing a quality private Montessori school education for free. In addition to very good academic instruction they get Suzuki Violin, general music, and fine arts. Once you consider those additional subjects and teacher's assistants in all classrooms, I am happy to give help them out as much as I am able so that they can continue providing my children a great education..

Posted: March 1, 2011

My wish...about this website...is that the families who have left the school and have negative feelings about their experiences would also be honest in their reviews about the families own involvment in their child's acadmeic growth...or not. My experience in these "remark/review" type sites is that is gives unhappy parents a place to trash a school. No where do the readers have the real story...about the actual student or the actual parenting...ie music issues, homework support, etc. Please read cautiously! It has been said that negativity finds it way to more mouths...because people love to spread gossip, rather than deal with their own issues. I would focus more on reading the specific comments about what is working...because from my son's positive experience, the incredible hard-working teachers and all the extras these very very lucky students have...this is one of the best school in ABQ!

Posted: February 26, 2011

This excellent school provides classic Montessori education with Suzuki violin. If you're not familiar with the Montessori method, read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method