Lowcountry Montessori School

Posted: September 26, 2022

I have three of my children here and absolutely love the community and teachers.

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

As an educator, I was so excited to see a Montessori program near our new home. I have worked with Montessori guides in the past, and it is an amazing approach to learning. I enrolled my children with very high hopes only to be disappointed. The middle school is a glorified babysitting program, and not a good one. My child would come home and I would spend an hour teaching them the concepts for the lessons, then 2-3 hours on the daily work. The guides aren't even all qualified to teach, and it shows. They use being new as an excuse not to do their job, so they often go into class without knowing the curriculum, leaving the students scrambling. A teacher told a student that bullying was only physical, but physical fights happen all the time. A female student who was being harassed was told that they needed to be nice to their harasser because he had autism. If your child recieved any services through special education, or if you feel like they qualify for special education services, run far and fast. The teachers try to deny services, and it may take over a year for them to get around to testing after it's requested. The younger students programs are better, there is no homework and the teachers care, but without caring leadership their work is in vain.

Posted: February 24, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

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Posted: February 24, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

Posted: May 12, 2021

A mixed bag here. Easy carefree environment. No real standards - If you are looking for a strong academic program, keep looking. Our child lost ground in basic academics while at this school. We switched and should have done that faster. The SC school report card shows this place failing in almost every measurable area. Staff are friendly and appear to try hard. I don't think there's much guidance from the top. Feels like they bought a Montessori kit but don't know what to do with it.

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: May 12, 2021

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

Posted: June 22, 2019

This is an amazing place where staff treat students like family.

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

I have been lucky enough to be part of Lowcountry Montessori as an educator and a parent since it opened. My children are flourishing. We take pride in instilling a love of learning for all students. This school has heart!

Posted: May 31, 2019

Two years we would take back if we were able in a heartbeat. Our student has fallen so severely behind we barely feel they will recover sufficiently and be capable of functioning at grade level in their new school.

Posted: May 31, 2019

Homework is not regularly assigned for children under 14 but projects are and we can only speak to our child's classroom teacher. This "teacher" is horrible and to our great dismay our child has suffered and we have suffered because of this as a family.

Posted: May 31, 2019

No. No they are not. This information is freely available to you so be sure & request the real time, current, genuine status of the schools actually legal teachers qualifications because they are egregious and most importantly, it shows in near everything. Also do not overlook experience of the educator because trust us this is a matter that GRAVELY contributes to a child's learning process. All children.

Posted: May 31, 2019

Perhaps the upper level high school students but most certainly not below. Make no mistake, this school is coasting in haughty highly privileged and preferred student body.

Posted: May 31, 2019

"Leadership" is not a word or implied description synonymous whatsoever with regard to this specific school. Blind leading the blind.

Posted: May 31, 2019

If your child has learning differences avoid LCM at all costs. The profound lack of evidenced based knowledge, practice & experience is stunning.

Posted: May 31, 2019

Posted: May 7, 2019

This school has been a god send for my children. They have all thrived in the environment and it has supported them as individuals. For anyone that is looking for a loving and caring community that is concerned with every aspect of your child, this is the school. They teach skills that will last a lifetime.

Posted: May 7, 2019

Posted: May 7, 2019

Posted: May 7, 2019

Character education is embedded in all that they do. It is a part of every level. The idea is to develop kind human beings.

Posted: May 7, 2019

Posted: May 7, 2019

Posted: May 7, 2019

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: September 24, 2018

This school is amazing! There is a really special sense of community and amazing teachers.

Posted: September 24, 2018

Posted: October 11, 2017

I think this school is a great place to learn and that most students here are comfortable with their surroundings. Students (like me) get their education through hands on, visual, and auditory learning environment. LMS is a great place for your children to learn.

Posted: October 11, 2017

As a student, the teachers don't give homework all the time. It helps other students learn easier because they have less stress to deal with. Therefore they are doing better in school than other students in our grade levels.

Posted: October 11, 2017

Posted: October 11, 2017

Posted: October 11, 2017

Posted: October 11, 2017

The teachers are equipped with techniques to curve the hunger of their students' minds.

Posted: October 11, 2017

The school has a high NON-TOLERANCE for bullying, students have little worry about getting bullied due to the fact that they are in a "Learning safe" environment.

Posted: May 27, 2017

Everything to do with student relations and interactions is a complete mess. In fact, the majority of the time the students are completely unsupervised and monitored.

Posted: May 27, 2017

Don't even get me started.... If your child is not a 100% self-reliant autonomous learner, this is NOT the school for them.

Posted: May 27, 2017

There is no homework at this particular school.

Posted: May 27, 2017

My child's teacher at Lowcountry Montessori was a joke. Completely and utterly ineffective and both teaching and classroom management.

Posted: May 27, 2017

Posted: May 27, 2017

While I have no doubt that the administrative staff started out with the best of intentions, they had ZERO administrative experience and were entirely unprepared to manage a school and student body.

Posted: May 27, 2017

I LOVED the concept of a Montessori school for my children. HOWEVER, that is NOT what we got at LMS. It was disorganized, mismanaged, and in the long run did SEVERE damage to my child both emotionally and educationally. While I'm sure the administration had the best of intentions upon inception, they had ZERO experience and/or know-how to run a school. Furthermore, a large amount of the staff (including my child's teacher) had no business teaching or managing a classroom. My child's teacher in particular took a "Lord of the Flies" approach to classroom management. After witnessing and hearing of several incredibly worrisome situations with the class, I questioned the teacher with regards to classroom policies and procedure. The teacher proceeded to explain to me that she allowed the student to make up their own classroom rules on a daily basis. Furthermore, she expected the students to self-govern by enforcing the rules and imposing consequences on their peers. We're talking about SIX YEAR OLDS here. It was a recipe for absolute chaos - and that's exactly what ensued. By the time my family finally parted ways with LMS, my child had already suffered emotional damage from the situation and was lagging behind educationally.

Posted: April 17, 2017

We had very high hopes for Low Country Montessori. The idea that children learn better through a low pressure curriculum sounded perfect, but the result is lackluster. I attended a gifted school as a child, and I therefore expected an environment that fostered creativity while providing challenging work. What I saw instead was an administration that seemed to have never run a school before and a classroom experience that caused my child to regress rather than progress. First, during orientation, registration, and through the first week parents were told repeatedly that hot lunch would be available. That never actually became an option. Second, they have draconian rules in place as to what parents can pack for lunch. Nothing can have sugar as one of the first three ingredients. Even a small piece of candy will be confiscated. Oddly enough, sugar free drinks are also barred because they contain "chemicals" (no specificity was forthcoming upon request). Thirdly, the security on campus is worrisome. There have been multiple occasions when we have arrived to pick up our child and no one knew where she was. She was found within ten or fifteen minutes, but that is a nerve wracking time. The whole school simply seems disorganized and fly by night. Finally, my child was homeschooled her kindergarten year. During that time, she was reading, writing, adding, and subtracting. As we are nearing the end of her first grade year, she has regressed. She has forgotten words she could previously spell. She has a difficult time with phonics. She has not progressed at all in math. She has fallen in every measurable category.

In all, I gave two stars due to the horrendous condition of other schools in the area. Many other local schools require metal detectors. The one benefit I can see from this school is that I feel my child is safe from other students.

Posted: April 17, 2017

Posted: April 17, 2017

Posted: April 17, 2017

The school has the feel of disorganization.

Posted: April 17, 2017

I have had no problems in this area, but I have also not seen any positive affirmations.

Posted: April 17, 2017

My child has regressed in nearly every possible metric.

Posted: April 17, 2017

There is a no homework policy at this school.

Posted: February 13, 2017

Great place to teach! I have support from families and staff.

Posted: November 1, 2016

goes back to favoritism , another student slapped my son in the face and nothing was done, I told 2 teachers and nothing, but my son wasn`t respecting a teacher and got 5 days after school

Posted: November 1, 2016

Posted: November 1, 2016

I told the Director about an issue and her reply was that the teacher was a first year teacher,

Posted: November 1, 2016

Students are treated very different..and the students that aren`t treated as well as the FAVORITES can see this and feel they aren`t being respected

Posted: November 1, 2016

Teachers belittle the students, call them names

Posted: November 1, 2016

Posted: November 1, 2016

Alot of favoritism goes on at this school. Staff are really rude to the students..One of the high school teacher has tantrum fits and sits in the corner, calls kids names..alot of discrimination at this school..

Posted: April 2, 2016

Posted: April 2, 2016

Posted: April 2, 2016

Posted: April 2, 2016

My children loves going to school. They like the Montessori learning process. They learn about self discipline & responsibility. They know the lessons they need to learn & work independently in doing their school work.

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 5, 2016

The Montessori Method nurtures honesty, peace, self-discipline, and accountability through the lessons achieved in the classroom as well as witnessing community service and honoring all cultures and beliefs.

Posted: February 5, 2016

Teachers, administration, and parents are dedicated to fulfilling and enriching the whole child instead of only "teaching to the test." My child has never been more engaged in and excited about her learning than at LMS. We are so lucky to have this gem in Beaufort.

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 4, 2016

Posted: February 4, 2016

The staff at this school have been super responsive to my special-needs child. The administration, led by Amy Horn, has worked feverishly and tirelessly to provide a top-notch Montessori education to the lowcountry. There are some wrinkles that need smoothing out that come with any new venture. If you are looking for the cookie-cutter, state-mandated, top-down, rigid environment for your child, then this school is not for you. If you want your child to "think outside the box" and experience a diverse and vibrant community of students, then you should seriously consider LMS.

Posted: December 8, 2015

The administration at the school is unprepared for charter school mandates. In addition, the school lacks racial diversity (BIG TIME) and is served by teachers who are not certified. Many faculty members turn a blind eye to bullying occurring in the classrooms.

Furthermore, the writing level of students is several grades below average. It's frightening. Due to inappropriate implementation of the Montessori Method by untrained teachers, many areas of curriculum and state standards are not taught at all in certain classrooms. In other rooms, these standards are not adequately addressed.

Also, many kids go through school producing very little work. Because of the larger class sizes and the Montessori approach of individualized and small group learning, students fall through the cracks and receive very few "lessons."

I could go on and on.

Things need to radically change or the school is likely to fold.

Posted: December 8, 2015

There are some effective teachers at the school who offer a great balance of academic progress and compassion. However, some teachers are not trained AT ALL in the Montessori method. Others are not fully trained in Montessori. Some teachers do not even have appropriate state teaching credentials. Because of this truth, students are suffering academically. Many students are not getting adequate or sufficient lessons. Often, teachers do not align curriculum with state teaching standards. That is one reason students are doing so poorly on state tests. Just look at the Beaufort Gazette article "Beaufort Montessori Charter School found noncompliant" for support of this claim.

Also, some of the administration and faculty try to blame their UNACCEPTABLE and HORRID state test results on the claim that the scores are a result of only being in operation for a year. However, The tests are given toward the end of the school year, and there is simply NO EXCUSE for only 14% of students passing the writing exam. At some point, school administrators need to take ownership of that statistic. So you were only open for a year? In almost an entire school year, you couldn't get more than 14 percent of students to pass the state writing exam? They should take some advice from Harry Truman and embrace the phrase "The Buck Stops Here."

Posted: December 5, 2015

Not all students are treated the same. Staff children are favored and given teacher choice preference. Additionally, although the school is paid for with tax payer dollars, staff children are given priority in the admissions lottery. I can see a lawsuit coming in that arena. Hence, it is difficult to create a morale of fairness among students.

Posted: December 5, 2015

Posted: December 5, 2015

The school is not set up for day to day operation. There is no plan for curriculum, test prep, attendance, or anything like that.

Posted: December 5, 2015

No, the example from the administration is to hide any problems and the students know it.

Posted: December 5, 2015

My child doesn't have any work for home, yet seems to get in trouble at school for not completing work. They take a whole week and call it "immersion" but its really a study hall.

Posted: October 6, 2015

Posted: October 6, 2015

Posted: October 6, 2015

Posted: October 6, 2015

My children are blossoming at this school. They are learning their academic subjects in a way that is interesting and fun to them, while they learn about their personal strengths and individuality. They are respected as human beings, and are guided to be the best they can be while helping others to do the same. We love it!