Montessori Academy of Carrboro & Chapel Hill

My child attended Montessori Academy of Carrboro for 9 months. I cannot recommend this facility for many different reasons. High teacher to student ratios in the classroom (there were about 25 students in my son’s class and many days only 1 teacher due to turnover) and a rotating door of staff. My child had 6 teachers during his short time here, and that is only what I know of, as none of the teacher changes were ever communicated with me as a parent. On two separate occasions, we took him to school on Monday to a new teacher with no explanation of where his previous one went. Most recently, his teacher of 9 months disappeared without a trace. When I emailed the director to inquire where she went, she simply ignored me. No one at the school gave me any information. The teachers seem to be burnt out and treated poorly. The kids are outside on the playground most of the day running wild. Just last week when I picked up my child, he and another boy were hitting each other with hard-covered books on each other's head, while two adults were “supervising”. The director seems to change the schedule frequently without communicating to the parents. At one point, they changed the protocol so that they weren’t to encourage children to nap if they didn’t want to. Most children don’t willingly take naps (in my experience) and as a result, my son was outside for hours on end in the hot sun, and so exhausted and dehydrated when he got out of school that he was falling asleep in the car on the way home. It disrupted our bedtime routine, started to cause behavioral problems, and made him miss after school activities because he was so tired. It is also one of the most expensive childcare options in the area and had a price increase during our short time there. Overall I am relieved to have my child away from “Montessori” Academy of Carrboro and I do not recommend it at all.

My husband and I's first child attended Montessori Academy in 2016, and stayed until he aged out. The school served as a wonderful foundation for his education. We now have our second child, age 2, at the school and our third child will be attending in December when he turns one. The school is clean, welcoming, and I appreciate how bright and open the classrooms are. The school recently transitioned to new management (I think around 2023?) and they have done a great job with taking things over. For what it's worth, some of the other reviews appear to be disgruntled employees from years past, and I don't believe properly reflect how special this place is. (Extra tip: there's a discount for UNC employees!)

My daughter has been attending MACH for about two years and we have had such a positive experience. She is learning a lot of great skills (sitting at a table, eating with utensils, imaginative play, making friends, washing hands, cooperative play, potty training) and has formed close relationships with her teachers and classmates. I feel at ease leaving her with people I trust everyday!

I enrolled my child at Montessori Academy of Carrboro/Chapel Hill and have been thoroughly impressed with the experience. The staff is incredibly warm and caring, and they truly go above and beyond to create a nurturing environment for the children. I was very nervous, being a first time mom and leaving my child at a daycare for the first time, but they made sure to help me feel welcomed. The facility was clean & well-maintained, which gave me peace of mind! Communication has been good. The owners are great! I would recommend Montessori Academy for anyone looking for quality child care.

This school has been such a welcoming place for our son over the past two years, and all of his teachers have been incredibly caring and attentive. When he was potty training, his teachers were helpful throughout the process; when he was transitioning away from naps, they were supportive; and now that he’s learning to read and write, they’re going above and beyond to help him. It’s such a relief as a parent to drop your kid off each morning with people your kid loves, and you feel confident that they’re taking extra care with him.