There are not a lot of good Montessori options in Colorado Springs so I was very excited when HIS opened. And even better, it's right across the street from TCA; where my older daughter attends elementary school so it was very convenient.
Unfortunately, that's where the good ends. I wish I hadn't overlooked those first few red flags. The first of which was a conversation that Sue, the owner started during our very first visit to check out the school regarding her personal feelings on abortion, gays/lesbians, etc. These conversations were not appropriate. Second, I observed several children use the restroom (with the door open, which is clearly visible to the entire facility) and they didn't wash their hands, then returned to play in the classroom. I mentioned this to Sue and she made the children return to wash their hands, but made no attempt to sanitize the objects the children had already touched.
The problems continued... Sue is extremely unorganized; our schedule was adjusted multiple times with little to no notice, classes added and removed, etc. The teacher turn over is the highest I've ever seen. In fact, she is now running the school with her young daughters whom are not Montessori certified and one of which consistently brings her own infant to work with her and leaves her alone in the office. Sue is clearly not a business-minded individual, but I loved the way she interacted with the children... at first anyway. Towards the end of the school year and over the summer, Sue was rarely in the classroom with the children and was short tempered when she was, even raising her voice at the children.
Two weeks before school was to resume in the Fall, I received an e-mail stating that Sue was changing the program yet again and we would no longer have a two or three day a week option, but only a five day a week option. The fees were more than doubled and there was now a $400 deposit/registration fee! I don't want a five day program for a three year old! In her defense, I understand now that Sue has grandfathered in a few returning students that didn't want or couldn't afford the five day option and allowed them to remain with two or three days; however, there was no mention of this in the e-mail, no phone call, etc.
The school was new so I gave Sue a lot of leeway, expecting improvements as she figured out the business end of things, but that never happened. Sue has said and done some very non Christian like things and I strongly encourage you to look elsewhere and not enroll your child at Highpoint.
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