PARENT TESTIMONIALS

"We could not have made a better decision for our child."

One morning, as my husband was leaving for work, he turned around and shouted to our 4 year old son, ‘Have a great day at school!’ Without missing a beat, our son whipped his head around and shouted back, ‘Dad, I always have a good day at school!’ As a parent, this was one of the best things we could ever hope to hear.

​It’s also a perfect reflection of our experience with WMS. The community of educators that Bettina has gathered combined with the beautiful Montessori materials and classrooms make this school a wonderful place for young children to learn. 

- Daisy Hotson ​​
We have been fortunate to have two children (so far) go through the three-year program at WMS and we couldn't be happier with their school experiences.  

Both of our boys have clearly harnessed their innate curiosity and developed a true love of learning thanks to the incredible teachers and the amazing school environment they get to explore each day. They have also learned valuable social skills and have built long lasting friendships during their time at the school. We feel quite strongly that the staff have played a vital role in our sons’ development into confident, respectful and inquisitive students and we look forward to having our third child enter the program next fall!

- Jenn & Andrew Kirker
WMS is above and beyond any expectations we had. The teachers are so committed and passionate in their teaching that it is infectious. Having the same teachers and classmates for 3 years builds very strong and trusting relationships. Both of our daughters absolutely love WMS. Our youngest can't wait until next year when she is in kindergarten and gets to be at school all day! And our eldest, who graduated from WMS last year, gets so excited when she gets to go back and visit. We have made a lot of close friends at the school and feel grateful to be part of such a caring community.
 
- Dave & Erika Harriman
“I love coming to school everyday because I’m learning a lot and have so much fun. My teachers are amazing and they care about me. I can’t wait for my baby sister to come here too!

​- Olivia, age 5
It is a joy to see our daughter get up with a smile in the morning, excited to start her day at WMS. She has only begun her first year and already, we are witnessing how she is cultivating friendships while thriving in a program that allows her to explore and discover at her own tempo.

We are delighted she has attentive and experienced guides in Ms Portia and Ms Victoria; a naturally-lit and beautiful classroom that is tidy and inviting; and activities that allow flexibility within the Montessori method.

​We are thoroughly impressed with the professionalism, attention to detail, and thoughtfulness the administration and teaching staff exhibit. Looking forward to the next few years! 

- Cynthia & Roger Lui
Attending WMS has been one of the most important and rewarding choices we have made in our son's life. He has grown and thrived in ways we could not have imagined and we can truly say that this is due to his amazing teachers at WMS.

​The nurturing and attentive environment that is provided has been beyond our imagination. Every detail is so well thought out, from the curriculum to the lessons and activities. Westside Montessori has taught our son some of the most important life lessons, and I am happy to say that in turn we have learned a few important things too.

​- Yasmin Prol
We have had the privilege of having two kids attend WMS. Our decision to choose this school was a huge one, the first time our son was going to be out of the house. Not just who was going to teach him but who was going to take care of him.

For us, with going through the first Open House was truly eye opening, to see how much passion and dedication the teachers have for the curriculum and all the kids that go through the program. We left pretty sure that this was the right place.

​Here we are four years later and we couldn’t be happier. It’s been an amazing journey for us, one that we will cherish our whole lives. My wife put it best, “One of the most important things at this stage is setting your child off on the right foot at the beginning of their educational career.” There is no better place than WMS. 

- Eugene Lau
"What do I love the most about WMS? - Everything!!!"

Audree, age 6
All three of my children have attended the 3-year Preschool / Kindergarten program at Westside Montessori School, and we have been thrilled with their experiences at the school. 

They have learned so much, in a nurturing and supportive environment.  They each emerged as independent confident young children, more than ready to start their early elementary school years, both academically and socially. 

The school itself is a bright and cheerful environment, and the teachers are amazing. They truly do understand each child's personality, and expertly guide them to learn individually as they progress through the program. 

​As my youngest is poised to graduate from Kindergarten, I find myself wishing I had another child so I could stay here longer!

- Nav Hundal
We consider ourselves so fortunate that both of our boys have been able to grow up at Westside Montessori.

​At WMS the teachers and staff are incredible. Whether it’s celebrating areas of strength in our children or gently noticing areas for development, we have often been impressed by how well the WMS teachers understand our children.  It’s something that can only come from being relentlessly attentive and caring toward the students they lead.

We have seen firsthand how WMS brings out the best in our children, empowering them to be curious learners, to be increasingly sensitive and respectful to those around them and to be confident in who they are.
These are just some of the qualities that make WMS such an outstanding school, and we feel blessed to have been part of the WMS community.

- Sharleen Wei & Justin Lim 
We would absolutely recommend WMS to parents who are looking for something more than a play based program. We firmly believe that there is nowhere better than WMS and we know that our children will be able to reach their full potential during these very important early years.

Since our daughter started at Westside Montessori only a few months ago, we have seen amazing changes. Her desire for independence, willingness to try new things, and ability to persevere through daily challenges have all progressed amazingly.

We have also seen a tremendous improvement not only in her language and comprehension, but also in her thirst to learn and understand more.   

​We have never seen a program as meticulously thought out as the program at Westside Montessori School. Every minute of every day is an opportunity for our children to be engaged and stimulated to learn!

- Matt & Amanda Arneill
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"Ms Bettina teaches me that ​I can do lots of things!"

​- Lauren, age 3
Our son attended Westside Montessori School for three years and it was a truly great experience. Ms. Bettina and her team of teachers provide a warm and caring environment where they encourage children both academically and socially. They instill positive communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, which enhance the students’ confidence, kindness and empathy.  

There are so many details that make WMS a unique place but the overarching feeling is that the school creates a special community for the families.  We look back fondly and gratefully at our time at WMS.

- Bill Burton & Lesley Benham

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​My daughter, London is in her second year of the Three Year Program at Westside Montessori School’s Casa Location. Our journey with WMS so far has truly been an incredible one. London has grown and developed with such impressive strides.

​We are honoured to be a part of the warm and loving community and couldn’t picture our daughter anywhere else. 

- Breanna Laubach 
There are so many things WMS excels at.  At the end of our son's three years in the preschool and kindergarten program, we wished he could spend even more time at WMS!  

The staff are what makes this school special; they are all warm, trustworthy, knowledgeable and fun.  Our son thrived under their professional and personable instruction and care.  They truly inspired our child's natural curiosity and piqued his interest in learning.  

During parent observations we were amazed to see a classroom full of children who exhibited natural interest in the materials and activities.  The hands-on mathematics and reading exercises, and teaching about art, science and culture were important highlights of the Montessori curriculum at WMS.  When our son brought home his completed work, we often found ourselves saying , "What an interesting project!" and "That's a great idea!".

The community the children are part of is one that is strong, loving, and full of childlike wonder and enthusiasm.  We are so grateful to this wonderful school community for contributing to our child's healthy and very positive growth and development during his foundational years of learning.

​- Tien & Luke Chen
The standout for us with our son, LT is that WMS has really fostered his love for reading. We didn’t have expectations for his reading but since about the age of four he really started to pick it up and we were quite impressed by that.

And due credit to WMS that a) they put him in an environment where he identifies something that he really likes and then b) feeding that curiosity with the weekly book program.

Now we’ve found that curiosity and the ability to feed that curiosity even applied outside the classroom. He recently took up taekwondo and really enjoys it. We’ve seen a similar development loop from school where he has exposure to a new idea or activity and he really explores it.
We thank WMS for setting up that framework for him.

- Anne & Trung Phan 
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