Berkeley Parents Network: Bright Star Montessori (Albany, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network

Bright Star Montessori (Albany, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Preschools > Bright Star Montessori

June 2009

Re: Year-round all day preschool in Berkeley/Albany
My son just ''graduated'' from kindergarten at Bright Star in Albany. He has done well there, we have enjoyed the last 3 years. I am impressed with his projects and ''focus,'' I also like their outdoor play area and the families. This is a small school, during the summer the program is mainly play based. And, if your son starts at 8 he will be one of the first kids there, most kids start between 8:30-9. satisfied mom

Dec 2008

we have been very happy with our experience at Bright Star Montessori since the beginning. my 3 1/2 year old daughter started there after spending 2 years at a home daycare. within 2 weeks of starting, my daughter was noticeably calmer and more content, more willing to share with her younger sister, and seemed to feel safer in her own inner world. i think it helped immensely that i had done some reading on montessori education in preparation for her enrollment. montessori education really strives to protect and nurture the child's imagination and inner experience, and i think knowing that helped me understand the school's set-up: the way they maintain clear boundaries between parents and the play area/ school at drop-off times, how they plan parent-teacher communication, etc. all with the intention of prioritizing the child and creating a safe place for them to explore. i have really enjoyed the feedback and communication i have gotten from the teachers, particularly Miss Swarna. i feel in Bright Star that i have a community of educators that i can collaborate with in the education of my child and whose philosophy challenges me, though indirectly, to be a better parent and a better individual. and that is exactly what we were looking for. mom

March-April 2008

I received one reply to my previous post on Brightstar Montessori and and wondered if there was at least one other recent opinion of the school (curriculum, activities), its director and teachers, or the way the school is run. I'm hoping to find a fun, loving, educational community for my outgoing daughter and can't tell if the one reply I got was a unique situation or representative for this school. Thanks for your help. -steph

My child is currently enrolled at Bright Star. After a bad experience at another school, my son has been showing all the positive signs when he leaves his work at Bright Star (which practices AMI Montessori, not one of the many spinoffs of the authentic Montessori method). My son consistently leaves with a proud walk and a sense of accomplishment. His confidence has grown, he does a lot more independent work, and I can observe how he is truly coming into his own person at Bright Star. He is nourished intellectually and hems very enthusiastic about learning other languages (Chinese, previously some Spanish)sthis tells me that the teachers are responsive to this lsensitive periodn for languages. What I am most enthusiastic about is seeing how all this is coming from the linside outnshow he is learning is not by a top-down method or by imposition, its rather because people there are observing where he is at any given moment and are responding to his learning (Montessori would say labsorptionn) interests. Bright Star Parent

I can tell you about how things were last year. The good thing about Bright Star is the community of parents; they are great people. Most kids do well.

But it's ''strict'' montessori, so if your kid is a talker or a wanderer it won't be tolerated. Parents aren't generally allowed to watch the class. Once when I was allowed to be there (birthday), a teacher was spoken with for speaking too loudly and was gone soon after.

Last year, a child was spanked by a teacher but the issue was not reported or told to parents until after the renewal contracts were due. Another teacher was fired, but again that information was withheld until after contracts were renewed.

It was difficult to get information about my child last year because the teacher on duty spoke little English. To the school's credit, after parents complained they tried to make sure that another teacher who could speak English was on hand to answer questions.

The teachers told me that particular children were problems and that I should keep my child away from them.

Consider carefully if it's right for you. You must sign a year-long contract so if your child doesn't thrive or if you disagree with their policies you're stuck. The fundraising and volunteer time can be onerous for some families. Glad to be Gone

I have been pleased with Bright Star, and it seems that the kids love it.

It has been excellent for my boy, they have lots of outdoor time to let out energy. The new facility is beautiful.

When I got to volunteer , the kids were very absorbed. My son really likes Miss Swarna, and she is very skilled at setting up a traditional Montessori setting. He enjoys the other teachers as well.

There is not a lot of turnover in students. Mainly because the kids do so well. My son has developed some close friends, and I do not see the drop-off difficulties with constantly new children. It is nice to have a small group of children that is constant.

I would be happy to answer any questions, m_m

I've also read some of the posts about Bright Star. We were a family there for multiple years and had a mixed experience. I agree with the earlier negative post about some of those issues. I also want to state that each family has their own experience with the school and the personalities there.

In general, I think the school is better for families who do not have both parents working full time (the communication tends to be ''old-fashioned'', which can be good in some settings but not for 2 professional parents with different parents dropping off and picking up, and some events - like the year- end ''concert'' and potluck - have been held only during the day hours - not possible for 2 working parents to participate in those, AND parent-teacher conferences are a nightmare for 2 working parents - only 1/2 as many appts as children, only offered mid-day, and only offering more appts once the first batch filled completely).

Some kids have a great time and it is true that it is a ''traditional'' montessori and that parents are not particularly welcome in the classroom or past the gate - there are exceptions though. Staff turnover can be high - though I can't say why with any degree of certainty. and they went through a very stressful period (it's over now) moving sites and battling a very oppositional community who didn't want a preschool in their backyard. They survived very well and, in fact, did a GREAT thing with the site.

All of that said, it was a great group of parents when we were there and the new site is certainly excellent. Some of the teachers were also great.

As with any school, none are perfect and each experience is colored by personal interactions and expectations. anon

My 3 year old son has been going to Bright Star since January 2008. He is what you would call ''high energy'', so I was a little unsure if the very structured environment of the school was right for him. I can say with certainty that he really enjoys the school and is thriving there socially, developmentally and intellectually. I also love the bright, cheery space provided.

I am happy with the communication I've had with the director and teachers at Bright Star since first looking at Preschools in our area. After reading past negative comments on the BPN, I discussed my concerns with the director. I was pleased with how she handled the situation, and she has been very communicative with me thus far, trying to make sure that my son is having a positive experience. I definitely recommend Bright Star. Bright Star Parent

Feb 2008

Re: Looking for a Montessori Preschool
I recommend that you consider BRIGHT STAR on Marin. We have been there a year, and are very impressed with their structured program. It is small, I do not know if they have any openings. The facility is lovely, and when I have volunteered in class the kids have been very engaged. One of the drawbacks is that you have to sign an entire year contract, so you need to be certain that you like it- before you commit. That is also one of the schools strong points. There is not a constant change of children, so it is uncommon to see any of the drop-off difficulties as a child adjusts, and the children get to know each other well. pleased parent

April 2007

I'm interested in hearing about the positive aspects of Bright Star Montessori from parents whose kids are currently enrolled. Please add whether you concur with the critiques of the prior, negative reviews. Thanks! On the fence

Hi- I wish I could give a glowing review of Bright Star Montessori but I can't- I will say that a couple of the teachers are warm and genuinely caring towards the children. My child does like going to school, which is also a plus. We do appreciate the exposure to Mandarin Chinese and Spanish from a couple of the teachers there. I will have to agree with the previous reviews regarding the disorganized administration. The turnover of teachers has been a problem. Sorry I couldn't be more positive but I thought you should know before making the plunge (at Bright Star, the signed contract holds you for the year and there are no refunds)

August 2006

I'm seeking reviews based on recent experiences at Bright Star Montessori. I'm looking for a safe Montessori preschool where my child can enjoy herself and develop both academically and socially. What is the teacher:student ratio at Bright Star? How do teachers respond when one child pushes another? Is there a healthy balance between discipline and relaxed play? Are teachers aware of each child's developmental needs? It seems that the school has a decent representation of Asian children. Are there any African American or Latino kids? Do they have any art, music or dance programs? Thanks.
Parent of a Happy Child

I was also interested in Brightstar Montessori for my son. I heard great things about it and called to schedule an appointment to come look at the facility as I was eager to get my son on the waiting list. After a week I still hadn't heard back so I called again (each time talking to a real person) and left another message for the person in charge of scheduling visits and told them that I still hadn't heard back from my previous call.... still no call back. To make a very long four month story short...I was very nice and never argumentative about the situation but I never heard back from them 3 phone calls and one letter later. Thought I would share my experience with you Frustrated Mom

Bright Star is a small (aprox. 28 children) multi-age (3-6) pre-school. The directress (who is the only head teacher and administrator) is a fairly good educator in the classroom and adheres to a standard Montessori method. The rest of the staff (2 full-time, 2 part-time) have some Montessori credits but none have full Montessori credential. In the past year, the directress/head teacher had been away for more than 30 days total, almost 20% of the 187-day school year. In her abscence, there was no fully qualified Montessori teacher, the subs have been a mixture of parents, current assistant teachers, or no sub at all. The school promises a 6 to 1 student/teacher ratio, when in fact, according to its employee handbook, keeps the legal minimum of 12 to 1. In the past year, Bright Star has been involved in a messy dispute over its lease on the current location. As it stands, Bright Star lost its lease on its current location, and has no usage permit on the prospective location, and therefore its future is uncertain. Concerned Parents

In reading the previous review of Bright Star Montessori School, I would like to add a few more concerns about the school- a major concern is that there is very little communication from teachers to parents- not a single teacher-parent conference was scheduled by the school last year for my child. Communication from parents to teachers is done via a written log book. Communication from teachers to parents is done via a newsletter that comes out occasionally. I have very little idea of what goes on at school with my child. Disappointed Parent

HI, I am new to this forum, but would like to add to the recent review on Bright Star. I am in agreement with the recent comment of the Disappointed Parent. The teachers do not seem to be free to speak with the parents and the parents are not allowed into the classrooms nor into the playground even. My daughter cried because she couldn't understand why she could not touch me from behind the playground fence. They also have you sign a year's contract in advance to state that you will stay all year. This is unusual for a preschool. The only way to ''get out'' of it is to leave the country. So if you are not happy with the program, there is no recourse for an entire school year. Unfortunately, I have signed the contract and am ''stuck''. Please be careful in choosing for your child, or you risk to lose a great deal of money.
A Mother Caught Unknowingly

May 2006

Does anyone have feedback regarding the Brightstar Montessori in Albany? The previous recommendations are years old so I wanted to see if anyone has new information. Thanks! Shannon

I am a current parent at Bright Star and we have had a great experience over the past few years. My older daughter is 5 and graduating kindergarten this spring from Bright Star, and my younger will start there in the fall as a preschooler. The classroom is well organized and offers many, many choices for the kids to do their ''work''. My older daughter started there at 3.5 and immediately loved it. She has blossomed at the school and not only has become a great person and able to help younger kids (she is one of the ''leaders'' in the classroom since she's in the kindergarten track), she is really excelling academically. The other day she showed me her math work and she is doing equations with adding, subtracting, and multiplying all in one. Mostly, though, she's confident in her abilities and really takes pleasure in her tasks. Hope this helps! Freyja

My child goes to Bright Star- he likes the school- the problem is (in my opinion) that the communication between the school and parents is poor- there is very little to no information that I receive about how my child is doing- I also find the administration to be disorganized- this is probably due to there not being a admin or secretary on staff. The pluses are that there is a focus on multicultural learning- there is exposure to Mandarin and Spanish- there is adherence to the Montessori principles of child-centered learning and independence. I would advise visiting the school and getting names of several parents for reference Bright Star parent

Jan 2004

Bright Star Montessori in Albany is an excellent alternative to run of the mill, (play based), preschools and public kindergarten programs! Those of you not familiar with the Montessori method should check it out and then contact Bright Star for an observation appointment. If you are considering putting your child into a public kindergarten, check out the curriculum first and then bring it with you to your Bright Star observation, you will be amazed at the difference between the two types of schools.

Last year, there was a little girl attending, who, at 4.5 years of age could have read this message easily! Now, of course not all children will have that result, but if your child has it within them, wouldn't you like it nurtured and brought out? The director/head teacher has been in the business nearly 30 years and has children enrolled now who are the children of those she taught years ago! The environment is warm, caring, and interesting to children. They play outdoors in dry weather, have a morning work period and one in the afternoon for the older group. The children are articulate, polite, and helpful with peers. (Youngest child taken is 2 and eldest is 6, although one year they did have a 7 year old from China who picked up english within 4 or 5 months and was a whiz at arithmatic. The staff could accomodate his needs due to the uniqueness of the Montessori curriculum and materials which are suitable to children well over the age of 6 years!)

If I had a young child, Montessori, and Bright Star are the way I would go as it nurtures the mind, body and soul. New to Montessori and loving it!

November 2003

I would like to give a current review/recommendation for Bright Star Montessori School in Albany. The comments currently available to parents via this newsletter are years old and no longer accurately describe the school and it's staff. I have found Bright Star, it's director and staff of two, to be more than exceptional at dealing with children from 2-6. The one mixed age group classroom usually contains children from many ethnic backgrounds and parent orientations. This is a plus in any school situation, but at Bright Star they encourage families to share their cultures and beliefs during the year. These presentations, though not rehearsed or elaborate, are well recieved by the students at Bright Star and are worked into lessons of geography, grace and courtesy, care of self and ones environment and so on. Montessori, besides having an academic side, also focuses on peace education, which is sadly The same staff have been there 4 years that I know of-how many preschools can boast that? While each staff person has a different style of communication with parents, they are all knowledgeable about care of young children and Montessori methods. The director/head teacher, began the school herself in 1977 and is a wonderful source of knowledge for parents in all areas of preschool and elementary education. Bright Star is a small school and feels safe and comfortable to the children who attend. They enjoy their time there and are usually not ready to leave by the end of the day. Parents pitch in for work days and fund raisers with amazing energy. Staff feel valued and parents feel supported. If you need full or part time school for your child (ages 2-6) you would be remiss in not checking out Bright Star! 558-2080 Bright Star parent/teacher group

Jan 2002

Does anyone have experience or comments on the Bright Star Montessori Preschool in Albany? It's very close to my home. Thank you. Jenny

My son went to Bright Star for a year, two years ago. Though the director is pleasant to talk to, the school is not well run. From what I could tell, the teachers were often not paid in a timely manner, were not given sufficient breaks and were often ill-treated by the main office. Cheery little memos would come out once a month about how "so and so is leaving to seek new opportunities elsewhere" and we were told to welcome "so and so,the new teacher, who is highly qualified" etc. After a few months we learned that this is because the teachers were quitting constantly. I became not at all sure that my child was well cared for by the end of the day, when the remaining teacher was frazzled and left with too many children to tend to.

I was under the impression that the school was having serious money problems and was trying to cover them up with the happy little memos. The school originally went through grade 6 but in April or May a letter went out saying that the school was only going to go up to age 10 starting the next year (leaving those remaining upper level parents high and dry since the prime time for private school shopping was already over) I also believe it was the director herself who caused the problems and not just unsympathetic or incompetant front office staff. By the end of the year a new "permanent" teacher named Lynn had come onto the scene. She was fresh and enthusiastic at that point; I wonder if she is still there.

That being said, the Montessori method was good for my son, who became an artist that year and gained an instinctive understanding of large numbers.

May 2001

Does anyone have an opinon about Bright Star Montessort School in Albany. We checked it out (I, too, am looking to place my 2 1/2 year old child in a preschool) and we came away having mixed feelings. The director was great! THe teachers are okay. Great outdoor facility and clean and orgaized interior. Any thoughts or experiences of Bright Staar would be great.

My child started Bright Star Montessori this fall and I too have the mixed impression. The director is very energetic, caring and competent. (At times too much, see below) The other two teachers are fairly new at teaching Montessori, but they both have a lot of teaching experience. The personalities and styles of the teachers are very different and I find myself at times wondering how that affects the kids. However I never have any doubt that they love teaching.

When it comes to incorporating things that are important to me I have found them inflexible or in other words not open to my input. For example when I asked them to include books that reflect our family situation they responded that kids this age don't pay attention to different family styles yet and that has not been true in my experience. I have watched a similar situation with another parent where her request was denied. Also, they lack at times sensibility to a parents needs and will push their needs pretty strongly, which may be something every school has to do. On the other hand they have made small exceptions for us.

Overall, I see them as very strongly believing in their work and their system and that leads to some inflexibility, but at the same time I know that they will always make sure that their work with the kids comes first. So I don't doubt that my child is well taken care of and is given excellent opportunities to learn and grow.

In comparison to other schools, the teacher:student ratio was better at Bright Star at least at the time we enrolled.

There are some wonderful parents at Bright Star and I feel very good about that. I have had play dates and we are now setting up combined childcare for those holidays when the school is closed.

I am sorry I don't have a clear answer for you. I don't regret having chosen Bright Star, but I sometimes wonder if I could have found a better school if I had done more research. Finally, my child loves going to Bright Star and that was not true with our last school. She likes the kids and the teachers and feels loved and needed. And that means a lot to me.

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