Overall the school seems to care a lot about the children. We agree with its limits on junk food, cartoons on clothing, and television. Unfortunately the teachers and administration have a lot of difficulty communicating with the parents. Parent input is not wanted or appreciated. I'm sure the school wonders why parents never want to volunteer or donate money. But you can't treat parents like six-year-olds and expect a positive attitude.

I was new to Montessori education and visited all of the schools in the Little Rock area. This school was really a cut above the others. There was an innate sense of order, yet the school did not seem to stifle the kids in their creativity and learning. The school has many experienced Montessori teachers and a great music program. We have been there for three years now and are very pleased with the education our children are receiving. They are often unaware that they are "learning" as the work is disguised as fun or play. However, by the time my daughter was in first grade she was reading Laura Ingells Wilder, doing geometry, and diagraming sentences. I agree that the school's focus is a bit more Christian than I had though it would be---considering the ethnic diversity of the school's population. However, we have no problem with our kids saying a blessing before they eat. In the school's first two years its administration seemed a bit disorganized, but there is now a solid inertia.

Ultimately we were looking for something more like the Montessori schools we were familiar with up North- progressive, all-inclusive, very tolerant and multicultural, relaxed, etc. This school appeared more orthodox and formal (the children wear uniforms), and seemed strict compared to our prior experiences with Montessori. If you're a traditional Christian, though, it may be right up your alley- they are a Christian school although I didn't find that out until I started asking questions! This made us concerned that they might not teach evolution (a thorough, uncensored science education was a major selling point for us), so we decided it wasn't the right fit and went with a more diverse, non-sectarian Montessori school near UAMS. Not our choice but it may be perfect for you!