MacDonald Montessori School
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Reviews
We were at MMS for 3.5 years and I would sum up our experience with one word: regret. I regret not trusting other parents' stories about bad experiences. I regret feeling overconfident that we could avoid interactions with the director. I regret convincing myself that leadership didn't impact direct care of my child. I regret allowing shiny, pretty things like wooden toys and big windows to cause me to downplay things that were harder to see but mattered more to my child's well-being, namely big classes, constant transitions, and relative lack of professional backgrounds in early childhood education. Most of all, I regret paying tens of thousands of dollars to someone who I should have known - based on the stories of other parents and based on our experiences with her authoritarian decision-making - could not be trusted to have our child's best interests at heart.
We wanted to believe that MMS's beautiful philosophy was true, but when our child was struggling (and I would argue struggling based on decisions the staff made that ignored our input, contradicting their claim of involving parents as partners), the staff did not take a child-centered approach. Instead, they blamed our parenting and they labeled our child. I was told I need to discipline more (several other moms I know have been told the same thing - it appears to be Beth Macdonald's answer for many situations). Fast forward to enrolling at a different school: same child, same parents, different school, and different results. Our child's challenging behaviors vanished literally overnight in a school that prioritizes consistency and true individualization of care for each child.
We underestimated how much influence this director would have on the classroom experience, but over time it became clear that even the nicest teachers were not well-trained in anything besides Reggio Emilia. The teachers seemed to lack basic understandings of the biology of child development, attachment theory, and positive behavior guidance. Reggio Emilia is lovely, but it doesn't give teachers all the tools they need to work effectively with small children.
When children travel through 7 classrooms and 20+ different teachers in 3.5 years as ours did at MMS, there is no chance to develop deep relationships or classroom rhythms. It's a setup for stress. I should have known better, but you never think the bad stories are as bad as you hear until they happen to you. When we left, multiple people who had either also left or had looked at MMS and decided against it shared stories that started with, "I didn't want to tell you because you seemed to be having a good experience, but ..." The bad experiences were scarily consistent, showing us that there was nothing we could have done to deal more effectively with the school. You can't reason with a dictator.
Our child and our family are healthier after leaving MMS. However leaving behind our community of friends was gut-wrenching. I wish we had decided against MMS from the start and had never met Beth Macdonald. Beautiful art projects, field trips, and even the friends we made were not were not worth the guilt I carry for risking my child's care on a leader who had a well-established reputation for being difficult (to put it diplomatically).
Nonprofit tax data is public information so you can look online to find that Beth pays herself $128,000 per year (MUCH more than directors of comparable organizations). That means that even if you are one of the lucky families to avoid dealing with her, about $1,000/year of your money goes directly to her. We feel grateful to now be investing in a different school that is worthy of our child and our money and has never given us a reason to question the quality of our children's care.
Great teachers, horrible owner. We had our daughter here for 3 months and really liked it. She ended up being hospitalized for a month because she wasn't eating well. When we informed the daycare that she may need a feeding tube, we were coldly told (by email) that we weren't welcome back. The owner refused to meet with us or even speak with us over the phone. I have never been treated worse in my life. This place seems caring on the surface. Just make sure your kid doesn't get sick - they will drop you in a heartbeat.
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About the Provider
At MacDonald Montessori, parents, teachers and children are all partners of a learning community with strong emphasis placed on each child’s unique abilities in thinking, reasoning, questioning and experimenting in life.
All three protagonists, the teachers, the children and the parents come from many varied cultural and educational backgrounds but together they form one community that sees all children as powerful and competent individuals deserving of an exceptional environment and many varied and complex materials.
Hours of Operation
- Days of Operation Monday–Friday
- Open Hours6:30 am - 6:00 p.m.
Inspection/Report History
Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.
| Report Date | Report Type | Report Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Licensing Review | - See Violation(s) |
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Violation Category: Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0055, subpart 4 - Behavior Guidance
Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.54, subdivision 2, paragraph (e) and Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0140, subpart 17 - Facility
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0155, subpart 4 - Fire and Safety Codes
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0140, subpart 13 - Health Practices
Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.01, subdivision 27 and Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0045, subpart 1, item A - Program Practices
Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.54, subdivision 3 - Risk Reduction Plan
Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.10, subdivision 21, paragraph (b), clause (1); and section 142B.65, subdivision 1 - Staff Training Violation Description: Behavior Guidance: The program violated the behavior guidance policy for separating children from the group. Facility: Hazardous objects were accessible to children. Fire and Safety Codes: The floor plan did not contain all required items. Health Practices: Children's hands were not washed with soap and water. Program Practices: Staff did not supervise the children at all times. Risk Reduction Plan: The Risk Reduction Plan was not reviewed each calendar year. Staff Training: Staff orientation training did not include all required items. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved |
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| 2025-08-06 | Licensing Review | - See Violation(s) |
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Violation Category: Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0145, subpart 7, item D - Infant and Toddler Care
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0140, subpart 7, item B - Medication/First Aid Violation Description: Infant and Toddler Care: Each infant's bottle was not labeled with the child's first and last name. Medication/First Aid: The program did not follow health care provider's written instructions when administering prescription medication. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved |
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| 2024-08-27 | Licensing Review | - See Violation(s) |
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Violation Category: Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.04, subdivision 14, paragraph (c) - Staff Training Violation Description: Staff Training: The program's policies and procedures were not readily accessible and/or organized. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved |
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| 2023-12-13 | Licensing Review | - See Violation(s) |
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Violation Category: Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0130, subpart 2 - Reporting Requirements
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0032, subpart 2; and part 9503.0120, item B - Staff Qualifications
Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.40, subdivision 4, paragraph (c) - Staff Training Violation Description: Reporting Requirements: The program did not report a death, serious injury, fire or emergency as required. Staff Qualifications: Documentation was not available to show that a teacher met qualifications. Staff Training: CPR training was not provided by an approved organization. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved |
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| 2022-10-19 | Licensing Review | - See Violation(s) |
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Violation Category: Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.41, subdivision 3. - Emergency Preparedness
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0155, subpart 11. - Facility
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0145, subpart 2. - Food and Water
Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0140, subpart 7, item E. - Medication/First Aid
Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.41, subdivision 1, paragraph (b). - Staff Training Violation Description: Emergency Preparedness: The emergency preparedness plan did not contain all required items. Facility: Electrical outlets were not tamper-proof or shielded. Food and Water: Menus did not comply with the nutritional requirements of the USDA. Medication/First Aid: The program did not comply with medication storage requirements. Staff Training: The program did not comply with Individual Child Care Program Plan requirements. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved Correction Documentation Submitted and Approved |
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| 2021-06-21 | Licensing Review | In Compliance |
| 2020-10-09 | Health and Safety Technical Assistance Review | In Compliance |
| 2019-05-24 | Correction Order | |
| 2019-01-11 | Correction Order | |
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