Little Monk Seal

My two little girls started going to Little Monk seal this year. I cannot say enough wonderful things. They both absolutely love it! It went from my oldest being sad most mornings at preschool prior to Monk Seal to practically jumping out of the car into school now. The first few days were the 'best day ever' according to both my girls. Also I can see their interests in education expanding. Cannot wait to see how much they are able to achieve with such wonderfully motivated, strong and intelligent women in Katie and Michelle guiding them! Thanks for taking such wonderful care of our girls!

Teacher Katie and Teacher Joy were excellent teachers for our two daughter (4 and 6 yo). We moved out to Maui from California and they helped us feel right at home. Our daughters excelled in reading and math during their time at Little Monk Seal. Katie continually pushes the kids to breakthrough and reach their next level of milestones in a fun and supporting way. I wish we were able to have more time with the teachers at Little Monk Seal.

I have known Michelle for over 15 years. Not only is she an amazing person she is so caring and compassionate for kids. I have seen her go from being a nanny to getting her masters, while all along keeping her focus towards child education and what's best for the children she is taking care of. Her passion for child development and growth is contagious. If I lived in Hawaii, there is no doubt I would send my son to Little Monk Seal Montessori to learn from Michelle.

The teachers at Little Monk Seal are invested and there to stay. I am happy to see that they follow the the Montessori method of teaching to the highest degree. They remain in the children's lives and care about being life long educators. Michelle holds a Masters Degree in Education and both teachers have their Montessori credentials along with a long history of work with children. This was important to us when we were looking for the right school, which we are pleased to have said that we found it here!

The school itself looks appealing as far as what I would assume this age group would like. You can feel the enthusiasm from Michelle and Katie coming through the delightful decor. The rooms come as close as they can to making you feel as if you are outside- even the educational tools they use look interesting.

I have known Michelle for a about a year and her passion for taking care of our keiki certainly comes through as her top priority. She seems very focused and determined to make the school a success and not for her sake but rather for the kids. We are lucky to have this opportunity on Maui!

My son began Little Monk Seal Montessori at 2 years and 10 months. He went to LMSM for three school years. From day one, my son loved the school and so did I! It is an enriching environment and the teachers are amazing. Miss Katie is the type of preschool teacher you dream your kids will have: highly skilled, caring, nurturing, warm hearted, supportive, yet firm when required. My son learned so many important life skills in addition to the basics: math, reading, art, etc... There are also fun afterschool programs for the kids to attend. LMSM is a blessing for the Maui community. I am so incredibly grateful my son attended the school.

Seriously not only the best preschool on Maui, but I would even venture to say one of the best on the Mainland, too. Katie and Michelle LOVE what they do and it shows. They are so caring with the keiki and really put their hearts and souls into helping them learn on their level! My son is reading at only 4, loves to go to school, and always has a smile on his face when he comes home. The school is beautiful, clean, and set up in a way that the kids really learn so, so much. My husband and I were a little nervous about finding a quality school on the island and now we shout this school's praises from the rooftop. Seriously, if you are thinking about sending your little one to preschool or kindergarten, you must check Little Monk Seal Montessori out.

I am writing this review mostly to share my knowledge of Katie Farley, one of the directors at Little Monk Seal. Katie tutored my second grade daughter this past school year. Within weeks of beginning her tutoring sessions with Ms. Farley my daughter's whole attitude toward school completely transformed. She was finally excited about learning! Not only were Katie's hands on, creative Montessori methods amazingly affective but her encouraging, calmly persistent and patient demeaner was just what my daughter needed.

After visiting Little Monk Seal, seeing the spacious, bright, beautiful facility and meeting Michelle I know that anyone who chooses LMS will not be disappointed!

Our family loves Little Monk Seal Montessori (LMS). We sent our daughter to LMS for the full 3 years (pre-K, Kindergarten). The learning program and environment at LMS adapts as your child grows, first she would learn new lessons and skills from the teachers and older kids, then as a kindergartner, she would teach the younger kids which allowed her to understand the lessons from a different perspective (it's always harder to teach!). Additionally, the teachers are great about finding the right level of difficultly for each student, if they are more advanced in some areas or need more practice in others, they will adapt the lesson so that each student feels challenged and successful. Outside of lessons and skills, the environment at LMS feels safe and comfortable, my daughter loves going to school every day, she runs from the car to the front door of school, excited to start the day. I recommend LMS to all my friends with young kids.

Little Monk Seal provides a truly nurturing and supportive environment for children to explore and thrive. My daughter has been a student at Little Monk Seal since the day she turned 3 and to see her blossom from her school experiences has been truly a joy. The teachers, families, and keiki are all amazing and we feel so grateful to be apart of the Little Monk Seal Ohana.

I have known Michelle for a long time and had two children in her class over the years, she is a wonderful teacher and caregiver. She made letting my little ones transition into school so much easier for me knowing that they were in her care. She does a great job of helping young children learn far more than I thought they were capable of! Having her in my children's lives was a great gift to us!

Many thanks go out to Michelle and Olivia for the classes offered at LMS. I've been attending classes for a few months and I'm so thankful for their patience and understanding in helping me achieve my fitness goals. They are so encouraging and will take time to individually explain how to get the most out of my workout. No judging as we are all at different levels but plenty of encouraging. Recommend the classes to everyone. Thanks again!

Despite a year filled with challenges associated with COVID, LMS stayed committed and focused on providing an educational environment that helped our daughter thrive. Understanding the unique educational requirements of small children (3-5) and their diverse abilities, the classroom at LMS is specifically designed to engage each child at their learning level. If you are looking for a dynamic and caring learning environment for your child, I definitely recommend LMS!

Michelle is living proof you can actually truly love what you do for a living and live what you love. She has from the moment she was born been a loving child who grew into a loving adult. As her godmother and somebody who spent lots of time with her through her formidable years I literally watched her become this grown woman who is selfless in character. This is the exact woman you want your children to learn with and to emulate. Michelle is a beautiful person inside and out who cares for children and their path to learning to become an enriched human being and to gain their confidence to move forward in a positive direction as they develop their lot in life. Your children will not only be highly educated but enriched as well in a life full of possibilities.

As soon as I saw Little Monk Seal Montessori, I was immediately impressed with the warm atmosphere, clean and organized classrooms, and the passionate teachers. One thing that set Little Monk Seal Montessori apart from other schools, to me, was the staff. They were genuinely excited to teach the children not only academically, but to the child as a whole. Their love for the children shines through their work, the school, and the learning environment that they created. The school offers a variety of learning materials that allow children to learn at their own pace, and by their own interests, and it even has a beautiful gross motor space! The teachers were willing to answer all of my questions and really know their stuff! I would definitely recommend Little Monk Seal to anyone looking for good quality, hands on education that also develops the child's self esteem and curiosity and passion for learning!