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Overview
  • Programs
  • Our Team
  • Reviews

About Children’s Garden Montessori

Located off Spengler Street, behind Washington River Protection Services inside the Tri-Cities Research District Business Complex in Richland is Children’s Garden Montessori, a Cadence Education® School.

Here, our trained, qualified and caring staff takes a Montessori, hands-on approach to learning and provides quality programming and dedicated teachers for children from 1 year old to 8 years old.

Our students are encouraged to be active and creative explorers, as well as independent, self-confident and inquisitive learners. Each child is treated as an individual and encouraged to progress at his natural ability while still reaching desired age-level goals. In addition to core curriculum offered for preschool through second grade, we provide before and after school care for enrolled school age children.

Children’s Garden Montessori is lauded for its warmly decorated, homelike environment found throughout the school. Our family-friendly policy is one that welcomes parent visits any time of the day. We host monthly events and parties celebrating major holidays that lend a fun, celebratory feel on campus. We also offer multiple age-appropriate playgrounds and an outdoor learning environment.

Programs Offered

  • Toddler Care (ages 1 year to 3 years)
  • Primary (ages 3 to 6 years)
  • Elementary (ages 6 to 8 years)

Our Philosophy

Our many years of experience and deep commitment to the importance of each child’s early educational experience drive the school to continually grow.   We work to meet the unique needs of each child stressing the importance of each classroom as a community and working to build strong social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills.

Children’s Garden Montessori strives for diversity in our staff, parents and children.  Each member of our school is treated as an individual, with a general sense of respect for individuality being important.

Our Team

Kaitlynn Smart

Kaitlynn Smart

Director

Meet Kaitlynn Smart, the Director. Kaitlynn has been with Children’s Garden Montessori for over a decade! Kaitlynn has a strong passion for early childhood education and is a natural at her position. Kaitlynn assists parents with enrollment, billing, and other school policies and procedures. Kaitlynn has two beautiful children, Hadley and Mason!

Cheryl Ornstein

Cheryl Ornstein

Montessori Program Director

Children’s Garden has been a part of my family for the past 25 years. I built the curriculum for the 1st and 2nd grade classroom from the ground up. I hold a Masters Degree in Elementary Education and a Montessori Certification. Recently I joined as a school administrator to assist in further training, guidance, and development of our toddler through elementary programs. A piece of being the Montessori Program Director still allows me to utilize my teaching skills and fulfill my passion of providing a strong and accelerated learning environment for children. I am proud to be a part of the school. I am married to my husband, Rick and together we have three grown boys who are now married and giving me beautiful grandchildren!

Kimberly Goude

Kimberly Goude

Lead Teacher in Rainbow Room

Meet Kimberly Goude, the Lead Teacher in Rainbow Room. Ms. Goude has been with the school since 2009. Ms. Goude is a kind and compassionate teacher. Ms. Goude enjoys anything to do with holidays, children, and animals. She holds her Montessori credential for primary aged children.

Stacey Kennedy

Stacey Kennedy

Lead Teacher in Sunshine

Meet Stacey Kennedy, our Sunshine room lead. Stacey holds a Montessori Primary Certificate and has been with Children’s Garden for over 2 years. Ms. Kennedy enjoys watching children grow and loves it when her students show her the new lessons they have mastered. Stacey enjoys camping, hiking, and spending time with her three wonderful children.

Sofia Olvera

Sofia Olvera

Lead Teacher in the Branch

Meet Sofia Olvera, Lead teacher in the Branch. Ms. Sofia enjoys spending her days with these busy 2 year olds! She is a kind and patient. Ms. Sofia is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish to the children each day. Sofia enjoys spending time with her family on the weekends. Sofia currently holds her Montessori teaching credential for toddler aged children as well as a state certificate from Columbia Basin College in Early Childhood Education.

Reviews from Parents

4.7 Rating based on 72 Reviews Leave A Review
Heather Nicholson • Google
I can’t say enough good things about Children’s Garden Apple Tree room. Last year my son was on an emotional improvement plan at a different pre-school in the area. He had a hard time regulating his feelings and emotions and frequently took 20-30 minutes to calm down. My daughter was attending Children’s Garden Waterfall room (2nd grade) at the time so I was able to see how much work and effort the school puts into each of their kids. When enrollment opened, we immediately signed our son up for Children’s Garden’s Pre-k classroom. We filled out the paperwork explaining his behavior issues and waited to figure out which class we’d be in. We ended up in Apple Tree and it was the perfect fit. Apple Tree focuses on emotional regulation and daily mediation with the kids. My son came home calmer, was able to talk about his feelings, and taught us all about slowing down and taking deep breaths. It also turns out that my son was having so many tantrums at the other school because he LOVES learning and he wasn’t given enough time to explore the things they were teaching in 15-minute segments. In Apple Tree, each kids gets to pick what they want to work on and how long they want to work on it. The teachers are fantastic and cater to his needs for more information and more challenging work. Had he stayed at the other school, I think he would have hated education and authority figures. I know my son is loved at Children’s Garden and that’s a great feeling. I also know that he has the tools to succeed in other classrooms as he moves forward, which was worth every penny. I want to also throw in a comment about the staff at Children’s Garden. They are lovely, welcoming, and very communicative. The care and devotion they have for all the kids who attend there is clear. I’m so grateful for the impact they’ve had on our family.
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Nayab Rifat • Google
I will forever be thankful to all the teachers and staff at Children’s Garden. The specialized attention that each and every child receives is what makes this school the best. Both of my kids went to this school and the outcome is amazing. My second grader is ahead in reading because of all the individualized attention. When my toddler started I felt safe and knew that he was in good hands. I can see why they have waitlists because it took us a while to get in.
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April Xueqing Sun • Google
Children's garden Montessori school was highly recommended to us when we were looking for a daycare for our daughter. We highly recommend it too if you are looking for a place for your kids where they will feel loved and can learn so much. It is very popular in the tricities area so the waiting time could be long. But it totally worth the wait and money ( getting on the waitlist is actually free as of Feb 2022, just need to give them a call). My older one has learned and grown so much. It is a Montessori school, each student gets their own study plan and learns at their own pace. She is very comfortable in school and she loves all her teachers. After our little one turned one, we sent her to Children's garden too. It is amazing that the teachers can teach and train so much at this young age. My younger one has developed very good manners, such as cleaning up her own plate after finishing meal, picking up trash and put them in the trash can. She also develops very good gross and fine motor skills. The teachers and staff are all very nice there.
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Sibyl Kaufman • Google
CG is family. Every educator and administrator is dedicated to children and their families. Children are allowed to be themselves in an inclusive, nurturing environment that promotes community, tolerance and curiosity. It is the best school in this region and I consider our family lucky to have learned so much from them.
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Children's Garden Montessori

Richland, WA

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Preparing Your Child To THRIVE

Your child is unique, and we are happy to provide an educational, fun, and nurturing environment where each child can develop and thrive in order to build a bright future with unlimited possibilities.