Guidepost
Montessori

at Celebration Park
.

Tours & Events
Celebration Park.
Monday-Friday | 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Nido - 6 weeks to 18 months
Toddler - 18 months to 3 years
Children's House - 3 to 6 years

1122 S 322nd Pl, Federal Way, WA 98003
Rylie Colvin
Nestled just north of Celebration Park and conveniently located off the 5 Freeway at 1122 S 322nd Pl, Guidepost Montessori in Federal Way, Washington is the perfect place for your child to embark on a journey of discovery and growth. Our Montessori programs are thoughtfully designed for students from infancy through Kindergarten.
Rylie Colvin . Head of School
Tours & Events

explore our programs.

Our approach is designed to empower each child to achieve independence by combining our hands-on curriculum with personalized learning to create an environment where curiosity flourishes, independence grows, and academic excellence is a natural outcome.

We want your child to see and believe: “I am capable!”

what makes us stand out.

How is the Guidepost Montessori approach different from conventional education?.

At Guidepost, we join with parents on their mission to help their child grow and live well. Together, we design an education to empower each child to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence she needs to craft an independent, flourishing life.

Though there are many differences between the conventional approach and Guidepost, here are some of the most important:

Conventional Education vs Guidepost Montessori
What is the Guidepost Mission?.

At Guidepost, our mission is to support each child in achieving her own independence. To do this, we help her gain the knowledge, build the skills, and craft the personal character she needs to flourish. Above all, our goal is to cultivate joy—in the pursuit of knowledge, in effort applied to work worth doing, in the achievements of herself and others, and in taking the steps to author her own life.

Read more about the Guidepost Mission.

Learn about the key milestones we support—from infancy through high school.

Read more about why we educate for independence, and how we support independence for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age children.

What are the outcomes of your programs?.

Montessori education is known world-wide for having positive impacts on both academics and social and emotional skills.

At Guidepost Montessori, when we design an environment to meet the developmental needs and interests of children alongside personalized care and support, the child can learn advanced skills at an accelerated pace.

Our students, for example, regularly learn to read by the time they’re 4-years-old and can perform all four math operations with 4-digit numbers by the end of their Kindergarten year.

The language and math skills of our kindergartners are on a par with what children in conventional programs learn in 3rd grade or beyond! What’s more, our students learn advanced academics joyfully—while simultaneously developing deep focus, self-discipline, and positive social skills.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Language Curriculum in Children’s House.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Math Curriculum in Children’s House.


Do your programs include Kindergarten?.

Yes! The third year of our Children’s House program, designed for 3- to 6-year-olds, is the capstone kindergarten year. In this year, the child has been well-prepared to experience an explosion of literacy, learn advanced math concepts, and use her hard-won ability to focus, problem-solve, and persist through challenges to then make advanced gains across the curriculum. Children who continue with Guidepost through Kindergarten are often well-ahead of their peers when they enter 1st grade.

Learn more about the capstone Kindergarten year at Guidepost.

Learn more about the next exciting stage: the Guidepost elementary program.

Following elementary, students continue on to our Montessori middle and high school, the Academy of Thought & Industry: a school that combines a classical liberal arts emphasis on history and great books, and a Montessori emphasis on independence and agency.

How does Guidepost partner with parents?.

At Guidepost, we want to make the best education the best for children and parents. This is why we provide year-round, extended-day programming at no extra cost, enabling consistent and uninterrupted access to the care and developmental support parents expect. We invite you into your child’s world—with daily photo and video updates, regular milestone meetings, and parent-child events that showcase your child’s progress. We work to understand your unique context and needs, so that we can provide support for milestones at home as well as at school.

In everything we do, we strive to cultivate joy as you watch your child grow!

Read about Transparent Classroom, the app that provides a window into your child’s day.

Read about recent family events such as Grandparent’s Day, a cultural celebration, and a spring celebration.

take a peek at our school.

what parents are saying.

All
7
Google
7
Yelp
0
Rylie Colvin
Jul 31, 2023 on google
This place is amazing! I have two children who attend Guidepost. One was in Nido and is now in the toddler room, and the other is in Children's House. They both get so excited to go to school every day and love their Guides. My 4 year old has learned so much since switching to Guidepost from her old Montessori school. The environment and materials in each classroom are really beautiful. Everything is brand new. Tenika the director is great to work with and so are all the Guides!
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Caress Pina
Mar 22, 2023 on google
One of the best experiences I've had with childcare so far, and I have 3 children from 20 months to 11 years old, so that's saying something. They are open to accepting subsidies and offer scholarships to eligible families. They are open and transparent about every aspect of your child's care. The director is super personable and approachable. She used to be a school teacher and studied abroad. They provide personalized education plans. They don't just randomly move your kid up to a new class. They ask lots of questions so they can truly understand the needs of your family. I truly feel the staff and guides love my baby, and that means so much to a parent when so many cases of harm being inflicted on children by their caregivers is present. Finally, the director provides an abundance of opportunities to connect with other parents by having learning sessions, offering free trials of enrichment classes, and hosting seasonal celebrations. It feels like a little family even if the other parents aren't as open to connecting. Nothing stops Tenika from continuing to be a ray of sunshine for us and our babies 😊.
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Steve Dreke
Feb 7 on google
Our daughter has been attending guidepost for the last year and she loves going to school. The new administration is wonderful, they are extremely communicative and truly care about the kids. The guides provide updates on her day through an app including pictures, nap times, and meals and also send out weekly newsletters to let us know what they've been focused on that week. Everyone always gives our daughter (and us) a warm welcome and they have made a point to build a relationship with her. We always hear about how nice her guides are and how much fun she has playing with her friends and on the playground. We trust the staff here and are excited for our son to be starting in the infant classroom this month.
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Maayan Simckes
Feb 6 on google
We have been at Guidepost for several months in the youngest classroom. We are so impressed by the leadership, the guides/teachers in each room, and the wonderful ways our child is growing. We know he loves it there and we see how much he is developing. Really happy here and would definitely recommend.
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David Climer
Feb 9 on google
Guidepost in Federal Way has transitioned into new leadership. The initial Head of School was very personable while getting this location up and running. The current leadership has helpful, effective communication and staff exemplify a positive, upbeat attitude. The Guides in the youngest class put their heart, soul, and care to the kids and it's a joy to see them develop community with classmates and thrive!
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Aundreaha McAuley
Feb 10 on google
STOP WHAT YOURE DOING! THIS SCHOOL IS THE BEST!! Now, I understand that everyone has their own opinion but let me tell you that my opinion, perspective, views and beliefs about this school are true to my heart. My daughter has struggled in her last school, fighting us every day to a MELTDOWN if she had to go. NOW, she wants to see her teachers, friends EVERY SINGLE DAY. She wants to explore and learn and she has just taken to the environment and bloomed beyond anything I have seen in her yet. She tells me about her day with her friends and teachers all the way home (45 min drive, thats a long winded child) The school itself has enhanced my daughter's drive and curiosity for learning, they challenge her, keep her motivated to learn new skills and I cannot say enough to that. I will keep my daughter at this school until she cannot anymore, they teachers and staff are THE MOST KIND and AMAZING people who LOVE the kids. ALL OF THEM. I have walked in at different times of the day and every time I see them handling a tough situation with genuine care and gentleness that I, personally, do not even posses. To the Admin team, Riley is a gem of a person. She is welcoming and kind. If there is anything going on, she is completely and fully transparent and that is so rare nowadays. Sasha is a wonderful face to be greeted with and also extremely knowledgeable, if she doesn't know something she finds out quickly and is very helpful through the process. In conclusion, if you are on the fence or unsure, leaving knowing this. I trust my daughter to be at this School all day Monday through Friday. I have had severe anxiety leaving my child that long, but after seeing my daughter bloom the way she has, all of that has dissipated and been extremely reassuring. Thank you for reading this far.
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Pat McAuley D.C.
Feb 7 on google
My daughter started at Guidepost a couple of months ago and she loves it here! Rylie and Sasha are a delight, while my daughter loves Ms. Jenny and Ms. Hailey. Would highly recommend!
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Ideas from the Guidepost Blog