Casa di Mir Montessori welcomed my son during a challenging transition period for our family. He had just finished Kindergarten at Montessori of Westfield when my husband got a job interview with a big tech company. The interview meant a great career opportunity and a chance for a new family adventure. However, it also meant facing the decision to uproot our life of 14 years in the Midwest and move to Silicon Valley.



One big concern, in addition to the cost of living in the Bay Area, was my son’s education. We needed a traditional Montessori school with great reviews, that had space available for a first-grader and could enroll him with very short notice. After my husband successfully completed a couple of job interviews, I approached the two Montessori schools near the area where we were planning to look for rental homes. The first school had one spot left and could not assure us it would still be available by the time my husband anticipated a job offer. The second school was Casa di Mir, and it was this school that made all the difference.

Casa helped me breathe a little easier and get on board with our potential move. The school had a classroom with space for a couple more students and the Admissions Director put me at ease by assuring me I didn’t need to confirm our exact arrival date. From there, our experience with Casa di Mir just got better and better. Soon after we arrived in the Bay Area, we took our son to the school for his enrollment evaluation. During this process, the staff was very friendly and inviting. On top of that, Casa was exactly what I was looking for, the perfect equivalent to the Montessori education that my son had received in Indiana. I felt an immediate connection with the school and was eager to enroll my son. In fact, I seemed so eager that a staff member asked me if I should see more before making a decision, to which I responded, “I’ve seen all I need to see, this feels like a great fit!”

The cherry on top for the entire family was Casa’s amazing community. We quickly made connections with other families, and very soon, we had a new social circle. Our friends from Casa helped us adapt to our life in California a lot faster; they made us feel at home.

In the last five years, I have consistently volunteered for Casa helping out in different marketing-related projects. This past summer, I took my involvement with the school to a new level when I became the new Manager of Development and Marketing. At Casa di Mir, I found a meaningful way to utilize my professional experience and true purpose in helping families, new to Montessori, learn everything the school's program has to offer.

My son is now a Casa 6th grader. Thanks in great part to the school, he has blossomed into a witty yet gentle pre-teen. He loves his school, his friends, and he definitely is in an educational environment where he's thriving. I will be forever grateful to Casa di Mir for welcoming my son, my husband, and I, and enriching our lives in so many ways!

Erika Ruiz

Manager of Development and Marketing

Casa di Mir Montessori