We are very happy with the experience we've had during our daughter Elena's first year at the…read moreschool. Her growth has been remarkable in every way -- academically, emotionally, and socially. From the very beginning, we felt welcomed and part of a true community, which made all the difference for us as a family. Principal Dena Stoneman is always attentive, approachable, and thoughtful in every detail. Secretary Sara Sinclair is a kind and loving person, always willing to help with warmth and efficiency. We are also deeply grateful to Elena's teachers -- Ms. Chu, Ms. Delgado, and Ms. Andy -- for the care, dedication, and love they've shown throughout her learning journey this year. We fully trust the school and are excited to continue this journey with you all in the upcoming school year!

It has taken me months of reflection to write this review because our experience with MMS was…read moredeeply confusing and upsetting. Our 3-year-old daughter started at MMS in January 2024. We really loved her primary teachers, and initially, she seemed to be doing well. There were a few incidents of misbehavior (hitting, biting, not listening--maybe three times?) but overall, it was a positive experience. She made friends, spoke happily about school and her teachers, and seemed engaged. From the beginning, I found Dena to be condescending and sanctimonious, but I tried to overlook it. After summer camp, she returned to the same class with many of the same students. But from the start of the new school year, we began receiving frequent calls and incident reports about her behavior--hitting, biting, disrupting nap time, etc. Over the next few months, things unraveled. Our daughter no longer wanted to go to school. She became hysterical every morning at drop-off. We received daily incident reports and multiple phone calls from the school. At home and in other settings, playdates, gymnastics, family events, her behavior was very different. She wasn't perfect, but she was typical for a 3-4-year-old. It began to feel like the school had completely lost control of the situation. She was regularly sent to the office for "breaks" or timeouts, but she would just sit and color, so it didn't feel like a consequence to her. The school called us to pick her up early several times, saying they couldn't manage her and that she was essentially a danger to others. She also began saying things like "I'm bad" and "I'm mean," which was a major red flag. We took her to the pediatrician, an occupational therapist, and had her evaluated for ADHD and other potential concerns. Everything came back within the range of typical development. We had multiple meetings with the school. Dena assured us they were trying everything, but their actions didn't reflect that. Eventually, they asked if we could switch her to half days. Although it was a major challenge for our full-time working household, we agreed, hoping it would help. It didn't. The daily calls continued, and we were still asked to pick her up early. They assigned an aide to shadow her, but the behavior didn't improve. Our daughter started coming home saying no one wanted to play with her, that she had no friends, and that she was bad. Our OT was confused--if she had a one-on-one aide, how was she still getting into so many incidents? We tried sticker charts, calming strategies, every tool recommended by professionals. And yes, our daughter is emotional and sometimes struggles to keep her hands to herself, but again, not in a way that felt outside the norm for her age. We received two to three detailed incident reports each day. It often seemed like the school was spending more energy documenting her behavior than actually helping her. Over time, it became clear we weren't welcome. Dena and some of the teachers began giving us cold looks. Dena even told us that other parents didn't want their kids playing with ours. The whole environment felt hostile and out of control. After another unproductive meeting with Dena, we were told our options were to find a new school or pay for a full-time aide, on top of tuition. We enrolled her in a new school the following week, and the difference has been incredible. One of the strangest parts came when we decided to withdraw our daughter. Dena asked if we would bring her by for "closure." I declined, as I didn't feel that would be appropriate. I went to pick up her belongings, and while the students and teachers had made her a goodbye card, which seemed sweet at first, the messages inside were deeply unsettling. Things like "We know there's good in you" made it sound like she was evil or broken. Again, she was THREE. And she really is a sweet, loving kid (who gives the best hugs). At her new school, she has many friends, and in 7 months, she's had one behavioral incident. We still recognize that she is an emotional and spirited child, but she is thriving in a supportive environment. I only wish we had made the switch sooner. Looking back, it's shocking to realize that for the entire second half of the school year at MMS, we didn't hear a single positive thing about our daughter. I feel heartbroken thinking about the constant negative feedback loop she was caught in. no wonder she thought she was "bad." I'm not saying MMS is a terrible school for everyone. Clearly, some families have had positive experiences. But it seems that if your child doesn't fit a certain mold, they are unwilling or unequipped to support them. I still struggle to understand how things got so bad, especially considering the immediate change we saw when we moved her. Even at home, she was noticeably happier. she now runs into school every morning and i have so much peace of mind.

Great teachers who care about the kids and love to be there. My daughter spent two years there and…read morewe are looking forward to sending our next kid when she turns two

I cant stress how amazing Jodi is and how this staff has taught my 2 boys a great Godly foundation…read morein life. It has spilled over to the kindness they show to others now in elementary school. I and my boys have miss you all!!! Thanks for some great memories. Rachel and Jimmy

I am doing another review because the school has changed leadership and has expanded / updated…read moretheir outdoor classroom. I still stand by what I said about this school in the past. This is truly a magical place for early childhood education and comes second to none. We were sad for the former director to leave but Ms. Meredith has proven her dedication and commitment to keeping our children safe, feeling loved/included, and having them thrive in the most fun learn/play environment. Her staff loves and truly know the children down to their particular interests and personalities. The outdoor space is nothing like you've ever seen in any other preschool. Call them for a tour and see for yourself! If you're a parent like me who has been doing all the research of finding the best place for your child, this is it. I've had both my daughter and son attend as we've been a part of the program since 2020. UCUC is a very very special place. PS, your child no longer has to be potty trained to attend this school which may be a positive for some families.

We just moved to UC at the start of the school year and desperately needed a safe, soft landing for…read moreour daughter amidst such a huge personal change as well as the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. Thankfully, we found UCUC. During her year there, our daughter thrived under the care of her teachers and staff. Their highly personalized approach and commitment to enriching each child's journey has had a deep and lasting impact on our daughter. Her curiosity for learning accelerated throughout the year as did her capacity for more complex, project-based work. It's evident that the children are learning to model the kindness, compassion, and empathy of their teachers. Our daughter's emotional vocabulary has dramatically improved as she learns to navigate social dynamics with new, budding friends. It's a gift to be part of a preschool where the teachers and staff truly know our daughter and care deeply about her experience. We look forward to sending her back in the Fall, and cannot wait to see how the magic of the school continues to enrich her world.

The Garden School provides the perfect learning environment for our daughter. I love watching her…read moregrow through her interactions with her classmates, the environment, and the incredible staff: Mrs. Aloni and Miss Stephanie. She is able to run, jump, dig, climb, play, and experiment with her world then snuggle up with a book when she's ready. She absolutely loves going to school each day and I'm eternally grateful that she's able to have this experience. I can't recommend The Garden School enough. Here are a few of my favorite reasons: Outdoor setting Encouragement of boundary exploration Well-educated staff Focus on physical, social, and emotional development Excellent food Gentle but firm guidance Use of positive discipline principles Feedback about the day through discussion and photos

My daughter (almost 4) has been going to the garden school along side her best friend (almost 3)…read morefor a few months now and she truly loves it. She is a shy kid and she has opened herself up more here than I have ever seen. She gets excited to go to school! I couldn't be happier with the the way Miss Aloni and Miss Stephanie teach the kids. They get to be themselves and learn things I never had the opportunity to learn at that age. Also, she is a pretty picky eater and has REALLY opened up to trying new things. Even things they have planted themselves in the garden!

This part time preschool service is not only affordable but also an incredible program offered…read morethrough escondido rec department. It is seriously Escondido's best kept secret for parents/caretakers of toddlers. Children must be potty trained to attend and min age 3. The dedicated staff encourage parents to shadow and volunteer 1x/month which really gets all the families involved. There have been 4 class sessions per school year (m/w or t/th for 3-4 year olds) or (m/w/f or t/th for 4-5 year olds) and each session is about 2-3 hours long which is all my son can really sit through. HIGHLY recommend you being prepared to sign up your child day of registration opens and the school year follows a regular academic calendar. They don't publicize this program enough, so keep an eye on the escondido rec page for registration or call the city rec department. My son has participated in this program + summer program last 2 years and I am so grateful for the affordable and fantastic preschool community. He has developed leaps and bounds socially and academically. Miss Kathy has been teaching here for 24 years and miss Nicole , her classroom assistant is also so patient and awesome with the kids. My son didn't qualify for the income based free city preschool nor did he meet age requirements for preK through EUSD. This was a great resource for parents who fall "in between."

I've had my boys here for going on 3 years and the staff is amazing. Ms. Juju and Ms. Angie are…read morepros and know what they are doing and really care about the kids. Price has inched up to $495 for a 5-week session, but it may be reduced for some situations. They made baking soda and vinegar volcanoes last week!

as a past employee, I don't recommend.. Some of the teachers are great but the director makes it…read morethe most toxic work environment. I've ever worked in. which makes it really hard for the teachers. I always felt like I had to walk on eggshells and always focus on what she thinks. She was always yelling at us for something and always change the way we are supposed to do things one day it would be something the next day it would be something else. ( which was very confusing for the children) We never had time to focus on the children. With her always over our shoulder tell us what "we we're doing wrong" when we we're just doing it the way the parents wanted us to. She was so nice in the beginning but then something change. I never could plan that activities for the kids without her saying "NO we don't do that" you can tell she was in it for the money not the kids. teachers also fall asleep by watching kids and went brought to her attention. She said " oh that happens all the time" this place should be shut down the director was never willing to help with anything.

I put my three year old twins in bright beginnings as their first preschool experience, and they…read morewere asked to leave on the morning of the second day. Bright beginnings did this exact same thing to another parent, see her review below; Tiffany C. I even brought up her review during my tour with the Director before enrolling my twins, who insured me that "they would never do that, they are a nonprofit, and everything has to run through their board, it would take two weeks to even ask a family to leave", and then they did literally the same thing to us on the second day. Never gave my twins a chance to acclimate to the classroom environment, this was their first preschool experience. The classroom teacher was overwhelmed, unable to handle her classroom, and Bright beginnings broke their own contract by asking us to leave on the second day. The Director lied to my face when she said she would "never ask anyone to leave and that all decisions run through their board as a nonprofit". I brought these things up to her when she asked us to leave on the second day, and then she stopped responding to me. This was all over email, no face to face explanation even. Something is very off here, you can tell when speaking to the Director. One of my twins was very upset for weeks and kept talking about how he was "sad that his teacher yelled at him" as well.

Our daughter loves it here! This was her first exposure to a school setting. We moved from a…read moredifferent city and the staff was great with communication and accommodating to our needs (touring, scheduling, etc). After starting school, she has thrived in creativity and self-initiative - she has a lot of fun with all of the art projects in Mrs. Allen & Mrs. Tanya's class and has taken those skills to do even more independent crafting/activities at home. She tells us about how she enjoys her time with classmates and we're thankful that they're all kind & respectful to each other. She's enjoyed it so much that we are keeping her for a summer session + an additional year instead of starting TK. The freedom to create & play, attentive care and communication of the teachers and staff, and flexibility of the schedule have made all the difference!

Northminster Preschool has been fantastic! We've been here for 2 years since our daughter turned 2…read more We will be continuing her enrollment for another year when she turns 4 to be in the pre-K class. She loves the arts and crafts and the really nice outdoor playground. The kids eat outside (snack and lunch) and the location is great if you live in N. Clairemont. Highly recommend this preschool, we have seen our daughter progress so much since she started!

Earlier this year, we moved away from San Diego to be closer to family, and leaving La Jolla…read moreMontessori School (LJMS) community was one of the hardest parts of that decision. LJMS is truly a best-in-class school. As a first-time mom, this was my first experience with a school for my son, and I had as they say "all the feels". From day one, though, I felt nothing but peace of mind dropping him off. I knew he would be safe, cared for, and getting an incredible education. A few things that stood out: * Safety: LJMS takes security seriously. From drop-off to pick-up, every detail is thoughtfully considered, and I really appreciated that. * Education: I knew my son was getting a strong academic foundation, but what impressed me most was the focus on the whole child. The school goes beyond academics and teaches kids how to be respectful, independent, and kind. * Care: The teachers, aides, and staff genuinely care about the children. It never felt like people were just doing a job, it felt like they truly wanted to be there. We were greeted with warm smiles every day and my son came home with a smile on his face every day. If you're looking for a school for your child, I can't recommend LJMS enough.

Both of my children have been going to La Jolla Montessori School. My son since 18 months of age in…read morethe toddler program and he is now 5 and in his 3rd year of the Primary class. My daughter also started at 18 months and is now 3 and in another one of the primary classrooms. All their teachers have been amazing, kind, and experienced. Clear communication in regards to expectations and our children's needs. The classrooms are beautiful and truly uphold Montessori standards.