Update: appleseed Dunford 800 We've been here for half a year now and it's great. My son never got sick from here, it's very clean. And the teachers are very caring and responsible. There's field trips and special events all the time. They take feedback well and very responsive to concerns. Administration is on top of their job for sure. Great work ethic top down throughout the staff body. My son also got a lot more independent and can play alone now, which is life saving for the second born home life transition. Student body is mostly Chinese, American born chinese, Caucasian, and Indian. Most of kids here are pretty well behaved, and we haven't heard any bullying problems. Fellow parents are all very respectful and offers help. Overall it's a positive atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more

Appleseed Montessori was the best decision for my child. I had him enrolled in Nov 2021 when he was 18 months old. He was under the care of Ms Maria, Ms Ericka and Ms Ana in Room 4A and he loved every moment of it! His teachers cared so much for him and I was able to see that he was actively learning through jobs, art, parallel play right from the start. His teachers even helped him eat when he was still adjusting to eating on his own - which was huge for me. He then moved into Room 2 in 2023 and while it took a while for him to get adjusted, I could actively work with his teachers on potty training, eating habits and general well being. Both Ms Diane and Mrs Sanghera are wonderful and caring teachers who handle transitions seamlessly and ensure the kids are having a good time! You can always ask the teachers for an update and they'll have something specific to say - that always made me feel like they have an eye on every kid. My child has made so many friends here and I'm ever grateful for that. The school is led by Ms Michaella, an excellent administrator. She manages the staff, interacts wonderfully well with the students, and actively engages with the parents. The school also organizes many events (halloween parade, annual day, PJs day..) which is fun for both kids and parents (if you like being part of the activities). They have partnered with Amazing Athletes so it's easy to get the kids interested in many sporting endeavors. The school also has lunch meals provided through a partner service but I did not opt for it - I liked sending lunch with my kid. On the whole, one of the best places to keep your child healthy and safe. True value for your money! read more

Want to recommend 500 Dunford Way. It is a well-run place with efficient teachers. My kid was very happy in room 9. They do tons of crafts and activities, celebrate all major festivals and teach the Montessori style. The teachers are patient with the kids and help them settle down well. We had a wonderful experience and formed a great parent-tot group. The teachers involve parents in every activity and ask for volunteers regularly. That forms a wonderful community which we have continued even after all the kids graduated from Appleseed! read more

Today I visited Appleseed during their open house. It was chaotic. We were assigned to a group tour that took off without us so we had to wait for the next group. We visited four classrooms and talked to 6 teachers. Some of the teachers we not very warm or approachable. Others were better. I didn't really get a good feel for the Montessori setting. read more

AppleSeed Montessori School - Montessori Schools Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This review has been pending from a long time , my son who is now 5, started in Appleseed at the age of 19 months , he was in the toddler class, followed by the pre-school class and it has been an amazing experience not just for him but also for us as his parents. What does Appleseed get right ? - Excellent Montessori based education - Wonderful, supportive, kind teachers - Director who is always willing to take feedback from parents - Cultural experiences and activities - Life skills - Celebration of festivals and parades (pre-covid) - Enriching group activities When we send our son to school , we can rest assured that he is constantly learning new topics, having satisfying peer interactions and 1:1 interaction with his teachers. When he comes home , he is constantly talking about the special science projects he completed in school. A special shout out to his pre-school teacher Ms Leka , whose hard work , patience and commitment to supporting the children in her class really stand out. We are so grateful to have her as our son's teacher . She develops kids social skills and also teaches them important life lessons . Children learn to be kind , polite and caring towards others. She has also helped immensely with my son's academic skills , be it writing , or Math , memory skills or comprehension . She has had a major impact on my son's overall development and we are so grateful to her and Appleseed. read more

Ms Clarita and Mrs Liu and the other teachers are amazing here! They love theeir students, are very patient and the curriculum and play space is outstanding! Two thumbs up! After going to tour 10 top preschool tours in the Los Altos/Cupertino/Sunnyvale area, we chose this one because it is a nice balance of play, learning, teaching and caring for the kids. read more

I am decreasing my review by one star because after I interacted with the directors a bit more... I realized that the way they advertise themselves is very twisted/shady. Indeed, the school itself is a very structured and well-run school. However, one very important point here is that they are NOT a true Montessori as they indicate themselves to be. They kept on advertising themselves as "Montessori accredited";. After some extensive research on AMS (American Montessori Soceity) and AMI (American Montessori Institute) - I realized that they are only an "Associate Member" - which means that only some and not all teachers are AMS and AMI certified. Speicfically, NONE of the toddler and infant teachers are AMS + AMI certified... they are "Appleseed" certified. Now, as a school I have nothing against Appleseed as the campus is nice and everything seems to be well run. However, the way directors described themselves were shady to claim themselves to be a "Montessori accredited school" - actually you can't even be Montessori accredited unless you are a FULL MEMBER. I am not an expert in these certifications or accreditations or whatever...but the directors keep on changing their stories and what they said before just did not make me comfortable. For me to pay a premium to go to a "Montessori school" I'd rather have my kid really really be fully engaged into the Montessori program. I will be look for a true Full Member Montessori school. Otherwise I can just send my child to any regular preschool. read more

Not the right place if you are interested in enrolling infants and toddlers. The toddler room is in particular very small, house 12 children who eat, sleep, play and do potty (yes you read it right) all in the same small room. There is little / no light coming in the rooms. And I did not get the concept of having a potty in the same room. Is it hygenic? And I was not sure if my toddler would appreciate other toddlers cheering her when she was doing her potty. Will not recommend it for infants and toddlers. For the same money, there are better places. read more

My daughter is currently at Appleseed and though my son's graduated from here, he still thinks of it as "my school". I have only wonderful things to say about it! The staff and the teachers are wonderful. I don't understand the negative remarks. "The officers" as my kid cutely called them answer all my questions. My kids love them! We know all the teachers and helpers, not just their class ones, and everyone's always smiling and greeting us. initially I had wondered about the limited restrooms but they have been managing fine - learning to be in a line while walking, singing songs and hand washing. They even encourage parents to sanitize their hands on entering the premises and my kids haven't been sick often. The program has the right balance of academics, art and crafts, free play (jobs in montessori terms), storytime, playtime (including parades and such fun stuff), themes, etc. Kids made moon cakes for Chinese new year, played Holi in March, made hats for Dr Seuss' Birthday and are going to have a "green"celebration for St Paddy's day. A multicultural parade is coming up soon. Mother's day and father's day are big events where field trips are involved and parents get gifts made by kids. Every friday we get a folder of things they did in the week. I feel that this program is perfect for young kids as its very well rounded. The teachers are enthusiastic and enjoy what they are doing. My kids love this place... as do I. read more

Room 5, unfortunately, we had really bad experience with this classroom . Every since my kid attended this school, they had 4 teaches left in a year, so did Ms. Li. Such a disaster for many kids to adopt one teacher after another. When Ms. Li was a principle, she worked really closely with parents and teachers when problems arise. She got both sides of statements and considered the circumstances of the situations and then she came up with a plan. With Mrs. Nancy, I was really disappointed with her. Not that she didn't consider the situation of so many teachers left with in a year and some kids had difficulty time to make adjustments. We tried to work with school as much as possible, but not when you have 4 teachers turned over. How can you expect kids to work closely with the teacher? I made a such bad choice to send my kid to this school. Not that we didn't provide a positive environment for my kid. It also created all the unesscary stress for our life. If anyone wants to send the kid to the school, please think twice so before you sign up. It is not the same as befor for the bilingual room 5. Plus Ms. Li is not here anymore. read more

My both children go to this school. It is one of the best pre-schools we can find in our area. I really thank the staff, especially Ms. Jenn, Ms. Chetti and Ms. Ramani. They are in the school since beginning, almost 6 years, since my first daughter started. read more

Our toddler has been going here for a year. We've had a pretty awesome experience. We joined Appleseed due to a predicament. Our daughter was struggling with getting potty trained and we couldn't find a preschool program that was willing to accept someone who was not fully potty trained (stratford, challenger don't accept non trained kids). Appleseed kinda saved us. They have a transitionary program that not only accepted her but played a key role in helping her get potty trained. There's something about kids learning from their peers faster than from their parents. The best part about the school is the teaching staff who are so amazing. My child has formed a strong relationship with Ms. Diane who is caring, kind and a whole lot of awesome. Overall, the staff does a fairly good job of keeping the kids engaged with sufficient art projects and other activities. My favorite part is their annual performance where the teachers put their all into training the kids to put together a dance performance. I couldn't quite believe all the cute lil things the kids were doing. It's quite a show. The school is priced at a very attractive price point. Beats out all the other competing schools big time (about $500 cheaper than stratford). And finally, their parking lot is not a train wreck like other places. No traffic jams, very coordinated and disciplined behavior by parents. Highly recommend. read more

We love Appleseed and highly recommend it to others. Our daughter has been attending for over a year. Pros: * It is a very well run school and we feel our daughter is very safe in the school * Our daughter has learned a lot of good manners and reinforced other ones * We couldn't ask better teachers who really care about the kids * Kids learn early to wash their hands * Parent teacher communication occurs regularly * They have a mandarin program available when they turn around 3 Cons * Traffic, drop-off and pickup is a pain since it can get crowded * Diaper changes occur frequently but not as much near the end of the day * Teachers do not seem to do much potty training until later. Our daughter was telling us early on she was ready for training but has since regressed since they do not do potty training until she is older * As in all daycare programs -- a bit on the pricey side read more

This school is great for many reasons. First, the facility is nestled within a residential area; there is even a duck crossing warning on your way there. Second, the staff is very attentive to the kids. For the little ones, there are always two teachers for the 12 children group. Piya mentioned the set up of the room as a concern. The bathroom is not actually in the classroom, it is across the hall. The kids learn at a young age to wash their hands, and they do so frequently. The school is expensive, that is a fact, but I believe for the price you pay, you do get a great value for setting your kids, and yourself, up for success. There is a early drop off and late pick up (7am to 6pm) option for working parents. There were lots of activities like plays and carnivals set up as extracurricular events. As for the office staff, they are at the entrance of the schoo (for the toddler school)l so they see all the children and parents, unlike a traditional school with the administrators hidden in an office. This is just a sign that they are proud of what they do and who they are and want to make sure your child's experience is the best it can be. I know I'm paying an arm and a leg, but my kid is worth every cent :^) read more

Upgraded to 5 stars: Definitely read the filtered reviews. Many satisfied parents with 5 star reviews are being hidden by Yelp - not fair to Appleseed! The reason I'm upgrading is that throughout the years, I've grown more appreciative of the caring staff and the amazing work they do. We've transitioned from the toddler room to the preschool room, and now we're moving to the no-nap preschool room. My son loves his teachers and has learned so much! I've also learned that gleaming new facilities don't necessarily mean a fantastic education. Sure, a separate bathroom for the toddler rooms would be more pleasant, but toddlers give you a 3-second warning at best that they have to pee, so having a little potty in the room near the diaper-changing area is totally fine by me. Bless Ms. Fong and Mrs. Martinez for patiently training so many tots (and cleaning so many messes.) Appleseed is clean and well-maintained, but more importantly, the staff is top notch. His science teacher has a masters from Oxford, and his music and Chinese teacher has a masters in music, and they connect so well with their students. I'm not saying my son's a genius now, but he's definitely learning and absorbing interesting things. His grandparents were amazed when he said he loved Beethoven and hummed a few bars. He's also picked up Black Eyed Peas and Taio Cruz songs from his cool classroom teachers, Ms. Olson and Ms. Perla. They got him reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at age 3, which surprised and delighted me :-) I can't say enough good things about this school. I'm excited that my son is super prepared for Kindergarten but I'll be sad to end our ties with Appleseed. It's a really special community with an effective educational program and wonderful teachers. There's no crazy academic pressure, and that's the way I like it -- a nice balance of learning and fun. *** My son started going here since he was 18 months old, and we love the school! He was at another daycare before this, and he was constantly sick. As soon as he moved to Appleseed, he was a lot healthier. Plus, they've taught him manners, and he's a lot better behaved. The school is very clean and well run. They have lots of celebrations, special days, and field trips. I love the arts and crafts the kids make, and my son has learned so much in the past half year. He sings songs that I don't recognize, and he'll use words that I'm sure I didn't teach him. It's astonishing how much his little mind has grown. I'm extremely pleased with the toddler program and the loving teachers. As a bonus, I hear they have a great bilingual program, so I'll be trying that as soon as he reaches preschool age. P.S. Be sure to look at the filtered reviews. I think a lot of parents who don't yelp a lot posted very favorable reviews, but their ratings weren't counted. If they were, this school would have closer to 5 stars. I posted 4 stars because the facilities could be nicer and newer. read more

My daughter went to this campus for 3 years. Starting in the toddler room and then to the pre-school class where she spent a majority of her time. I'm so grateful for the wonderful enriching experience my daughter had in this school thanks to the principal and wonderful teachers. There are well planned activities year round, ex. Field trips, cultural performances etc. A special shout out to our favorite teacher Ms. Leka (her pre-school teacher)! I was very impressed with how vested she was in her kids. She engaged them in lot of hands on activities inside and outside the classroom. She had a beautiful vegetable garden that she got the kids involved in planting, maintaining and harvesting. Ms. Leka has helped my child not only advance academically but introduced her to life skills. Pre-school days are key in shaping a child's development and I'm so glad we picked Apple Seed for those important years and our daughter so fortunate to have grown under Ms. Leka's kind guidance. read more

My previous review was filtered from the public page, I am not sure why. As a parent of children who have attended this school, I felt my review was fair and first-hand, and deserve to voice my views the same as the previous posters. I also noticed that 10 reviews for this school were filtered. When I clicked to view them, they were ALL POSITIVE REVIEWS. i am not sure why yelp only displays the negative reviews on their page for this school. it doesn't make sense to me at all and is largely unfair. I continue to give this school high marks. Their dedication to the Montessori method is evident and impressive. Every teacher whom we have interacted with has been kind, intelligent, and caring. The staff is great and very helpful. A wonderful school all around, and a fine choice for your young, developing child. I recommend a school visit, and talking to some of the teachers and parents firsthand to form your own impression. read more

My daughter graduated preK from Appleseed Montessori school in June, after having spent 2 years 10 months of wonderful time there. I liked the school a lot, and would like to highlight the following aspects: * The teachers: their teachers are great! They are loving and creative. They really care about the kids in their classes, and I was constantly impressed by the art works my daughter brought home which shows lots of creativity of the teachers. * Fun program: this is a very fun and well planned program backed by many years of experience. Kids get to take many field trips each year and participate in many other in school activities such as annual pumpkin carving contest, gardening, water play, etc. The annual performance is wonderfully organized and is always something that both parents and children look forward to. * Balanced child development: The school has a non-competitive environment that emphasizes on independence, self motivation and social interactions. Academically, they blend in the teaching of reading and math so well that as a parent, I was often surprised by how much my daughter already knew. Taking the example of reading, my daughter now has little problem in reading Easy Reader 1 or 2 books by herself. Most importantly, she loves reading! Every time when I looked at my daughter, who is happy, confident and having a strong love for reading, I would say that I had definitely chosen the right school. So thank you Appleseed Montessori School! read more

Appleseed has been such a great place for my two children! My older daughter was enrolled in first the toddler room, then the bilingual Chinese room between the ages of 2 yrs to nearly 4 yrs old. During that time, she learned Chinese and developed a marvelous sense of self sufficiency. The mixed age classroom worked very well for her, I think, as it gave her older children as role models for her own behavior. And I cannot say enough good things about her teachers. All the teachers at Appleseed have been fantastic -- not just the ones teacher her directly in the classroom, but all over the school. She knows all the teachers by name and they all know her. It's a great environment for any child! My younger son spent a year in the Infant classroom where he was completely doted on by the Infant Room teachers. It was clear from each and every interaction that they absolutely adored him and that he loved them in return. They were quick to keep me informed of any new developments (which, at his age, were many) so that I never felt like I was missing out! I could not have asked for a better place to send my children. Ms. Li is fantastic - she really does a great job of running the school as well as interacting with the children. She helped my daughter during that tumultuous time just after the birth of my younger son, spending extra time with her to help her through the transition. It's clear to me that she's fully dedicated to the school and I can't give her enough credit for making the program as wonderful as it is. I think the only complaint I would have is just the sheer number of holidays / teacher training days the school takes off, but that seems to be characteristic of all Bay Area preschools. : P read more

Our son Rohan came to Appleseed School, a shy introverted 3 year old and in a span of two years blossomed into a confident, responsible and well mannered young boy. We have always been amazed by the warm welcoming atmosphere of this school. The teachers from room 9, the staff and in particular Ms. Li have all strived very earnestly to make this establishment surpass a school and become more like an extended family to our son and us. The teachers have often gone above and beyond what is expected of them to make sure that every child receives the attention and care that he/she requires. We have been pleasantly surprised by how familiar everyone is with all the kids, even if they are in different classes. The curriculum followed is well balanced and catered to each individual child, thereby making the child comfortable in his/her learning style. The Montessori style of education has helped many a child understand responsibility and organization, and is a great method of teaching so many values of life that are often not perceived as part of an education. Our son has now started kindergarten with a love for learning and an eagerness to make new friendships. We both agree that Appleseed school is more than an educational institution; it has given us fond memories, beautiful friendships and an everlasting respect and gratitude towards Ms. Li, Ms. Maria, Ms.Jennifer, Ms. Kelly and all the other teachers and staff. read more

This is a completely mismanaged school!! The staff doesn't know how to do registration. I went there to register my son for pre-school. I paid $10 and they added me to the waiting list and said they will contact me in a few weeks. I never heard back! I myself went there after 6 weeks. They had lost the form I submitted! They found it after a long search by 2-3 ladies out there. Again, they told me the same thing. I'm on waitlist and they'll get back to me soon. I asked them how much more time will it take? They said they have no idea :( Really bad and rude management. read more

We enrolled our child at this school last year and were very happy even though our stay was quite short (through no fault of the school). The administration was friendly and responses prompt. In particular, they seemed to welcome feedback. We didn't have an issue with waiting lists, and from the tour, we understand that many parents have been taking their kids out of private pre-school/kindergartens and putting into them in the public school system due to the downturn in the economy. Apparently there are quite a few spots come available around Jan/Feb each year when many kids get taken out of school for Chinese New Year before being re-enrolled when they return. The main classrooms have 24 kids with 2 teachers (toddler class is smaller) and although that seems large, the kids seem happy and generally well behaved. School put a lot of effort into outings (some parents needed as supervisors) and events such as Halloween parade and Holiday show. It's a little disorganized but well meant and the cuteness of the kids and dedication of the teachers manage to make these events a pleasure to attend. Our child was in the Chinese track and I'm not sure how much Chinese was being spoken despite our requests to try and focus on this rather than English. If your child doesn't like big groups or is shy then this school might not suit, but a boisterous, confident smart child can get a lot out of this school. School reports and feedback was disappointing through the official channel (a parent meeting for 30 minutes with one of the teachers in her class) - for example the teacher kept saying "he" when we have a "she" (although that is not unusual for Chinese language but we did have to check a couple of times that the teacher knew whose parents we were!) And the school report came back with "area of concern" for every item but our 2.5 year old was being graded on a 4-5 year old report card so of course she can't write the alphabet. However we got regular weekly feedback on how she was doing just by chatting to the teachers during drop off and pick up. Overall the teachers (and administration) seemed to really care for the kids and the environment was happy and positive. Given the age of our child, this was far more important than what she was learning. If circumstances change re employment, I'd be more than happy to have my child back at this school. read more

I have the similar feeling as Jo Jo. The director is not professional at all and they do not communicate to the parents well. If they don't want to do what parents asked, they won't explain expicitly why. Instead, they will just go sneaky and make a lot of trouble out of this. Also I don't think some teachers care about kids, or respect parents at all. Their attitude are more like that they are the god for us, inapproachable. They are not willing to communicate with you. I don't think that they are following montessori principles and some teachers' cold and rude behavior should not even qualified to be a teacher. Of course, they can always make a ton of excuses for why do so. Khanh does not understand what Piya says, and it seems that his kds only attend Preschool classroom. For toddlers, the bathroom is in the class room. Actually it is not a bathroom, just a simple potty. For preschoolers, they have only two public restrooms in the builds, while the Pre-K classrooms in some other schools have their own private bathroom. They managed to let kids go bathroom at specific time, which might be fine mostly. Well, this is certainly not the worst part. As we know, what is important is tha tthe staff in the school is really not up to expectation. read more

My son went here for few months and overall we liked the school but it did not work out for our family. Pros: 1. AMAZINGGG director. She is by far one of the best directors I have ever seen. She is VERY professional, deals with matters right away, accommodates parents' needs and concerns in a very rapid manner. There are hundred of students in the school and she knows every kid by the name and recognizes every parent (and this goes not only to the director but the office staff). Once you join they are VERY nice to parents and genuinely listen. There were multiple times where I walked into her cleaning things herself. I really appreciated how hands on she was on to maintain the school. I have read some reviews here where they have mentioned that the lady that gives tour is unhelpful and rude. Yes, I felt the same when I did the tour BUT she is very direct and blunt. She does not sugar coat things to you. Once you join (if you do decide to), you will come to know her better and she is nice to parents. 2. Good curriculum 3. Good Safety 4. Very structured and well run 5. Very good hours Cons: 1. Teachers are not of the highest quality here. They are montessori school but they DO NOT require all their teachers to be accredited with the Montessori system. When I asked them how they choose teachers during a tour, her answer was not very good, she said "Oh we look at if the teachers have exposure to Montessori system and kids". 2. Rooms do not have window (Atleast the toddler rooms) 3. I wish the toddlers had a longer outside time (they go out twice once in the morning and once in the afternoon, each time for 30 minutes) 4. Terrible food menu, both for snacks and lunch. Luckily most kids bring their own lunch, the lunch that the school caters is very unhealthy. Their snacks are pretty unhealthy too. In conclusion, I would put my child here again if circumstances were different. Also, I think it is unfair for someone who JUST took a tour of the school to give the school a one star. That one star does not encompass every aspect of the school and services they provide. I was never under the impression that they were true Montessori where all the teachers are accredited so I do not feel like they mis-represented any part. read more

I just wanted to mention that the director of this school is very effective in her role. Yesterday, in the face of crisis ( manhunt for an armed shooter in the area), she was calm, responsive and responsible. We received constant updates from the school via email on the current situation. The director herself was standing in the parking lot to guide parents coming in to drop off kids. That was very courageous and responsible on her part with police choppers hovering over head and an armed suspect on loose just down the street. She is not only effective but also disciplines the kids well and manages to show them that they are loved at the same time. Our son adores her! Not just her, but the whole staff knows all the kids by their name. Makes me feel that they genuinely care for the kids. My son has been going to this pre-school for just a couple months now but already loves it here! read more

I love this school. The one thing that catches my eyes on my first visit is how happy the kids are when they go to school in the morning. I think that by itself says a lot. Both of my older sons went to Appleseed and my third one is going this summer. My older ones started with the toddler room because of the easier transition. It's a good transition between a home environment and formal schooling. It also doesn't hurt that they have a great potty training system. Potty training is not the easiest thing in the world for working parents and the toddler room teacher, Ms. Dobrilla, is a pro. She can tell right away when your child is ready and sure enough, I couldn't believe how fast they were completely off diapers. After the toddler room, my sons graduated to the Chinese/English bilingual preschool classroom (Room 5). This classroom is a hidden jewel in the Silicon Valley. It provides a true immersion program so the kids pick up Chinese naturally and effortlessly while going through their daily routines. Ms. Yvette is the lead teacher and she puts a lot of thoughts into the curriculum. She is very enthusiastic about teaching and she works hard in updating the learning materials and work stations in order to keep the kids interested. I also like the Montessori style learning in this school. The Montessori tools are intuitive and the kids learn independently through observation and hands on play. Different stations are set up for different areas of learning and the children are free to choose what they like to do. However, if your child tends to choose the same thing over and over again, the teachers would also encourage him/her to explore a new station so they don't fall back to their comfort zone. I also like the different events that the school holds throughout the year, such as the annual performance by the kids, gardening contest, pumpkin decorations and the many field trips. I look back at the video and pictures taken and they certainly added to the invaluable memory of my kids' childhood. I can go on and on about why this school is so great but the best thing is for you to come check it out for yourself and compare to other schools. Yes, the waitlist is long but there is certainly a reason for it. I always teach my sons "All good things come to those who could wait". read more

I enrolled two of my kids into this school, 1 toddler room and 1 preschool bilingual room. From what I experienced, this school is good enough to get a 5 stars rating, at least in my mind. Firstly, I think a nice school actually heavily depends on how the management goes on, kind of like a sport team, a company or other organizations. This school has a very hands on director. She doesn't talk much, but you will always see her around. So that her team, will always keep in good shape. You can feel that everything is organized neatly. Teacher-student ratio will always be kept in the legal requirement. For example, if a teacher runs for a chore, a substitute teacher will always be there. And every time, kids have been done playing at the ground, the teachers in that class will wipe clean the slides, clean the paved way, so the playgrounds are kept neat all the time. Each teacher have a walkie talkie, which they use to communicate with the office. Secondly, the teachers are warm and cheerful. Currently, my daughter has been in a toddler room for 10 months. The teachers are nice and fun to be with, including both the room teachers and substitute teachers. Thus, my daughter loves them so much. She has fun all day long, once in a while, she resists to go back home. :) Other than caring, the teachers actually do the teaching even to such a little baby, and they pay much attention on each kid's development. I will always be mentioned about my daughter improvement or problem in certain development milestone, such as speaking delay, social activity, her little pals. I heard funny stories about her once in a while, and also been discussed her concerns. In seasonly scheduled one-to-one conference, I will be discussed about her development with the teacher, and get a report. Thirdly, I think they do teach in a Montessori way, at least, currently in my daughter's toddler room. At last, you can always see the Costco truck delivering their snacks and drinks. For me, this is a food quality and safety sign. My elder kid went to the bilingual class there two years ago. Since the teachers are changed, I don't know much about it now. But my previous experience were wonderful. My son has always been happy to school. And he loves his two teachers. I have to mention that those two teachers are very quality teachers with tons of on hand teaching experience. read more

This review is for Dunford 500. It is a really well-run place. Ms. Li, the directors of the school, is amazing. Her involvement in the school and work ethic is exemplary. I remember watching her standing attentively throughout the christmas performance and helping out with whatever was needed. It is really quite amazing that she remembers the name of every child in the school. Our daughter was almost three when she started at Appleseed. She graduated from Appleseed two and half years later with such wonderful memories. We are so thankful to all the teachers - Ms. Clarita, Ms. Liu, Ms. Maricela, Ms. Hong and Ms. Shri. My daughter has blossomed so much under the kind and loving care of all the teachers. You have taught her to be curious, confident, be kind and helpful to others, to resolve conflicts in a mature manner. I really love the teaching methods - challenging the kids so their "brains can become bigger". teaching them to articulate their emotions and experiences through "good news and bad news". teaching them to participate and engage in the class through classroom duties. teaching the kids awareness about other cultures and religions through country reports, chinese new year celebrations, diwali potluck, etc. the wonderful field trips - Monterey bay aquarium, SanJose Discovery Museum, Pumpkin patch, the list goes on. taking the stage - christmas performance. In the last two years, Appleseed became an extended family to us. All of us have formed friendships that have extended outside the school. A big thank you ! read more

Appleseed Montessori, Dunford site is a great place for Kids. My son went to this school for 3 years and loved every bit of it. The teachers are great and a kids learn a lot. The director and the Assistant director are always onsite, and are extremely hands on with every aspect of the school. They are very approachable & friendly, and the kids love them. If you want a traditional learning atmosphere, this is not the place for you. Once you get used to the Montessori system, you will notice that your kids would learn way more than kids in any traditional school. If you are looking for a safe & happy atmosphere for your kids, this the school to be. read more

We didn't actually attend this school. But I thought it would be useful to write down our experiences of two tours with them. In both occasions, we didn't have enough chances to interact with the teachers. The directors are kind of dry and in some ways impatient since the school is popular and has a waiting list, I presume. During the school sessions, we mostly saw kids playing in their respective corners. Even though we are aware of Montessori's doctrine of "independence", we are also really looking forward to having our kid enjoying the social learning environment that's fun and make friends. The social/fun elements seem to be missing from the school. We decided not to put ourselves onto the much-coveted waiting list... read more

My 4 years old son spent a year in Appleseed Montessori class E6 and we had a great experience with it, staff are great and helpful the school is clean and full of activities and his teacher was amazing. read more

Appleseed Montessori (Building B at Dunford site) is a great place to send your kids to. Caring, Fun, Educational - it's a combination of all the things that you want your toddlers to grow up with . I have two sons who went to Appleseed since they were of age 2, and still talk of their pre-school teachers and Ms Li. Ms Li is definitely an asset to the school. Her attention to details is exemplary. With her in charge, this school is a great place to leave your precious little ones and not worry much about them. I am surprised at the other comments about office staff, since I've always found them very friendly and attentive to my comments. In my span of 7 years relationship with this school, I have never felt that any of my concerns were not addressed. Their year-end performance is definitely a thing to watch - so many little kids staging such a well organized show. Kudos to the teachers and the administrators for pulling out such successful shows year after year... this has definitely helped my kids to be comfortable on stage in front of a large audience. If you are thinking of enrolling your kid here, make sure to attend this year-end gala celebration. It's not an easy task to pull such an event with so many little children, but this school does it, and with such aplomb that even Santa visits the event !!!! read more

My son just graduated from the preschool program last fall so I would like to share some of our experience here. Overall it's a wonderful experience for us and I highly recommend the programs. We first put him in the infant room when he was just 14 months old. Parting was not very easy in the first few weeks as this was his first time to be separated from us. But he soon learned to communicate with his teachers and fellow classmates and made improvement in his eating habit and learned to play together with other children by sharing. After moving to the toddler's room, he enjoyed his daily activities with his friends more and more as his self-confidence and communication skills developed under the guidance of his teachers. In addition, his teachers also helped us with his potty training so he could grow out of his diapers in a very short period of time. The experience and patience of his teachers were most valuable and he developed a special bonds with his teachers long after he left the toddler room. Before we chose his preschool class, we discussed which program would be better for him. In Appleseed there are the Chinese-Enlish preschool program and the regular ones. I think he would have done well even if the choice we made were a different one but we are very happy with the class he went in. He played and learned together with children of varying ages and his teachers monitored and guided his progress so that he would reach those development milestones and be ready for kindergarten. Most importantly, we were very satisfied with the frequent parent-teacher communications we had throughout the years. It helped us realized where he made his progress and where we needed to work together to make progress. It is important to us that we took part in his learning and development process and is only made possible by a very open communication. Last but not least, we would like to express our appreciation to all the teachers and staff for their enthusiasm and patience. We feel it was a great experience for our son to start his life-learning journey from Appleseed, and highly recommend it to all the parents who are currently looking for a preschool/toddler program for their children. read more

While this review is primarily for Room 2 and Ms. Shri, I want to start off by saying that the school itself is outstanding. Ms.Anya and Ms.Nancy run a tight ship and their smiles/energy put the kids at ease each morning; my daughter (Eesha) loved stopping by the office for stickers or to just say hello. My daughter just "graduated" out of Room 2 and the year she spent there was just simply awesome. Ms.Hong and the other teachers in room 2 were very good. But, Ms.Shri lead the class in an efficient, strict yet fun way. All the kids (including my daughter) just loved Ms.Shri and were always striving to impress her. Ms.Shri's total dedication and love that she showed all the kids was just amazing; she knew each child's strengths/weaknesses and always worked in a positive way to help the kids. Her positive and energetic approach has had a great impact on my daughter; my daughter has learnt how to focus, have fun, excel in academics, dance (!!!!) and much much more under the tutelage of Ms.Shri. I highly recommend Appleseed and particularly any class that has Ms.Shri as the lead teacher. read more

We send our son and daughter to the Dunford Appleseed and are thrilled with the school - the kids absolutely love it! Even when school is closed, my kids want to go to school. :-) From the Director down, the teachers are full of love and gentleness with the children - there is an ambience of joy and light and calmness about the place. The happy looks on the faces of the kids speak to the wonderful environment that nurtures their upbringing. I wish I could have studied in this school as a kid. Appleseed Dunford is quintessential Montessori - you cannot go wrong by choosing this school for your children! read more

My very first review on yelp and I am very happy I am writing it for 1095 Dunford way, suite 500 of Appleseed Montessori School. I hope it helps parents who want to start their kids schooling with caring and happy learning place. My 3 year old attended here for a year. I can't express enough in words of how memorable and cherished our experience was. Wish we could continue but due to change in our circumstances we were in need of a morning hours only program. Teachers- Our child attended Room 3, Ms. Clarita and Ms. Lui's class. Its been 2 months now we have left and our child misses her teachers everyday. The teachers together bring out a good combination of enthusiasm, loving and caring atmosphere, cheer and calmness, involve lots of activities, field trips, monthly, weekly themes making learning so much fun and hands on. They took care of our kids needs, choices and our requests to the very last details and we didn't have to have to worry as they would give us feedback as needed. I saw all kids being very happy to be in this class. Office staff- Director Ms Li said that she loved all the kids in the school as her very own children. She would take time to meet parents, say hello and be around all the time. The staff, each and every one of them is involved, approachable, knows every kid from all the class rooms and are always helpful while answering phones from parents. All the assistant teachers coordinate very well with main classroom teachers and also know almost all the kids of all the class rooms. Once I had not so favorable experience about safety outside school in parking lot because of a driver in hurry and I informed the staff right away. They gave attention to the issue to fix it and also sent out guidance in school email newsletter to all parents that same week. It showed how much they cared for safety and took action quickly. Best wishes to school staff and teachers. read more

Our child attended this school from June 2011-March 2012. Pros: * This is an extremely well run school. The office is very organized and the directors are caring and responsive. * Lots of great activities at school for each month, season, etc. There is always something going on! * Winter Performance is outstanding and the kids love doing it. Don't miss it! * Field trips or special events every month. * Water play in the summer. Cons: * Playground time is too short - the kids need more fresh air and outdoor play time. If it's cold or windy, they won't go outside. Our child wasn't tired when we picked her up - she needed more outdoor play. * Traffic is a nightmare around the school at drop off and pick up times. * Our child was doing a 1st grade workbook and constantly told how smart she was. For some parents, this might be a pro, for us this was a con. * The school environment is very fixed mindset (google "fixed vs. growth" mindset if you don't know what I'm talking about). We are a very strong growth mindset family, so the constant fixed mindset comments and praise conflicted with our family values. * Lack of ethnic diversity - Our child was the only Caucasian out of a class of 24 children. All of the other children were of Asian descent. * Bullying- Our child was bullied by a group of 4-5 other children daily for 6 weeks until it finally got so bad that we had to move to another school. Some of the comments were racial, some were random: "We don't want to play with you because you don't speak Chinese." "We don't make friends with white people." "Your jacket is brown instead of pink so you can't play with us." Our child reported several painful comments every day, and sometimes the group of bullies would make her cry. Several nights she came home crying and very upset. We worked with our child and the teachers for 6 weeks but the bullying and isolation only got worse. The teacher talked to the parents, we invited 2 of the bullying children to playdates (the families never responded), and we also e-mailed the parent group directly asking for some help to work with the children at home. We finally got the directors involved, but then the teacher got offended that we didn't trust her. According to the directors and the teachers, this was the first incident of bullying in the school. They said that the bullying children didn't understand what they were saying because they don't speak English at home. We found this even more offensive since we don't speak English at home either and our child's first language isn't English either! The bullying children were so used to being mean, that they would make comments every time the teachers turned their backs and the situation was uncontrollable. This was a very traumatic experience for our child, and one that I cannot wish upon any parent. * The parents at this school also tended to isolate themselves around ethnic groups - check out how the parents linger after school and you'll see what I mean. Tips: * If we were to go to this school again, we would request Room #1. They seem to have the strongest teachers and the most diverse students. read more

I rarely leave Yelp reviews but I LOVE this place so much I had to let other parents know. If you are looking for a daycare for your child look no further! My kids got into Appleseed when they were 1 and 3. Both didn't know a word of English and I was terrified the first weeks will be a nightmare. Its a pretty big school and I wasn't sure if the teachers will have the attention span needed for non English speakers and how my kids will adjust. I put my little one in the infants and the older one in Pre-school and waited for that call from the school telling me that they are crying. No call was needed. I came to the school and found two happy kids that barely knew I was gone. I don't know how Appleseed did it, but my kids didn't need even a day to adjust. They just felt immediately at home in this daycare. MANAGEMENT: The school is run astonishing well by an amazing woman - Ms. Li. I don't know how she does it but somehow she knows every kid and every parent and makes sure all the teachers in all the classes know them as well. When a kid has a birthday or some special events everyone seems to know and greet them. In such a big place I wouldn't expect that from teachers not directly connected to my child. It was amazing walking in the corridor and seeing that teachers that I barely know greet my kids, hug them and wish them happy birthday. When I was injured at one point, Ms Li made a point to get me my kids so I dont have to walk the corridor. Such amazing management is felt in every aspect of the school. CLASSES: My kids were in the infant room, toddler class - 8A, Pre school class 10 and room 2 - Kindergarden. Every single class we attended - we were very impressed with. Room 8A has Mrs Amie who is an exceptional individual, great spirit, very energetic and very welcoming. She loves her toddlers and they adore her! We loved her also!! Room 10 has a truly remarkable teacher - Mrs Olsen. If I could hire her as an Aunt for my kids - I would. She is so warm, loving, always positive - absolute joy to be around. My daughter could barely leave this class and always had to run and say another hi to Mrs Olsen. On top of that my daughter also learned quite a bit there and started to read flawless in that pre-school class. No pressure. Just love for learning. Room 2 is a no nap room - like Kindergarden. Both of my kids did kindergarden there and moved to 1st grade directly in school after. That actually gotten them much more ready to first grade than any kindergarden would. Room 2 has wonderful teachers such as Ms Shri who has a great combination of being warm and loving but also teaching them a lot! They are learning by experience which I love and are discovering different topics such as geography, USA history, plants and so much more. They have field trips and events and just the right combination of everything in my mind. HOURS: Appleseed has the most flexible hours you can find. We were both in startups most years our kids attended the school and we found ourselves bringing them at 7am and picking up at 6pm. Not many schools will have that. The funny thing is that sometimes I'd feel like coming to pick up early and I'd notice how disappointed the kids are because they'll miss their friends or some story time. There isn't a must better proof to a kid loving school than to see that they really don't want to leave... Bottom-line we are leaving Appleseed now with my youngest after 5 years with this school. I couldn't have asked for a better experience from a school and want to thank Appleseed for everything they've done for us and my kids! read more

I am so please with the school! My daughter is four years old and started at Apple Seed only 6 month ago, but I already can see so many positive changes on her! She is looking forward to get to school everyday and learn new things. At home, she loves to sings songs that she learned and organize her toys. I am truly happy with all the staff, the teachers are loving The class room are well organized, clean, and fill with Montessori areas for the kids to explore,. I will give a 5 star and just wish, I put her there sooner!!!!! read more

Our kid went there for 2 years and our experience was amazing. I cannot rave enough about Ms.Li. She was the most down to earth, hardworking, fair person I have ever met. Her love for the children was unparalleled and she really knew all her kids. She was a silent operator but an incredibly efficient director with an awe inspiring work ethic. Her successor- Ms Nancy is nice too but I haven't worked with her as much. The passion and dedication to seeing their kids thrive and succeed is exceptional in Room#2. We consider ourselves super lucky to have Ms.Shri and Ms.Hong as our sons teachers in his formative years. They are what I'd call real educators focusing on overall child development. - They are exceptionally kind, loving and good at motivating their children. - They really teach kids to problem solve ( such a rare thing but its so effective) and self regulation . - They helped instill a joy of learning in their kids. There were some weekends or breaks, that he yearned to go to school! - Room2 teachers are proactive, fair and patient. - Its a no-nap room( the only one) in that school. One would think, they'd be dealing with super tired and upset kids by the end of the day. But Ms. Shri, Ms. Hong and Ms. Maricela worked so beautifully together at keeping the kids learning,engaged, having fun and happy consistently! - They encourage kids curiosity and really, its a treat when one hears their child talk about their school day.. - They taught him to read and write, math and science ( as in they did a terrific job with both social learning and academics). Our child truly blossomed in their care and his self esteem, confidence went up by leaps and bounds. They truly understand their kids and are like family. They will be sorely missed and can't thank them for their incredible contributions to our kids learning experience. I highly recommend the school and Room 2 and its teachers Ms.Shri and Ms.Hong. read more