Our son started in the Teddy Bear classroom this fall and we are very happy with our decision. In 4…read moreshort months, he has made so many educational advancements all while having fun with his new friends. Most importantly, this is all made possible by his incredible teachers - Teacher Atziri, Teacher Taylor, Teacher Luz and everyone else that helps throughout the day. They could not be more caring, loving and patient with the kids. It's clear to us that these people love their jobs and are so incredibly thankful that we get to benefit from their passion.

Both of my children have attended ECC since they were babies, one graduated and headed on to…read moreelementary school and my younger is in the final year in the Rainbow Room. Our family has appreciated the excellent care our kids have received for nearly nine years. The teachers are warm and caring, and develop strong relationships with the children. Kristy, who has been running ECC for many years as the director, is responsive, attentive and a pleasure to work with. ECC teachers enjoy the work they do, and plan engaging and enriching activities. They do lots of age appropriate activities every day: arts and crafts, singing, reading stories, outside/inside free play, walks, circle time where they focus on letter and number recognition and for the older preschool classes Spanish Circle. There's a good mix of activities and my kids have had fun while developing skills that prepare them well for the transition to kindergarten. I'd highly recommend ECC to any parents looking for daycare or preschool for their kids. They do a fantastic job and create a warm, welcoming and caring environment for the kids and parents alike.

I truly cannot recommend The Red School enough. From a mama's heart, we absolutely love this little…read moreschool. Mrs. Mitchell is so warm and wonderful and the whole school just feels safe, cozy and wonderfully lived in. Ms. Nicole, her daughter, was my son's teacher and we absolutely adore her. All of the teachers are women and they are genuinely kind and loving with the kids. It's also a true Montessori school. The kids are outside playing in the dirt, literally finding worms, reading stories, exploring, playing with their friends and learning how to figure things out for themselves. I can tell my son has learned SO much here. I even see it at home in the way he takes initiative, problem solves and practices being a little leader. Most importantly, he LOVES going to school. We are moving and honestly one of the hardest parts has been saying goodbye to The Red School. We've been interviewing other schools and it has only made me confirm how special this place is. The Red School still has our heart. I'm so grateful my son got to have this as part of his childhood.

I have nothing but positive things to say about International Montessori School - Red School. The…read moreteachers embody the Maria Montessori philosophy and create a warm, family-like environment. I enrolled all three of my children and saw them build a strong foundation. I highly recommend this school to families, friends and the community. When you visit the school you will observe the children actively learning and exploring their natural environment and pre-set up classrooms. The smiles and laughter you observe, will naturally make you smile. This positive environment feels welcoming and encouraging. I highly suggest you schedule your next visit and enrollment in this amazing school.

All three of our children have gone to the preschool. My youngest is in his last year and I'll be…read moreso heartbroken to leave. I love the preschool because it's very much play based learning. They meet the children where they are. They allow the children to have imagination and be young. My kids love being here. All of the teachers are so sweet. I can't praise this school enough. I love that flexibility of adding on lunch and early care as needed. I love the open availability to the director jeri.

I have been fortunate enough for my child to attend this preschool for three years. Words cannot…read moredescribe the amount of love these teachers and the director Jeri pour into each child. My child has grown leaps and bounds through play based learning which is best for them at this age. If you are interested they are always open for tours and happy to give you any information! I LOVE THE PRESCHOOL!

You won't find a better preschool/ daycare! The director, Ms Nancy, leads by example and is truly…read morepassionate about creating a safe, fun, nurturing environment for young kids to grow in their faith, education, and friendships. My twins entered the school just shy of turning 3 years old. The teachers we had the most experience with were Ms Kathleen, Ms Kimmy, and Ms Kay. All 3 women are excellent! My kids learned so much here and always felt safe. This school gives a very home like environment. My only regret is not sending my kids right when they turned 2 and that we didn't know about this school for my oldest son to attend when he was a toddler. If this preschool went all the way up to high school, we would never leave!

We love Faith! Both of my children went to preschool here. The teachers are amazing! They are so…read moresweet and caring. They treated both of my kids with such kindness and love. My daughter loved being there so much that she begged me to extend her day! My son was there most recently and he was so sad that we were moving and told me he didn't want to go to any other school. To be honest, I was sad for him! Faith really is a wonderful school!

I am extremely disappointed with our experience at Montessori of Via Verde. My three daughters were…read moreenrolled there, but we were forced to leave after an upsetting and unprofessional incident involving my 16-month-old. At drop-off one morning, I informed the teacher that my baby had a dirty diaper. The teacher responded in an irritated tone and insisted it was diarrhea before properly checking. While changing her, the teacher removed all of my daughter's clothing--including her clean shirt and jacket--and refused to give them back when I asked. During the diaper change, the teacher handled my daughter in a manner that made her visibly uncomfortable and distressed. My baby was crying and clearly upset. When I calmly asked the teacher to please be more gentle, my concerns were dismissed and both teachers in the room became defensive. When the director, Ms. Haydee Galvez-Diaz, was called in, she immediately sided with the staff without listening to me. Instead of addressing my concerns about how my child was being handled, she asked the teacher if she felt attacked. I then asked Ms. Haydee if we can speak in private. As I'm trying to explain the situation that just occurred, She raised her voice, told me I was "not happy here," said she thinks I needed to find another place for my children, and walked away, slamming the door in my face. As a working mother, I left in tears and felt helpless because I had no immediate childcare alternative. My baby was picked up within a few hours and never returned. I have since removed all three of my children from this center. No parent should be treated this way for simply advocating for their child. Instead of professionalism and understanding, I was met with hostility and disrespect. I would not recommend Montessori of Via Verde to any family who wants to feel safe, heard, and supported.

I have nothing but good things to say about the school…read more My child has been attending since 2020. You have always been impressed by the quality of care we received.

**Disappointing Experience at Arrow Montessori School**…read more I had my four-year-old daughter enrolled at Arrow Montessori School for ten months, and our experience has been extremely disappointing. Over the last 2 1/2 weeks, I was called almost daily to pick her up from school, significantly cutting into my work hours and adding financial strain to my single-parent, single-earner household. My daughter was bullied by two other children and frequently came home with scratches, bite marks, and bruises. Instead of addressing the issue, the school blamed her for the bullying, claiming she was "bothering" the other children. The staff lacks the skill, education, and patience to handle behavioral challenges in children. They often implied my child had issues but then admitted they weren't psychologists. This inconsistency was frustrating and unhelpful. Furthermore, the school engages in excessive fundraising, with my daughter participating and helping generate several hundred dollars. However, none of this money seemed to benefit her class. The staff also lacks resources and understanding to support neurodivergent children, expecting all students to behave like well-behaved little robots. The school does not adhere to the traditional tenets of Maria Montessori's teachings. Instead of fostering independence and curiosity, the children are frequently made to perform songs and dances. Additionally, the staff's impersonal approach, referring to me as "mother" rather than knowing my name, was disheartening. During the last 2 1/2 weeks, my daughter experienced tantrums, leading the school to give me an ultimatum: either put her in therapy or she would not be allowed to attend the summer camp. This caused me a great deal of anxiety and sleepless nights, adding to the overall stress of the situation. Each time we approached a solution, another hurdle was placed in our way, including limiting her school hours to 9 am-12 pm or after 2 pm. The treatment my daughter received from the administration was particularly troubling. The administrator would often mock her, saying, "What? What are you saying? I don't understand you." My daughter has been diagnosed with a speech disorder, which I had informed the school about, and she is receiving speech therapy. Despite this, they spoke to her as if she was stupid. Because of her speech difficulties, she sometimes tries to communicate with her hands, and they have also asked her if her "hand was broken." They treated my child like there was something wrong with her. I offered to sit in the classroom to observe her interactions with the other children and was denied, being told it was against their policy, which seemed very suspicious. Eventually, they allowed me only 15 minutes, during which I observed a child push my daughter hard onto the concrete floor. Very little was done by the teacher to correct this behavior. The administrator said that only a child psychologist was allowed to observe children in the classroom and proceeded to tell me that there were a few kids who are autistic and have behavioral issues in the classroom, but you wouldn't be able to tell because their parents could afford their own therapists. I couldn't tell if she was being honest or just trying to make it seem like I wasn't doing my part as a parent to promote my child's well-being. I felt like I was being gaslit. Additionally, the playground is in disrepair, with wood splintering, structures leaning, and plastic pieces popping up, potentially causing harm to the children. The outside bathroom is also disgusting and poorly maintained, adding to the overall neglect of the facilities. Given the substantial funds raised through fundraising efforts and the high Montessori tuition fees, the school should be able to afford necessary upgrades and maintenance. Moreover, the school has implied religious affiliation with New Creation Church, making it a private sector institution that also receives tax exemptions by being a "church" school. This makes the lack of proper facilities and support even more unacceptable. When I went to discuss changing daycare providers with the school district, I learned that one of Arrow Montessori's long-standing teachers had left to work for the district. Additionally, two receptionists and another teacher left within just a few weeks or short months of each other. This high turnover rate indicated deeper issues within the school's management and environment. The school lacks compassion and seems more focused on giving the appearance of a great school to appease the wealthiest parents while mistreating and dismissing those who aren't as fortunate. I do not recommend Arrow Montessori School. Our experience was marked by bullying, inadequate support, unsafe facilities, and a lack of true Montessori principles.

Arrow set my kids up for success. They are thriving thanks to the great academics, supportive…read moreemotional development, excellent caring teachers and staff. We wish we had a third kid to send to this school. Highly recommended.

My daughter loved going to Heartwood in Montclair! The one in Montclair has a small number of…read morestudents in the school and small class sizes. It was a peaceful and clean place. There were always new manipulatives such as shapes on a table with light under it, to aid in my daughter's learning process. She was always learning but it was all through play. She would tell me about her friends there. She had a lot less tantrums at home too, because she always had a great day at school! The teachers were so kind and understanding about child development. The cost is competitive and so worth it. The only thing that didn't work for me was that I wanted someone to do all the potty training for me. The potty training was the bane of my existence as a parent because of the stressful experience I had with my first child. My child wanted to take her time, which was my only worry, because I wanted to make sure she was potty-trained by the time she entered TK, and because of my busy work schedule, I couldn't potty train much. They work with the parents to potty train, and because I wasn't ready to potty train her they didn't push it much for her. I would say to most parents in the area- send your kids there and you won't regret it! Compared to what I've seen and experienced with some other amazing preschools, Heartwood was a true gem!

I have taken my child to this daycare for the past 7 months now. I heard about this daycare from a…read moreteacher I knew. She has brought her 2 children here since her first born. One is now 5 and the other is 3. Knowing she has brought both of her children gave me a peace of mind because it meant she really does trust them. I started bringing my child once she was 1 years old. As a first time mother, I was really concerned about who I can trust with my child. I'm super protective.. Before I heard about this daycare, I was searching for other daycares around the area. My daughter never smiled at other daycares. She seem serious and just checking her surroundings. Once we checked out Heartwood, as soon as my daughter saw the director and other teachers around said hi to her, she started smiling and laughing.. That was a big win for me! She normally doesn't smile with strangers but she was smiling with teachers and the director here at the daycare. This made me feel like she felt comfortable and felt like the vibe was good for her. I checked everything out and it was as I expected; clean, organized and safe. I loved everything about this daycare. During the first days of drop off, my daughter did cry the first 2 weeks when I left but after that, she was ok. Now, she waves goodbye and enjoys going to school. As a peace of mind, during the day, they send you notifications about her daily activity and any important messages. Overall, this is a great Daycare! I highly recommend it. I hope telling a bit of my story will help you decide this is the right school for you and your family. You won't regret it!

Let me start off by saying that my children have been with Mrs. Fanny since back in 2019. My eldest…read moreson started with her at 2 years old back when she still owned Heartwood. Her staff is well selected and what made me feel most comfortable was how welcoming everyone was. My son would run inside every morning because he was so excited to attend. My twins have been assisting since they were 4months old. I trusted their staff because I was able to get to know all the teachers through family engaging events, and just talking to them everyday after I picked them up. I would highly recommend this daycare because Ms.Fanny loves what she does. She not only pours into our children's development but she does it with such grace and views each one of the kiddos as her own. Her lessons and special events she puts together for the kids are so engaging and educational that my children come home excited to share what they have learned or did at daycare/school. I wouldn't trust my children with anyone else! Her daughter Mrs. Savannah is the sweetest and my kids are so attached to her it warms my heart that they see her as a mom figure when I can't be around because I have to work. This school has everything to keep your kids engaged: music class, dance, soccer, and even vendors that come to support the kids learning and experience. I always recommend any friends of mine that have kids to bring them to Mrs. Fanny. She has been doing this for over 22 years and is the best of the best. What I love the most is that they use a portal to update you with photos, event information and messages throughout the day to communicate how your kid's day is going. I highly recommend this daycare! The prices are fair compared to other daycares around. What you pay is definitely poured back into your children's developmental learning. I love this daycare!!! But mostly I love Ms. Fanny for providing an exceptional staff and for how she runs her program!

The entire staff at Oakheart are incredible. They are child centered and focus on fostering…read morecuriosity and independence. My son was under their care since he was a young toddler and he only recently left to enter school. I highly recommend this preschool to anyone looking for quality care for their child.