My daughter was at OGS for 2.5 years and really thrived there. We are so, so thankful to have this…read moreamazing place in our neighborhood. Christina, the director is wonderful and so are the teachers. Everyone is dedicated and the kids are happy as clams. The whole facility is great with the amazing backyard with sunny and shady areas, sand pits, mud kitchen, a yurt, a boat and even goats! Every time I picked up my dirty, crusty, smiling kid was a great day! She learned so much every day and came home tired and happy. My kid has now graduated and moved on to TK and it's still bittersweet because of the great people we met there and the wonderful community. We are still in contact with many other families and will hopefully continue to see them

We visited several preschools for our daughter, but nothing came close to the magical wonderland…read morethat is Oakland Garden School! Nevertheless, I was admittedly still nervous after reading some pretty damning reviews. But I soon discovered that pretty much ALL preschools have some real scary reviews, or no reviews at all. What made me feel most optimistic about OGS, was the emphasis on creating a true sense of community and accountability with families. In addition to regular community events and volunteer opportunities, OGS also has a parent advisory committee (PAC). As a former PTA president, I think such a group really can have an impact on as school, and along with Christina's leadership, the school seems to be a thriving community with some VERY skilled and caring teachers. I want to give a special shootout to Teachers Sam, Melissa, Candace, and Emily who all went above and beyond to support, encourage, and care for our neurodivergent daughter. The classrooms at OGS are large, air conditioned, and full of quality and creative toys and activities with special areas for kids who need a quiet and calm space. And absolutely NOTHING compares to the outdoor space. If OGS's outdoor space was a public park, it would be our favorite park! It's true that in this industry there is a fair amount of teacher turnaround. But our sense from teachers (and I really prodded them to give me the dirt!) really like working at OGS. While there was some staff turnover during our time, it certainly didn't strike us as abnormal or excessive and because each class has multiple teachers, there was always some consistency. Director Christina was often helping in classrooms, especially during times of transitions and she also, was great with the kids. My one critique for OGS is something I really doubt other schools are doing better with, that is communicating and enacting protocols for illness. There were many times when I noticed HEPA filters not turned on and I would occasionally not see soap or towels by a sink. We were always given alerts when there was an exposure to anything other than a cold, but it was not always clear when it was or was not OK to bring our child in. Again, I think OGS is probably far above average when it comes to dealing with this stuff, but I would be remiss if I didn't prod them (and other families) to do more. The extra outdoor time at OGS also probably gives the school a leg up on others. My wife and I were so impressed at how OGS went above and beyond our high expectations of the school. We are going to miss it as it sets a pretty high bar for whatever is next for our children!

I cannot speak more highly of my family's experience here. Our little attended La Plazita II for…read moretwo years. Every single instructor was kind, loving and thoughtful in their care of our child. The school creates such an amazing community and hosts celebrations on campus often. The education and activities are excellent, we all learned more about different cultures and holidays. The communication was perfect, they sent messages regarding concerns or issues and post pictures in their app often. They strike a great balance of letting the kids interact manage themselves and guiding their behavior. I truly appreciate each and every teacher. This is such a special place.

This review is for the 35th location. We absolutely adore La Plazita. I sent my kids from 2 on. My…read moreoldest just graduated from their "TK" look alike program. Not only are the maestras absolutely wonderful and loving, my kids learned Spanish! We are not a Spanish speaking household and my son passed his a Spanish proficiency test with OUSD. The Admin staff are fantastic and also really care about our kid! We also really enjoy the parent community. We will be leaving the area and are devastated to leave this school!

Sequoia Nursery is a special place! The staff, the parents, the kids, the environment are all top…read morenotch. It's very well organized, structured perfectly, well balanced and run by teachers and parents who really care. We are proud and grateful to be a part of this wonderful community

Teachers Margo and Susan are so gentle and effective with the kids. Our child has really enjoyed…read moretheir time with the other kids and the teachers. We see growth and are excited to see how much is to come by the end of the year. The school is managed by the parents and follows an organized model for how teachers & kids are supported in the program. It's a beautiful school and we're happy with our experience and truly welcome others to visit and see for themselves.

I think that the new principle has definitely changed things for the better. I'm excited to see…read morewhat else he comes up with that is new and creative. The parents and community have been really reacting well to him....very good thing. I went here, my middle sister went here, my best friends went here, my youngest sister goes here, my younger cousin as well. Its just a really good place to raise your kids. Not just because of the school, but the community around as well. Laurel district ROCKS

We sent our 5 year old to Laurel for kinder mainly just because it was the local school, but it has…read moreturned out to be a great experience. The teachers and staff and principal all seem to genuinely care and be good at their jobs, and it shows in the happiness of the kids. As an example, my kid for some reason we may never know was scared to go into the lunch line at the cafeteria, and therefor wasn't eating lunch. I mentioned this to the principal who happened to be outside before school and he took us right at that moment to go meet the lunch lady and practice going through the line, and then when we got to class I told the teacher why we were a couple minutes late the teacher said he would walk with my son into the lunch line that day. He's been eating school lunch every day since. He plays better with other kids than he ever did in preschool. Oh, he also reads at a 2nd grade level (but I get part of the credit for that!). They have a pretty awesome brand new playground, a garden, fieldtrips, music class, (optional) parent meetings and volunteer opportunities, and a pretty good budget for a public school. We'll be sending our second kid here in a few years once she's old enough

TLDR: Highly recommend this Daycare + Preschool, Strong Kindergarten (&TK) preparedness, Friendly…read moreStaff, Great Value (especially for this quality level). Was very pleased with the overall experience here for 2 years, and my student loves the teachers, their school friends, and the facility. Without going into a crazy long monologue, here are a few things that made this daycare/preschool great from my perspective. - My soon to be TK student already has 95%+ of his Kindergarten academic preparedness criteria met. They love telling me about the basic addition they are learning, and they love showing me their schoolwork papers when they get home. - The curriculum includes age appropriate social centered curriculum like noticing others' emotions and changing ones own behavior based on it (most noticeable when they ask their friends or visitors at our house if something is wrong, or what made them happy today). - Enrichment curriculum includes germinating plants, learning animals (including on-site animals), children's yoga, numerous art project styles etc. - Super cute performances!!! The Mother's Day performance was spectacular with actual singing and age appropriate choreography - The local parent community is reasonably active with play dates, and school centric activities. Was very easy to find parents within a short drive of the school for playdates and birthday parties etc. Easy to find parents on private Facebook community, and easy to share and access pictures from school - Staff has been great during our attendance here. Very responsive and my student loves them. Highly recommend checking this school out.

My child has spent 2 years at Daisy and we are so grateful for the love, care, and instruction that…read moreFey, Irfan, Mandy, Ron, Tim, and Nancy and all the teachers have provided over the years! We feel confident that our child is ready for TK and beyond, both from a social and academic perspective. Daisy isn't for everyone, and that's ok. There are definitely some quirks in communication, information, and structure. You won't get a student list, parent contact info, or a daily schedule, but you will have a safe and loving environment where your child is cared for and nurtured. One of the things I loved best about Daisy is that every adult takes time to genuinely interact with every child, and make them feel heard and valued. All the teachers (even the ones for other classrooms) knew our child and interacted with him in a positive and respectful way. Another thing I loved about Daisy is that the kids get A LOT of outdoors time which worked great for our family. We know he had a good day when we pick him up and his clothes were covered in dirt and his shoes were filled with woodchips. We know this isn't for every family, but our active kiddo thrived because of it. There are also goats, chickens, birds, and a turtle. Most importantly, our child loved going to Daisy. All the days where he would run to join his friends in the big yard at drop off, and blurt out all the stories of how much fun he had throughout the day at pickup made us confident that we made the right choice for him. Other pros: * They do music on Mondays and yoga on Tuesdays. * There's plenty of parking for easy drop-off and pick-off. * They focus a lot on social skills, and our child has made a lot of friends and frequently talks about them. * Though academics aren't their stated focus, our 4-year old can count to 20+, recognize numbers and letters, and identify words that rhyme. At 3, our kiddo knew all sorts of shapes, colors, etc. * They take hygiene seriously and the kids seemed pretty healthy (there wasn't ever a widespread outbreak of lice, COVID, etc. and our child I think only stayed home once or twice for being sick over the 2-year period. I think the outdoor time helped keep germs from spreading as well.) * They foster independence and teach kids to track their belongings. I remember thinking it was ridiculous that my 2-year old was supposed to track his own water bottle, but he learned to do it and at 3 he learned to navigate his lunchbox on his own too. Other helpful details: * The youngest age they take is 18 months. There's a separate smaller yard area for younger children. * There are many different family structures at Daisy. * They are flexible with start and end dates. * They generally follow OUSD's school calendar for days off with the exception of summer break (there's thankfully no summer break at Daisy). * They don't provide lunch, but they do sometimes provide snacks and your child certainly won't be hungry if they didn't have a great breakfast or won't eat what you packed them for lunch. * Onboarding was a little rough on our schedules as parents (our child started with shorter days for a few weeks so that he could ease into the new routine and space), but I think it set us up for success. * They occasionally post pictures to Facebook.

My son attended Treehouse for 2 years and my daughter attended some of their summer school…read moreofferings. I cannot say enough good things about this school. 1. The campus is beautiful. Classrooms are clean and beautifully decorated. It is set in the trees so it feels like a real retreat. The playground is beautiful and fully equipped with all kinds of toys. 2. The teachers are beyond! Each one is so loving and kind and fully invested in loving and supporting the kids. They got to know my entire family - grandparents visiting, siblings, etc. and took a vested interest in our entire family. They are kind, engaging, joyful, energetic, and professional. Most of the teachers have been there for several decades and I know that is largely due to the incredible warmth that Principal Jan and Kayla set as the administration of the school. There is truly no place I have ever visited with the same warmth and kindness. 3. The curriculum is impressive! I am shocked about how well my son is prepared for TK. They are doing kindergarten level work in preschool. But of course it is mostly fun and playing and art. I am amazed by all the creative projects he comes home with and the patience and attention to detail it must require from the staff. I truly cannot say enough good things about this wonderful loving environment and cannot encourage families enough to send their kids here.

When we first moved into the nearby neighborhood, we started hearing about Treehouse because a few…read morefamily members went through the program 35+ years ago! We then heard of other neighboring families who sent their children to Treehouse more recently. At the time we were looking for preschools for my son, it was a no brainer to add Treehouse to our list of schools to look into. The director Jan gave us a personal tour, telling us about the different classes, their values and how they support the children through the days and the years. One thing that stood out to us during the tour was how calm and happy the children were in their classrooms! The environment seemed to be a good fit for our son - and 3 years of attending Treehouse we have had no regrets. The care, attention, learning social dynamics, and cognitive development have been fantastic. We'll be transitioning out of the preschool phase and will miss Treehouse greatly!

We are so sad we couldn't follow this daycare to their new location. That really does say it all…read more Our son was just genuinely happy there. He'd come home talking about his teachers, Ms Laura and Ms Diana, and how much he loved going, which as a parent is truly the best thing you can hope for. The project-based learning kept him excited and engaged, and the Spanish immersion program has been such a gift. Watching him pick up the language so naturally has been incredible to witness. The community they built also meant a lot to us. They were intentional about bringing families together through school events, and it made the whole experience feel really special. You felt connected, not just like a family dropping their kid off. We're so grateful our son got to spend time there and would wholeheartedly recommend them to any family in their area.

Our daughter spent just over a year at A Step Ahead, and we saw her social skills, Spanish…read morecomprehension, and ability to focus flourish under Ms. Laura and Ms. Diana's care. It was clear that each day was filled with both learning and fun. As parents, we also appreciated their prompt communication, frequent photos, and reasonable prices for full time care. The facility was always tidy and clean, and they must do a great job getting the kids to wash their hands, as we had far fewer illnesses than at our prior in-home daycare. The community of families was also wonderful, and we made many new friends that we've continued meeting up with. We'd highly recommend A Step Ahead for anyone looking for a high quality Spanish and/or Montessori preschool in a small, close-knit setting.

Oakland Community Montessori School is a beautiful place starting with its location. The space is…read morewarm and comforting, with a beautiful view of the city. The students are fed, taught and nurtured by amazing teachers with many years of Montessori experience. Their love and dedication are evident in the lessons they teach and the food they prepare. Each student is able to explore their creativity and practice their sensory/motor skills while learning and playing together cooperatively. It's inspiring to see Montessori education becoming more accessible to children of all backgrounds, and I've witnessed firsthand how giving learners this strong foundation early on opens doors for their future success. When young people are given a safe, supportive environment, they naturally rise to show their capability and brilliance. We need more schools like this--places that truly honor children's potential, nurture their curiosity, and help them grow into confident, capable human beings.

My child attends Oakland Community Montessori, and we've had such a positive experience. The…read moreteachers are warm, attentive, and really know how to support kids as individuals. I've seen my child grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity since starting here. The school has a wonderful sense of community, and it feels like a supportive extended family. We're so glad to be part of OCMS!