Excellent Montessori pre-school in south bay - Sunnyvale/cupertino area. Great teachers!

This is a review of the infant room. It seems like people had better experiences in the older rooms. My daughter attended for 4 months. Here is why we left: -I felt like the quality of care in the infant room was really lacking. Nearly every time that I would pick up my daughter, other babies would be screaming and crying on the floor, all being ignored. It was very upsetting to see and it made me wonder what the staff would do when parents weren't present if they were OK with me seeing that. -DeLor is closed every year for a week between August and September, that is very challenging with a two parent work schedule. -I felt like there were unsafe sleep practices in the infant room (blankets in cribs, babies left unattended, they do have two Type A citations for this which you can look up online here: https://secure.dss.ca.gov/CareFacilitySearch/ -general lack of communication. There were sometimes new teachers with no mention of names, slow to communicate about illnesses in the room. Back in the day my family loved this place, but it is no longer the same. All that being said, the owners are both very friendly and nice and were open to hearing my feedback when I withdrew my daughter. read more

My sons Rayan and Dylan attended Delor Montessori school 5 years apart. We had a wonderful experience at Delor when our older son Rayan attended it. Rayan became more self sufficient and focused while attending Delor and he absolutely loved his teachers. The teachers at Delor especially Mr. Alex who was Rayan's class teacher had an amazing impact on him and we fell in love with the school and it's Montessori structure. It was a no brainer for us when it was time for our little one Dylan to attend Pre School. As parents of two little boys, we are absolutely happy to recommend this school. read more

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

My daughter spent two years in this school from 2016 to 2018 and we had a wonderful experience in the school. Right from the start - Ms Debbie and Ms Lori were very pleasant, highly responsive and very accommodating to our 3 year old's needs. I had been to many nearby pre schools and day cares and almost everywhere the front desk staff or principals were too stiff and indifferent. This was a refreshing change at Delor. My daughter started with Ms Preeti's class and ended her second year with Mr. Alex. She never came home saying she dint like the school or the teachers. She had memorable experiences in the school and loved her teachers. Both my wife and I had recently immigrated to the US from Singapore and visited many schools but Delor was the only one that was considerate to the new incoming family and showed flexibility and the right balance between child's independence and teacher's assistance where really needed. I must say all the other nearby schools in Sunnyvale projected a completely different image. Teachers themselves were highly responsive and approachable. Very adjusting of any particular need that our daughter had while adjusting to the US and the new School. There were a few moments where we dint like a thing or two but when provided with feedback, there was almost an immediate openness and positive reaction - both from Principal as well as teachers. Overall, top recommendation from us for any family who is considering a loving and caring environment with a quality and considerate school team. read more

We have two daughters at Delor and they have thrived in the school. Our older daughter is independent, intelligent and kind. She constantly gets complimented when we go to other playgrounds on how well she plays with other kids. I do feel this is a direct result of her time at Delor, where they have really taught the kids how to get along. The school does a good job balancing play time, formal education, and learning practical skills. We have also appreciated how flexible Delor has been with our kids' schedules, letting us bring them in only part of the week. A lot of other daycare/preschools require pay for the full five days. read more

I had to report Delor to social services, and they've since been cited with both a Type A (the most severe) and Type B violation for unsafe sleep practices and mishandling of food. My daughter started there at 4 months old, and she had a difficult time with naps given how loud it gets with the unenclosed space. I had overlooked signs of carelessness with toys in the crib given my friend highly recommended DeLor, but one day I found my daughter as well as another baby wrapped up to her neck in a loose blanket instead of the sleep sack I provided! I also sent her to school with 3 bottles for the day. When I picked her up, Ms Lupe gave me back 2 bottles. She then complained to me that my daughter was really hungry, because I forgot to bring enough bottles. I told her that I am absolutely positive I brought 3 bottles, then sure enough she found an ENTIRE bottle of my breastmilk wasted and just lying in the corner! My daughter was hungry and starving for nothing! I checked this against the board which noted that she ate twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. When I added up 2 + 2 that only one bottle was fed to her in the late afternoon, one was "bad" from the morning and another one completely wasted, my heart just dropped realizing my daughter had to wait NINE hours from the time I told them she was first fed in the morning till she got her first bottle from them. Ms Isabel blamed my baby for rejecting the morning bottle several times, but I know she's a good eater. She has NEVER gone 9 hours without eating. Even if she did, you try again in an hour, not hours later! Then they lied on the board that she drank some of the "bad" bottle in the morning, not true as the "bad" bottle was still completely full! So not only did they endanger my baby and other babies there with unsafe sleep practices (there's not suppose to be a damn thing in the crib except your baby and a sleep sack), they also let my child starve for 9 hours for no good reason. Of course, she won't stop crying, because she's HUNGRY. I was furious, and thank God I listened to my gut and pulled her out immediately. When I spoke to Ms Lori, the administrator, about it there was no apology or remorse whatsoever. In fact, she made up excuses and even said "oh, sometimes I write things on the board that might not be true" when it's busy. On top of all this BS, Ms Lori refused to return my deposit although they clearly endangered my child and left my child starving for nearly an entire day before feeding her. It's completely ridiculous that she won't give me our deposit back when they violate child safety and health standards. The administrator didn't so much as apologize, even making excuses, while the head teacher blamed my baby for THEIR incompetence and mistakes. I'm so glad I pulled her out immediately despite losing my deposit. Her very first day at Early Horizons next door, she drank all her bottles without any problems whatsoever, she naps much better and now she even has a dedicated teacher. She receives much more attention, she's happy and thriving at her new daycare and I get constant updates. The only good that's come of this is learning what NOT to look for in a child care center, to trust my gut and now my daughter is in a much better place, like night and day. While they might not have had malicious intent, though even that is questionable, ignorance can be just as dangerous. read more

Amazing School. My son was there at Mr. Alex class and love it. My daughter was in the toddler room And moved to the next class. The teachers are great. read more

Don't send your child here. There are way better programs out there. Our youngest, who is lively and stubborn, was moved up a class despite them saying he needs a smaller environment. Rumor among parents had it that they just wanted to make space for a teacher's grandkid, so they moved my son up despite his not being ready. Not only did he not thrive, but the school then told us they thought he would do better in a smaller environment and we are forced to pull him now. Which we were probably going to do anyway. While my daughter is doing fine there, she's very smart and could use a more challenging program with better teachers. Overall my experience with this school is - meh. Not worth the money. Go elsewhere!!!! read more

My daughter has been going to this school for about 1 1/2 years and we all love it! She's in the Primary 1 class and ALL of the teachers are wonderful. They just finished up the summer program and my daughter had so much fun. The school is very organized, they provided a summer calendar. We put the calendar up on the frig and knew what she was doing each day. They had great activities such as going to the San Jose Children's Museum. She's also learning her numbers, letters, colors, they are even helping with potty training. The parking is also easy to get in and out, making drop off and pick up very quick. I highly recommend this school. read more

I heart Delor Montessori. My daughter is a year old, and has gone here for the last nine months, five days a week. The class sizes are small, the prices are competitive, and the teachers are awesome. They let children of different ages play together while supervised; instead of just interacting with children her own age, my daughter is able to learn-by-seeing from the older kids. My daughter is sad to see my wife or I leave when we're at a friends', a babysitter's, or at the grandparents. That said, she's built a trust with the instructors here, where she's A-OK seeing us head out for work, which makes things way, way easier. They've worked with at least one child with some additional needs, and been great about working with individuals. They clearly document my daughter's day on the whiteboard, so I can see if we're in for any surprises or whatnot. They occasionally mix up her shoes with someone else, and that's about the only miss I can think of. :-) Esperanza, Mala, Isabella, Lupe, Debbie, Lori, and Ulka and Maria in the next room; they're all terrific with out daughter, and we really appreciate it. (Thank you!) read more

I am a parent of a child currently in the Pre-Primary class with Miss Ulka. During her time in this class, my daughter has continued to blossom. Our experience has been nothing but positive. I just signed up with Yelp just to write this review to add information to the negative review by June F. In addition to her negative review, she reported the school and Miss Ulka to child services, a fact that was disclosed to all parents in the school. After completing an investigation, child services found her complaint "unfounded". I felt I HAD to write in and, as a parent, defend Miss Ulke's reputation. Just this morning, my daughter ran into Miss Ulke's arms and rested her head on her shoulder. My heart melted a little. I just felt all prospective families should know both sides to the story. read more

My son is attending school since 3 months in ms Preetis class. There was not a single day when he cried. Ms Meagan n Ms Silvia are great too. Our transition was smooth as we recently moved from India. Ms Preeti is loving, caring n still very firm lady. Exactly the way it's needed for this 3-4 yrs age group. I never heard negative feedback from my son about his friends. He learnt n progressed well. Lots of art, birthdays n fun games. Little movers program is my son's favourite. Awesome school. Lovely setup. Big classroom. read more

Like most parents, we weighed when to start our daughter in a preschool. We looked at variety of Montessori schools and Waldorf schools in the area. We gauged teachers, environment, attention to learning, and administration. Delor ranked in our top three before we made a final decision. The teachers were all friendly and genuinely interested in teaching young children. They were located next to beautiful Serra Park. Their rooms were like classrooms instead of daycare. The rooms were neatly kept and clean. And, Ms. Lori, the director, took our concerns to heart. Our daughter started about the age of 1 and 1/2 years old. Ms. Lori allowed us start her with two days a week so that she would gradually become accustomed to the new environment. Within six months, our daughter wanted to go to school and we increased the number of days. She has been happy there ever since. Unlike most parents, we speak Japanese in the home. So, nearly all of our daughter's English language skills have been learned through school. Our daughter, now 4, speaks both languages seamlessly. We attribute a majority of her English to Delor. In addition to classroom activities, parents have the option of enrolling in music, ballet, little movers gym class, and soccer shots. My daughter loves both the gym class and the soccer class (she learns piano at home). There is so much more that I could say...like the parent teacher meetings to talk about your child's progress, parents bringing fresh fruit as snacks, the Christmas play, bringing home Snowball (classroom rabbit) for the weekend, birthdays, etc. In the end, you, like us, will have to make a decision about where to enroll your child/children. All I can say is that we believe we got this one right. We are happy and our daughter's happy with Delor. read more

Our 2 children attended DeLor ... 15 years ago! The Delor community was wholesome, clean and always kind. The one on one attention was assured. My husband and I worked full time and not once were we concerned that they should be anywhere else. The parent community provided great parent tips and friendships. We ended up buying our house in the Delor neighborhood and my youngest attends the local Homestead High School, a nicely balanced high school with good academic experience. Our oldest is at UCLA. And Delor is still in the neighborhood, offering the same great care. read more

My daughter started in Delor's Infant room when she was about 5 months old and is about to transition to the Pre-Primary class around 18 months. As a first time mom, I was really nervous about selecting the right daycare/school for my kid and I couldn't be more pleased with placing her at Delor. You always wonder whether the teachers or caregivers will show kindness, compassion, and patience for your kid, especially when they're acting difficult or crying often, and I have been consistently impressed with the infant care teachers, specifically Miss Isabel, Miss Lupe, and Miss Lisa. These ladies now feel like my extended family and treat my daughter (and the other kids from what I've observed) with continual kindness and attention. They are the perfect caregivers for this group of infants -- they help each kid acclimate to a schedule, they give them individual attention, they sing and teach, and they patiently deal with any feeding or eating issue. I chat with these ladies everyday about how my daughter is doing, what she was up to that day, how she slept and ate, and anything else new. I feel very connected to my daughter's experience and I trust the caregivers. I've found that as long as you're an engaged parent and actively ask about how your kid is doing then the teachers are willing to share feedback (both my experience in Infant and now Pre-Primary). The teachers definitely take the time to get to know your kid individually and what makes them tick and how best to support their learning and care needs. For example, Miss Lisa found that my daughter frequently refused a snack right after nap time when the other kids ate. So instead, she began offering my daughter a snack at a slightly later time (unlike the other kids) and that was successful. She took the time to observe my daughter's needs and made adjustments so that my daughter could still get her snack and not go hungry the whole afternoon. I love the care we've received at Delor, specifically the Infant class, and I look forward to staying with the school for many years to come. read more

Although there are a handful of lovely, caring individuals at Delor (including the sister owners), I have to write this review to inform the public of what a radical difference in reaction my social and extroverted daughter had to trialing the school for six days as opposed to starting another school. At Delor, my daughter looked and appeared lost amidst a sea of many kiddos who are stuck in a day care center which really does not acknowledge or celebrate their strengths. She cried significantly each time I left her off and she refused to hug me each time I picked her up. Since this was such a radical change from her typical behavior, I became concerned that she truly did not like this facility or that she was going through some new phase or transition in development. My gut feeling was that she just simply did not like the facility, did not feel comfortable or attendees to, nor connect with any of the teachers (who appear either abrupt or very disconnected in general). I moved her to a new school and after one day at the new school, my daughter returned to her normal happy self. She was more connected with the teachers in the school of one day than from DeLor who she knew for 6 days. At the new school, she hugged all of the teachers, already learned their names, celebrated and ran and hugged me upon picking her up, and she return to her normal cheerful and extroverted self. I understand every child has a different reaction, but this facility I have true concerns about the staff's level of interest in really connecting with children. Particularly the toddler class - the primary teacher, who is about to retire, appears tired of children, rolled her eyes at the kids actions numerous times in my presence, and beckons children to "come", while often not even making eye contact. The teacher actually even beckoned me to "come" so that she could show me something in the classroom one day. That is just not a style of communication I would want to promote my child - to beckon someone as if they're calling their pet at home. My daughter also has some medical issues which do require additional attention. One of the teachers forgot to simply attend to the medical issue, and didn't notify me until I asked, which was hours after something should've been intended to. These are just a few of the very significant concerns that I have at this school. Please reconsider enrollment here if you have a child who may be social and wants to engage and interact with a team of teachers who are possibly tired overworked, and maybe a little burned out on working with young children. read more

We decided to move our daughter to Montessori at 18 months. Friends had such good luck with their local Montessori that we really loved the idea. But moving to DeLor was the most expensive mistake we've ever made with her. Mornings at DeLor are chaotic, with all the age groups blended together. One morning I saw two older boys banging away at the toys. The teachers didn't see it. Then they started hitting each other with the toys and I stepped in and said, "We don't hit please." Afternoons are equally chaotic when the kids are all together again and teachers start going home as the group gets smaller. Our daughter's teachers were never there when we came to pick her up. This led to some pretty frustrating pick-ups for us. Did she nap well? No one knew. How much milk did she have? No clue. Why is her yogurt unopened? Nothing was written down. After several days of this, one of the staff said he'd make sure we got a note from them before they left for the day, and that happened about 2 days week going forward, but was unreliable and left us feeling anxious. We understand that transitions are hard at that age, but our daughter fought us daily on going to school, cried horribly when I left her, and burst into tears whenever we came to pick her up. We promised ourselves we'd give it a month for her to adjust, but 3 weeks in it just wasn't getting any better. Plus, our daughter had picked up some unfortunate new habits. She started saying, "No, no, no." and waving her finger in our face. This wasn't something we ever did, so we assume it came from her teachers. Then she started getting really possessive of all toys, shouting, "No! Mine! No! Mine!" frequently. This all happened in the first week she was there. She started regressing on food, not drinking any milk at school, then wanted 12 ounces of milk instead of dinner. She wouldn't eat her applesauce or yogurt for lunch, refusing anything with a spoon when she'd been doing great with a spoon for months. Then she came home with a horrible sunburn. The playground has no trees for shade, so the kids just get cooked. The toys offered also seemed beaten up, old, and gender-centric. When dropping her off in the morning, my daughter was routinely offered a baby-doll to play with, even though she'd never shown interest in such a toy before. Finally, we were surprised to see that the school was closed for the last week of August. When signing up to start August 1st, I really wish that had been pointed out, because 3 weeks after starting, we had to figure out where our daughter would spend that time while we worked. It was likely in the stack of paperwork they offered, but we didn't catch it. We noticed it most of the way into our first week there, leaving us 2 weeks to work it out. Lucky for us, her old school had space at least 3 of the days, but that side-by-side comparison is what ended with us switching back. On the first day, my daughter not only ate her yogurt, but also at sliced bananas and raisin toast offered at snack time. The next day she ate watermelon, plus her yogurt and the rest of her lunch. She also started drinking from a cup with no sippy lid. Then they said they could take her for the extra two days and it was really clear how happy she was there at Early Horizons compared to DeLor. So, my husband went to talk to the director at DeLor about transitioning her back. That's when things got worse. He asked about how we could do this, since we had already paid a "last 2 weeks" tuition in the start up costs. We'd also paid a sign up fee and a materials fee. We'd had 3 weeks of care for what was over 2 months of monthly fees expense, plus we'd had to pay for other daycare for the week that DeLor was closed. He asked if there was any way to accommodate having her not come back because these transitions are hard on kids and we'd had such a rough time here. They said that we were required to give a month's notice. He said, "So she has to come back for a month so that she can then transition AGAIN a month later?" The director said that she wasn't saying that, but that we owed them a month's tuition and if we didn't pay, they'd take us to small claims court. We can't afford to pay for an extra month of daycare on top of the normal monthly cost of daycare, so yes, we were going to have to move her back, let her be miserable for a month, then move her again. My husband texted to let me know this, and I can't tell you how angry this made me. I was ready to be the most demanding parent they'd ever seen, never leaving without a written note or a verbal discussion of my daughter's day, even if that meant calling her teachers at home. Luckily, when he went to talk to Kylee at Early Horizons, she said, "Oh, that's not okay. We can't do that to your daughter. She needs to stay here, and you can pay whatever you can this month, even if that's a ridiculously low number." We have never looked back, now completely certain she's in a good place. read more

Both of our daughters started Delor when they were 18 mths old in the Pre-Primary room with Ms Ulka. I can't say enough wonderful things about their experiences while at Delor. Pre-Primary room: Ms Ulka and Ms May (at that time) provided structure with warmth and kindness to a room full of 18 to 24 mth olds. Seems like that would be impossible....but they've definitely got a knack for it. The class size is fairly small, it's always calm, and very routine. Ms Ulka provides a lot of structure but with just the right loving touch to gain the love of her students. Primary 1 class: The nature of this class has to be the most challenging given the age of the kids, but it's extremely well runned with teachers who are firm but super sweet and kind. Ms May, the head teacher, is absolutely the best! Kids genuinely love Ms May, she talks to the kids and reasons/explains things to with them. This is the class they start the potty training - it's the best thing for parents! They work with the parents on potty training to help reinforce at home or at school. Both of our girls learned well before they were ready to graduate to the Primary 2 class (which was the age of 3). Primary 2 class: The teachers are pretty firm in this class. They aren't super sweet nor coddling - which was a bit of a hard transition for me given 3 yr olds are still so young and need to feel that kind of warmth. Ms Rosie does a great job with connecting with each child and bringing out the best in each child. This is the class where you can really see that they are learning new things - whether via circle time or doing jobs or projects. My oldest daughter really thrived in doing the various Montessori jobs - she is great at solving puzzles now! This is the class where field trips and extracurricular activities become avail. Both our girls loved Little Movers, dance, and Soccer Shots. PreK class: Ms Debbie and Mr Alex are great. My oldest really blossomed in this class. The day's activities are structured to really help the kids transition to kindergarten. Mr Alex is super reserved and quiet spoken, but he definitely commands the respect and attention of the students. My youngest can't wait to move up into the class because of all the fun and cool things they do. When my oldest graduated at the end of last summer, they threw a graduation ceremony followed by a family picnic. They put together an amazing and thoughtful memory book individualized with pictures for each child. It brought tears to my eyes seeing how much she's grown through her years there. Overall, this is a great preschool with tons of really kind and loving teachers in a very well run structured environment. Whenever we've had issues or concerns (which is only natural anywhere you go), Ms Lori and the teachers go out of their way to resolve your concerns and keep you update to date on the progress/changes. They really do take concerns seriously because they really do care. It's a small school and it's very family oriented. Most parents will know most of the kids in the school by the time your kid graduates. They really try to create a strong family dynamic through all of the various holiday parties, picnics, and get togethers. The folks who run the school (Ms Lori and Ms Debbie are sisters) have very strong family values. You will always find their family members at the events because they love Delor. There is no perfect preschool/daycare out there....but you can only hope to find a place that you feel you can entrust your kids to folks who will care for them just as you would want. Delor provides just the right environment of structure, routine, learning, and exploration with just the right loving touch. read more

My son started school here as a 2 year old (at home with mom or dad before that) in 2012... my daughter started as an infant in 2014... We are 5 years and counting. To choose a school for my son, I had visited home care, other schools (Early Horizons, Kindercare, two others I don't recall from so long ago) and liked Delor the best. I really liked the space they have -- close knit classrooms, a little lunch room and sturdy little kid furniture. After some years there, I've got to know and really like the teachers. There isn't a lot of turnover. When a teacher leaves it is because of a big life change (ex. retirement, family changes). I've read reviews of this school that really rail on some of the teachers, which is a pitty, because I have found that they all love and nurture the children to become confident, independent people. The infant room teachers are flexible -- as one must be with babies. The environment is relaxed and there is a shaded outdoor play area for babies. This school fit my goals of my pre-school age children's care. 1. A routine: a daily schedule. I know what happens when, in case I need to pick up mid day. 2. teaching responsibility: Emphasizing clean up and taking care of your things. 3. A cozy classroom environment, playground and garden 4. Summer program with lots of activities and Serra park playground days 5. A loving teacher 'team'. There isn't one great teacher; they all are. My daughter looks forward to seeing all of them. read more

My two daughters learning at Delor Montessori in Sunnyvale. I'm really appreciate the teachers and all the stuff that work there. They have a great balance between learning and development . The kids have a verity of games to choose from, there's a big and lovely playground. We are so happy that the girls there and just started our second year there. read more

My daughter has been attending DeLor Montessori for nearly a year. She started in the Pre-Primary classroom for 18 to 24-30 month olds with Ms. Ulka and Ms. Maria when she turned 18 months. My daughter absolutely adored her teachers. This was a rough transition for her because we had just moved cross-country and she was originally in a home day care. Ms. Ulka and Ms. Maria would take her from me when I dropped her off and she was crying and show her care, compassion, and empathy. My daughter cried every time for a couple of weeks, which is normal at this age. Then she started kissing me goodbye and going on her merry way. When she settled in, the teachers modified their interactions to a more learning directed approach. In the true Montessori form, they allow the children (within boundaries) to explore their surroundings and interact with the environment around them. My daughter always came home talking about the songs that they would sing, the books that they read, and the activities they participated in - particularly dancing! My daughter was transitioned into the Primary 1 classroom for 24-30 months through 36 months over the summer. The school handled the change slowly but confidently in order to ensure a smooth transition. Ms. Ulka even suggested I take Kayla in and out of the school through the new classroom to make her more comfortable in the new surroundings prior to the transition. I even think the school made staffing adjustments for my daughter (and a couple of the other transitioning children) to be sure that a familiar teacher was present in the auditorium during the transition phase. Ms. May is the teacher in Primary 1 class. I think she is a bit more stern than the teachers in the previous classroom, but this is to prepare the children for the school/preschool environment. In the Primary 1 class, they fully support and encourage potty training. My daughter was potty trained when she entered the class (except during naps and bed) and they are currently trying to train her out of pull-ups during naps. A little bit about the school: In each classroom the "jobs" (toys) are all organized on shelves with a picture in its place so the child knows where to put it when they are finished during free play. Each classroom has a round rug for circle time where the children sing and do other structured learning activities. There is a playground on-site and each class gets 2-3 opportunities to play outdoors. The school offers a hot lunch program at a very affordable price. To rebut what another reviewer said (June F., 9/18/2012), my daughter started around the same time as she enrolled her child and I went through an observation period as well and did not observe the same interactions. About a month later, the school was investigated by the Department of Social Services because of similar report - of which I can only assume was by this other reviewer. Their investigation included several interviews of parents in that classroom including with me. The conclusion of their investigation found all of the allegations unfounded. Please do not let that review deter you from considering this truly amazing Montessori school. I plan to keep my daughter there through kindergarten and even put my next child who is due in September in the school when it is appropriate! Please feel free to send me a message if you'd like to learn more about my experiences with the school. read more

My son attended Delor Mmotessori from the time he was 3 years old until he was 6. My daughter started in the baby class at 6 months and stayed until she was 6 years old. My kids are very different but they both did very well there. I loved the staff, the program and the setting. Both kids attended the summer programs as well. In addition to it being such a great school, I also made friends with other parents who I still count as some of my closest friends. The teachers were all wonderful and they do such a great job of helping all the kids grow and learn as well as supporting all of the parents. I wish my kids were able to go there for elementary school as well but Delor provided them with an excellent foundation! read more

After staying half day at this school on my daughter's first day, I began search for another school. The good side of the school is it is really diversified. The classroom is spacious. and the ratio between the teachers and kids are relative good. And easy to park. But I am not sure if it is because it was summer time. My daughter stayed there for 1.5 month, and I picked her up every evening, I did not see her primary teacher, her director. Only I only see her other teacher twice. I never see any picture or word about what they were doing at school. For the several art works she took home, I feel that teacher might spend lots effort to make them looks great, but I am pretty sure that my daughter could not do that. The communication between teacher and parent is really too few. read more

I love this school. I am very satisfied with the teaching style. The teachers are warm and friendly. The classroom is clean and well organized. Kids have a lot of space to play and do activities. They have nice play ground and a park. The location is safe and away from busy roads. School offers a lot of opportunities for parents to interact with the teachers. They have lot of fun activities during summer for children. I will recommend the school to parents who are looking for a day care/ school that is safe and nurturing. read more

Our daughter has been attending DeLor for just over a year, starting in the infant/toddler program and now continuing in Primary 1. We have been very impressed with the quality of the teaching staff and the attention that they have given to our child. She is an energetic child with a lot of curiosity, and she is very happily engaged at the school and learning a lot, both academically (words, songs, etc.) and behaviorally (playing with others, cleaning up after herself, potty training, etc.). The teachers have also done a great job of keeping us up to date on her development and other topics that come up. Regarding facilities, the school benefits from being next to (practically in) a large, nice park, which is a resource that many other schools in the area don't have. While the building itself has an unusual layout, it has been well adapted for this kind of school, and it is well maintained and organized. They also have their own outdoor play structures, which are kept in very good condition. The parking is generally good, and while there can be backups at peak pickup/drop off times, there is additional non-metered parking available on the street. Most importantly to us, our sense is that at DeLor our daughter is not only being taught well, but also cared for and even loved. We are now the parents of a second newborn, and we will be bringing him to DeLor, too. read more

My daughter has been attending Delor since Jan 2012. She started in the toddler class at 20 months with Miss Ulka and Miss Maria. She is now in her last year at Delor - in Mr Alex's Pre-K/K class. I could not have been happier with the school and the experience our family has had here. My daughter started from a socially- timid child to a now, active and friendly almost-kindergartner. The school is a small homely setup, where most parents know each other and all the teachers as well, as opposed to big campuses. The facilities and the supervision at the school are adequate and the teachers are loving and very good with the kids. I love the way the kids' day is structured and they get a chance to engage in all kinds of jobs, lessons and play throughout the day. There is a healthy cultural mix of student ethnicity which is a good value add to a child's development. read more

My daughter started at DeLor when she was almost 2, after our previous childcare arrangement fell apart -- and now that it's been a year, we could not be happier with our experience so far! It's a near-perfect combination of warmth, support, fun, and real learning. She loves her teachers (Ms. May, Ms. Yessica, Ms. Nancy, Ms. Shannon, all in Primary 1), and gets psyched when it's a "babyschool" day. The administrators/owners and teachers are extremely responsive and flexible, and they really do have the children in mind -- I've been so impressed with how much the teachers obviously love what they do. My daughter has learned so much here, and had so much fun -- and they even got us through potty training with absolute minimum drama or fuss! I'm thrilled that we discovered DeLor, and we plan to keep her there until she goes to first grade. read more

Our son has been going to this school for over 2 years and loves the school. The teachers are fantastic and caring. The summer activities keep the kids occupied in an entertaining yet educational manner. The classrooms are really nice and my kid just loves the practical and arts classes. read more

As a parent of a 'Delor graduate', I am a big fan of Delor. My child considered this a second home. The classrooms are big. Yes - it is an odd layout (central office w/ classrooms radially around it). But each classroom has plenty of space. The best part of the school is the teachers, which should be your focus on selecting a preschool more than its architecture. They are warm & do teach kids all the social skills they need. (not to forget the 3 'R's.) The rooms are filled with standard montessori styled learning kits and kids are encouraged to go from one learning station to another. Playground is more than sufficient for the entire school to be out and still be manageable. A common room also exists with PLENTY of toys to satisfy kids of any age. This is where they spend late afternoons / early mornings. There are music classes, dance classes and physical ed classes for the kids, offered by outside teachers. The kitchen and dining areas are satisfactory. It is small, but the classes use them at different times. The one and only part of the school I dont like is their bathrooms. Although it is sanitary, It could use some updating. Overall, this is a great preschool. If you prefer more (over-)structured schools, this, or any Montessori styled school is not for you. But if you like Montessori schools, this place is great! P.S: a suggestion for parents looking out for a preschool for their child: * Keep emotions aside (yes, your child is growing up). * Make a list of things (tangible and intangible) u want to see in a school & prioritize. * Keep in mind your child's general disposition. * What do you want your child to learn at specific ages? Does the school share your views and can they teach the same? (ex. 2 year old - feed themselves, express their emotions, free play, etc 5 year old - good use of words, fair play, 3 Rs., patient enough t take instructions.) * Take your tours during their "circle time" and free-play time to get a full picture. read more

I dropped my 2 year old baby in the day care and she had done potty in the car; about which I did not know. I was on my way out of the classroom when the teacher came out of her class and said you baby has done potty all over ; everything is comming out although there was nothing outside of her diaper and she was perfectly clean ; go to the bathroom and clean it. I had to come back search the bathroom and clean the potty put her pants on. Although 2 year old babies are not suppose to be potty trained in that class. She reacted so strongly as if she has never cleaned any babies diaper before. She made my baby feel scared and cry by screaming as if it is a volcano and not potty. This is the teachers job to clean the potty of a non-potty trained baby after the parent has left the child rather than catch the parent mid way and ask them to do it read more

My daughter started at Delor Montessori at 11 months old and just graduated after four wonderful years. My younger son, age 2, still attends and is also having a great experience there. It is a supportive, caring environment and it is obvious that the staff has genuine affection for the children. I love that the infant room is a calm, warm environment filled with happy babies - not loud and filled with chaos like other infant rooms I have seen. It is nice that they limit the two youngest classrooms (infant and pre-primary) to 12 children, which lets them really focus on the kids. Drop-offs in the infant room were smooth and easy. The two-year-old room is amazing, and is a tremendous asset with potty-training - they follow through at school to reinforce what you are doing at home. For all the ages, they let the kids take the lead, but within a familiar routine and structure so that the kids know what to expect. I really love the integrated extracurricular activities - my daughter did the little movers gymnastics/physical education program for three years, and I am about to enroll my son. They recently introduced soccer and that was a huge hit with my daughter over the summer. I attended a Montessori preschool when I was a child, and I wanted a Montessori experience for my children. Delor has really fulfilled our expectations and has been a great environment for my children. Most importantly, the staff is really responsive to parent concerns and worked closely with us to ensure that our kids could be happy and successful there. read more

Our oldest child just graduated from DeLor- it's been so bittersweet. We leave the school after 8 years there. Our son started at 6 months old and our daughter at 10 months- progressing from the infant room all the way through to pre-K. As a parent and a working professional mom, I looked for a school I could count on to educate my child in the Montessori method while instilling enough discipline for a successful transition to grade school. I find it incredible to read that there are two negative reviews of the school and especially of Ms Ulka! It's actually hard to read them because they are so very different from my own experience. Let's address these... 1) Ms Ulka is a gem, and one of the best teachers at Delor- hand's down. She is a firm and steady personality in a class that is just beginning to understand what "school" and "teacher" mean. The class is made up of the 14 - 20 month olds who are walking and too old to be mixed with the infants but too young to run with the 2 year olds. They spend a lot of time playing and along the way learning the rules of Montessori: 1) you don't take another child's job, 2) you clean up when you are finished and 3) you listen when teachers are talking. This learning is done in a gentle yet firm manner- a way that feels like magic. Ms Ulka and Ms May (who is now the Primary 1 head teacher) have mastered the trick of commanding respect from the kids while also providing a huge amount of love. Amazing! and a trait a that I have tried to copy. 2) Let's address teacher interaction with parents. For every classroom, there is one teacher available to talk with through ~5:30 PM every day. If you want to speak with a head teacher or Ms Lori, they are available starting about 8:30 AM (often earlier) and by phone. A monthly newsletter let's you know what the theme of the learning will be for the next month. There is no shortage of opportunities to communicate. It's up to you to ask for it. If you chat with the teachers 5 minutes every day, you learn everything that is going on in the class and the school. It's that simple. Last, the academic year at DeLor mirrors grade school with the summer months devoted to fun "camp" activities like face painting, water play and field trips. Only the PreK class follows a year round schedule. I am not surprised that a parent whose child was only enrolled in the summer felt the program was light on formal learning time- it's designed that way. I really can't say enough about DeLor. If you are looking for a school that will provide your child with a rich learning environment, support you as a working parent, and leave you comfortable that your child is making friends and having fun, choose DeLor. read more

Our children started at Delor in the Infant room at the age of 1 and "graduated" from the Pre-K class this past June. Every teacher they had was caring and compassionate. One of our kids is a bit more challenging behaviorally but they could see her potential and continued to work with her and us. I cannot say enough good things about Mr. Alex...he is amazing and my kids adored him. They have even gone back for a visit since leaving for kindergarten. They also offer extracurricular programs (for additional fee) onsite which is so convenient...definitely a plus. Would highly recommend this school! read more

I am disappointed about the poor review that was written 3 years ago. This has not been our experience at Delor. Our daughter has been there since 3 months of age and it has been an amazing experience for us. She is now almost 4 and she is spelling her own name, doing basic math and learning some phonics. Outsiders are very impressed with how smart she is. In addition it is a fun and inviting school. Other schools that I have seen and heard about, including Challenger are more of a military setting, and Delor tries to educate the children by making it fun at the same time. The surroundings are colorful and inviting. The staff is most always friendly and enthusiastic. I have recommended Delor to friends and colleagues. Forgot to mention ! They also have a hot lunch program, a little movers exercise class, music class, dance class and soccer classes for an additional fee all year round ! read more

For someone to use online social media to judge someones character and integrity seems cruel and cowardly. I have been apart of the Delor family all my life and have never once heard such slander toward anyone as wrong and foul as this one woman's view, also if you start a post saying that "It was very hard to write this review because I don't want to tarnish anyone's reputation" THEN DON'T WRITE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! because I'm sure you have by what you did say. So please if anyone else reads this and is considering Delor Montessori as a school for your children and family please make your own judgement. read more

My son has been attending Delor since he was an infant. I have found the teachers to be wonderful and attentive. You know things are good when your Son can't wait to get to school each day and wants to invite his teachers home all the time ;) read more

Both of my children have attended DeLor. My son attended from ages 3-5 and my daughter from ages 1 - 5 (she graduates in the Spring). They both have had wonderful experiences here. The teachers and staff are so warm and caring. In addition, the curriculum is superior to many preschools I've seen. DeLor has made my children more than ready for kindergarten and with a great feeling of confidence and security that comes from having learned in such a nurturing environment. Finally, the extracurricular programs available right on campus are very convenient and added a great sense of fun to my child's day. read more

This is a wonderful school. My daughter loves it and was able to sing her ABCs since she was 18 months old. The teachers at this school are great and Ms. Ulka is wonderful too. read more

Personally, I have not been very happy with DeLor. My son started there during the first week of December 06, at 5 months. Since then I have had some minor concerns every now and then and have finally decided to disenroll. Here are the most bothersome negatives: * Highly unprofessional behavior of head teacher: Regular bad mouthing of other parents, complaining of other kids to unrelated parents * Very little one on one interaction with the kids, even when teachers are not busy with chores they will just sit idle and chat with each other (especially afternoon teachers) * Poor feedback to parents, incomplete and inconsistent feedback: afternoon teachers have no idea about what the kid ate in the morning! No written records either. * Irresponsible: On multiple occasions they have let a friend's son go hungry the whole day because he is a poor eater and they dont want to make any extra effort to feed him * Poor understanding of child psychology. At 10 months, my son is going through separation anxiety and they just let him cry it out instead of providing him security and comfort * Poor hygiene and poor care. kids have sand in their diapers, kids go thru the day with flowing noses and snot just gets caked onto their faces, huge traces of lunch and snacks are visible on their faces and hands in the evenings, kids regularly suck on stones and eat sand when playing outside under the teachers' supervision. infact one of the teachers herself told me that a particular kid loves to suck on stones and she probably has a stone in her mouth right now. another teacher explained very matter-of-factly that a new kid has sand all over him because he sat crying while the other kids threw sand over him There have been more negative experiences and finally I opted to get out rather than put up with ok-ish or even sub-standard child care. In my opinion, overall, DeLor does not provide a very nurturing environment and I would not recommend their infant room to anyone. read more

As a daycare Delor is quite disappointing. The 4-6 yr old, 3-4 yr old (ok) and 18-24mo (good) room are satisfactory, but you cannot enroll your kid for just that factor. Everything else is wrong at this place. Infant room is completely avoidable. No teacher is full time. So teachers keep changing during the day. There is one good teacher in the morning, but that does not make up for all the bad ones in the room. The kids are crying, eating dirt, covered in dirt, but in the afternoon shift, no teacher bothers. They let the kid eat the dirt. In 2-3yr room head teacher has no interest in her job. She used to be good a year ago, but she seems to have lost her interest. She does not care for diaper changes on time, or if kids are eating or not. She seems to not bother even when parents complain to director. The 3-4 yr old class is much better than 2-3 yr, since they have a good head teacher. There are minor issues with it, but compared to infant and 2yr room, it seems to not be big deal. The director is approachable when parent has to complain, but all her warnings and advising seem to have no affect. Looks like teachers do not consider her as intimidating an employer as they should. She listens to complaint, but she does not set good standards to hire good caregivers. The backup caregivers in each room are worse than original ones. So that gives less hope that even if she fires the bad ones now, there is chance to get good ones as replacement. Basic criteria to hire a good teacher, one would assume is to get someone who is loving and nurturing. Atleast for kids less than 3-4 yrs of age. read more