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.

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

Our youngest child went here for the PACT program and it was a wonderful experience. The teachers…read morewere sweet and very attentive and had great interventions and teaching moments (for the kids and me!) throughout the day. Having had an older kid go through a different program I'm familiar with the stress that can sometimes accompany a co-op preschool but they made the experience pleasant, judgment free, and safe for everyone! I highly recommend the school!

Our daughter has been attending BCSO, in the PACT classroom for a year now and words cannot…read moredescribe how much we love this school. First and foremost, the teachers are very caring and attentive, not only to children but to parents as well. Since it is a play-based school, different toys are provided each time we attend class. Hence, children have plenty of learning opportunities through play such as working on their fine motor skills, social skills, and exploring different ways of playing. Having a nurturing environment for our daughter to begin her education journey is very important to us. We are very grateful that we've found BCSO as they continue to exceed our expectations. Our daughter wakes up in the morning wanting to go to school and leaves school with a big smile on her face. She had made tremendous progress with her learning development as well. Lastly, we recently relocated to another city, but decided to have our daughter continue attending BCSO. This school is truly a gem!

I am so happy and grateful that I found SquareCare! My son started the program soon after turning…read more2. Until then, he had only ever been cared for by his dad, grandmother, and me - no babysitters or nannies - so being away from us was a big adjustment. From the very beginning, the team at SquareCare was incredibly understanding and supportive. Mitzy created a thoughtful transition plan that truly set my son up for success. At first, I was able to stay with him at school so he could get comfortable with the new environment and teachers. Then, we gradually increased the time he spent there alone. Finally, once we all felt confident that he was happy and secure, he began napping at school as well. Now, my son loves school and attends full days three times a week. Mitzy, Yessi, and Tiara are so patient and genuinely invested in his success. We're all so proud of his progress and growth. I highly recommend this program! The teachers are not only caring and wonderful with the children, but the environment is exceptionally clean and inviting. Plus, there's a bunny and chickens--such a fun and unique touch that the kids absolutely love!

My child has been at Mitzy's for almost 2 years, since he was about 20 months, and it has been a…read morewonderful place for him. The whole space is lovely, and is somehow exciting and calming at the same time - very much in keeping with Mitzy's own way of being. All of the maestras are warm, caring, and communicative, and have supported my child through many things, including potty training and the death of a pet. They are also great at supporting social and emotional learning. The kids have lots of time for unstructured play but also plenty to do each day - all kinds of activities including arts and crafts, sensory play, gardening, special birthday celebrations and holiday-related activities. At the end of the day, the kids are thrilled to see their parents, but none of them seem to want to go home, and I always want to linger in the backyard for a while, too. Highly recommend this program.

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!

We initially chose EBI for its Spanish immersion program and were soon delighted to discover it's…read morealso an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. While raising bilingual children is important to us, the IB curriculum has become the most enriching part of our experience. Its inquiry-driven approach inspires curiosity, deep thinking, and a genuine love of learning that keeps our children engaged. Our top priority was to find a school where our kids would enjoy learning, ask big questions, and develop a global perspective--and EBI has exceeded our expectations. The teaching at EBI is high quality. The educators are thoughtful, skilled, and dedicated to helping each child succeed. They create a supportive learning environment that emphasizes both academic and social-emotional growth. Group work and collaboration are central to the school's approach, helping students build important interpersonal and problem-solving skills. EBI has been a great fit for our child with a learning difference, and also the one that doesn't have a learning difference because of their commitment to differentiated learning, which supports all learners! The inquiry-based model allows them to engage with the material without relying on memorization or worksheets. We appreciate the strong Learning Differences and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) support team as well! The EBI community--teachers and parents alike--have been fabulous!

I absolutely adore EBI. My daughter started last year in kindergarten and spoke zero Spanish. I…read morewatched her this morning give a full report, in Spanish, from the beautiful book that she had made in her first grade class. She is absolutely thriving! She is greeted each day with smiles from her peers, the staff and her incredibly enthusiastic and dedicated teacher, Maestra Rosy. She has even requested to be enrolled in the aftercare program a couple days a week to stay even longer at school! I think that really says something. EBI is more than just a Spanish Immersion school. It's a beautiful community full of incredibly interesting parents and staff from diverse backgrounds who have all converged for the purpose of raising "Global Citizens." The IB education looks at how we are all connected and teaches our children to be critical thinkers. I feel blessed to be a part of this community and would highly recommend them to perspective families. My only regret is that we didn't enroll her starting in PK!

We had our toddler son go here from 18 months to 3 and a half years. We absolutely loved it! The…read moreteam is so loving and hands on, communication was great, and our son made so many great friends there. Highly recommend!!

Bright Future Early Learning Center…read more Our son thrived at Bright Future from ages 2-5! The amazing teachers (with impressive tenure!) helped him master potty training, build lasting friendships, and develop strong communication skills. We loved the weekly yoga/music classes, school garden, field trips to Oakland Zoo, and wholesome meals that celebrated our community's diversity. Tre is so ready for kindergarten! Our younger son started in January and is also blossoming. Highly recommend this gem!

Awful school. They claim to be a Waldorf school but they have no idea what the true meaning of…read moreWaldorf is and what Rudolf Steiner originally intended. They treat prospective families horribly. At first they appear welcoming and supportive, but that is completely fake. They discriminate and there is complete lack of transparency.

Our family moved to Rockridge specifically for the great K-5 schools, but when those schools closed…read moreduring COVID we found a neighborhood school that was finding innovative ways to stay open and serve the students and their families. Now, 5 years later, we have every intent to see our kids graduate from the BRWS middle school. There is a rhythm to each day, week, and season. That rhythm (and the intentionality behind it) calms my children, grounds them, provides them with stability, and has allowed them to develop at their speed. This is a school that in early childhood lets kids be in nature, play, discover themselves and the world, and lets kids be kids. As the curriculum moves into the grades and middle school, it evolves into a rigorous, really well-rounded education that develops the technical analytical skills needed these days while also cultivating skills like resilience, creativity, and confidence. Beyond that we have found "our people" with the community of parents here. There is real buy-in from everyone. The school's seasonal festivals are wonderful, and weekends and holidays are often spent with other families from the school at parks or each other's houses. Unique aspects of the Waldorf curriculum (like no media in the classrooms and a de-emphasis at home, having one teacher stay with a class for several years at a time, leaning into creativity and skill development as opposed to rote memorization and an abundance of homework) really resonate with the parent community and are gaining mainstream traction for the antidote they seem to provide to many of the perceived struggles this generation of children is encountering (with respect to anxiety, isolation, depression, a lack of connectedness). We couldn't be happier here.

We couldn't be happier with Mechita Preschool! Both of our children (ages 3.5 and 1.5) attend, and…read morewe feel so lucky to have found such a special place. The staff are incredibly warm and attentive, and with a small cohort, every child gets so much individualized love and care. It's a play-based Spanish immersion program, and our kids are thriving in the fun, creative environment filled with art and local excursions. For working parents, it's a dream. The hours are great (8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.), they provide all the high-quality, nutritious food, and they are a massive help with potty training. Our kids are happy, learning, loved, and excited to go to school every day (3.5yo is often disappointed on the weekend when she finds out it's not a preschool day). We wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for a nurturing and supportive Spanish immersion preschool.

Mechita's provided a wonderful environment for our daughter! A very loving family that makes…read moreincredible homemade, healthy meals - and even got our daughter loving broccoli and kale. Full Spanish immersion, educational games, lots of music and dancing. They are absolute pros at potty training and have built a lovely community of families around the daycare. Highly recommend!