My son attended this school for 8 months. Miss Kristin was nurturing and loving however working with Miss Michelle was challenging. She is extremely controlling and rude to the parents. It took me awhile to get used to her behavior. Her social skills and communication skills are harsh. She also shows favoritism to certain students. I pulled my student from this school after she refused to communicate with me about an issue with my child. There are soo many better schools that are available. read more

We came to know about friends preschool through one of our friends , for which we are thankful. My son was in Friends preschool for one year. The diversity in the school is very good and type of activities in the school are very varied and helped my son in different aspects. There are many events out side the school such as field trips which made the connection between the kids and families even stronger. He made lot of friends and his communication skills increased as the year progressed. He learned discipline , how to read confidently and communicate effectively. Both Ms Michelle and Ms Kristian are Amazing and they pick up the talent in individual kid and challenge them accordingly. At no point in the school year we felt uncomfortable and did not feel that our son is not learning some thing new. Ms Michelle and Ms Kristian are wonderful, they both always go above and beyond and give valuable advice which is best for the kids in the long run. They have lot of experience in this field. Me and my husband are grateful to Ms Michelle and Ms Kristian for accepting him to Friends preschool . By the end of the year he was more than ready to start kindergarten. We many times thought it would have been better for our son if he started the preschool two years before the kindergarten but still it worked out very well and I recommend Friends preschool to any parents without any reservation. Good luck to Friends preschool family for a great year ahead!! read more

This review is overdue. My son attended Friends Preschool. Miss Michelle and Miss Kristian at Friends Preschool played such a significant role in my son's education and we are forever thankful. Our son went from being a reluctant learner to a confident, assertive leader who we know will forever have the strength in his voice and heart to follow his dreams. One of the best parts about Friends Preschool is the incorporation of both creative (art, music, science, engineering, communal activities) and academic learning (reading, phonics, counting, writing). It was so exciting when he came home sharing about new animals he had studied at school, or a group project he participated in, or that he had graduated to the next level words for reading practice. Seeing the pride that he felt in himself and the pride exhibited by the teachers for each individual child is second to none! Miss Michelle and Miss Kristian go above and beyond in creating opportunities for the families to socialize and connect with one another so that we became one big school family. From weekend trips to the San Francisco Zoo and beaches, to the annual mud run, to in-class celebrations, my son and our family have made friendships to last a lifetime. Over our time at friends, my son gained confidence in his voice, he has built a superior academic foundation, he has had hands-on investigation of the arts, and we all have made lifelong friendships. We are forever thankful for all that the school has done for us as it's been a blessing for our family. We highly recommend the school to our friends and family. read more

We were extremely fortunate to find Friends Preschool through word of mouth. My daughter attended from October 2013 to June 2015. It was one of the most bittersweet days of our lives when she graduated from the program as it meant she was going into kindergarten and at the same time it meant we wouldn't be seeing our amazing little family of friends (both parents and children) and the lovely Miss Kristian and Miss Michelle everyday :( I have to agree with the other parents that the curriculum is just outstanding and the themes really do factor in what the children are interested in. I am Deaf so I was really concerned about my daughter's ability to sound out letters to help her with learning how to read. Honestly, Miss Michelle's tireless dedication to working with her learning the sounds and with her reading resulted in her becoming one of the top readers at the school. She is in Rocklin Academy and has been placed in the top reading group for K. The expectations definitely help us as parents to become more accountable for our children's learning success. At Friends Preschool, you are expected to work with your children with their homework and projects, as well as to supervise them while they're doing their homework. It takes repetition and diligence on our parts as parents to supplement what our children are learning at school. We just loved and appreciated how thoughtful the teachers were. When my daughter had to stay overnight at the hospital for an EEG, Friends Preschool teachers and students made her a lovely book to take and read while there. It really boosted her spirits. We also loved all the parent's day and Christmas presents - definitely treasures to keep forever. Also, it was just unbelievable how much work and effort Miss Kristian put into the memory scrapbook at the end of 2014 and the memory keepsake box at the end of 2015. Miss Michelle and Miss Kristian are highly educated in child development and know their stuff! When I looked through the "What your kindergartener needs to know" book I was pleased to see that my daughter had already been taught the majority of things covered. WOW! She is definitely ahead and very well prepared for kindergarten. They truly really valued my daughter's personality and intellect, as well as all the other students. Creativity, art, and outside play are some other things we really enjoyed about this school. My daughter was disciplined and learned proper etiquette very quickly, which helped us to manage her behavior at home. We can't thank Friends Preschool enough for what they've done for us and all other students that have passed through their doors. If you're looking for a preschool that incorporates art, creativity, play, academics, and the opportunity to make some lifelong friends, then I would highly recommend you check out this school. read more

When we set out to find a preschool for our son, we hoped to find a place where he would feel comfortable, happy, loved, and be excited to attend. Call it a parent's intuition, we knew instantly when we walked into Friends Preschool that we could not imagine our son going anywhere else. Immediately, we could see the attention to detail, experience, education, dedication, and love that is poured into their program and each individual child. They have the perfect balance of art, music, science, math, literature, play, cooking, exploring, imagination, and critical thinking. The children are also introduced to different cultures and foods from around the world. Not a day goes by that we are not awe-inspired by their passion and creativity to teach children. We love that the children are able to get wet and messy while learning. Friends Preschool is structured and academic, but also puts a strong emphasis on art and play. We have never seen such a well-balanced, polite, and happy group of young children. During his two years at Friends Preschool, our son has grown from being very timid and shy to confident, outgoing, creative, and full of knowledge with an understanding of etiquette. We are forever grateful! read more

I'm so grateful for all the advice I've received from Michelle over the years. My son Braxton has benefited from her child education knowledge and concern. The school is well run and helps kids get ahead. I would recommend this school to any of my friends! read more

My youngest has now entered the program and are amazed at how fast she's gaining self confidence and play skills!

After moving to the area I was at a lost for where to send my daughter for preschool. I knew I wanted a preschool with children who are within the same age of my daughter (not a daycare that says they are a preschool), I wanted structure, I wanted crafts and I wanted to further prepare her for kindergarten. I toured many, many preschools within the area and was over the moon when I toured Friends. Friends does it ALL! Our, at times, very challenging daughter blossomed into a sweet, intelligent, respectful 4 year old. The amount of time and dedication Ms. Michelle and Ms. Kristian put into these tiny humans is absolutely unbelievable. Every single day there is a new activity, a new lesson, and never a dull moment. The kids are always having a blast, and at pickup you see nothing but smiling, beaming children who are becoming smart, confident, intelligent individuals. There is an adjustment from going from an average preschool to Friends, but it takes a very short amount of time to adapt. Every rule is set in place for a reason and backed by YEARS of experience and education within the field. Once you see how much your child is thriving at Friends you realize everything they do is RIGHT ON. The family that Friends creates is something you will not find anywhere else. I could go on and on about how amazing this place is, with my only regret being they don't teach through 12th grade! Ms Michelle and Ms Kristian are forever in our family and hearts, and I can not wait to go back when my youngest is old enough! read more

We all care about the well-being of our children. Being an educator myself, and having taught kindergarten for several years, I deeply care about the whole educational environment for my twins; not only academically, but emotionally, socially, physically, creatively, and most of all, I wanted their hearts to be nurtured. My preschool wish list was extremely long. I never thought I would be so impressed and overjoyed with the love, support, enrichment, rigor, and fun at any preschool, until I met with Michelle and Kristian at Friends Preschool. The love Michelle and Kristian exude is contagious, and my children smile from ear to ear when coming home from school each day. They are typically covered in paint, which means they were creators without limitations. I generally pick them up in their "backup" clothing, which means they had a blast playing with water. They come home telling me all about the human body, geometry, and gravity, which means they are discovering science and math through all modalities, something I would not think my children could understand at such a depth, at such a young age. My twins routinely speak about how the whole class worked together on one goal so all can celebrate winning. At Friends Preschool, all parents and students celebrate when one child reaches a milestone such as counting to 100 or learning to read. The big and the little are celebrated because it's all big to a preschooler. Friends Preschool has blessed my family in more ways than I could imagine. I am confident that this precious time at Friends Preschool has set my children up for a successful student career. read more

I will keep this fairly short. As parents, we always want the best of the best for our children, you can NOT get better than Friends Preschool! Last summer I put my daughter in this school on a trial basis which became permanent very quickly, as I was amazed at the program they run. If you are looking for a preschool here is a list of reasons why you should choose this one. 1. The two women who run the program are truly passionate about what they do. They believe your child is capable of greatness if given the right tools and opportunities, and they have the tools, and present the opportunity. 2. Communication, you will never not know what your child is learning, because every week they have homework. Miss Michelle will also talk to you if your child is struggling with a certain topic so you have the tools to help them at home. (Added bonus, this prepares you parents for Kindergarten ) 3. Each child has an individual learning plan, so if one student is struggling with something, the whole class doesn't have to wait for them to catch up. Your child learns at their own pace, not some master plan that they have for the whole class for the year. 4. Miss Kristean and Miss Michelle present to other early child development people (including Kindergarten teachers) about the methods they use in their school. Yes the students who go into Kindergarten from here are that good. 5. If you put in the time at home with your child, and really listen to what these women are telling you, your child will most likely be entering Kindergarten not only prepared, but well ahead of the curve. My daughter who graduated last week, started the program with cutting as homework. She is now reading, writing, doing math, and knows her numbers over 100... 6. Their education incorporates so much more than just reading writing and math. The kids learn about space (including a planetarium trip) do amazing art projects, (this year they got to teach college students how preschoolers do art, and no there were no crayons or markers involved), and touch, smell, and look closely at the wonderful world around them. I could go on and on, but nothing I can say can really do justice to how truly extraordinary Friends Preschool is! read more

This year round in-home preschool is the only one I have ever found to focus so greatly on academics while still balancing an incredible art/hands on learning experience where the focus is not on the product but appropriately focused on the process. No wonder with this mom/daughter team who are highly educated in early childhood education ...this is not a place where the teachers took a few units in the matter. They are passionate about teaching your children, they educate the community, and have an enthusiasm for finding the best way to develop a child's mind. With this in mind, you should understand that if you don't believe in homework, discipline, and greatly participating in your child's education, then this school is not for you. Every parent is different in what they want out of preschool, I 100% believe it sets up your child to succeed in school and have a great advantage (especially in Rocklin Unified where I really think your kid needs to be reading prior to entering Kindergarten). I moved my two daughters to this school after not getting my anticipated TK preparation from another Rocklin Preschool and although I had to really work with my kids to read every night and do their homework, it was exactly what I was looking for. It prepares them as student but maybe even more important, you as a parent, to already be in a habit when elementary school begins. My oldest is a gate student entering 2nd grade and reading at a 4th grade level. My second is entering Kindergarten reading at a 1st grade level and already knowing her 100 sight words. If you are like me, this is what you are wanting. This is what I asked every parent I interviewed when researching their chosen preschools. I don't want my kid "doing fine" in Kindergarten. I am not paying money to a preschool to babysit my child. I expect them to begin their educational experience on top, not struggling, and when they can do this already loving to learn, amazing minds develop. My youngest cried when we left Friends Preschool, she was adored, loved, and is the kindest most polite, and artistic soul I have ever known. From what ever happens from this point on, I can at least be confident that I started them out in the right place and gave them the best opportunity to succeed. read more

Picking a preschool is one of the hardest challenges that we have faced as parents: What school is play-based? What school encourages creative development? What school has high expectations for their students? What school has highly educated teachers? We found the answer for everything at Friends. As first time parents, we were overjoyed to be guided and supported through every milestone and were thankful that the teachers took such a sincere interest in our daughter (and all of the students for that matter!). The moment you walk into Friends you feel the undeniable love. Simply observe the children. Never do I see conflict amongst the students, rather I see deep friendships, respect, and great love. The teachers greet the children everyday by name, with a hug, and with something positive to say. The teachers are on the children's level and are engaging in stimulating, challenging, educational conversations and activities. My daughter stuns our family and friends by being able to read, being able to identify famous art prints, being able to sit politely at a meal, being able to maintain relationships, and being able to recall incredible facts that are discussed at preschool. We are thankful for Friends and know that any child who is able to learn at this school is prepared to be a life-long learner. read more