My daughter is wrapping up the third grade at ACDS. Our family has been with the school since her…read morefirst grade year. It's interesting to note how I just mentioned "our family" in reference to ACDS, because it's true - from the start it never felt like it was just my daughter being welcomed into a classroom. My husband and I were also ushered into a community of parents, children, teachers, administrators, and staff that truly are a community. This sense of familiarity and care, right from the start, was welcome. We looked at ACDS for my daughter after having been with a couple of other schools in the region that seemed to emphasize academics above all else. Academics are of course important, but I also wanted my daughter to have the chance to play and explore other possible interests. ACDS has a full complement of enrichment and extracurricular activities. Science, art, drama, music, you name it. There's a choir and a band. And every year every grade puts on a theater production, which I'm hoping next year can be done in the brand new Event Center. When school closed for COVID in March of last year, ACDS was ready for it. They moved their entire educational program online within a matter of 3 days, and it has been going strong ever since. When the school reopened for in-person learning in the fall, they continued the remote learning option alongside it. My daughter is presently the only child left online in her class, though she will be returning to school next week. Her teacher has been in close touch with me to make sure that she feels included and supported. The real gift is that my daughter has felt she is an active and important part of the community no matter where she physically is in relation to the school. And speaking of the teachers, wow! Dedicated and enthusiastic sound cliche but I assure they are not. The thought and energy they put into their lessons, especially even across two learning platforms, is phenomenal. If they had a high school, I would be planning to send my daughter. But for now I will just enjoy the stellar preparation she is getting for whatever step she chooses next.

The recent issues in the middle school here are very sad. Inexperienced and power hungry…read moreadministrators are ruining an otherwise vibrant and exciting learning environment. We hope this can be corrected before the school goes further downhill.

My daughter has been coming here since she was 1.5 and we really love this place. She's been…read morethriving and she loves her teachers and friends. The director and teachers really care about the kids and it shows. Thank you to the team for all that you do.

My younger daughter just graduated from "Discovery years" to attend transitional kindergarten. She…read morehas been in this school since she was 18 months old. She attended every classrooms in this fantastic school. She had great time in every classroom (2/3/4 yrs classroom) and loved every teacher. The Director, Ms. Nahzie always hires the best teachers for the children. My elder daughter who is in grade 2 now also attended Discovery Years. Children does a lot of independent activities, make friends and do a lot of indoor/outdoor play. Compared to other daycare, we feel that the teachers genuinely care and love the children. We are very fortunate to find such a wonderful daycare in our neighborhood where our children had spent their most important years with great care and love.

I've had both of my kids at Toddler Town here in San Jose for about two years, and I can't say…read moreenough good things about this place. My son started in the toddler room and has now made it all the way through to pre-K -- he's thriving. My daughter started in pre-K and is now in the after-school program, so I feel like I've gotten a really full picture of how the teachers, directors, and enrichment programs operate. The directors and teachers are wonderfully communicative, and I've always felt comfortable asking questions and getting clear, timely answers. The environment is safe, clean, and well cared for, and I have complete faith in the school to provide both a nurturing space and meaningful learning opportunities. What I especially appreciate is how they treat every child as an individual and truly value their relationships with families. It never feels like a "money-making machine" where your child is just another number -- it feels personal, intentional, and community-focused. Toddler Town has been such a positive, stable part of my kids' early years, and I would recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a safe, caring, and enriching place for their children.

I can't believe how fast the year flew by--it's true what they say: time really does fly when…read moreyou're having fun! Moving my son from a quiet preschool into the energetic, social environment at Toddler Town was one of the best decisions we made. He blossomed--making friends, growing in confidence, and thriving in such a diverse and supportive setting. I'm so impressed with his handwriting, his growing grasp of math, his ability to recognize and write numbers up to 50, and even start reading sight words! What sets Toddler Town apart is the consistently excellent communication and genuine care: the small surprises like holiday treats, popsicles, or fun accessories make each day feel extra special and consistent communication through the bright wheel app and pictures. Neeka and Sarah (the owners) are hands-on and clearly devoted to the children's happiness and growth. Thanks to Toddler Town's strong focus on both academics and social development, I have no doubt he'll excel in kindergarten. We're deeply grateful to everyone at Toddler Town--you made this year amazing!

My family has absolutely LOVED our experience at Shepherd of the Valley. Two of my children have…read moreattended for two years and we cannot wait to send our third child next year for pre-K. We have loved all of the teachers and helpers and are so grateful for the close community feel of the school. We really enjoy the field trips along with the special events they work so hard on for the children and families to be a part of (Thanksgiving and Christmas concerts, Mother's Day tea, Donuts with Dad etc.). We also love the flexibility to choose how often the kids attend - we were not ready to send our kids 5 full days a week so we opted for 3 half days a week and it worked as a great transition to get them ready for Kindergarten. We highly recommend this school to anyone looking to be a part of a really special community!

The director is amazing. She can memorize all the kids name and also the alumni'sname. All of my…read morekids went here. Felt so sad when my last kid graduated from here, because I will miss this school so much. The teacher kids ratio is small. They have more than enough staffs to make sure all the kids are well supervised and helped.

We love Miss Donna and her preschool!…read more My son had hated going to his previous preschool (crying every day at drop off), but it was totally different when he started attending Almaden Footprints because it felt just like home. He attended her preschool for 2 years prior to kindergarten. The spring of his last year Covid hit and he missed all of the last year activities like his graduation. During the summer, Miss Donna and Miss Daisy safely came to each student's home and dropped off their graduation items and preschool mementos! He was so happy to be able to see them again Fast forward 3 years and his baby sister is now with Miss Donna and she is thriving. It has been such a wonderful experience having both of my children grow under the guidance of Miss Donna and Miss Daisy. Can't thank them enough for all that they have done for my kids!

Donna is honestly the best! She is so kind, gentle and patient with the kids amongst many other…read morewonderful things. Both of my kids went to her and they loved being with her. They learned so much and were both beyond ready for kinder. We just finished our last day today with my youngest and can't say enough good things about her and her team! Your child would be lucky to get a spot with her. We will miss her soooooo much :)

This school gave me that fabled village we always hear you need to raise a child. Between the…read moreamazing teachers and the on-staff Positive Discipline Parent Coach, they really support the whole family. Working in the classroom deepens those relationships, I have come to know and love all of my son's classmates as well. It is amazing to be a part of a community that really knows and honors my son for who he is, and where we all work together as a team to support our children together. I feel so good about how I've been able to contribute to my son's education and to the development of all the students and parents. The work feels so important that rather than draining me, it ends up inspiring me. I know I'm modeling for my son what it means to not be a passive observer in an environment but to actively co-create it and tend to it. That is something I want for him as he grows up. And with safe and nurturing relationships as the base, it makes the play based learning work all the better. My son learns that he is capable, that what he thinks matters, and he relies on his own internal drive and curiosity to push him faster and further than any academic program could hope to do. I feel so grounded in my family's values here, and it's just so fun. I'm beyond grateful to have found this school and this community!

APPS is such a hidden gem. The unique nature of each child is celebrated here. The parenting coach…read morehas helped me through so many tough spots of parenting a 2-4 year old! It is so amazing to get to raise your child alongside other parents who value community and positive discipline. I've learned so much from this school and my children just love it there. This picture is of my son. He can get pretty frustrated by failure. These stilts were VERY difficult for him. Between the teachers and parents we all gave him the space to fail and get angry. He got validation from every adult he interacted with while trying to walk on these. Within 15 minutes he was walking laps around the yard and yelled "I CAN DO HARD THINGS!" Watching him succeed like this reminded me that this school is special and I needed to write this long overdue review!

Our personal experience overall has been good and feedback from our daughter has always been…read morepositive. We have always found all staff warm and welcoming towards our family and our daughter for the last two+ years (her stay from age 2-4). She has thrived in this nurturing environment, and I can see the positive impact it has had on her social and emotional development. She has done soccer, kung fu, performing art, and piano lessons. This has allowed her to try many new things and grow with her community. The curriculum is well-rounded, incorporating play-based learning that keeps the kids engaged and excited about coming to school every day. You'll see the exterior and interior decor change along with educational lessons or cultural holiday recognition. I appreciate the emphasis on creativity and exploration, which has sparked my child's curiosity and love for learning. Communication with the teachers was excellent. They provided regular updates on my child's progress and were always open to discussing any concerns. I know these positions are NEVER easy and we always made sure the teachers knew we appreciated them. She leaves with memories of her times, teachers, and classmates that have become her best of friends.

We toured several daycares in our search for the perfect fit for our 3-year-old, and not one…read morechecked all of our boxes until we toured Kiddie Academy. My husband and I were both impressed by the security upon entering the facility. The staff greeted us warmly and confirmed we were there for a schedule site tour. They also told us they have live security cameras available to parents. Their approach to caring for the children perfectly balances personal growth and education, and we saw this in action as the nurturing teachers assisted the children. The classrooms were clean and organized, with ample sunlight. The outdoor play area was top notch, with a shaded play structure and lots of room to run. Additionally, we toured during lunch time and the provided lunches looked fresh, healthy and something even our picky eater would devour. We are looking forward to being a part of Kiddie Academy and the welcoming community they have created for the children and their families.

My child has been growing with Ms. Doan and NEST for two years now, officially! The transition from…read more1:1 nanny care to a group setting was not easy to overcome for my then 2.5yo but Ms. Doan did make the transition easier for all of us as we continue to see our child grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and a sense of comfort that instantly put all our nerves at ease. If you choose to take a tour you will see current children in their natural environment. Ms. Doan and her amazing staff are kind, caring, enthusiastic, and always find a lesson to teach with every dynamic interaction or situation. Rest assured that your child will blossom at NEST with Ms. Doan, the team, and all other like-minded families wishing for the best and safest childcare options in South San Jose.

This review is long overdue - we are just finishing up our first year with Nest! And we couldn't be…read morehappier!!! We transitioned from a large daycare center to Nest when our daughter was almost 2, and we have been so happy with the level of care and the thoughtfulness of the curriculum at Nest. We love all of the teachers, and our daughter especially LOVES Co Doan! Doan has helped us with so many big milestones over this past year (napping issues and potty training to name a couple!). We look to her as a trusted advisor in our daughter's development. We also love that the children get ample outside time, reading/learning time, and arts time! They even get to pick berries and tomatoes from Doan's garden in the summertime! How awesome is that. We are so grateful to be a part of the Nest family. Thank you, Nest!!!

This is no longer Galileo Preschool. The owner is now Bright Horizons…read more The management no longer screens students and allow students to hit, bite and scratch teachers and other students. Curriculum is weak and often skipped because of class size, it has become daycare only.

Final Update - Summer 2018…read more Well I figured I'd finish sharing our journey here at Galileo. 1st child went through room 1, 2 and 3. Now my second child finished rooms 1,2 and 3 today. What a journey and our family can't thank the staff, teachers and Mrs. Burns enough for growing our last baby up into a Kinder Student! We will always be extremely grateful to Galileo Preschool.

Horrible. The teachers were fine, but everything else is atrocious. NB: if your kid is getting…read morebullied, the school will turn a blind eye and do absolutely nothing. They cater to the people who fit their mold and that's it. I highly recommend IF you want your kids to have an education that's on par to what we received 30+ years ago.

Fantastic school with a great community, which is the thing you'll hear parents rave about most…read moreoften. We've been here 7 years and counting. If you see a negative review, click on the person's account and you may find that they like to give negative reviews. Maybe it's you and not everyone else AB, just sayin :-)