Just an amazing school! My four year old started there this year and we feel so blessed to have…read moresuch a highly functioning, fun and beautiful school. Mrs Hextrum is an amazing director and very supportive of families. The staff is incredible - my kiddo loves all the teachers. Lots of art, science, outdoor play, singing, music...just a gem of a school.

My 3 year old goes here. I am in love with this school. So peaceful and calm. They give me a review…read moreon how my daughter did everyday that I pick her up. Very organized. They make my daughter feel so special in her own individual way. She always comes home so happy! I love the garden in the back, and the fact that they don't use microwaves. Janine is very sweet. And makes you feel comfortable always. My favorite Montessori school in Santa Rosa!

We came to this school during a very challenging time in our lives. They welcomed us with open arms…read moreand embraced us, and for that, I am truly grateful. Navigating those challenges and hardships, my child's teachers went above and beyond. They were open, compassionate, and, most of all, patient. The growth we experienced here will never be forgotten. They never gave up on us and stayed with us every step of the way. The campus is beautiful, and the classrooms are wonderful. I felt very safe having my child here. It truly became another home for us, and we will miss everyone greatly.

My son started at Santa Rosa Montessori School shortly after his second birthday, and it has been…read moresuch an amazing experience for our whole family. His communication and his confidence blossomed almost immediately. For months, he was the youngest in the school and it was so sweet to see how all the older kids looked out for him. He carries the skills he learns at school with him and incorporates them at home. The teachers are amazing and build genuine connections with the kids. The campus is a beautiful, calming environment perfect for learning and playing. The community is welcoming and encourages parent involvement. Best of all, my son loves his school and is always happy to be there!

Our son has attended for two years. The small class size, great teacher to student ratio, and…read moreperfect play areas and classroom have been a wonderful experience. Our son went from being sad and very quiet to coming home every day telling us about the fun games and activities he has played each day. Diane and her teachers are great and have made our son's time there everything we could hope for.

My son started at this preschool last year and will be returning this year. Like most "Covid…read morebabies" he didn't get the opportunity to socialize with other children much in his first 3 years so it was important to me that he be in a calm and supportive environment as he was pretty shy and had never been in childcare. We did have some separation anxiety issues at first, but I stayed in communication with Diane and even stayed with him for a few hours one day and eventually he adjusted just fine. He's learned to count and sing in Spanish, made so much artwork that he's proud of, and is looking forward to returning.

We joined Watershed a few months ago after transitioning from another program, and the experience…read morehas been wonderful from day one. The staff is incredibly welcoming, kind, and thoughtful, which made the adjustment smooth and reassuring for our family. Our daughter attends three days a week and genuinely gets excited when it's her day to go to Watershed, she actively asks "Do I go to Watershed tomorrow?" which says everything. The campus itself is beautiful, open, and calming. It feels intentionally designed for children to explore, learn, and feel comfortable. We especially love the mixed-age classroom environment. It's been amazing to see how much she's grown socially and independently in such a short time. The balance of structure, exploration, and community has made a noticeable impact on her confidence and development. We're so grateful we made the switch and highly recommend this school to any family looking for a nurturing and inspiring Montessori environment.

my family and I adore this school! Jed is an amazing teacher who has really worked with my children…read moreand assisted in all aspects of their growth. He makes a very kind and supportive environment for the children. I am so glad we started with Watershed and would recommend to any family.

This place is truly special. It is where profound love, awareness and soft discipline are coming…read moretogether to shape a young mind into a strong kind and creative individual. Each teacher is special in so many ways. Our son went from being all over the place to being focused and eloquent. They not only give education but emotional awareness. We are truly grateful for you guys being able to work with us and our requests since we are health freak, family :) thank you for letting us be the part of the family. And thank you so much for doing your job brilliantly with such dedication. So sad that we have to move on, but hope we will see each other in the future. Liana and Giancarlo

Ms. Carolynn and Laura have been such a huge and wonderful part of our lives. When we first moved…read moreto Petaluma we searched all over town for an in-home daycare that would offer quality care at an affordable price for the times that we needed. That narrowed the field quite a bit immediately. With a little more research it was quickly evident that Carolynn's stands apart from the rest. Here's how: While Carolynn runs a small operation, she is professional and offers many things that come with the bigger organizations. She is priced competitively. She offers extended care, before and after the normal school day at a small additional rate. (Extended care was HUGE for our family.) She helps to build community by offering several annual and monthly events including drum class, wood shop class, parent nights, and potlucks. Carolynn offers breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack to the kids. She serves organic foods for the most part. She also has a beautiful garden and nearly everyday she serves produce from her garden to the kids (which the kids often helped to plant and harvest). The kids learn so much about taking care of plants and really enjoy eating all the veggies. Aside from the garden, Carolynn has a small above ground fish pond (not in the school area), small colorful birds, chickens, and many play areas in the school yard. She is a huge animal lover and her beloved dogs and cat mingle with the students throughout the day. Her love of and respect for animals is shared with the kids. In the classroom, Carolynn and Laura work as a united team. They are consistent, kind, fun, and firm. They use a positive discipline approach to correcting misbehaviors. The kids learn many important life skills like putting their things away, hanging their coat, washing their hands before eating, meditation and giving thanks. Students learn through themes (ex: rainforest) and practice all sorts of skills through independent work. They focus on one letter and number each day and the hand sign that goes with it. Both Carolynn and Laura communicate easily and often with parents. We don't go more than a couple days without a picture or a story in text-form. It always brightens our day. When they have successes or concerns with our son they share them immediately. Carolynn seeks solutions to any problems in a loving and persistent manner, often seeking parent participation in the solution. Carolynn and Laura know our son. They really know him. He is VERY energetic, opinionated, caring, and intelligent. So, in short, he's a handful. We couldn't imagine any place better for him. He goes to a daycare (school) where the adults care for him. They are consistent in their expectations of him. And he is challenged by them. We are very thankful we enrolled our son in Carolynn's Montessori and had 3 wonderful years there! We can not wait until our younger son starts there! (Many families send multiple kids through her program!)

My son went here from 2 years old until he entered TK. This was the best experience that he could…read morehave had. He is very prepared for TK and knows his ABCs and how to count to 30 (he's 4 years old). The teachers always listened to him and to me. They were able to assist when he was diagnosed with autism. The schedules that they offer work extremely well for a FT working parent. The school is located in a safe area and I never had any concerns. The majority of the teachers have been there for over a decade (some twice as long!) And during the graduation multi-generation families spoke about the school; that just shows you how well known and loved this school is by the community.

My daughter has been going to New Horizons for 2 years now and we absolutely love it! I'm actually…read morereally sad that she's about to graduate because of the fun, safe and caring environment that Ms. Marilyn and the teachers have provided. We are eternally grateful to them for teaching and caring for our daughter! She has grown exponentially in these past two years. She can write her full name, count to 10 and beyond in at least 3 languages and she's even starting to read! They have given her the best head start for kindergarten and we couldn't be happier.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Sun and Stars! What a priceless gem of a school to take your most prized…read morepossessions every day. The teachers and administrator, Tammy, are wonderful and collaborative. They have events throughout the year including shows and picnics that build strong parental relationships. After all, these are your kids' friends and their influences throughout their school years. Highly recommend!

FIVE STARS for Sun & Stars Montessori School!…read more I recently met Ms. Tammy Harbison, Executive Director at the Sun and Stars Montessori School. She had a vendor booth at the St. Helena farmer's market and had set up a little display for children to play musical instruments. We spoke about the school's approach to exposing children to learning and exploring. Sun & Stars is a non-profit, non-denominational, privately owned and operated school. The curriculum is based on the teaching's of Maria Montessori and is guided by student interest. Learning is self-directed through choice, independence, and hands-on experiences. While children found and played with the 10+ musical instruments in her booth, she encouraged them to explore and experiment with different mediums and sounds. NICE! She even gave pointers on how to facilitate exploration of music at home - sticks on ice cube containers, drums out of containers, etc. Tammy gave many of the children attending the farmer's market a FREE ribbon stick (a 1.5' stick with three multi-colored ribbons) and encouraged them to just "Have Fun!". Truly, she is a professional who is more interested in properly facilitating childrens' learning processes, than to make a buck (which also would be nice). What a great business! I'm impressed with the executives of this school!

This school is great because the teachers have experience and are very patient with the children…read more They are kind and teach through example. I like how they encourage healthy snacks -- water bottles, no juices or candy. I am also impressed with the independence that is taught to the children and the academics.

I love the teachers. Very flexible and considerate. They made a big effort to accommodate our…read moredaughters' needs. Absolutely recommend this wonderful school.

We absolutely love Rainbow Bridge Montessori! My son started here right after his 2nd birthday, and…read morethe positive effects were almost immediate. His manners, his helpfulness, his patience, his independent play, his friendly sociability - all blossomed with the help and gentle guidance of his wonderful teachers! After keeping my son at home with me for the first two years of his life, I was concerned he would have trouble adjusting to a group environment, but he has absolutely flourished and is excited about school and seeing his friends and teachers every morning. We cherish the photo updates we receive throughout the week of whatever the outdoor seasonal activities the kids are doing, along with their regular engaging classroom work. We love this school so much.

My daughter started at the preparatory class last February, when she was 2.5yrs old. After a few…read moreweeks, I started to hear her say please and thank you. She started helping me with the dishes and asking if we could sit outside to eat. She would tell me about the songs she is learning and teach them to me. Now she's in the primary class, and I couldn't be happier. She just asked me tonight if I could show her California. I google-imaged it. She traced it with her finger, on my phone! Now, I'm certain the kids aren't tracing states on I-Phones in the classroom, but the fact that my 3-year old daughter wanted to see California and was curious about it is so fantastic. She is curious about everything now, she loves books, music, puzzles and spending time outside. I am so pleased that when she's not with me, she's at Rainbow Bridge.