Started our son at one year old, and have been at both the Moraga and Rheem Campuses for 15 months. We really enjoy the team and the care our son receives. The teachers are all amazing, super friendly, and our son enjoys talking all about them when he gets home - Ms. Nancy, Ms. Dani, Ms. Liz (x2), Ms. Gabby, Ms. Becky, Ms. Lulay, they are all amazing, sorry to those i missed! Antonio is always helpful and responsive. The school uses the brightwheel app which is great for communicating with both staff and admin and getting regular updates and photos during the school day. We can really see the daily learning when our son comes home, and it's such a pleasure to know he's getting socialized and receiving great care durning the day. They let kids be kids! During most holidays you can signup for holiday care to avoid taking more days off. The cost has always seemed very reasonable especially for Lamorinda. The only comment I would mention, is the school runs like a well oiled machine, thus when you are new it's overwhelming to learn how the system works for drop off, pickup, and bringing food and clothes, etc. This was stressful when leaving your first little one for the first time, but this subsides after the first week or two after you learn the system. Advice, don't hesitate to ask the staff either in person or via brightwheel, they will always help. Packing lunches the first few months was stressful! Would recommend Lamorinda Montessori to any family. read more

Our family has a had a great experience at Lamorinda Montessori (Rheem Campus)! We started there in June 2023 and at the time our daughter was 2.5 and son was 10 months. They have checked the boxes for us in terms of providing a reliable, loving, and kind care solution for our kids. The teachers seem very attentive to the kids and we are always met with smiles at pick up and drop off. The school continues to try and implement new programming to engage both kids and parents, like spirit week and off-site excursions but there is probably even more opportunity to do more of that. The school also offers "parents night out" care giving about once a month which provides for an easy solution to leave the kids for a few afternoon hours on a Saturday. Communication could be better just in terms of updates / photos throughout the day, but our kids are happy every day when they come home so honestly that's all we could ask for. The administrative and teaching team makes a real effort and genuinely cares for the families and children. Thank you to Antonio and the team! read more

Both of my kids started in their baby program when they were 6 months old. First one in 2020 and second one in 2023. Mrs. Raquel was my first teacher when I was in preschool, and all I have are good memories of love and fun. Later on I had the opportunity to work with her and Antonio in another facility, so knowing their experience and work ethics, I had no hesitation on having my kids in their program! Our experience has been wonderful, we've met most of the teachers, and administration has always listened and acknowledge my concerns to make sure me and my kids are comfortable. PROS and things I really like: -The app they use to communicate and share pictures of the kids through the day -Bilingual teachers (my son speaks perfect Spanish) -Field trips and events that include family, and open door for parents to volunteer and be part of the school -Support. My younger one was on physical therapy and his teachers helped with his daily exercises to help him walk. -Community. My older son has known most of his classmates since they were 6 months old -Incident reports. Both my kids have hit and been hit ! But they always have a report and parents need to sign it. They are really by the book on licensing procedures. -Love and inclusion. A friend asked me about their academics ...in general my son is pretty advanced for his age, I'm not sure if it's just him or the school, but personally it's not a priority. At this age my priority is for my kids to feel loved and learn to regulate their emotions and social skills, and LMM has had a huge positive impact on my kids emotional development. I like the fact that they always have two teachers, and one is more centered in academics, and the other one is more loving and fun (on my son's words.) Perfect balance! -Parent teacher conferences -Monthly newsletter and menu -Weekly curriculum shared with parents, it gives me an opportunity to engage with my kid after picking him up and talk about his day -operating hours! -Coach Tony/athlete program once a week CONS I'm pretty chill and easy going, and honestly the cons I'm about to mention have not been a huge deal for our family -Belongings have been misplaced, either I receive items from another kids, or we don't receive our items (same day, but they always send them the next day) -Not too many pictures uploaded on the app, some teachers are really good about it, but others only post a couple per week. -Potty training? For us this actually worked, teachers told us my son was not ready and not to push it, we waited until they told us he was good to go (he was a lil over 3yrs old), and it was SO EASY! Literally he never had an accident and just switched from diaper to underwear; however, a lot of parents really wanted to have their kids potty trained at a younger age, and they felt teachers were not very proactive about it. -Last minute requests: as a mom that works full time, it is hard when they message you one or two days before to request your kid to wear a specific outfit or bring an item for an event In general we are very happy with Lamorinda Montessori, thankful with their teachers and staff, and grateful for all the love they have given our kids read more

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When we moved to Moraga, we were desperate to find a daycare place for our kid and first we went to the daycare near Safeway. It was not a pleasant experience: with no information and no communication about my kid. Now I'm happy that I pulled my kid out and sent him to Lamorinda Montessori. I would recommend this daycare for your child, especially if you do not want to join a long waitlist for daycare around this hood. Miss Mica stands out as a dedicated and passionate caregiver who goes above and beyond to create a stimulating learning atmosphere. Her warmth, patience, and expertise in field make her a beloved figure among the children and parents alike. I appreciated her input and trust her for taking care of my baby. read more

Absolutely love Lamorinda Montessori! We have 2 kids who are attending; both kids started at 18 months. My son is now turning 5 and my daughter is 2.5. The staff and teachers are loving, kind and are very genuine in their care. They are focused on the children's development and create a very loving environment for them to thrive. They have many fun activities and special moments for the kids too; spirit week, children's week, celebrating holidays inclusively and field trips etc. love this school and would highly recommend read more

I had to pull my son out of this school because the school received 5 CITATIONS from the STATE LICENSING BOARD in June. That brings their total to 10 citations. See it for yourself (click on the dates for details) https://secure.dss.ca.gov/CareFacilitySearch/FacDetail/073408252 My son's assistant teacher was one of several employees allowed to work at the school BEFORE fingerprinting and background cleared. Antonio Betts tried to lie and said she was a volunteer and didn't need the background check but clearly she did. The school was fined "$1500 for allowing three un-fingerprinted adults to work with and care for children without a required clearance, and $100 for not having a previously fingerprint cleared adult prints transferred to the facility." The school was given 24 hours to notify the parents but waited 10+ days to let us know. They tried to minimize the severity of the risk that this posed. This was just 1 of the 10 citations they received. Since June, four teachers/staff have left and many upset parents pulled their child or children out of school soon after. My son's teacher left on the same day she gave notice. This brings the number to 8+ teachers/staff who left since December when the new ownership took over. This included my son's teacher Miss Lane, who was fired because she "believed too much in the Montessori method" according to the new owners, even though it's a Montessori school. Another one of his teachers was so sick she needed to go to the Emergency Room. She found out she didn't have medical coverage even though she paid her monthly premiums out of her paycheck. So we have had negative experiences with 4 out of 4 the teachers/assistants put in charge of care for my son. One of my other concerns regarding my son's classroom was the student to teacher ratio was often out of balance, which the school received several citations for. Plus, was he given allergens? The school received a citation for giving kids allergens also. I had brought up concerns about the snacks provided several times to the his teachers, now it seems like a valid concern. This pattern of poor staffing, high turnover, dishonesty, risky behavior, delays in following instructions from the licensing board and notifying parents lead me to not trust the administration and the school. I hope you would consider your child's safety and assess the risks prior to considering this school. Review the licensing board's citation available online. They earned each citation and the reputation that goes along with it. Also, ask all of your child's teachers how long they been teaching and their tenure at this school. One teacher's experience isn't representative of every teacher there. I would not recommend this school to anyone. read more

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We have sent our small children to LM for the last two years. They have matured and learned so much in that time thanks to the wonderful teachers. We are sad to leave the LM family and start our daughter in kindergarten this fall. Highly recommend this friendly and caring staff to anyone looking for a nurturing place for their child. read more

We moved to Moraga not so long ago and wanted our 4 year old to be in the best preschool possible. We didn't care as much about how far or how expensive etc. The quality of the environment has been the only determinant. We visited many daycares / preschools in the Lamorinda Area. Although some of them were nice, many seemed to have self serving agendas e.g. profitability / finding perfectly "adjusted" kids as their principle motivations. Even some of the higher rated / very well reviewed preschools seemed to go by a - 'list of requirements' from / judgmental attitude towards kids as little as our child as admission criteria. Although right from the beginning, we found a distinctly 'genuine' warm, happy and healthy atmosphere in Lamorinda Montessori, some of the not so complimentary comments in reviews confused us somewhat making us wonder if we were missing something. However, the very apparent happiness and robustness of spirit among the children who were always deeply engaged and cheerful on our (unannounced) visits made us decide to put our child there to see how it goes. We couldn't be happier ! Lamorinda Montessori is run by genuinely caring, loving and accommodating people who clearly have the healthy development and happiness of children as their foremost priority. Antonio, Ms. Mica, Raquel Betts and the entire team are very involved, proactive and sensitive in how they attend to children as well as to the concerns of parents. We feel fortunate to have decided on Lamorinda Montessori for our child. If you're considering a pre-school for your child, we most 'honestly' recommend Lamorinda Montessori to you - wholeheartedly. Our child has been going there for six months now. Pl Note: I waited before I wrote my review so that it is a helpful / well considered one. (In my opinion, the negative reviews of this wonderful place are disingenuous and most likely written for false motivations). read more

My children have attended this school throughout the ownership change and my family have ZERO complaints. My kids are thriving at Lamorinda Montessori, if I had another child they'd be attending as well. There were concerns during the change in ownership but now that the dust has settled we couldn't feel better about the decision to remain enrolled and support the amazing teachers and staff. Please visit this amazing school and talk with Mica or Antonio, you'll love them and the incredible learning environment they've created. read more

I have two littles at Montessori and could not be happier with my decision to send them there and keep them there after the "transition". The foundation of the school is strong, the teachers are gems and the curriculum works. My babies are happy, healthy and most importantly, safe. Sure, they get a little dirty from time to time but it's well worth it when they're in the bath and my 2-year-old points to a blue toy and says "azul" and then the 4-year-old, not to be outdone, tells me the colors of the rainbow in Spanish. I am beyond impressed with this school, the administration and the teachers. As a family who has happily and willingly chosen to stay at the school despite the citations, I do not see any negative impact from them. If anything, the school has improved and is only getting better. Mica and Antonio have done an incredible job. I whole-heartedly believe in what they're doing and trust them with my life. read more

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, PLEASE READ: I would NOT recommend considering this school if you want your child to have a Montessori education. I live with and care for my nephew who is going to Lamorinda Montessori currently. The school just changed over ownership in January 2018, where the new owner thinks Montessori education is "subjective" and has printed in the Parent Handbook that this will be a "PLAY AND INTEREST" based school. That's false advertising to call it a Montessori but is NOT. A 22 year old community college graduate is the new owner who does not have Montessori training and lacks experience working in schools and with students, especially in Montessori. There has been high teacher turnover, frustrated and anxious parents which lead to an mass exodus of students. It's been the buzz in our little community where education is highly valued. If you are considering this school, ask for their qualifications, how many years of experience the teachers and administration has before committing. Don't think the most senior of the teachers is representative of all the other teachers. My nephew's teacher was not hired back during the transition because she believed too strongly in the Montessori methodology so it doesn't align with the new school's concept. If you value your child's development and education, please ask more questions because I wouldn't want other parents/students to be fooled by the "montessori" name. read more

Let me start by saying that we've been a part of the school for nearly two years so we've seen the school through the change of ownership and chose to stay. Now that things are calming down after the transition, I feel the need to review and try to share as unbiased an opinion as I can. I have two children that attend, 2 and 4 years old. Their happiness and security were, and still are, my number one priority. No doubt they were happy and felt secure before, but I actually think that they are even happier now. My older was especially happy with the changes that were made in her classroom with new materials. My littles adore their teachers and come home talking about them and their school friends, singing songs, and talking about the things they got to do that day. The teachers are not only fantastic with the kids, but also with the parents which I've come to find out, not all teachers are. I wouldn't call the curriculum "strict" Montessori, but it still maintains a fair amount of the common qualities of a Montessori education. At the end of the day, my kids are happy, safe, and are most definitely learning. The school needed this change and has brought together the teachers and parents in a way that didn't exist before. A lot has changed, but I feel the school is headed in the right direction. So many improvements have already been made in terms of communication, technology, equipment, materials, safety, and hygiene, as well as the addition of more fun stuff like Parents Night Outs and other school events. In short, a simple tour of the school will shine light on whether or not this is the right school for your child. As for me and mine, we're happy with the decision to stay. read more

Our son has been going to Lamorinda Montessori for several months now and we love it. We had heard some negative gossip from other families about the program over the summer, but our experience has been excellent and far exceeded our best expectations. Antonio and the team at Lamorinda Montessori are well organized, professional and so very friendly. Antonio was very welcoming and accommodating to us as we began our relationship. Their informational materials were well organized, thorough, clear and reasonable. We enjoy the posts and communication through the Brightwheel app. We love the creative projects and individual attention the staff give our son and the other children at the school. What really sets them apart is how loving Jenevieve and the rest of the staff have been. Our son loves it there and I love taking him there, We both feel so welcome and are blessed to be a part of the Lamorinda Montessori family. read more

This is a school that truly cares for its students and puts their development and feelings first in everything they do. When my family moved from San Francisco 2.5 years ago, we toured 3 of the preschools in the area that offered full-time care and applied to many more. We chose Lamorinda Montessori not because of the Montessori approach, although we appreciated that as well, but were more influenced by the tenure of many of the teachers and their deep expertise and credentials in early childhood development. What has absolutely blown us away in our time with the school has been the incredible care and nurturing my children (ages 2 and 4) receive daily from the teachers, teacher aids and the administration. The professional staff truly care and have a passion for children. They are committed to developing each child's potential, encouraging their individual interests and offering plenty of hugs and hand holding when it is just that that a child is needing. In December of 2017, the school underwent a change in ownership. For anyone who has been employed by a company who went through a merger or acquisition, you know that transitions in ownership can be challenging. The new owners are The Betts Family, and they share a passion for children and a desire to create an inclusive, values-based preschool. Antonio and Raquel Betts have spent the last several months putting together a plan for the school that is sure to benefit the school's long-term success. The changes that I have seen them put in to place are absolutely to the betterment of the school and children. They include: * Naming the school's long-tenured and beloved head teacher Miss Mica to the role of Director. Miss Mica is a big part of why we chose Lamorinda Montessori and her leadership throughout this transition has been nothing short of extraordinary. * Retaining the top talent * Introducing Spanish language into the curriculum. My two year old knows her numbers, colors and many words in Spanish now! * Reducing the ratio of children to teachers, so that there are more adults on staff to be with the children throughout the day * Stopping the school's long-time use of calling substitutes in when teachers are sick and instead having two full-time staff on hand to sub in as needed * Remodeling the kitchen, updating each of the 3 outdoor play yards with new equipment, and redesigning the classrooms to allow for more play area for the children * Implementing an app called Brightwheel, which allows for photos, curriculum and other updates to be easily communicated to parents * Instituting Parents Night Out once a month on Saturdays to offer a child-care night option. With my husband and I both working full-time and needing a school with flexible hours, we appreciate that the school offers 7am to 6pm for Toddler (starting 18 months), Preschool 1 (2-3), Preschool 2 (3-4) and PreK (4-5) classes. While we usually just have our kids there from 8-5, it is very helpful to have that 1 hour of buffer in the morning and at night when it's needed. If you are interested in learning about the school and have questions, please feel free to reach out to the school directly and ask for references. I am one of the parents who asked to serve as a reference because of my gratitude for the school and the nurturing, safe and enriching environment it provides my children every day. To know that your children are loved, well-cared for and that they are surrounded by educators with their best interest, well, nothing could be more important to us as parents. read more

We moved to Moraga, CA in September 2019 and we are so happy we chose Lamorinda Montessori for our son. He is happy, well-adjusted and thriving here! As a family owned preschool, I have found Lamorinda Montessori to be very professional but it is also run with a great sense of community and "heart". His Teacher Jenevieve Hicks is an absolute gem! All of the staff and teachers here are warm, loving, patient, and dedicated to what they do! read more

My child is into his 3rd year at Lamorinda Montessori. The teachers we have had are great and all very caring. I like that they have other enrichment lessons such as spanish, sports and some occasional cooking. He also has a solid group of friends. I worry about when we'll have to split them up when we move onto Kindergarten. Overall we've had a good experience at LM. My child is happy, healthy, growing and having fun! read more

A few months ago my daughter, wife and I toured this school. During the tour everything looked great and seemed as this would be a good fit for us. Not once during the tour were we told that a change of ownership would be happening soon. So we get home, submit our online application which included an application fee and waited. About a week goes by and we received no response. Not even a confirmation that they received our application. We gave them a call and come to find out that "about a week ago, ownership was changed and they have lost all applications". So the change of ownership happened within a day of our tour and we were never told this. We decided that this must be a stressful time for the business and the lack of communication was understandable. So we asked for a new application and the gentleman on the phone said he would send one over via email that day and waive the new application fee. Two days go by and we do not receive an application. We call again and speak to the same gentleman. He seemed to have forgotten and said he will "send one over right now". About another two days goes by and still no application. We call again and leave a message because there was no answer. Another few days go by and receive no response. At this point we have given up on having our daughter attend this school. We call once more and request a refund for the application seeing as our application was never even looked at or considered because it was "lost" the day of or the day after submitting it. Since the day of calling and requesting a refund, I have called around 2-3 times more and left a message. It has been around 2 months and I still have not received a call back. It is especially frustrating because this could have all been avoided if the lady giving us the tour would have told us about the upcoming change in ownership and told us to hold off a few days on submitting an application. There is a huge lack of communication with this business. Not to mention they have essentially stolen $70 from me and seemed to care less about it. read more

When evaluating this preschool for your children, look up its record with the CA Department of Social Services: https://secure.dss.ca.gov/CareFacilitySearch/FacDetail/073408252 Find bios of Antonio Betts (24 years old as of summer 2018) and his mother, Raquel Betts, online (I would independently verify whatever they tell you, including their staff retention rate) and evaluate their experience to run a preschool (they took over ownership of the school in January 2018). When comparing this preschool to others in the community, ask each teacher how long he or she has been with the school. That will tell you something about the school's management, and its ability to find and hold onto qualified staff. There have been some lovely teachers at this school, and some of them are still there, though not for long, I suspect. Most importantly, find parents of children (like us) who were at the school when the Betts' took over and ask them how the experience has been since January 2018. read more

The false advertisement leads to the belief your child/children are getting a better education than just playing and getting sent home dirty, all the while one teacher is struggling with mass diaper /potty changing,leading to kids going home with red bums and asking for cream bc It hurts.... They definitely need more teachers for starters, not a daycare provider, but the new owners need to understand the concept of ratio, and the word Montessori. They (the other owners) once provided much more education and provided quality experiences. Very sad ! read more

This school reminds me of the little engine that could! I bet in a few months I will be giving it 5 stars. My kids are excited to attend (3 & 5) and never want to leave. They have made well balanced friends (we are new to the community) and are both thriving. When my youngest developed a fever at school Mr. Antonio (the director) made him a cot in his office, placed a cold cloth on his head and tended to him while my mom made it over to fetch him. Needless to say, we were impressed. My kids are close with the teachers and their classmates. New playground equipment is on the way and the school is very clean. My suggestions along the way have not gone unnoticed. Again, my kids are nurtured and very happy and this school. read more

We now have two children here and we absolutely love it. The staff is outstanding and willing to help in whatever way they can and the learning that my 4.5 year old is getting prompted us to enroll our 2 year old in the toddler program. I originally thought that I'd never pay for daycare, but this is SO much more than daycare and after two weeks we are are already seeing great growth in both kids. They love it, they learn, we love it. All around that's more than I could expect as a parent. read more

My daughter attended this school from 18 months through to starting T-K this year. What a great little school, even through the ownership changes she loved going there, and I was happy with the care, love and attention she got. She still makes me drive past what she calls her "little school" at least once a week so she can wave at it and always asks when she can be allowed to go back and visit her teachers. read more

We have four children and have attended a total of three preschools in Lamorinda, and one in Southern California within the past ten years. To my surprise, and since the change of ownership, this is by far my favorite preschool. Our twins love going to school every day; they love the owners, their teachers, their friends, their activities and their environment. I have no question that they are learning and in a nurturing environment. The new owners are thoughtful, loving and innovative. I am proud to be part of this educational community and grateful to have a place that we consider an extension of our home. read more