Ms. Carmelita is a gem! I highly recommend Learning Star, especially for new parents.

Looking for a placement for our one year old was not an easy task last fall but we found the perfect place for her. Ms Carmelita is great at communicating with us throughout the day with pictures and short videos and sends little notes home in her bag. Drop off is a breeze and my kiddo feels so comfortable she toddles right in and waves bye. My little one is always smiling and happy when we pick her up. read more

Last year, my family moved from Florida to California. We researched many daycares within Hercules and Pinole. When we met with Carmelita to discuss Learning Star's services and philosophy, my husband and I left knowing immediately that this would be the best choice for our almost one year old. The preschool is located in a safe neighborhood and is easy to get to. The inside is clean and organized with a lot of activities, books, and toys for all age ranges. And best of all, Carmelita is caring, genuine, intelligent, and overall amazing. Being new to the area, she did not hesitate to provide advice and recommendations. She made a point to check in with us to see how we were settling in and how our older daughter was doing at her new school. Our son loves going to see Carmelita, and he often does not want to leave! Our son has learned so much from her. He loves looking through the large book selection, playing with the toy animals and cars, building with blocks, and playing with his friends. All of the other children always look so happy. Finding a daycare you can trust can be challenging, especially when you're new to the area. We feel so lucky to have stumbled upon Learning Star and will plan to keep our son there until he is ready to begin school. Carmelita is the best. We love her! read more

Just 5 stars? I would give 10 stars and many more if I could!! The first time we visited Carmelita we knew immediately she was the best fit for our daughter. Carmelita is experienced and knowledgeable. She keeps her center clean, organized and safe. We started our daughter at 3 months and liked the end of day progress report, phone calls and pictures of our LO at daycare. It kept us at ease to know she is in good hands. Best part is our LO is always happy when we drop her off and pick her up-- she loves Carmelita! Even though our LO is only an infant, Carmelita would involve her in the preschool activities (music time, circle time, etc). We like the fact that our LO is involved and not secluded from the curriculum as our LO loves to watch and observe. We also noticed how quick our LO has been gaining her developmental skills since being at Learning Star. We like the fact that Carmelita keeps a small class setting (currently, 1 infant + 6 toddlers) as each student receives the attention they need and deserve. We are extremely happy and grateful to have our LO at Learning Star Preschool/Daycare. All the students are amazing. We are excited to continue to watch our LO grow and learn with Carmelita! read more

My child started going to Learning Star Preschool a few months ago. So far, from a parent's perspective, Carmelita is patient and experienced with caring and educating young kids. Within a short period of time, he already adjusted to preschool life and started learning new things. From the videos and pictures that Carmelita sends us, we can tell that he has a good time there. From my child's perspective (based on body language), he's happy to be there. Every day when we drop him off, he has that cute little smile on him. read more

As a new parent, we were very worried about where and who will be taking care of our child when I went back to work. I was so paranoid, I began my search when I was still 7 months pregnant. I was looking for someone that would not only care for my child, but also teach him to be ready for school when the time came. I did a lot of research and after speaking to a few current and past parents, multiple site visits to multiple day cares and preschools, Miss Carmelita was the best fit. (I even had her meet with my parents just to make sure I had a balanced view of her). Now that my son has been there for a little over a year (started at 3 months and is now about 17 months), I am so happy we made the choice that we did. When he was a newborn, she not only gave us day to day reports on how his mood and feeding was, but also took the time to let us know of any milestones he hit during the day and answer any questions we had. Having that feedback really put my mind at ease during the day. She is professional, caring, upfront and honest. But really... do your own research. Visit the school. Make your own opinions. Any provider you choose to care for your child should be someone you are comfortable with. This is something she advised me when I was doing my search and I am passing it on to you! Good luck! read more

I was very blessed to find Mrs. Carmelita. My son was attending another daycare facility for almost a year. However, we had noticed that he would be reluctant to go, as he would cry and be unhappy. We have decided that it was time to look into another daycare. As a parent, you never want to worry about the safety of your child when they're in someone else's care. I was very lucky to find Mrs. Carmelita, as we had met over a period of time and got a chance to know one another. My son had start attending Learning Star, and her experience with children is exemplary. She is very kind hearted and you can see her love for children, as she teaches the children how to behave. She brings out the best in the children she takes care of. For those interested in having a safe, friendly environment for your kids I would recommend enrolling your child in Learning Star. read more

My husband and I feel very fortunate to have found Mrs. Carmelita at Learning Star Preschool for our daughter. From the moment we met her, Mrs. Carmelita has been nothing but warm and welcoming, and she continues to be so to this day. My daughter quickly warmed up to her, making drop off's with a toddler as pain free as possible. Mrs. Carmelita is also very communicative and provides me with details about my daughter's day, something that I truly appreciate. She eases both mine and my daughter's apprehensions! I like that her program is play-based, providing my daughter with the best of both worlds of learning and fun. Our daughter is absolutely thriving under her care. Thank you, Mrs. Carmelita, for all that you do! read more

We sent all three of our kids through Learning Star. Yes, she has the kids focused on learning at a very young age, but we can tell you from experience that ALL of our children were prepared for grade school and beyond both academically and socially. We have absolutely no regrets having sent our kids there. They were all in a very loving environment where they did not cry every time you dropped them off. Our oldest son would always call her, "Mama Lita", which gave us comfort knowing he loved being there. He is now a senior in high school and always looks back fondly at the years he spent with Carmelita. We know finding a daycare is probably one of the most stressful periods in a parent's life but we can honestly say that we wholeheartedly recommend Learning Star. read more

Thankful to Miss Carmelita for taking good care of my baby for almost two years. I enrolled her at this preschool as an infant. She gave her lots of care and made sure she ate well. She has a small class ratio of only 3-4 kids so each child gets plenty of attention. She communicates well with me regarding my daughter's progress and things that she does or needs at her preschool. read more

Learning Star has our greatest gratitude and praise because of the exceptional care and guidance our two sons received. From the start, we were impressed by the educational background, experience, organization and professionalism of Miss Carmelita. We always appreciated the calendars provided at the beginning of each year because they helped us plan ahead with holidays/no school and tuition due dates. The environment is clean, relaxed and inviting, paired with the fun word boards, toys, and a spacious backyard to run, play and ride tricycles. What we admire most about Learning Star is Miss Carmelita's wonderful ability to relate to each child as she guides each of them with their individual strengths and personality. Our older child is more reserved while our younger child is boisterous. Nevertheless, both of them always showed pride and excitement with their work, no matter how simplistic or complex, neat or messy,colorful or bland; what was important was a clear love of learning. Our younger son actually started at a Montessori near his brother's elementary school, and it was difficult to see how being in a large class negatively affected him. We moved him to Learning Star and Miss Carmelita's patience and optimism comforted us greatly. It was so nice to see him happy about going to school, gradually get better with sharing, and doing better with his patience. I was further impressed when it was clear she saw him as an individual, recognized what he loves to do (building, creating, drawing, singing) and focused on his positive qualities as she shared how he was improving. We wish he was with Miss Carmelita from beginning to end, but nevertheless, the time he was able to share with her made all the difference and it was the best choice we made for our son. As graduates of Learning Star, my kids continue to love school and continue to foster friendships. Learning Star reaches the whole child's needs and lays a gradual foundation so the child is ready for kindergarten. As infants, my children were in good hands as they transitioned from bottles to sippy cups. As toddlers, their creativity was encouraged in different and wonderful ways. As preschool students, they learned their letters, numbers, phonics and simple math with excitement and pride. Now, as elementary school students, they still look back with the best memories as they move forward as lifelong learners. Thank you, Miss Carmelita. Learning Star is a Herculean treasure. read more

I would rate zero stars if that were an option! I had high hopes for this place and thought I had done my research prior to enrolling my 13 month old son. He broke his arm the second week he was there. Carmelita, the owner, claimed it was due to an odd tumble my son took while walking on the carpeted living room floor. I haven't heard of any 1 year olds breaking bones from falls while learning to walk; there bones are flexible at this age. Doctors also were suspicious of the incident. Needless to say I pulled my son out of Carmelita's care immediately. She seemed like a nice lady but there is way too much order in her day care. She has 1 year olds working on puzzles and sitting still for long periods of time....great that she teaches them to focus but just not normal for kids that age. Carmelita also does not provide meals and doesn't even offer a fridge for you to store your food products in. How inconvenient considering she charges a pretty penny for her services. I would have to lug a large ice box full of snacks and meals (yes, she does not even provide snacks) every morning. She also is so business like asking for payment practically a whole two weeks in advance of when it is contractually due (I didn't quite understand this part). Her place just didn't have that warm and cozy family feel that I was looking for because she was too focused on her bottom line of making money and collecting tuition fees early. I also did not feel the kids under her care were too happy. While Carmelita has very many years of experience as a child care provider, I think she is too old to handle more than two on her own. Note that she does not have any regular help so she handles up to 7-8 kids at a time on her own. My son was so so very unhappy when I would drop him off. I knew something was off with the place and wished that I had listened to the warning signs sooner rather than later. read more

We had two children at Learning Star for about six years. Mrs. Lynch is both a phenomenal caregiver and educator. The individualized care & development our kids received was outstanding. The children's time was usually structured (and we're parents who believe that most humans thrive with some structure) but when the kids asked for a free unstructured day, she would grant it. Mrs. Lynch loved our children as if they were her own and took as much joy in their development and unique personalities as we did (perhaps even more so on some days!). Our boys both knew how to read and write before kindergarten even started. They were not only developmentally way ahead when they started Kindergarten, but also socially well adjusted. Both of our kids adore Mrs. Lynch & consider her the standard to which teachers should aspire. Her fees were consistent and we didn't have any surprises I have no doubt that our kids flourished more in Mrs. Lynch's care than they would have in ours - and she's far more patient! Mrs. Lynch is a true professional and there's no way I could have done all that she did with our boys. Each family needs to find the child care situation that works for their preferences & circumstances, but if I had to choose childcare/pre-school all over again, I'd send them to Learning Star from 3 mos until kindergarten. You're set! read more

Both of our sons attended Learning Star Preschool, our older one from age 3 - 5, and our younger one from newborn to age 5. We selected this pre-school among many others in the area because of Mrs. Lynch's warm, educational, and personal focus on each child according to his or her particular needs and abilities, as well as her professionalism in running her pre-school and her straightforward demeanor with parents. During our nearly six cumulative years of enrollment at Learning Star, Mrs. Lynch became very much an extension of our own family and has continued as such even years after. The pre-school is home-based, which lends itself to a warm and friendly environment that made for a smooth transition each morning. In addition, Mrs. Lynch's educational tools and materials are top notch and far superior to those of another program in which our older son was previously enrolled. Children get active outdoor time in a good-sized, well-suited backyard. Mrs. Lynch not only has an extensive background in child education but also a passion for teaching that is visible in everything she does with the children. She is as motivated, engaged, friendly, and professional on a Monday at 7:30 a.m. with the children and parents as she is on a Friday at 6:00 p.m. Mrs. Lynch provided our sons with a structured program that challenged and engaged each of them, in both their mental and physical development. The boys perceived their "school work" as mostly fun, but Mrs. Lynch stressed the link between effort and reward: after the children did their "work," they then would get to play. Mrs. Lynch directs her program in a very loving, flexible, and fun manner so that the children look forward to going to "school." All calendars are distributed far in advance so that parents are very clear on the schedule for the upcoming year. For some working parents, the 5-6 weeks of holiday/vacation closure each year may be a logistical challenge. Mrs. Lynch also holds semi-annual parent teacher conferences where parents receive a thorough assessment of where each child is developmentally on all fronts. Both our sons entered their elementary schools not just thoroughly prepared for kindergarten but well advanced of other students. We highly recommend Learning Star Preschool. read more

It wasn't easy having to go back to work and find care for our twins, but we are so happy and grateful to have found Ms. Carmelita. We know that our children are in a safe and loving environment. We like that their day is structured and are so excited to hear about and see the milestones they've hit and what they've learned. Our children adore her and we are thankful for having found Learning Star Preschool. read more

As first time parents, we visited many daycares before finding Learning Star, and once we visited, we knew it was the perfect place for our son. There was no doubt we would enroll our next son, even as a baby. With ample room to play and learn indoors and outdoors, they never feel cooped up and they always have wonderful stories to share with us. Learning Star is a treasure in our family's lives. read more

My husband and I often discuss how truly lucky we are that we found Carmelita and Learning Star Preschool. My first son started there when he was just 4 months old; my second when he was only 3 months. Carmelita not only has the patience of a saint but she is phenomenal when it comes to structure and learning. She makes sure that all kids are being taught at the appropriate skill level for their age, never overwhelming them or grouping them into one. As well as teaching them how to socialize and interact with other children and adults. She takes the time to care and interact with each child individually as well as getting them accustomed to doing group activities. My oldest will be going to kindergarten next fall and he has already began writing and reading with the help of her guidance. And I know my younger son will be equally as prepared when he is ready for grade school as well. Overall, anyone who ever asks me about my daycare I always tell them this: Its structured as a preschool more than just a daycare. They're actually learning things everyday instead of just 'being watched' like many other in-house daycares do. It is the best thing I could of ever done for my kids thus far and I would recommend Learning Star to any parent. read more