We've had an incredible two years at ABS, watching our daughter grow from a bright 2 years old baby…read moreinto a curious, joyful, and confident French-speaking toddler. She started at 2 years old and is now reading letters, counting to 30, writing her name, and even cutting with scissors -- all while singing French songs and retelling stories with joy. ABS has created a safe, nurturing environment where she learned not just academics but empathy, independence, and confidence. She was potty trained within months, and she loved going to school so much she'd hide at pickup time just to stay longer! Her teachers -- Tina and Samia in year one, and Kahina and Safia this year -- are exceptional. Warm, patient, and truly invested in each child's growth, all the teachers always kept us informed and welcomed every conversation with a smile. The school also provides nutritious meals daily (thank you Liliana and Yessica!), with the weekly menu sent in advance -- something we really appreciated. And the administration, especially Chloé the Director and Zohra the Head Teacher, are always present at drop-off and pickup, making communication seamless and personal. The outdoor environment is just as special -- with gardens, fruit trees, and even chickens! Our daughter sometimes brings home fresh eggs and stories of planting and harvesting. The space is always clean and the parking is just sufficient and stress-free. Huge thanks to the entire ABS team -- from teachers (Safia, Kahina, Tina, Samia, Rama, Liasmine, Hiba, Ceylan) to admin to chefs and grounds staff( Mark & Arturo) -- and especially to Chloé and Coralie, whose leadership and warmth have made ABS a second home for our family. This is more than a school -- it's a joyful, loving, and inspiring place where children truly thrive. ABS is the place you want your child to be~!

We wanted a language immersion program in Oakland for our son and found a wonderful community. He…read morestarted when he was 2 years and will have been there for two years as well as attended the summer camps. We've had an amazing experience at ABS. The teachers are so dedicated and caring and have been truly wonderful throughout our time. I really can't say enough about them! ABS also does an amazing job at bringing parents together through its events and fostering a community around the school. And the school meals...wow! It's bittersweet that our son will be graduating and moving on...but we're so excited that we can still send him to the ABS summer camp and that our daughter will join ABS next year! Thank you Chloé, Zohra, Audrey, Samia, Tina, Liasmine, Rama, Safia, Kahina, and Coralie!

Our journey at TRIS was an experience that our family will always appreciate and treasure. The…read morestaff and teachers are dedicated to helping the students grow and discover possibilities from within. Their holistic approach for academic and personal development is what stands out most for us. As parents, TRIS was a valued partner in helping us uphold and reinforce our desire to nurture responsibility and accountability in our children. It wasn't enough for our children to be "smart.," although it is evident that our children and other TRIS children are among the smartest in their respective environments. Our goal was to instill behaviors that help them to lead, to participate in and to consider the world around them. Overall, Montessori education has made an incredible impact on how my children tackle challenges and conflict in their lives. As a result, they embrace opportunities to meet new people and try difficult things even when they are nervous or afraid. This is even the case for one of our children who exhibited shyness and introversion from a young age. TRIS and Montessori education helped us to realize that our children have innate capabilities and interests that will enable them to pursue things that have purpose and value to them now and in the future. There aren't enough words to describe the foundation TRIS helped to build in our children. Completely worth the investment and sacrifice.

We were initially drawn to TRIS for its Montessori-inspired, self-directed learning style and what…read moreseemed like a knowledgeable and nurturing teaching staff. Our children attended from 2021 to 2023, starting in Pre-Primary and Primary. While our neurotypical daughter did okay, our son--who has learning differences--was not supported in the way we expected from a school that emphasizes individualized education. After his teacher and the head of the elementary program raised concerns, we pursued a comprehensive private assessment based on their recommendation. When we shared the results--which showed he was severely academically behind (below the 5th percentile in reading skills)--we received no response for two weeks. When they did reach out, the response was dismissive and lacked urgency. Even though they had asked for the assessment, they questioned the accuracy of the results and brushed off the findings by saying, "everyone learns at their own pace." His significant learning gaps were not treated as an educational concern. The burden of support was placed entirely on us as parents--recommendations focused on hiring outside specialists, while the school offered no internal interventions or accommodations. At the parent-teacher conference, we were blindsided when the Head of School abruptly informed us, with no opportunity for discussion, that our son would not be offered a spot in the Elementary program because there were "too many special needs kids" already enrolled. While our daughter didn't face academic challenges, even she--and her brother--commented on how much more engaging and enjoyable public school was after leaving TRIS. Leadership has since changed, but the current team still includes the former Head of School's daughters and son-in-law. TRIS may look progressive on the surface, but families of children with learning differences should ask careful questions before enrolling. In our experience, it was not an inclusive or responsive environment. One final note: our daughter once suffered a deep gash on her finger--apparently from one of the school's cots--and needed stitches. When her teacher called to notify us, it was made to sound minor, and we were told there was no need to pick her up. When I arrived, I saw how serious the cut was and took her to the doctor immediately. That experience reinforced our concerns about how the school handled safety and communication.

I love this school, it has an excellent school program. they always do different activities…read more the children learn Spanish very quickly. the teachers and administrative staff are very friendly.

Our children have attended OMES since Summer 2023 and we love the school! What especially sets OMES…read moreapart from other preschools is how welcoming and warm the teachers are - I see them care for my children as if they are their own. Karen and Jesus have done a wonderful job fostering a friendly and supportive staff/parent community that we love being a part of. Each day I know my children are engaging in fun and educational activities, and I love getting the daily updates on Brightwheel about their days. As a Spanish-immersion school, I'm incredibly impressed with the way my children have picked up the language and even use outside of school with other Spanish speakers.

Two years ago, my wife and I were looking for a preschool in Oakland for our then two year old…read more After touring many schools and care options, we are glad we eventually settled on The Lake School, because it provided the best care and education for our son at any price point. We believe this stems from their uncompromising commitment to what is best for their students at every age and developmental milestone. The teachers are knowledgeable and compassionate, and we trust them to guide our son's development with care personalized to his needs and personality. The Lake School also maintains a very small student to teacher ratio to ensure the attentiveness necessary for this level of care. Now, almost two years later, our son is happy and thriving. He has a love for books and learning that is nurtured at school. He's formed close bonds with classmates. He's learned how much more fun imaginative play can be with friends. Perhaps most importantly, he looks forward to school, and is excited to share about his activities and what he learned when he comes home.

I have had my children at The Lake School for 3 years and cannot say enough good things about the…read moreschool but I will try and synthesize it here for you... 1) The Teachers: The teachers at The Lake School are simply AMAZING. I have been fortunate enough to have a child in every single class and I can say with confidence that each teacher is warm, sensitive, patient and takes the time to learn about each child as a unique individual. The teachers are more than just teachers, they are my main source of parenting support and have always worked with us to make sure that we are creating supportive, enriching environments for our children inside and outside of school. The current director of the school is a past teacher so she brings all of her wonderful, toddler-whisperer magic to her leadership role which resonated across the community. 2) Play-Based: I am so thankful that we ended up choosing a play-based school. Children only get to be children once and The Lake School embraces this phase and lets it flourish. Like at any school, our children are learning letters, numbers, writing and reading but all within their own interests and play, as opposed to a set curriculum that doesn't take the student's interests into account. When my son's class was really interested in dinosaurs, the teachers reorganized the curriculum to be dinosaur themed to keep the kids attention while teaching them skills. It is amazing to see how every teacher and every class becomes a completely unique learning environment driven entirely by the students. 3) Flexible Hours: The Lake School is truly unique with how flexible the program is. From 2 days a week for 3 hours to 5 days a week for 7 hours, each family can choose exactly the schedule that works for them. And if life changes at some point during the year, you can easily make changes to your child's schedule without any roadblocks. You will not regret sending your children to this wonderful community. It is a family, lead by an amazing director, who really know your children and teachers who let the kid's unique interests drive their education.

My son attended Oak Grove from just before he was 3 to almost 5. We've had such a wonderful…read moreexperience with this preschool. The teachers are caring and supportive and the curriculum is fantastic. We feel our son is well prepared for TK after all the preparation he has had with Oak Grove. He is beginning to read sounds, knows sight words, has developing math skills, and can understand pattern solving/recognition. This preschool also offers benefits that were near impossible to find at other preschools, such as including meals (breakfast, lunch and two snacks in between), and flexibility in nap time. Once our son was old enough to no longer need a daily nap (napping was making bedtime difficult), Oak Grove easily accommodated the switch. They also helped reinforce potty training, and our son is now almost potty independent.

Our son & daughter both had a wonderful experience at Oak Grove. The teachers care deeply for all…read morethe kids, who also connect so well with one another that we're still arranging playdates with each other on weekends. The different cohorts (Sprouts, Roots, Blossoms) are well structured, but also mix well with one another at certain points of the day and outside. The graduation ceremony was particularly moving, and we feel our little ones have been well prepared for K and beyond.

Our son attended Golden Bay for the 8 months prior to starting TK. He had a great time there, and…read morelearned a number of important things about the transition between daycare and school. Golden Bay's structure and team provided him with the right experience to prepare him for his next steps. All of the staff is very professional, caring and understanding. Highly recommended, especially if you are planning on attending TK in the school district, as your child will have more experience in a class-like setting, which will make the transition process more familiar and less stressful.

This review is long overdue. My daughter has been with Golden Bay preschool for over 2 years,…read morestarting at 2 years old. I'm always impressed by the organization and communication from teachers and staff. Their hours are very accomodating for working parents. The school is very clean, I appreciate the no shoes inside model. Most importantly, my daughter talks highly about her school and misses it on breaks and weekends. She has blossomed in confidence and communication skills since attending. I'm looking forward for my second child to be of age to attend this preschool!

I am so happy and grateful that I found SquareCare! My son started the program soon after turning…read more2. Until then, he had only ever been cared for by his dad, grandmother, and me - no babysitters or nannies - so being away from us was a big adjustment. From the very beginning, the team at SquareCare was incredibly understanding and supportive. Mitzy created a thoughtful transition plan that truly set my son up for success. At first, I was able to stay with him at school so he could get comfortable with the new environment and teachers. Then, we gradually increased the time he spent there alone. Finally, once we all felt confident that he was happy and secure, he began napping at school as well. Now, my son loves school and attends full days three times a week. Mitzy, Yessi, and Tiara are so patient and genuinely invested in his success. We're all so proud of his progress and growth. I highly recommend this program! The teachers are not only caring and wonderful with the children, but the environment is exceptionally clean and inviting. Plus, there's a bunny and chickens--such a fun and unique touch that the kids absolutely love!

Our family had exceptional experiences at this lovely program. Our toddler thrived in her time with…read moreMiss Mitzy and Yessica. The program is beautifully run, with a nurturing, play-based, safe, and thoughtful approach that provides exactly what our precious, tender, developing children need. The space is well set-up, full of a great mix of games, puzzles, books, instruments, and kid-friendly furniture. The outdoor space is awesome and just the right scale for the little ones. Mitzy takes so much time to create unique and fun crafts and sensory activities for the kids to do daily! She also authors children's books which our little one still requests nightly. In the mornings she used to say "I want to go home and see Mitzy and Yessi!". During pick up she didn't want to leave. Even though it's technically a daycare, they do all the same types of early literacy, math, and social emotional development work that any preschool does. We're so thankful we found SquareCare and had the pleasure of knowing our little ones were in such great and caring hands. Could not recommend more highly.

I sent my child here for less than a full school year, from the age of two to close to three years…read moreold. It's a beautiful school with great teachers. All that you want out of a Montessori education is here. He got a lot out of it and usually wanted to stay at the end of the day. He learned many interesting skills and they took good care of him. The only reason we left is that we had to move far away. Why 4 stars? In a word, it's expensive. The tuition is really high. It costs more than college. One kid at the age of 2 going full time was $1791/month. Add to this various fees. Also add to this that they are closed usually several times a month, and you have to find alternate child care or sometimes they have alternate care for $80/day (!) on top of the regular tuition. If you want to pay for a lunch through their program, it costs $6. Granted, it's organic and locally sourced, but seriously, $6 for a 2 year old's lunch that consists of a few steamed vegetables and a tiny slice of pizza? It was a drawback for me.

I really was impressed with this school for the two years my daughter attended. Her teachers worked…read morewith her, especially when her behavior got squirrelly during the worst days of my divorce from her abusive father. I LOVED this school. I raved about it to anyone who would listen. However, what happened at the end of her second year has led me to give them this negative review. My ex was on the hook for school fees per court order so he went in to the headmistress Helen Campbell and the business manager Nancy Haskins and told them I'd forged his signature. They had just offered her a 66% scholarship so she could finish her kindergarten cycle and prevent even more upheaval in her life. Rather than talking to me about it, they broke the contract and categorically removed her financial aid and dropped her enrollment. I could have straightened the whole thing out, even provided them with a copy of the forensic document examiner's report that I got after the fact showing my ex had manipulated them, but they weren't interested. To add insult to injury, they knew they were in trouble for breaking the contract so they made up a bunch of stuff about me in a letter to Community Care Licensing and distorted events that had actually happened to make me out to be a problem parent and that was why they broke the contract only weeks after they'd signed it. They provided a copy of this letter to my ex, who used it in custody court and then proceeded to make life even more miserable for me and my children. I was never informed by the school exactly why they'd dropped me. I just got a short, hostile phone call from Nancy Haskins that said it was all my fault and I could have prevented it if I'd wanted to. I didn't hear the "real" reason until my ex filed their letter in court as an exhibit in a pleading. During the first year that I was struggling to survive after leaving my husband, and dealing with his reindeer games, my daughter's teacher was very sympathetic, telling me that if she "had to choose a side, it would be mine." She compared my ex to Hans Reiser, whose children with Nina Reiser had also attended GLM. I can't help wondering if they treated Nina Reiser like they did me, and pulled their support from her when she needed it most. Sad to say, this teacher also ended up writing a distorted letter about me and that betrayal hurt the worst of all. I'm pretty sure I glimpsed her at Summitt Hospital last week; when she saw me, she turned around and walked the other way as fast as she could go. So at least she has the grace to be ashamed of herself. An apology would be nicer, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm most angry with this school and their unprofessional treatment of my child because they completely dropped us from alumni lists so we don't get invited to things like the Back to School Carnival, and all the parents of my daughter's friends started avoiding us and wouldn't set up play dates with her. I think it's despicable that my poor kid, who needed stability in her life, lost not only a stable educational situation, but all of her beloved friends in one fell swoop. This is after taking thousands and thousands of dollars of her savings for her education the previous two years. I guess once the money ran out, their concern for her welfare ran out too. They made all this noise about wanting only what is best for my child, and then stabbed her in the back in a most despicable manner. Nancy and Helen, if you're reading, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I hope that all parents reading this review think long and hard about getting involved with this school. The underhanded, malicious behavior of the administration of the school is something that should be avoided. In a word, sleazy. There are schools just as good for less money.