I have had three grandchildren go through this school from toddler to elementary. Top notch staff. Top notch teachers. Top notch administrators. Top notch management. One grandchild is a college freshman. The other two are in 7th grade. They are all very bright, well adjusted, and doing well in school. I give Lifetime Montessori a lot of credit. read more

We moved our child recently from another school to Lifetime after wanting more structure in an academic setting, balanced with group play and exploration. Every child and family have different needs and it was important that we found teachers and an administration that was willing to partner with us to address any concerns and proactively work together to find solutions. We have been very impressed with the leadership, admin and teachers' transparency, accountability and communication. So many schools can feel like a corporate profit driven endeavor and we have observed that Lifetime cares deeply about children development and curating their interests. A simple example is that we asked that our child be allowed to observe the classroom Montessori 'work' session in action before making a decision to enroll her formally (this would be the first time our child would observe a Montessori class in person).The school year had already started and the Director, Kristin, asked that we hold off until the second or third week of school so that she could support the teachers to protect the integrity of what they were trying to establish in the new classroom on the first week of school without creating a distraction. She could have easily agreed to allow us to observe sooner so we could enroll earlier (other schools did), etc... it's through small actions and decisions that we felt comfortable placing our child there with a team of educators and admin that truly put the children's wellbeing and needs first. They also have set up a system of room parents that are very helpful to guide fellow parents with onboarding, external play dates and organizing events. There is no perfect childcare or school, but at the end of the day, we chose Lifetime because we are confident that the whole team works together to communicate openly and will partner together to honor what's best for our child. It's also a great sign when the teachers choose to coteach together for multiple years, clearly, they are enjoying it :). Thanks to the whole team for putting in their efforts to create a space for children to explore, learn and play! read more

Our child has been enrolled at LMS for nearly three years and absolutely loves it. The Montessori approach here is outstanding, fostering not only academic growth but also overall personal development. Ms. Kristin, the school director, along with the entire staff, are always a pleasure to interact with. The teachers, Mr. Daniel and Ms. Esmeralda, have created such a welcoming and nurturing environment that truly supports learning and growth. The positive culture at LMS has had a wonderful impact on our child, and we are grateful for the dedication and care the school consistently provides. Thank you -- and please keep up the excellent work! read more

A few sentences are not enough to convey how much we value the Lifetime Montessori experience. The teachers at Lifetime are compassionate and teach kids with empathy and kindness. Many schools talk about giving kids "individualized" learning but don't deliver on that promise. We know bc our 2 kids have attended multiple schools (preschool through high school) due to relocation and district changes. Lifetime Montessori delivers on the promise of individualized learning. Every teacher and staff actually care about the kids and take the time to learn and understand what they need -- not to just teach them lessons and concepts required in a curriculum -- but to teach them to LOVE to learn, ENCOURAGE and ALLOW for curiosity, ROLE MODEL kindness while preparing them for the responsibilities that come with being part of a community. read more

Our girls have been with Lifetime for a few years, and are ending their Primary years this spring. We are so impressed with how our girls have grown during their years at Lifetime, with constant help and support from their teachers as well as Kristin and Kimbra. The environment is loving and nurturing while also challenging. Lucky for us, we get to continue our time at Lifetime with younger children! read more

My 4-year-old grandson Michael lives in Los Angeles, where he attends a prestigious preschool. During this Thanksgiving school break, he stayed with us in San Diego. For five days (excluding Thanksgiving), he attended the OCTO Mini Club and OCTO Gymnastics--and loved it! This week had a remarkable impact on his attitude toward maintaining the Russian language: "I'm so glad I know both Russian and English. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to attend the OCTO club." Additionally, it was the first time we had received no complaints about his behavior all week: "He's an active boy, but with a bit more personalized attention, he was doing just great!" This positive feedback boosted his self-confidence immensely. When leaving for LA, he said, "Now I want to come to San Diego even more--if only you'll arrange for me to go to the OCTO club." Thank you so much! read more

We have been at Lifetime since our daughter was 4 yrs old. We have our 2 other children there now as well. 2 of them are in the elementary program (1st - 6th equivalent) and 1 is in the primary program (pre-K - K). The school has been wonderful for our childrens' growth, both from a educational as well as social perspective. Small class sizes, personalized attention and flexibility when evaluating our children moving from primary to elementary sooner than standard school yr ages, etc. - these are all areas that are expected when it comes to private schooling and Lifetime has exceeded them. The administration and the teachers are caring and value the kids' needs and the parents requests. As with any other business, there are always limitations and Kristin and her team ensure that they are as flexible as possible whenever there are exceptions that are requested from parents. We are grateful that we found Lifetime and settled our children into this school when we moved back to San Diego in 2021. Thank you so much and this honest review is very much long overdue! read more

Our family has been extremely pleased with Lifetime Montessori. We've been here for a year with 2 kids aged 5 and 2. The teachers are highly skilled, experienced, and wonderful! We love the staff, all the activities organized throughout the year, and just how warm everyone is. Along with caring for the kids, the school makes efforts to also educate parents on how to work with our kids at home, support them and help them grow as individuals. These are free sessions on weekday evenings, and they provide free childcare and dinner as well. We've not seen this anywhere else! It shows how much they are committed to building a solid environment for the kids. We want to specially call out the director Ms. Kristin, who is the person behind everything and is the reason this school stands out in our opinion. She truly cares about the kids and is very engaged with the families. We saw this on week 1 when she called to check if our son was having a hard transition, when I mentioned to the teachers that he was emotional (which actually was for something unrelated to school). She's also made herself available for consultations on handling challenging situations at home with our older. We've taken her up on these a couple times and they were super helpful. She has the experience to provide strategies and tools to help navigate parenting in general. Just talking to her has proven to be beneficial to us and we love that she takes the time to help the school community. She's amazingly patient and calm as a person, and radiates that positive energy. Ms. Kristin is very well versed in Montessori principles and is a brilliant teacher. We've learnt so much from her! We very highly recommend Lifetime to anyone considering this school. read more

Our family loves Lifetime Montessori! We enrolled our daughter into their Toddler Program last spring at 18 months and she'll begin her transition to Primary there this summer. We had originally intended to transfer her into Primary at a Montessori school that's within walking distance of our home however, our experience has been so wonderful we're committed to this absolutely special community at Lifetime! Lifetime follows the Montessori principles closely, which was all entirely new to our family just a short year ago. It's very clear each student receives a child-centric approach that fosters independence and a love for learning. Over the last year we've observed how engaged our daughter is with her work thanks to the thoughtfully prepared environment and available materials offered at Lifetime. Our child has become an ambitious, confident, independent, and happy little girl. She is so capable and is always approaching new and learned activities by proudly exclaiming "I can do it, I can do it all by myself!" We've had the pleasure of working closely with Ms. Faride (Head Cricket Toddler Teacher) who is such an exceptional teacher and person. She has been a true guide to our daughter and family. Ms. Faride, among all teachers and staff at Lifetime, is highly trained and passionate about her work, and it shows in the way she engages with the children. Another person we are particularly grateful to is Kristin (Co-Founder and Director). We appreciate her efforts in communicating and coordinating fun events within the community, providing valuable parent-educational workshops, and offering helpful resources for us to continue the Montessori principles at home. Kristin's commitment to professional development is also commendable, as she ensures that teachers and staff have opportunities to attend the annual AMI conference and other enriching educational experiences. We are incredibly proud and grateful to have our daughter attend Lifetime Montessori. Whether you are already familiar with Montessori principles or have just discovered them, we wholeheartedly recommend this school. The dedication, passion, and strong sense of community at Lifetime Montessori make it an outstanding choice for any family seeking a nurturing and enriching educational environment. read more

Have had 3 kids go to Lifetime Montessori both with the toddler and primary program. Wow! The staff are all highly educated, the tenure is high, and the admin staff are responsive and flexible to parents ever changing needs. I have attended many of the extra teaching sessions they offer as well, and it has helped me as a parent to learn the experiences of these children, and how to parent them in nurturing and effective ways. So another big plus for this school. read more

We are moving out of state and one of the hardest things about this move was knowing we would not be able to continue sending our daughter to Lifetime. It has been such a great foundation for her. We've noticed that she's grown to be so confident and capable under this school's direction and care. The teacher's are incredibly supportive and nurture independence in their students. Our daughter comes home and helps clean, and knows how to organize through the Montessori works she does at school. She doesn't get as frustrated and can focus now that she has established some foundational skills that help her tackle more difficult and complex problems. She is incredibly smart, observant, and empathetic (helping her younger friends), which we attribute to the Montessori methods. We also loved that the school provides educational resources and workshops to parents who are interested. If we were staying, we would have continued the Positive Discipline workshops. In the first class we took, we saw a 180 on some behaviors we were hoping to address. We were given tools to help our daughter make her own decisions and use good judgement at a young age. We are so grateful for the teachers and staff at Lifetime. You know you've got a good thing when you and your child are happy at every drop off and pickup. We've been so lucky to have that reassurance every day. It's tough to find people you can trust to care for your children when you cannot, and we cannot express enough what peace we've had here and the positive development we've witnessed firsthand. read more

We've been here for over a year now and we are so happy with this school! Our little guy is learning so much about respect and courtesy! He takes responsibility for his mistakes but he's not afraid to make mistakes! We are so happy to have him in a nurturing but never coddling environment! read more

Lifetime saved us! When the public school system let our daughter down after a yearlong bout of bullying, we found a new school, and we found our footing again. Lifetime welcomed our then-1st grader with open arms and gave her a soft place to land. She's blossomed and found her voice in an environment where she's allowed to express herself and feel safe. Her teachers and the directors there are kind, caring and trustworthy individuals who give so much to make sure students flourish and learn. What I love about Lifetime is its whole-child approach. I never worry that my daughter isn't getting what she needs to give her a well-rounded education. Her reading skills are through the roof! And she engages in science and math with ease. I'm so grateful to the staff at Lifetime for working so hard to stay open during Covid. As I said before , it's saved us, both then and now. Our now-3rd grader loves her school, and we recommend this "home away from home" to anyone who wants the same experience we've been lucky enough to enjoy. read more

My Son K going here since he was 3 year old, it has been great couple of years for us. LMS is one of the best thing happened to K, especially Ms. Cham's class. Even if he is OFF one day, he will start missing his class a lot. Everyday he has tons to talk about his class activities. K has shaped very well as young boy, his manners and kindness are always highly spoken by others, thanks for teaching him well. We would like thank every teachers & staff member who helped shaping K. Especially, Ms. Cham, Ms. Rubina, Ms. Pushti & Ms. Melissa. The teaching staff at Lifetime show compassion and patience when working with all age groups. As parents we will also miss LMS, and we are very happy K was part of this school and want to wish LMS all the best. read more

Lifetime Montessori School - LMS - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

I was very shocked by the attitude and the behaviour of the director of this - so called nursery while I was touring it yesterday. I was considering it for my son, until this happened. The director was very rude to all the parents there, made one of them clean the glass jar she spilled by accident on the floor (taking it an excuse to lead by example and let parents show and teach kids to clean after themselves). I'm sorry I have 3 other kids and they all went to Montessori pre-schools growing up, and yes they teach independence and practical life skills, but not expect toddlers and 2 years old to pick up broken glass if an incident like that did occur. A complete arrogant behaviour demonstrated by this woman and everything she portrayed and said gave me the chills. And the straw that broke the camel's back is when she kicked out a mama (with her 7 or 8 month old baby) simply because he was babbling not even crying. She told her to leave the room because she was distracted. At that point I had had enough, and told her no one here is distracted by a baby but you, and I don't see how you can deal with toddlers and tolerate them if you can't tolerate a baby. This is no place for any of my kids and no mom should let anyone make her or her baby feel like that, or feel unacceptable! Who does she think she is? To talk to her like that. I left in the middle of the tour after snapping at the director for her inappropriate behaviour. If preschool supervisors cannot conduct a tour while a baby gets a bit fussy or a toddler runs around the classroom to explore his future surroundings, who can? This is supposed to be a place to nurture kids and help them develop not stand there and conduct an uninterrupted tour for hours thinking that kids are robots and parents can simply abandon their babies because she gets distracted or her majesty might get annoyed. What a preschool! No thank you. Maria Montessori will definitely be ashamed of this woman's behaviour and I'm sorry but you shouldn't own a Montessori business, you are ruining it's name. read more

Lifetime Montessori in an incredibly special school. I would like to say it goes above and beyond in teaching your child to get ready for the world and to better themselves as human beings. Our child has completed her first year at Lifetime after moving to San Diego from out of state. We toured many schools all over the area and did a great deal of research online and talking to parents in the community. The moment we met Kristin and Kelly at the school and walked into the beautiful, serene yet safe haven we knew this was it. Safety is a huge factor knowing that our child can be in an environment that in which they are protected in this crazy world. Lifetime goes above and beyond in making sure that all children are safe and doors remained locked at all times and those entering that are not the normal pick up drop off parent/ grandparent/ caregiver show ID. Each family also has their own personal code to get in and out. Kimbra and Karen in the front office do an amazing job and always greet the students and families with a smile. The send our emails with reminders and make it easy so your not coming home with stacks of paper every week. Our child had truly bloomed here thanks to Ms Claire and Ms Michelle. From healthy snacks and meal making we love eating fruit and veggies. The classrooms are light, bright and filled with the highest end Montessori materials. At home we now have an independent being who makes beds, cleans and helps cook our family dinners. Gone are the days of reminding to get dressed, clean up and be ready to walk out the door. We have learned valuable lessons as a family. The reading and writing and math have all greatly improved but it's more than that... it is seeing the confidence to go out and be a better stronger individual. We could not be more thankful for what this year has done not only for our child but for whole family. I might add they are building an out of this world addition to their playground! Go ahead and take a tour, you will be happy you did read more

Lifetime Montessori School - Beautiful Clean Classrooms with the highest quality Montessori learning materials! - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

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Our daughter has been going to this school since she was 18 mon. Coupled with Montessori teaching philosophy, caring, well-trained teachers and staff have made our daughter an independent and confident kid. Never a day has come when our daughter has said she doesn't want to go to school. She loves atmosphere, teachers and staff. Teachers are well trained to manage touch situations between kids. They know when to act and when to let kids sort themselves out. We are so pleased with the teachings our daughter received in both toddler and preschool programs that we have already enrolled our son starting Fall 2022. read more

We love this this school and our daughter is doing wonderful we highly recommend this school true Montessori school and teachers are wonderful. read more

We sent both of our kids to LMS starting at 18 months through 6 years old. The environment is warm and well setup for self-paced learning and growth. The teachers and administration are top notch and really care about the kids. read more

Being part of the Lifetime Montessori family for the past 6 years has truly been just that, a family. We joined Lifetime when my oldest daughter was 18 months and now our youngest twins (now 3.5 years) have continued this incredible journey. All 4 of our kids, have not only build a special relationship with their teachers and other staff members (to this day my daughter is asking to go back), but they developed their own unique interests, personality, and traits through the guidance of the staff. From the beginning, our children were taught independence, respect, and most importantly were given choices. Throughout the years, our children grew so much academically, emotionally, and socially. From the first day of walking into the classroom, they were greeted with a handshake. Although being only 18months, they were viewed and respected as individuals who have opinions, emotions, and feelings. Initially, it was slightly unclear as to why certain educational lessons were performed the way that they were, however in my daughters last year in kindergarten, it ALL came together. Towards graduation time, there came that day when my husband and I sat back and said, "Now it all makes sense!" and it REALLY did! Our daughter was WELL prepared for 1st grade, and now almost being done 1st grade I can say that she was above average in several academic areas, and I owe it all to Lifetime. The transition from a Montessori school to a public school was very easy. My child adapted very quickly and easily. Her only complaint was that some kids, in her words were "crazy," which to her meant "they don't know how to be kind and respectful!" THANK YOU, Lifetime, for teaching those very important traits to all your kids! The staff here always cared about the development and safety of all the kids. The school did and continues to do so much for not only the kids but also the parents. The endless support that was provided throughout the years goes above and beyond to what the schools' responsibilities are. In addition to your standard day to day operations, the school planned field trips and other special events that were put together and run by students themselves...Yes, kids 6 and under planned and ran various events, one being a bake sale. Overall, it's a great environment that thrives off of the smiles of these little kids on a daily basis! read more

Real Montessori!! It is nice to know that there are dedicated Montessorians who keep the traditional values of her legacy alive. Thanks Kristin for your beautiful school. read more

I have two children enrolled at Lifetime and they have spent time in the Toddler, Primary, and Elementary programs. I am a Montessori trained teacher myself and I have a high standard when it comes to Montessori schools. If you are looking for a truly authentic Montessori school, this is it. All of the lead teachers are trained at the highest level, the classroom environments are beautifully prepared and well maintained, and every aspect of the Montessori philosophy is followed closely. The administrative staff is welcoming, engaging, and deeply committed to the well being of the children. There is also a lot of opportunity to be involved in the community through parent volunteering and various family events through out the year. It is a wonderful school to be a part of! Our eldest child completed her Kindergarten year here and just finished her first year of Elementary. She really blossomed during her Kindergarten year. We saw so much come to fruition in terms of her social, emotional, and academic development. The work she did the first two years came full circle. She got the chance to be a leader in the classroom which matured her and grew her confidence a great deal. The teachers did a great job integrating more specific Kindergarten curriculum into every day and in weekly pull out groups. I do not believe that her Primary experience would have been complete without the Kindergarten year. Likewise, we have been beyond pleased with the Elementary program. We've seen her confidence and ownership over learning continue to grow. The students are allowed to self direct their learning while being guided by exceptional teachers who focus on the students' holistic needs and instruct in a multidimensional way. Its really fascinating to watch! She enjoys being part of a community of children that range in age and ability where there is no competition, just a lot of collaboration and sharing of knowledge. We are very glad that she has not felt any pressure from formal tests, grades, or homework. Instead, she continues to think of school as a place where learning is fun and relaxed. That has been huge for us. She has been so happy in the Elementary classroom! read more

We have 2 kids going to Lifetime and we have nothing but positives to say about the school. We started our son at 3 and he's been there for 2 years. Since then, we've witnessed amazing growth in his language skills as well as his ability to focus on tasks. His ability to focus due to the skills taught by Lifetime's montessori methods has led us to put him in piano and karate lessons to which he is currently excelling in. My younger daughter has been nurtured by all the teachers she's been with, in particular Ms. Nadia and Ms. Vicki. Like any environment with a bunch of kids there are some not so well behaved kids, but I hand it to the staff in handling things in a very calm manner. My wife and I are working parents so it's hard to drop our kids off somewhere for 10+ hours but we have full faith and trust in Lifetime in taking great care of our kids. read more

Most teachers are great, loving and caring (yes I said most). I was not happy with one of the head teachers in the toddler classes (for 18M - 3Y). I was completely satisfied with the teacher for the primary class (3-5Y). Are the teachers happy with the school? Well, one of the previous reviews already revealed some facts. Something that parents need to consider before enrolling their kids: - It has lots of days off (at the parents' expenses) - Well, I guess the reason is that it's considered as a real school, not a daycare. For example, no school for their staff development sessions, no school for them to clean the school (well , early pick up (at 11AM) the day before Christmas break (usually the school closes a couple days before Christmas - not right before Christmas). Teacher appreciation week.The school year ends in mid Jun. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THEIR CALENDAR SO THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO SCRAMBLE TO FIND DAYS OFF OR SOMEONE TO WATCH YOUR KIDS ON THOSE DAYS. - Fees: the school has a few extra fees. Summer program deposit ($300) + Activity fee ($35). These 2 fees are non-refundable. Application fee ($100) - one time pay. Annual enrollment fee ($200). - The most ridiculous requirement is that the payment for Jun is required at the beginning of the school year (for existing students, this payment is already requested before their previous school year ends), and this payment is NON-REFUNDABLE. So, say if you decide to pull your child out in the middle of the year, you lose it. Or, due to Covid, you couldn't send your child to school, you would lose it (this was not communicated unless you asked!). - If you fall for the 5%-10% discount they offer if you pay for the whole year, good luck in getting your money back if you decide to withdraw your kids in the middle of the year. The bottom line is that I feel like the parents are being taken advantage by the school financially. If you don't worry about money and have so much free time, it may not be a problem (because you're most likely available to watch your kids during those no-school days). If money does matter and your working schedule is tight or not too flexible, go through the payment schedule and calendar carefully (count how many days your kids have to stay at home!). There are other decent Montessori schools in the nearby neighborhoods that may fit your budget and schedule better. read more

My daughter has been attending Lifetime Montessori since she turned two years old and just this year, when she turned four, her little brother began attending at 20 months. There was no doubt in our minds that our son would be attending this wonderful school after watching our daughter become a confident little lady. Having our daughter grow up in the Montessori environment has been life changing! Seeing her advise and mentor her little brother at home starts at the examples that she has at school and it is only here, at Lifetime Montessori, where that can be reinforced. I'll admit that our loving family has provided the base in this circle of love, but the reinforcement she gets at Lifetime is bar none. A few of the recent reviews speak of the Director (Ms. Kristin) not being kind or accommodating but that is the opposite of what I have become witnessed to. Her caring attitude for not only her children that attend the school but the families as well, really shines through in the constant interaction and activities that she plans. Her dedication is what I have come to expect from school leadership and she sets the bar high. The open door policy of the front office is great and I have nothing but high praise for everyone at the school. The teachers are a joy to meet with and having your child come home and speak so highly of their instructors is always great. It really shines through what a great job the staff is doing. Volunteer opportunities can be found throughout the year and the end of year Silent Auction is always a joy. From the Fall Festival or the Thanksgiving Day Luncheon, the children really have a lot to look forward to. Even the parents' activities from Donuts for Dads or the Mothers' Day treat, there really is always something going on at Lifetime. The parents that I have met as well as their children are awesome. Its been proven to be a great place to network and hang out with other parents. It's a wonderful school and seeing our children start to recognize their classmates outside of the classroom around the community is quite a treat. There is no doubt in my mind that this school deserves a five star review. It's stellar classroom setup, campus grounds, administration and teachers, along with the parents and children that have associated with Lifetime Montessori all contribute to becoming an anchor in the community. I love that we found this school when we did and am always excited in dropping off my kids and picking them up to hear their awesome accomplishments. read more

I was asked to recommend to a friend about my Lifetime experiences over several years with our kids. I went to see what others had been saying and, cannot believe it, no other Yelps. I guess it is not something one typically does like high-volume restaurant reviews. The thing about this place is that the basis is deeply, serious, strict, legit "Montessori Method." The director is O.G. Montessori. Which is fine, if you are into turn of the century (2 centuries ago) methods for teaching kids how to live. Nothing wrong with that, giving kids an independence kick is a good thing. Giving parents a "hook" or two to further train their kids is a good thing. Allowing them to "choose their own work" for years on end literally tailspins them for a long time when they hit the directed environment of public school, aka, real life. We saw it happen. Not pretty. Upside: Montessori Primary lets a kid go as far as they can as fast as they can and values accomplishment. Downside: If not closely monitored, this dash can be to the exclusion of all else. My boy turned 5 and went to public K and they tested him as late-2nd, early-3rd grade reading. Math facts? Nearly zero. Could he reliably write anything? Not a chance. (no, the hippies are more into "flowing his desire to write," spelling and letterforms would ruin the joy....) Was he ready for handling the graceless little snots that didn't have an insulated caring Montessori environment their first few years? No way. If you are a hippie, the touchy-feely part of Montessori sort of communal environmentalism will be cool. Certain other hippies will think it is patriarchal and is a mind-control recipe for cloning little corporate achievers, like the Google kids. Right wingers will disdain the hippie claptrap, and enjoy the achievements and manipulability of their trained offspring. In almost all cases, people will notice your kids have grace and are responsive. 2 main complaints about this school: lots of turnover happened all of a sudden, so school culture is in flux. What was reliable a year ago may not be now. (Example, the photos of kids and teachers as of this writing are all graduated and moved on.) Also, there is a lot of tendency to hire foreign nationals to teach, as Montessori is widely recognized internationally, so the motivation for an offshore teacher to get Montessori credentialling is great. The drawback is that in a very multicultural school like this where a good fraction of children are first generation Americans who as a group speak many different languages at home, English is truly a second language of the class. In our case in a matter of months, the very nice toddler teacher who came from Latin America and had a very thick accent, began to speak routine Spanish with about 20% of the class. Her new assistants who then came in from India and Iran spoke other languages as well. From 18 months to 30 months, our child in that class absorbed almost zero English language. Just learned how to squeak and complain. The frustration level was high in our house. Decision was made to move her to another school with more homogeneous language and older kids. In 2 months, just 2 months, there has been a great leap forward and now we are lectured at length by our baby. As it should be. If you prefer Farsi, Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindi all jumbled up around your very young child, this may serve you. If you want an English-first preparatory experience, I would predict you are only going to be half satisfied. Also, while the children were almost to a person awesome and sweet, I found these parents to be very cold and hard to get to know, despite quarterly mixers and barbecues. They drove nice cars and lived in nice Santa Luz homes by and large, but the superficiality was like Real Housewives of OC. God forfend if you didn't drive a Benzo or better. That was off-putting to me, and not much one can do about it. It was the location. Lastly, unless the administration has changed, be ready for all sorts of goofy email communications and wacky accounting errors. Don't say I didn't warn you. read more

My son went here a year ago and I still look backed pissed. My son is high energy and a handful but doing just fine at Willowgrove preschool. They gave me a really hard time about his behavior and were honestly rude, especially for how much you are paying you think their would be nicer. So we decided to pull out and they owed us a refund, I had to ask the director 3 times before she refunded us!! She kept apologizing saying she forgot or something...it was ridiculous read more

We had a great experience sending our toddler to Lifetime Montessori. The only reason our son no longer goes there is because we moved out of San Diego. Otherwise, he would still be enrolled. Our son started off in the pre-school program meant for 2 year olds. He was not potty trained at the time and it was a bit of a shock in the beginning when they told us no diapers or pull-ups, just dress your kid in underwear and bring lots of changes of clothes. The first few weeks, we would get 2-3 outfits of soiled clothing each day. However this gradually decreased to maybe just one outfit and maybe just half the outfit.... Eventually, he would come home completely dry! Through their exceptional learning environment and the care of the teachers, our son learned how to use the toilet, pull up his own pants, flush, and then wash & dry his hands! He also became a better eater, learning how to feed himself and eat at a table. Ms. Kyoko was his preschool teacher and we absolutely loved her. We were amazed to see the development of his fine motor skills, his ability to use color artfully, and his general awareness of how to function/manipulate his environment. After turning 3 years old, our son graduated to the "Primary" program where he was in a classroom with 3-5 year olds. Ms. Heather was his teacher and we were impressed with her patience and encouragement. Our son continued to benefit from seeing the older children and increasing in his own self-confidence and motivation. He also had to learn patience in doing only those activities that were age appropriate (the older children are permitted more advanced activities). We loved the fact that the school incorporates a good amount of outdoor play. There is a large yard with grass and a playground that our son enjoyed. There is also a mini-garden that he loved to work in. The office staff were always kind and friendly and indeed our son became quite comfortable with Ms. Jen in the front office. The Director Kristin Edwards ran a tight ship and I appreciated the "coffee hour" she would hold regularly for parents to sit and chat with her about Montessori and the school. There is a great multicultural makeup of the student body, kids from many different ethnic/linguistic backgrounds -- which we found to be a great plus. The environment is safe and secure and the cost of tuition we found comparable or even cheaper than other preschools. We toured several places before choosing Lifetime Montessori. Some preschools you go to and it looks like a fun amusement park -- I'm sure my son would've enjoyed those places, but we felt that he didn't need MORE stimulation -- he knows how to have a good time already -- we really liked the structured environment at Lifetime that taught our son skills of personal responsibility/self-control as well as how to socialize with others in a polite and friendly way. We miss the school and would recommend it highly! read more

Lifetime Montessori School is a great school with excellent teachers, organized and approachable management, and a fantastic learning environment. My daughter transferred to this school when she was almost four and a half. From then until now, we have seen a tremendous change in her. We believe this is due to the time and the work she has done in the Primary classroom. She loves to go to school. Every day when I pick her up, she always tells me how happy she is at school. She is also more independent overall. When she faces some problems, she knows she has to work to find the solutions. Also, we are so glad she is more confident. Every time we watch her work on lessons, we are so impressed by her enthusiasm and concentration. Because of Montessori's Programs, my daughter has become interested in anything and everything and likes to try to learn everything. Because we are a Chinese-American family and only speak Chinese at home, I was worried about my son, who was turning three when he went to school for the first time. My son couldn't speak any English back then. I tried to teach him some English at home, but it didn't work. Fortunately, the director, Kristin Edwards, soothed my worries. She also gave me some advice and let me know language has never a big obstacle in Montessori Programs. And it is really true. My son has gone to school for almost six months, from last September until now. He is comfortable in his Primary classroom. He likes to do the work and participates a lot in every activity. In addition, he has a growing English vocabulary and can put together simple sentences now. It's just amazing! The design of the campus is wonderful. The school is private and safe. It is also clean and bright. Each month they hold events and seminars for families to help parents understand what Montessori programs are, let them know what their children are doing during the day, and even help them get to know the neighborhood. Most important of all, a parent-teacher meeting is held once every semester. We have enough time to talk about our children with their teachers. It is so important and we really love this arrangement. Thanks to all the staff and teachers of Lifetime Montessori School for your enthusiasm and great help. My entire family has benefited from the education my children are receiving at LMS. I highly recommend Lifetime to all parents who are interested in sending their children to a Montessori school and who want to understand their children from a different point of view. read more

I am sorry that Emily J. had such a negative experience at Lifetime. My husband and I, on the other hand, cannot say enough good things about the school, the curriculum, the teachers and the administration. Our daughter started at Lifetime when she was 18 months old, and when she transitioned from the toddler classroom to the primary at 2 1/2 years she read her new class a book. Yes, by 2 1/2 she was reading. And she is not the only one, as I know of several other children who started reading early as well. People couldnt beleive she was ony 2 because she was so well spoken, and we believe this was due to her time and the work she did in the toddler classroom. I think my daughter was in the same toddler classroom as Emily J.'s daughter because her teacher's native language is Spanish and one of the assistants speaks Farsi, but not as her primary language. I think this only benefitted my daughter because as most books and research I have done indicates, if you want a child to speak different languages as an adult, you have to start them early. One of her teacher in primary speaks Spanish to her now and we also have her in an extra Spanish class. Again, when they are little sponges is the time to do this. The teachers we have had at Lifetime have been extremely loving and nurturing, which is what you are looking for when they are caring for your very young child. The way they deal with conflict in the classroom is extremely effective, with each child being made to deal with the issue, then apologize to their friend and either hug or shake it out. Then things get back to normal. It is so amazing to see the difference in how a Montessori child deals with other children and how we see children in our neighborhood deal with each other. The Montessori classroom is orderly and calm and I encourage you to sit in on a class to see what its all about. Emily J. in her review talks about "hippies", and about how the school is too diverse, but then says the parents are like the housewives of OC... Its all a little confusing! How can it be all those things at once? :-) The school itself is very well thought out in terms of the layout and the classrooms, there is a very nice playground for the children, and all the teachers know all the children. Even teachers that my daughter hasn't had knows her name and she knows them. They have extra after school programs that they offer such as dance and art and playball, as well as after school daycare for working parents. I highly recommend Lifetime. If you live in the 4S Ranch/Santa Luz/Rancho Penasquitos/Rancho Bernardo/Mira Mesa areas, heck some families drive from Carmel Valley because its just that good! And if you are looking for a quality preschool that teaches in the Montessori method (and if you aren't familiar with Montessori check it out! It's wonderful!), you owe it to yourself to take a tour. read more

My daughter has been going to Lifetime since almost the day she turned 18 months old -- the minimum age to enroll here. I have watched her grow from a semi-babbling toddler into the most amazing 5-year-old, and give a great deal of credit to Lifetime for not only her academic growth (reading, writing, multiplication in math, etc.) but also all those other things that matter just as much to a young person's development. She is incredibly social, confident, kind... and nurturing toward younger children, which I credit quite a bit to Montessori's unique mixed-age classroom setting. I won't get into an exhaustive explanation of what Montessori is about, but will just say that watching a classroom full of silent young children intently focused on their individual tasks while the teacher takes a back seat and only interferes if needed is an incredible experience. You can practically see their little brains working, and they become so much more capable than we typically give children credit for. The school was designed and built for exactly this purpose -- no repurposed office building here (which is more than I can say for some other schools in San Diego). Every classroom has its own bathroom with child-sized toilets and sink. All furniture is child-sized, per the Montessori method. A beautiful playground in the back because hey, even high-performing Montessori kids need to just run around and play! -- with a lovely play structure and tons of open grassy area. The director, Kristen, is unique in that not only does she run the school but she obviously lives and breathes this stuff. Tons of workshops during the year help you understand the Montessori method and how you can bring it into your own home. There are also plenty of opportunities to get to know the other parents and teachers. You can tell she truly cares about every single child at this school, and when you're talking about your children, you want them to be under the watchful eye of someone who isn't just looking to pass the hours as easily as possible! We are expecting our second child in a few months' time and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we will be sending him to Lifetime as well. If you're looking for a place where kids are piled into a room with TVs and music blaring and allowed to run rampant, this is not your place. But if things like early academic achievement, social structure, and learning at their own pace but never being held back by the development pace of other kids in the room are things that are important to you, I cannot recommend Lifetime strongly enough. read more

We are very happy that we found this school, both ourselves and our kids enjoy going every day. They love everything they teach and how they teach it. We would recommend it to anyone who asks. We're happy with the decision we made of choosing this school. read more

Why this is a 5 star school: 1. The campus is built for kids. The windows, potties, sinks, dishwashers, tables, chairs, mirrors, you name it, this school was built from the ground up to accommodate youngsters. Each classroom has a bathroom so there are no concerns about your toddler or primary student being ushered out of the room to an unsupervised communal area to go potty (great for training). Definitely a HUGE step up from some of the industrial warehouse conversions we have seen around town. 2. Parents are encouraged to participate. The director hosts parent group meetings throughout the semester. The school will provide daycare and food during these sessions. It's a fantastic way to understand how your youngster develops from toddler to primary level. Additional sessions are set up to help parents introduce Montessori principles into the home as well. - Ask about Donuts for Dads day - Ask about Muffins for Moms day - Ask about scheduling room observations - Ask about being a room parent - Ask about parent/teacher conferences - Ask about Harvest day There are many ways this school promotes involvement per your availability. 3. A wide variety of structured elective classes are available! Ballet/dance, Tumble Gym Bus, Yoga, Spanish, Play Ball, and others...this was a great way to introduce our daughter to potential areas of interest without leaving the school grounds. This is not part of the standard curriculum, but is available for an additional fee. 4. The curriculum is truly limitless. There are stations for every level of student in every classroom. The process of mastering stations to unlock more challenging stations is the key to keeping kids engaged and away from redundant education patterns. 5. You are heard. The school director (owner) makes it a point to be available for meetings, phone calls, and email to hear your thoughts, ideas, concerns, etc. I have caught her in the hallway (after drop off) for a quick talk on more than a few occasions. 6. Staff interest/involvement in their students from the top down. They will greet your child by first name and progressively identify the unique quirks that make our kids, well, our kids. The Lifetime team has a professional feel with a personal touch. As a testament of #5, I had an issue with the school during the San Diego-wide power outage in 2011. I became frustrated when I was unable to reach them by phone as I battled traffic to pick up my daughter. Eventually I got through and all was fine, but I voiced my discontent with the school's staff. The director was receptive to my feedback and assured the system would change. The following year there was a small fire a few miles away and the school was quick to call parents and update their website with a status of the situation. I would gladly introduce friends and family to this school, including any children we may have in the future. Highly recommended. UPDATE: Would also like to share some added benefits. The campus is located fewer than 2 blocks from the fire department, is keypad security entrance only (around the perimeter) and the lobby is secured as well (push key activated by the front desk clerk). read more

My son has been at LMS since he was 18 months old and I couldn't have found a better place for him. He went through the toddler program and is now in the kindergarten program in Ms. Cham's class. At 5 years of age, my son can do long form math and knows the countries around the world. He is always surprising me with his knowledge of things that he hasn't learned at home. I recently found out that he knew the word "nocturnal" because he had learned it in a book from his class. The school embraces the children's learning abilities and builds on them, it is really quite amazing. The teachers and staff are all very sweet and caring. My son absolutely loves Ms. Cham. This summer she was not there and he couldn't wait to give her a big hug when she came back this school year. It is nice to see that your child is in the hands of someone who really cares. It is almost like leaving him in the hands of family. read more

Lifetime Montessori is a great school, and we had a good experience overall during our time there. My daughter was there from 18 months until she finished the Kindergarten program at age 6 1/2, a total of five years of learning at Lifetime! The classrooms and grounds are beautifully kept, and the teachers and staff nurturing and loving. The school instills a great sense of community and social justice in the kids at an early age, which I loved. We saw the culmination of years of Montessori education during her Kindergarten year, where everything came together and she really matured and came into her own. My daughter is independent, self-reliant, kind, and excelled academically at Lifetime. I wished that there were more kids in the Kindergarten program, although felt that the school tried their best to get all the Kindergarten kids from the whole school together occasionally for field trips and additional learning and activities with the age-peers. The teachers and directors of the school are always accessible if you every have any special needs or concerns. They really listen to what you have to say and do their best to try to help solve any issues. They have all sorts of classes and opportunities for parents to better their understanding of the Montessori philosophy, as well as general parenting information. Overall, I would give Lifetime Montessori a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up for yelp). read more

Words can't adequately describe my adoration for Lifetime Montessori, its loving teachers and devoted administrative staff. Our daughter began days after her second birthday in the Toddler classroom with Miss Nadia and we are a few months into Primary with Miss Claire. There aren't enough superlatives to describe how amazing both our daughter's lead teachers and each of their assistants and all afterschool program teachers are. Such overwhelmingly positive attitudes and such respect and kindness toward each child in their classes. We live in a decidedly Montessori-centric home, so the Toddler classroom was an pretty easy transition for our daughter and for us as parents (well, at least for me, maybe a little foreign to my spouse). That said, Lifetime's traditional approach to Montessori is loving, welcoming and non-judgmental, so don't be afraid if Montessori is a foreign concept to you. You'll likely find your little one is quickly picking up on care of self, care of the environment and compassion for his or her friends and teachers and all sorts of fantastically independent and enriching "work" and activities. The sense of pride and accomplishment you'll see in your child is heartwarming. My spouse had no familiarity with Montessori and is continually in awe of the amazing person the curriculum and, particularly the Lifetime staff, are helping shape our daughter into. I toured several schools and, while not dispositive, I was especially impressed Lifetime had so many teachers and assistants who had been with the school for so many years. The pre-school years can be very high turnover, as I learned in touring other options (mere months apparently...), but the substantial tenure of so many of the Lifetime teachers implies something important about mutual respect and loyalty between the administration and teaching staff. Continuity, especially in the early years away from the home, can be so important and I very much appreciated that even before one teacher transitioned out of our child's Toddler classroom, there was a deliberate and effective transitioning in of the new assistant. By the time the former left, the replacement was a beloved staple in our child's life. We plan to move in the near future and even if it means a major commuting sacrifice, we will continue to make sure our daughter has the fulfilling opportunity to continue her learning journey at Lifetime. I knew from the moment I visited and toured with Kristin Edwards over two years ago that this was the perfect environment for my child to grow and with each day that passes I am even more confident in our choice and attached to this exceptional environment. It may not be the perfect fit for every single family, but it was the perfect fit for ours and I am forever grateful for Lifetime's learning environment. read more

I love this school.! I prayed that we will have our 4 loss to this school, and we got a blessed call from Ms Kimbra when I was touring another school... Kimbra, who loves my son and family so much! She's is so loving along with Ms. Cristina and Ms Michelle and Ms Shawminee, as well as Ms Kristen Edwards and MS heather and the Spanish Immersion Head (leader), Ms Tammy..of the 12 student class, with an assistant which is better than the California regulations... also.... it's better than a daycare (you get what you pay for) and the cost is well worth it! It's like Baby Harvard. My son J. And my other son j. And my girl a. All have reached their milestones early. They have transitioned well from the Toddler class to the Primary class so well no crying or fighting me, say bye and kiss me all the time then walk themselves to their class! They're only 4,3,2 years old!! ms Kristin the head and directer and owner of the school is absolutely AMazing!! If you weren't a Montessori student or child.. I'm sorry! You won't regret being taught and learning from the school! read more

We are continuously pleased and incredibly grateful that our children are able to attend Lifetime Montessori. The educational foundation that Lifetime is providing our children in their formative years is priceless. From what we have observed, the skills taught at Lifetime Montessori far exceed those taught at the same grade levels in local public schools. We appreciate the quality and professionalism of the teachers, the materials provided for children to learn and grow, and we are grateful that such an incredible learning environment exists for our children. We especially love what the teachers help instill in our children -- problem solving skills, responsibility, independence, a sense of accomplishment, how to care for the environment, and how to care for each other - and how they help instill it in such a supportive and caring way. Every day, our children astonish us with what they have learned. Thank you, Lifetime Montessori, for all that you do! read more

My daughter was in this school for 2 years and I was happy about the school the first year when the teachers were really good. My daughter was in Fireflys when her teacher was Ms. Aparna and Nikierra. The second year at the school was a disaster when Ms. Angela was back, nothing bad about Angela , but she was out of school most of the time as her twin babies were sick , and this class suffered because of no consistent teacher. The other bad things about this school is, even if your child is absent for a week or 10 days, nobody from the school calls to enquire if the child is doing good or not . My child had a scheduled surgery and the recovery time to be about a month, I humbly emailed the director if I could get a fee credit because of medical procedure, after 2 days i get a reply saying that " our school policy doesn't give any fee credit be it 2 week off or 2 months out of school". And not a single question about how the child is doing? And by the way this was in April when my daughter was off the full month which was fully paid and June that was already paid in advance. Today i was at a friend's house whose child also went to the school and we were going through the year book, and i was really surprised and outraged to not see my child's picture in the year book who went there whole year except for 1 month. It is such an insult and I feel that this school doesn't care for the wellbeing of the students and cares only about the monthly dues were paid. This school lacks in basic care and compassion for children and their families. Who would exclude a child from the year book because she was out of school for a month? And we paid for 2 months that the child didn't attend the school too, (April and June) I didn't pay for May and didn't feel this place was safe for my child emotionally after that one line email " you don't attend the school for 2 weeks or 2 months, you still pay the tuition in full" I would not recommend this school at all. read more

Mediocre school at best, incredibly expensive for what you get ... and definitely NOT "state of the art" per the director's introduction.