MT is fantastic for kids age 0-2. Above that age, particularly when you hit potty training, they are less effective than nearby daycares of similar price. All daycares have a delicate relationship with parents, and it's certainly not easy to run one. That said, I'd echo some of the similar concerns raised by others here. The family running MT is particularly thorny and unprofessional, and we're much happier having found a more responsive and collaborative daycare. read more

While this seemed like the perfect school for my child . The teachers were good however office administrators are horrible. After multiple health outbreaks they were unable to rectify or contain my child got hand foot and mouth. Office administrators were rude, said they didn't know what to tell me and that my child got it from some where else when I voiced my concerns. My child couldn't go to school but I still had to pay. This is after multiple email advisory's and a closer. After voicing my concerns I all of sudden started being billed for extra days and late fees. My child has been gone for over a month and I just received an email saying I owe 9 boxes of wipes from months before my child even started attending the school. I also provided a box of wipes and diapers when my child started.l was never informed my child needed more wipes I was only told when my child needed more diapers. My child also has autism and they totally ignored the request of Oakland Unified after their onsite evaluation to provide them with necessary documentation to complete my child's IEP report. Seek a daycare with more experienced and professional office administrators. read more

My child went to Monte Tavor and I am sorry that I did not find another place for him. The head teacher and leader is well educated and versed in child development and everyone there works hard. But Monte Tavor was adamant that they did not want parents volunteering or visiting during the day and to me that is a red flag. My son was too little to talk when he went there, but when he did learn how to talk, I had issues about the discipline he reported and took him out. I suggest any parents thinking about Monte Tavor insist they be allowed to visit the school and hang out for a day or two. I think it would be a better place for kids 4 or older rather than toddlers. read more

I love the care they provided for the 18 months my daughter attended. They were very loving and took excellent care of her. Many of her first words were in Spanish and helped her develop a love for healthy foods. my daughter from 6 months to 2 years old. Best investment read more

My son loves it here. He's always so happy when I pick him up. The teachers are loving and do a great job.

I have to warn anyone before signing up to go here. There are a couple really stand out caretakers, and kids here are certainly safe and treated well. But it shouldn't be a first choice for a few reasons: 1) Their treatment of families during the first phase of COVID-19 was very revealing. They went totally dark, provided no communication or updates, and ghosted parents, even when asked directly (and repeatedly) for information -- but then didn't fail to send out weekly invoices during the months they were closed to non-essential workers, even though their right to collect was dubious, and the situation really demanded open, adult, proactive discussions. There are lots of stories here from various families, that I know of, but I'll leave it at that. 2) The price is high, equivalent to private school tuition, but there is not an equivalent return for these fees. The facilities are totally fine and appropriate for the number of kids, but its not particularly updated or tended to, and the kids are eating cheez-its for snacks, so its hard to say what the value-add is for being an incredibly priced daycare. (The rates, btw, are now even higher for new parents.) 3) Communication is poor. Information from the center isn't managed well and comes out in spurts, in the form of long, sort-of rambling emails where you need to read closely to get the info you need. Or when the center is closed for a holiday or other event, there _might_ be a post-it reminder on the door the day before; or they will remind about events in the near future for the kids, and you didn't even realize these were being planned. If you yourself have a question or a need, its unlikely to get a response. You may need to try a second or third time if its particularly important to you. Anyway, its pretty low service when it comes to keeping the dialogue going. read more

Disclaimer, my child does not go to this day care but I just went on a tour and the staff member (Jaya?) who showed me around was rude and dismissive. I don't know how she would expect me to leave my child there if I left feeling the way I do. On top of that, the facility is old not incredibly clean and I visited on a cool day, which resulted in it being cool inside too. The tour lasted 10 minutes max whereas other tours I've been on have been comprehensive lasting 30-45min max. They sell themselves as a Spanish immersion but it gave me a daycare feel vs an immersion program/pre K. read more

Monte Tavor - Preschools Near Me - Oakland, California

Pros: they speak Spanish only here and our kid came home singing Spanish nursery rhymes, which was cute. The people who work with the kids are great, our kids loved going to school. Cons: management are horrible at communicating, sending our long winded confusing emails with very important information buried in there, that you are expected to know. Seriously? You are dealing with parents with kids under 5, your not writing a users manual. Bullet points please! They also close the daycare as often as possible - any excuse. Is it over 90 degrees? Daycare will be closed. They expect you to drop everything and be there to pickup your kids immediately, with no sympathy that you may be at work. Also, why don't they have a window air conditioner? Seriously!? They closed early in Covid for four months and refused to have any flexibility with the contract, holding us to paying the entire four months (around six thousand dollars) when our kid wasn't there and they were receiving lobs from the government to cover their employees. They also have many poisonous plants where the kids play in the garden, including oleander, brugmansia and zantedeschia, which I told them about and they didn't seem to care. If YOU need to get in contact with them or any reason, we'll good luck. read more

My son has been at Monte Tavor for almost 2 years, since he was 5 months old. I've been very happy with our experience - my son is obviously extremely well cared for. Whenever I pick him up he's happy and has obviously had a great day. I love that he gets to spend so much time outdoors, and I can see his Spanish coming along well! To provide a counter to the previous review left two months ago - yes, the communication around covid during the early months could have been a bit more clear, but this is an unprecedented experience for all of us and everyone has been scrambling to figure it out. I'm incredibly grateful that we've had high quality care for our son during this time and I feel that communication has gotten better over time, so they've been responsive to concerns. Also, there have been no covid cases reported to date, unlike most of my friends' daycares, so they are taking best practices around cleaning and social distancing very seriously - it is very apparent that they have the health of the children and the staff foremost in mind. Per the closures - there is a calendar online that documents everything so the information is readily available in advance. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because it is true that Monte Tavor is expensive, but this is the bay area, where everything is expensive so it's not too out of line with going rates. In sum, I'm happy with my decision to send my son to Monte Tavor. It may not be for everyone but it's been great for us. read more

I like the school. The teachers seem nice enough. My son speaks some Spanish and that's great. But, not sure this is worth the price. Though it's awesome they provide milk and food (my son is two), if you want to know what exactly he's eating or how much you'll need to ask. There are no daily reports home (if that's something you care about). I was use to having that prior and really miss it. Never sure how much he sleeps unless I ask someone and since they don't officially track it, it's a guess. Also, I lost my job in November and though they let me reduce to three days a week, they won't let me out of my contract. I signed for one school year which goes through end if July (and not Mid June like most schools)! If I wanted out, since I didn't buy their insurance, I'd have to give three months notice, pay the difference between my current weekly rate and the rate of someone who signed up for a quarterly contract in order to get my deposit back and not be penalized. My advice, if you love the school, buy the insurance just in case or only sign up for a quarterly contract! read more

I was also shocked by the negative review that started this thread. As others have said, no daycare is perfect (therefore the 4 stars instead of 5). My 22 month old started there when he was 5 months old and they have been nothing but caring. Neither my husband or I speak Spanish, so I can't comment on the "teaching" aspect, but I DO know that my son currently can count to 10 in Spanish with NO problem and has more trouble with the English... sure we should be doing a better job with the English :) but I was very impressed that when he came home 2 months ago and rattled off 1-10 in Spanish. They have been loving and open since Day 1. They have regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences and you can schedule one whenever you want. The food is DELICIOUS. They have 4 open houses on Saturdays throughout the year with different themes (graduation, pets, etc.). A big plus is that you can choose 3, 4, or 5 days a week (my son only does 3 days) and choose whatever days you want. I've found the place to be clean and have never had an issue in that area. I haven't had to have anyone else pick up my son, so I can't comment on that issue, although with such a family atmosphere at Monte Tavor, that REALLY shocks me. read more

Well, I am also shocked to read this family's posts. Clearly they feel passionately about their experiences. Here's a bit of perspective to add to the many glowing reviews. My daughter has been there since 10 months and is now 4 years old; her brother will start there in January. She is completely bilingual and LOVES it there. Monte Tavor isn't perfect. And I respect the family's right to broadcast their displeasure. I have two observations about their posts. 1) Their child was there for all of 3 days. I'm surprised that some of the issues they had weren't issues for them when they did a site visit before they enrolled their child. 2) Why did they feel it necessary for the husband to post his negative review and make NO reference to his wife's post? I have to conclude that they wanted readers to believe it to be a separate poster with a completely unrelated bad experience. I won't speak to their motives but I believe it makes them look manipulative and agenda-driven which only serves to weaken their position. So, to the reader I say best wishes to you and your family on whatever day care option you choose. We made our choice 3 years ago and haven't looked back. read more

I feel so fortunate to have found Monte Tavor for my son, Benjamin. He has met lifelong friends and the staff was caring and attentive to his needs. My son is starting Kindergarten is 2 weeks (wow!) but I know it will be a smooth transition for him based on the experiences he had at MT. When you send your child to MT it's not just about learning a language, developing social skills or educational benefits, you're joining a family. I continue to recommend MT to everyone I come in contact with! read more

My son has been thriving at Monte Tavor, a loving home-based spanish immersion daycare/preschool, for four years (since he was 5 months old). My second child will start there next month, also at 5 months old. We have been very pleased with the school and have highly recommended it to many friends. No daycare/preschool is perfect (hence the four stars) and I think it's up to every family to decide what type of care will work for their child and their family. Clearly the negative post came from a person for whom this was not a good fit. She should have know that from her tour of the facility and meeting with the directors. If she was looking for a sterile, spotless, clinical setting with slick marketing materials then she's right, this was NOT the right school for her. As a home-based school, the facility is located in five well-loved houses with a huge, shared backyard, lush shady trees and multiple outdoor play areas. There are dozens of kids in and out of the facilities every day so, yes, the buildings show some wear and tear. The school is in an urban area so, yes, there are some pigeons nearby. I noticed all of these things in my initial tour of the facilities and I'll admit I was a little put off. Then I also noticed the love and care and "family" feeling of the place. For me, this outweighed the cosmetic flaws. I did visit some other day cares that were slick and polished and had glossy brochures and do you know what? None of them even paid notice to the little sweet baby I was toting along. At Monte Tavor I was barely in the door when Angela oohd and aaahd over my son, swooped him up and snuggled him in her arms. That love was what "sold" me, and continues to keep us happy at the school. The icing on the cake has been that my 4-year old is fluent in spanish and we're part of a wonderful community of other families through school science fairs, dance shows, potlucks and active facebook community. read more

Following up on my previous review. My son is now 6 (in first grade) and my daughter is 4. Both kids were (have been) at MT since they were six months old. My son is sailing through first grade and MT did a fantastic job of preparing him for Kindergarten and beyond. My son's school has a preschool but my daughter is so happy at MT that we decided not to move her and let her graduate just like her brother. MT requires that each child be checked in and out though an app (new since my son started). They have dance programs, science fairs, and cultural programs throughout the year. MT potty trained both of our kids (long before they were 3). MT is not perfect but we are incredibly happy that our kids got their start there. read more

Yesterday, 8/11/11 I received a call from: Community Care Licensing Division Bay Area Regional Office 1515 Clay Street Suite 1102 (510) 622-2602 They called to inform me that they went to MT and investigated my complaints (some were mentioned below). MT was indeed found to have safety and health violations and was cited for these infractions. Specifically they were cited for pigeons cohabitating where children are cared for and eat, and for failing to require I.D. from a stranger when a child was picked up. Additionally, they were previously cited for dangerous conditions on their play equipment and for paint peeling off of their buildings (and who knows what else). To have my claims substantiated by a regulating agency is irrefutable. Call for yourself. This is clearly not a 4 or 5 star preschool. read more

We think Monte Tavor is great. Our son started at age one, and now, 4-1/2 years later as graduation (and kindergarten!) approaches, we actually feel a little sad. We'll miss the place. It's safe, clean, and caring. The kids are kept busy with an amazing array of crafts and projects. Every kid becomes fluent in Spanish. And - no small thing - every kid seems to have bright, responsible parents. Is it perfect? Of course not. We had a couple of small accounting issues along the way, and at least one miscommunication. And we understood the time when someone complained to the city about the pigeons (now, the pigeons are allowed to roost nearby but not on the school grounds). But whenever something came up, the staff acknowledged the issue and worked quickly to resolve it. We were frankly surprised at how quickly everything (including the pigeons) got resolved. It was a good place when we started, and now it's even better. We, along with our son, will cherish our memories of Monte Tavor. read more

I have to chime in with the other parents who are happy to have our kids at Monte Tavor. Like many have said, it is not perfect, but no school is. And LP's expectations were clearly off - I wonder if she really did a tour of the school and understood what they are about before she sent her child there. Monte Tavor is not an academic preschool and does not pretend to be one, and I for one wouldn't have sent my kid there if it was! It is a play-based, family-style daycare with a good mix of fun and educational activities, a great outdoor space (it blew all the other places I looked at away), delicious and nutritious food (my son now says his favorite food is beans and rice and vegetable soup!), and caring teachers. My son has been there for two years and loves it. He is a very sensitive kid and they were great with him, very caring and flexible, throughout the transition and now. We love the family potlucks and parties and overall are very happy there. Of course there are things that could be better - sometimes the staff can be a little defensive when they get feedback, and communication could be more consistent with families, and yes, I suppose an English-speaking parent could edit their materials to appease the grammar police. But I think the negative review says more about the reviewer than about Monte Tavor. read more

I am a Monte Tavor parent. My daughter has been there for 4 1/2 years and my son for 1 1/2 years. My children love it. They run in the door every day and it is difficult to get them to leave at the end of the day. There are many wonderful things about Monte Tavor., They are loving. They care about my children. My children are curious, talkative, friendly, and good eaters. All of which I attribute to Monte Tavor. One of the special things at MT are the performances they do 6 times a year. I have had some issues but have been able to work through them with the Howells. Some of it is driven by communication, some of it is driven by us doing things differently for my children. And to the security issue, my mother picks my daughter up often. She has for the past 3 years and all of the teachers know her. One day they were going to the park and my daughter wanted to take my son so my mom was going to pick him up too but they would not let her take him since they did not know the relationship. My father-in-law has picked up both kids and been asked for id. In both cases, Monte Tavor had my approval, both in writing and verbally. read more

My little brother goes to Monte Tavor Preschool. He is developing into a great kid with excellent Spanish speaking skills. My parents told me about the negative review on Yelp and I was incredibly shocked. Monte Tavor is a fantastic preschool for parents to send their children to (as long as the parents aren't stuck up and racist). read more

I saw that my review was moved to inactive because I wrote it a long time ago. My son is still at MT and it is an amazing pre-school in addition to an amazing daycare so I want to re-highlight the strengths of the program. I have a 3.5 year old and a 1.5 year old at Monte Tavor. We have always found the place and the people (both owners and teachers) to be a wonderful, warm intellectually stimulating and loving Daycare and pre-School for our children. We feel so fortunate to have found this community and the other families in it. The key components we decided on when selecting a care situation were -warmth of the center/teachers, outdoor time, educational pedagogy, physical space, teacher retention and convenience/schedule. Monte Tavor rose to the top in almost all - the interior physical space was not at the top (nor at the bottom) of our list. The time spent outdoors more than makes up for any lacking interior space. They have continued to exceed expectations in all areas (including interior space with the addition of two new wonderful facilities). When we first brought our daughter to daycare, we were scared (as new parents) and nervous (about our decision for group care) about what to expect. Monte Tavor was completely upfront about the program, they were casual and personable and represented their educational backgrounds and skill level of the teachers well. We spoke with them in both english and spanish. We also toured the facility and were made aware of the presence of pigeons and the concerns of the older facilities. We were also able to observe the children in the extensive and well used outdoor play and eating areas. We have never been mis-led about any of the items mentioned. We just returned after a long vacation. Both kids could not get up the stairs fast enough - they greeted one of the outstanding teachers - Glenda, with broad grins and well executed "Buenas Dias". They are thrilled to be there and so are we. read more

I too just read the negative review and want to share our experience. My son has attended Monte Tavor since he was 2 months old and is now 2.5 and we have been very happy with our experience. We selected MT because we could clearly see that they would nurture our son and the Spanish was a plus. We also liked the fact that our son would not have to transition after daycare into preschool. In the over two years our son has been at MT, he is bilingual (he is a very verbal 2 year old). His father is a native Spanish speaker and I speak as well, and his Spanish is as good as his English. Our son is always happy when we pick him up. He talks about his teachers and friends and always says he has fun at school. They also have a wonderful yard to play in with different areas, they do art, natural science and they get great home made food. As others have said no daycare is perfect, but I believe that this is a great place for our son. Lots of love, outdoor space, no TV, home made food, nice family events - pretty good if you ask me. read more

Fabulous, fabulous daycare and preschool! Best decision I ever made was to send my son to Monte Tavor. A more loving, caring environment you will not find anywhere! I dont know how they do it, but each child was cared for as if he or she were the most important child in the whole world! They serve healthy, nutritious meals. They have a broad curriculum. My son ended up being fluent in Spanish and English (his Spanish was so good that it truly puzzled someone who came to work at our house because he conversed with him easily and without an accent). My son now as a broad vocabulary, does well in school, and is a very eager learner. More importantly, he is a very empathetic individual, great with young children and has great leadership skills. I truly know that none of this would be possible without the foundaion and support he received at Monte Tavor! read more

Monte Tavor is a wonderful and nurturing daycare for my 1 year old son. Ever since he started there at 6 months old, my husband and I have always felt and trusted that our son is loved and well taken care of. Whenever I speak with Angela, Liz, or Yeira, they can always give me an update on his day. Yeira always responds to my emails quickly if I don't see her during pick-up. Teachers also take notes on each child, so parents can always get a sense of what their child is doing during the day, likes and dislikes, developmental progress, etc. It also makes me happy that whenever I see other caretakers at Monte Tavor, they all know my son even though he' s always with his same group of peers and the same teachers. As a credentialed teacher who teaches KIndergarten and first grade, Monte Tavor's curriculum is developmentally appropriate and I couldn't ask for more in terms of developing and stimulating a child in his early years. Yes, you do have to be a little more proactive with communication if you'd like more frequent updates and it does help to speak some Spanish. Yes, I've seen pigeons walk around the covered patio in the back where the children eat, but I've never seen goobs of piegon poop so that doesn't really bother me. So my son may not be learning the Queen's Spanish but again, I don't expect my son (in his early years) to have mastered grammar even in his first language. What I do know is that every morning, my son has a gigantic smile on his face when his teacher greets him at the door and that he is a happy child who is thriving at his daycare. read more

I was really sad to read that very negative review. Monte Tavor is not perfect (what daycare place is?) but we've had a positive experience and we tell our friends to consider MT in their daycare hunt. Our daughter has been there for almost a year and she seems really healthy and happy with what she is experiencing. The staff is loving and attentive. The outdoors set-up is terrific and the menu excellent. I've liked the other parents I've met there. I think our daughter is truly thriving and I completely trust Angela and her family to ensure her safety and to communicate with us if there is a problem. read more

It shows how vehemently I disagree with the initial negative review, that I was moved to make my first-ever Yelp post. My son has been at Monte Tavor for 4 years, and I am so thankful that we found such a nurturing, stimulating environment. I am fluent in Spanish, and my son's Spanish is excellent--he is truly bilingual thanks to Monte Tavor. The food is made with fresh ingredients and is very nutritious (in fact I think they need to start a side business of selling take-out food to working moms). The owners go the extra mile, putting quarterly events for kids and families, ranging from cultural fairs to science fairs. My son dances better than most people I know, thanks to the love of music and dance fostered by the environment. At age 2 1/2 he came home talking about what he'd learned about the "savana africana". At age three he started telling us about the planets (and about the rings around "Saturno"). Monte Tavor has more than prepared my son for the next step, and most importantly it's been done in a loving, nurturing environment. A telling sign of the quality of the Monte Tavor environment--at a couple of birthday parties earlier this spring, all of the MT parents were standing around talking about how much we love the place, and how we would be sad to see our kids have to leave for kindergarten. read more

I too was horrified by that negative review. My husband and I are both professionals with Master's degrees. I'm bilingual in Spanish and trained as an interpreter. I'm also a social worker who's very aware of child safety issues. Both my daughter (now 2) and son (now 4) started at MT when they were 4 months old. I looked at many family-run daycares and felt physical relief and joy when I 1st walked into MT. From the very beginning Angela, Yeira, Liz, William and all the teachers have provided a loving, safe environment for our children to grown, learn and develop. I always felt that we had the best of both worlds, a family-run environment with the size and resources of a daycare center. My kids adored their teachers (my son was especially bonded with Angela long after he left the baby groups). I was never concerned about their safety or emotional well-being as they always came back to me happy and behaving normally. They ate well, slept well, played well and learned well. My daughter can already count. My son can spell his name and they both learned the alphabet quite early. But more importantly, they learned how to get along with other kids, work collaboratively and enjoy art, dance, music and science. I've also been very impressed with my kids' NICARAGUAN Spanish (do we criticize American teachers who don't teach our kids British English?!). I also appreciate that Yeira uses her education and training in child ed & development and that the teachers receive regular trainings to maintain their skills. I've especially enjoyed the potluck community events, which have given us a chance to see what our kids have been learning. The MT family made special efforts to bring us all together and I've loved getting to know all the parents. Now we live in New Hampshire and while we've found a nice pre-school for our son, nothing seems to hold a candle to MT. Especially the billingual education. We miss our MT friends dearly; it was a second home for all of us. As others have said, no daycare is perfect. I'm sorry that person had a bad experience, but I also wonder what else is going on as they made accusations that smacked of racism and classism. read more

My son (now 4) and daughter (almost 2) have both been at Monte Tavor since they were 6 months old. Having them in a Spanish-immersion environment was important to my wife and me, and we visited several other options before deciding on MT. We've been exceedingly satisfied with our decision. When you have your kids somewhere for so many hours, I feel like the critical measures are the kids' happiness, education, and evidence they're being loved and well cared for. MT has been wonderful in each area. Our kids bound up the stairs in the morning, often running happily in without much of a thought of leaving our sides. When we pick them up, they're smiling, laughing, and playing with friends and teachers. In the evening, it is not infrequent that they ask with anticipation whether tomorrow is a "school day." Both kids are also clearly learning a lot. Obviously English and Spanish (leaving aside the previous reviewer's snide reference to Castilian Spanish), but also about science, animals, letters, numbers, the environment, etc. Plus, they virtually potty-trained our son with (somewhat embarrassingly) little assistance from us. Perhaps most important, the instructors (and owners) obviously care for and love the children -- and the feeling is mutual. It is not unusual for my kids to start leaving with us at the end of the day, only to run back to give their teachers a hug before heading home. In short, we highly recommend the school. Before dismissing it as an option due to a poor review written by a couple, I'd encourage you to visit for a tour (the physical space is quite amazing), observe the kids who are there, and meet the family that runs it. I'm certain most will be as impressed as my wife and I were. read more

My daughter, now 2, has been at Monte Tavor since she was 4 months old. At 7 months she was jumping out of my arms to go to her caretaker. Now at 2 she loves to tell me about her day, the songs she sang and books she read. She loves school, every morning (including Saturdays) she'll ask "vamos a la escuela?" Personally, I am equally happy with MT. 1. Their outdoor space is amazing, (just take a look at some of the photos) and the kids get to spend a lot of time outdoors (weather permitting) both for free play and organized activities, which was an important factor for me. 2. They have parent teacher conferences for all children (including infants) twice a year and are always open to meetings when/if you need them. 3. They hold regular events that allow you to meet other MT parents and foster a sense of community. My daughter has a dance show coming up! 4. They provide healthy breakfast, lunch, snacks and early dinner depending on the child's schedule. It might not be a huge deal for some, but considering I can barely pack my own lunch, this was a huge plus for me! 5. I have shown up unannounced (because I forgot to mention early pickups) a couple of times and have found the children engaged and well taken care of. In fact, my daugter ignored me for a couple of minutes because I was interrupting her story time. 6. My daugter is not yet of preschool age, but she is obviously learning alot. She has an extensive vocab in Spanish and English, she knows her numbers beyond 10 (up to 20 but she still skips a couple), and is getting really good at recognizing colors, shapes, letters and numbers when she sees them. As far as the quality of Spanish is concerned, the providers are from Central America, as am I, and the care takers are either from Central America or Mexico, their Spanish is to Castilian as American English is to English English. I'm perfectly happy with my daughter's Spanish. read more

My son is 4 years old and currently attends Monte Tavor. I completely agree with previous reviewers. My son has really blossomed in this program. The outdoor space is amazing. Also, they have a great mix of academic tasks and play-based learning. In addition, raising our son bilingual is important to us and we are so pleased with his Spanish language developed. I highly recommend Monte Tavor! read more

We love monte tavor! our daughter has been attending MT since before she was 2 and she is 4 now. From our first visit to the daycare we have loved the school-the teachers, the directors, the school grounds. We looked at a number of daycares and though this one was a little more expensive for our budget we were sold when we saw the school space and watched the teachers and kids interact, their curriculum, and the events calendar. We have found the school staff and teachers to be responsive and caring for whatever problem has arisen (none has) and are eager to hear from families school feedback read more

This is a great school that does a good job balancing a variety of play activities with academic foundation learning. Every day is structured with the intent of developing the kids culturally, socially and intellectually. Our son loves it, and we are fully confident he's building the skill needed to succeed in the next level. read more

Wow, I just read that negative review and am blown away. My three-year old has been thriving at Monte Tavor for the past year. They do great activities, eat wonderful food, and provide such a warm, nurturing environment for the children. I think the best way to show how much we love it is that we enrolled our infant there when she turned 4 months old. Our baby smiles and laughs every time the door opens in the morning and she sees her teacher. There are pigeons around, it's true. It's not my favorite thing, but I certainly don't think they ever are inside or nesting right where the children play or eat. They're off to the side of the house. Our older daughter is fully bilingual, is learning her letters and can count in both English and Spanish, and she has impeccable grammar, in both languages. Sure, she makes some grammatical mistakes, but she's three! That comes with the age. Oh, and I should probably add that I have a graduate degree. I'm what you might call an "intellectual snob," who bristles at grammatical errors, and I love Monte Tavor. read more

We have two sons at Monte Tavor and have been thrilled with the love, care, and education they receive there. Both boys are happy and thriving. They've developed such a love of books. I am always amazed when I pick them up during story time, especially when they have story time outside, and see them sitting next to their buddies absorbed in the story. They both have made some great friends. All the teachers we see and interact with show genuine care and concern for the kids. We've been very happy with our sons' Spanish acquisition as well. I believe the teachers are strong Spanish language models and they do speak grammatically correct Spanish. Additionally the read books to the children in Spanish all the time. The homes are cozy and loving, and the yards beautiful & open and so much fun for my kids. I especially love the big tree (especially when they read to my sons under it!) When looking for a daycare, I didn't want a clinical feel, I wanted a home. I want my sons to play and explore and get lots of attention. They get that at Monte Tavor. They also get science, art, dance, music, and the blessing of becoming bilingual. Oh, and don't forget the amazing homemade food for lunch..... read more

I am college educated and have sent both of my boys to Monte Tavor and they are healthy, happy and thriving. As others have said, MT is not perfect - but I was shocked and upset by the negative review given above. There can be communication issues with the owners at times, but overall I have felt that my children are happy and the art projects, music, dance, culture, science, reading, writing that they are exposed to has been really wonderful for them. And every time I have used the restroom there is soap so that was just a weird comment! I can understand that MT is not for everyone - it is not a clinical, classic daycare center - it is home based which has it's pros and cons - but as far as health goes my children have not been sick more than any other kids are sick at their ages. When people ask me about MT I tell them the ups and downs but overall, I feel safe leaving my kids there every day and have for 3 years now. Many families there have sent all of their children there which I think says a lot about how the folks who choose MT feel about it. So - its too bad L.P. had the experience she did when there are so many of us who find MT to be the right place for our children. read more

After reading all the supportive comments, I had to read the original comment that started this thread. While I, too, LIKE Monte Tavor (MT), I have to admit that every account noted in the original post is accurate. What was noticeably absent was any reference to MT's ability to facilitate or support potty training. When we signed our first child up several years ago - he was 2 1/2 and fully potty trained - we found that he regressed when at MT. Yet, at home, we rarely if ever had any issues. In fact, in one week, he had seven accidents. Three of those seven accidents took place in ONE day. When I arrived to pick up my son, he was sitting in reading circle in wet pants. As you can imagine, I was beyond upset. When I asked to speak to someone, Liz, Angela and Yeira met with me. During this meeting Angela got very defensive. If it wasn't for Yeira reassuring me that they would put an extra effort in making sure he went to the bathroom, I would have walked away from MT. read more