I read the reviews in order to help me draft mine and not be redundant with the same positive feed back. From what I've read, the negatives that is, I can't believe a parent or a child had a bad experience at this school. My daughter was made to feel very comfortable the two years she invested at Montecito. In fact, the kindergarten program helped her develop social and academic skills which has helped her in her current educational environment. Mrs. Q is awesome!!! The children respond to her and enjoy her direction and patience. I'd do it all over again if I could. Miss Erin is a very generous director, a staple in the preschool arena. She helped cultivate an personable environment for children to transition from home to an elementary education. Thank you, Miss Erin. For me, five stars. From my daughter, 25. Thank you!!! read more

Montecito has been my family's home for the past 3 years. My oldest daughter went here for 3 years and my youngest is in her 2nd year here, and we love it. The teachers are so warm and caring. They take the time to really know my children and their interests/needs. The classes are very play-based, but still focus on developing the children and preparing them for school. In addition to the great staff, the campus is amazing. Each classroom has their own yard nestled under huge oak trees, along with a communal play area where they can bike and run around. This great outdoor area also allows the school to have areas for the children to take care of plants and animals. The way they teach the children on how to approach and handle animals is huge as well. In addition to all of this, I attended this school as a child and what it was based on has not changed over the years. I have found I am not the only alumni choosing to send my children to Montecito. In both my girls classes there have been multiple other parents I have been able to talk to about Montecito from their childhoods. I highly recommend anyone looking for a great play-based preschool with an amazing staff and campus. read more

In reading some of the negative reviews of this school they seem to be very personality dependent from overprotective parents. As a man, I find mothers can interpret the slightest inflection the wrong way which is unfortunate. Erin, the principal, is very caring and dedicated. I get direct and honest communication every time. She makes time to talk with me when I need it and has genuine warm affection. We have had conversations about difficult milestones for my kids and I always left feeling we were in great hands. The class size is just right. There are very qualified people that spend hours preparing every day. There are also helpers that reduce the ratio to about four to one. It only takes one person that knows what they are doing to direct the class activities. The kids have access to a lot of materials and ideas that you just cant provide at home. I attend class occasionally and i'm exhausted just watching the pace at which things move. Its all very well thought out and well timed. The teachers will always talk with you about the progress they see and have made some really good suggestions about parenting. They respond to emails and take phone calls and I feel like they are family. I have never felt this about any school before. I looked at many pre-schools in the area. I find the Montesori approach is to stifling for children. Get out the exercise, focus on it for long periods of time then put it away may work for some, but my kids need more tailored stimulation that is nuanced to their personalities. They get this here. The staff have surprised me on many occasions with their flexibility and willingness to accommodate parents and their schedules and requests. Many of the teachers go to great trouble to make sure parents are made to feel welcome and they even provide child care so parents can go out in the evening. Discipline is always a thorny subject for parents. I like the way in which teachers address kids, helping them understand how what they did affected the other kid and why seeking an authority figure is better than hitting back. I have no problem with calling my child's name loudly across the playground if he about to crash into something. I do this all the time. I am not a big fan of video games or TV for young kids. I have never seen a video game in the school. There are so many things for the kids to do and three playgrounds that they never run out of challenges or interests that engage all their motor skills. The school goes to great trouble to produce a weekly lineup of activities and themes for the kids learning. Someone is doing a lot of homework! The field trips are great and parents participation is always high. I have been more than won over in the last two years by the consistent quality this school provides. read more

My son went to Montecito for 2 years and my daughter will do so when she's old enough. The teachers are warm and truly love the kids even if there is a language barrier sometimes. The campus is gorgeous and truly inspires kids to explore. For new parents sometimes things are a bit confusing but if you ask questions you'll quickly understand. I spent time volunteering and getting involved in the school and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the kids and the teachers and I am in love with the school now. If you're reading this and thinking about having your children join the school, consider having them come to a monthly Parent's Night Out of the fall Harvest Festival or Spring Fling. Contact the school office for a schedule and registration information. read more

Awesome layout and kid feel when you enter the school. Curriculum is ok, I think by four it should be a little more challenging. The teachers need to take a staff meeting on warmth, and how to greet new people who pick up. read more

We recently moved to Los Altos and put our son in the 5 year old program at Montecito. The 5 year old program has a wonderful student/teacher ratio with 8 students and 2 teachers. My son is really happy here and looks forward to going to school every morning. He loves his teachers and the year is off to a great start! The campus is adorable with gorgeous oak trees and a little red schoolhouse and they incorporate animals as part of the curriculum. The children get to interact with chickens, lizards, guinea pigs, fish, etc. and my son has even brought home 2 eggs so far from one of the chickens which he absolutely loved. Each classroom has their own play area with age appropriate toys and there's a big circular center for bikes and ride along toys. We couldn't be happier with our choice. read more

No words can express what an amazing school Montecito is for kids. My son has been at this school for 2 years and he loves it. The staff are all very loving and Erin the director is so accommodating and will do anything to make parents life easier. It is a beautiful school with an amazing setting and just a pure paradise for kids. I love this school and so thankful for all the staff and all the care my son got there and is still getting. Thank you Montecito! read more

I am disappointed by the school - specifically the quality of teaching. In my view, this is more of a daycare facility than an education facility. Whilst my sons had fun days and have made some friends, for a private school I have MUCH higher expectations. Good teachers have recently left and replacing them seems to be taking an extraordinarily long time. The grounds are lovely, and facility-wise things are at an acceptable level. The administration of the school and undertone of commerce driving decisions is disappointing. I do not recommend this school. read more

i went on a tour here and loved the campus, but the director/owner was a bit pushy, condescending and overbearing for my taste.

OK school-pricing is expensive but in line with other preschools. Not a Montessori school as I had originally thought. Reliability ok, but communication could be better. Great physical layout but warmth is lacking with the teachers. read more

I can't comment on their full-time options, but this is not a good place for the backup care. Kids are free to take their game consoles there and play all day with other kids crowding around them to watch. The couple of days I put my kid there I have seen Nintendo, iPad, iPad mini, you name it. If I'm going to let the game console babysit my kid, why do I need to pay this school to do it? I don't believe any self-respecting preschools here should allow this to happen. Luckily Bright Horizon had an open spot so I pulled my son out of Montecito as soon as I could. My wife and I couldn't be happier about this switch. read more

What an awful place. Looks good on the outside but inside is a bunch of bullies who do not care at all about kids or their well being. I walked in unexpectedly and found my child held down while crying his heart out. The teacher decided to descipline him because he threw a fit because his ballon burst. Instead of giving him another, she decided to crumble him up into a ball with arms and legs held together in her lap. As I approached her, she sat there and still held him down until I asked her to let him go. tried to play with him after that and pretend there was nothing wrong. I will surely try to report this to make sure they don't do this to any other child. read more

My child has attended Montecito for two years now and I am totally content with the quality of partial-day preschool education and care received there. My child is a typical 4-year old who likes to play with friends, push the limits, and receive praise when things go well--neither an angel nor a devil, but happily normal. At Montecito my child has grown in all ways, socially, emotionally, and academically (yes, there are developmentally appropriate pre-school skills being introduced here, with encouragement and mixed in with LOTS of playtime). Potty training has been a struggle and there too we've received guidance without pressure (Montecito does not require kids be potty trained at any specific age and they support parents in making the leap when it is most likely to work for the child). Montecito's services, programs, and facilities support a school community that is both child-friendly and parent-friendly. In two full years, never has my child NOT wanted to attend school. I am happy to sign up for a third year there. The teachers have consistently provided clear, timely, and reassuring feedback and support (all have been competent, caring, and attentive and their communications to my child have been kind and respectful--in a word, professional). The facilities are wonderfully comfortable, with lots of outdoor play time, animals, plentiful and varied indoor activities, and developmentally appropriate progressions in the curriculum. When enrollments increased, staff support increased too, to where I have never felt my child got lost. There is predictability to the children's 3 hours there in the form of a consistent order of activities (for example, 1. check in and play yard time, 2. story time, 3. child-selected stations for exploration and crafts, 4. snack, 5. free play inside, 6. bike time outside, then 7. circle time with songs, sharing, birthday acknowledgments and goodbyes). The director of this 50-year old family-run school solicits feedback and is readily available and involved (a plus in my book). The children perform 3 adorable "concerts" a year (rain or shine, the kids are well supported in standing before their families, even if they're scared at the new experience and never utter a word or move a hand--it's all good!). I have my child sent over to extended care on occasion to extend the preschool day a few hours, an offering that is both helpful to me and also a great way to give my child more time with friends after class. I also attend special festivals and monthly Parents Night Out (children have dinner, listen to stories, do crafts, and just have fun together). This laundry list is just my way of saying I've sampled most of what Montecito has to offer and I am happy with it. To reviewers who have had unsatisfactory experiences, I am sorry that Montecito did not meet expectations and hope the many preschool choices out there yield a better fit for your families. As for issues like the Los Altos Fall Festival volunteer (yelling at kids?!) and children using electronics in "backup care" (game consoles brought to Montecito?!) I can only wonder what aberration resulted in these incidences since I've never seen anything close to either type of behavior at Montecito events. read more

My son has been going here for three years now. 2's, 3's and now 4's class (all part time). I toured a few different places and this was by far the most superior of all. The teachers have A LOT of tenure especially in the 2's class which to me was the most critical as it was my son's first time away from family caregivers. Miss Louise is a gem and has a very special bond with my son- LOVE her! My son has made so many friends and is really thriving in this environment. They have animals and incorporate them into the daily activities which I think is unique. Most of the play areas are shaded by a large oak tree which is awesome. I would send my second child there but we moved to Los Gatos. The other reviews about Director Erin are absolutely ridiculous. She has been nothing but accommodating and flexible with us- we even changed our schedule from what they typically offer and she did that for us with no problems at all. It is on the pricey side but you get what you pay for, in my opinion. Anyone who can send their child here is lucky and should appreciate all that this wonderful place has to offer. The after school enrichment program is so helpful and no advance notice is needed- it really helped us when we were in a pinch. read more

We recently moved from Europe to California. We've been looking for a play based preschool for our 4 year old "full of power"daughter. We think it's one of the best preschool's in the bay area. Each class has his own playground an amazing bike trial and little pets like chicken, rabbits, lizzards, bullfrog.... The teachers are very patient, experienced and very friendly to their little students. They also involving the parents on special person days, field trips, festivals.... they also make a lot of arts. Be prepared to take hundreds of wonderful Art's home:) my daughter couldn't speak a word in English however the teachers made her visit to school as comfortable as they can so she hadn't any problems staying there without speaking English. They really care about an good relationship between teachers -parents- children. I would definitely recommend this school. Thank's to Ms. Mobley and of course the Teacher's who really care about their students. read more

Both my kids attended Montecito school, nice facility, very good play-base education, the last but not the least, the great teachers. Mrs. Helen and Ms Q are awesome. read more

Montecito is a great school. My son has been going here for almost 3 years and loves it. He always tells me how much fun he had during the day. They do so many activities. My son comes home with a stack full of crafts, etc he did that day. Our second son will be going here too soon. He is loves playing here already. All the teachers are so sweet. We love them all... past and present. When I pick my son up they greet me with a smile and give me updates on what happened and who he played with. They truly pay attention to each child. Also, my son loves to see his teachers... he is excited to tell them about his weekend or about his new shirt. The school has the best play area I've ever seen. A huge playground for each class and a bike area in the middle with a tree kids can climb and swing from. They also have tons of animals (chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, lizards, etc). They also have lots of extra activities like festivals, singing presentations, parents night out, etc, etc. I feel so lucky that we found Montecito. Thanks. read more

My daughter was in Montecito for 2 years. She loved it from day 1 on, and never asked to stay home instead of school. My favorite aspects are beautiful campus, lots of physical activities, and development of social skills. Kids are very friendly towards each other. read more

This is one of the worst schools we have encountered. Teachers are really cold and show practically no empathy towards kids. They expect kids who are sometimes less than 4 to behave fully and have very little patience to train and coach kids. We moved our son to a different school where he did very well. read more

My daughter is in her third year at Montecito. I love the school! The teachers are so kind and the environment is great. I send my daughter to Montecito because it's where I would have wanted to go to school as a young child. They play a lot which I believe is the most important thing to do at this age. There are animals, beautiful trees and tons of playgrounds. They also create a community feel by connecting the parents and having a lot of extra events. In addition to the classroom I also love the convenience and flexibility of the after care. read more

BE AWARE !! This school may be a good school and teachers competent and passionate but the head of the school puts the nose in your private life and takes decisions that may effect your family. She had some children from a separted couple and she took the side of the father only because he was constantly calling her and telling her bad stories about the mother hoping to get her to believe his lies. She got an opinion without listening to the mother. She put her judjement on the top of judges, psicologists, lawyers and the poor mother who has been dealing with a very sad and stressful situation for years rather than staying out of it and being impartial for the good of the children. Now the stability and health of those children may be under threat because of her actions she should be ashamed of. Be aware your privacy and your family matters are not safe with her. read more

My child choose this school as we saw the chickens and several small animals by the front door. We feel it might be easy and fun. After we have been there several months, I feel most of the teachers are very cold and condescending. They will hand me a homework or class pet without saying anything, even basic things like what to do with the projects and when they expect them back. Also the teachers just walk away when they saw us or pretend not seeing us. I feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome at this place. We have been to other preschools, but this one is the most expensive and least friendly place we have been to. read more

We love this school. My daughter went there 2 1/2 years and now my son goes there. We chose it because it is play based and there is a lot of outside play with bikes, hula hoops, a small trampoline, and a tree swing. There are 4 classrooms and each one has their own playground. We have loved every teacher we have had, except for one, because she was lacking in warmth, so we asked for a different class and got it. We've been so pleased. The teachers are very kind and considerate with the children. By the time my daughter left Montecito, she was prepared and ready for Kindergarten and I believe my son will be, too. We use the afternoon enrichment, which has a new theme each week. Discipline is gentle. Most of the assistants are involved with the kids and play with them. The snacks are healthy, with the occasional sweet treat. Erin is a very accommodating director. She will listen to you and try to make you feel very comfortable. She does get to know every parent. We occasionally take advantage of the Parents Night Out. They feed dinner to your child, the kids play, do arts and crafts, read books, sometimes there is a kid friendly movie. The school has a Kindergarten program and has an afterschool program for elementary school kids. The school also has community events with rides, inflatables, games, food, and music. It's a lot of fun. One Yelper (Nahed A) wrote about an awful experience and I find that so hard to believe. I see nothing but happy children and my kids always had a happy experience. I see no bullies there. I am curious about which teacher she/he is accusing. read more

best play-based preschool and staff in the bay area!!!!

My kids have attended Montecito for the last six years. Montecito has been a gift. The beautiful, wooded surroundings and outdoor activities are complemented by the incredibly loving and supportive staff at the school. The play based learning program has allowed my kids to learn creatively while playing. Now that my oldest is in elementary school, I really realize how wonderful it is to give the little ones as much play based learning as possible before they enter the rigors of academia. Every single staff person welcomes my child with a hug and a smile each and every day. The children spend tons of time outdoors and learn about nature and animals. They have several animals there that have opened their eyes to other living creatures. My children feel safe and loved there, and they have been well prepared for kindergarten. I highly recommend Montecito to anyone looking for a warm and nurturing environment for their children. read more