Montessori of Brea has been an enriching, amazing, and wonderful learning experience for our three…read moredaughters. As a former Montessori student, this school stays true to the Montessori method of teaching. There are plenty of hands-on learning materials that are age appropriate from 2 years old in preschool to 7 years old in K-1. The kids are able to learn at their own pace and enjoy an environment of collaborative play and learning. Every child of mine who entered preschool had their initial episodes of tears and crying in the first few months. But the teachers at Montessori of Brea are so kind with their loving voices, gentle nudges, and guided redirection to help the children focus on their learning and forget about the separation from parents. Ms. Kim was our preschool teacher for our first 2 daughters and is currently teaching our 3 year old. Our whole family LOVES Ms. Kim! When my two older grade school kids come to pick up our baby, they ALWAYS have to come to give Ms. Kim a hug! She is caring, loving, and has great communication with parents at drop off and/or pick up. There are a total of 4 teachers for the classroom, but I'm amazed at Ms. Kim's organization and memory having to be the primary teacher of 28+ kids and knowing each child's ability. I can barely handle remembering my 3! Ms. Dana was our most recent K-1 teacher and she is just as great! Her lessons helped prepare my daughter for school outside of Montessori. Her open communication and constant use of technology helped prepare us for future apps used in grade school. Ms. Dana was very active in providing updates, even sending pictures to all the class parents of special events and personal messages for individual achievements! With the help of ALL the teachers at Montessori of Brea, our oldest daughter got into GATE (Gifted & Talented Education) and is excelling. Our second daughter is reading three grade levels above her current grade and is thriving at her new school thanks to the teachers and Montessori of Brea. I can only give my highest recommendation for this place! I tell all my neighbors and friends in the area about Montessori of Brea because it has helped our children succeed in and out of the classroom.

This is the best school you will find in North Orange County; I know this because I diligently…read morevisited most of them. I grew up attending Montessori schools and my mother is a Montessori teacher, so I know what to look for. After observing different schools in the area and speaking in-depth with the staff, I felt MoB was truly the best place for my brilliant children. The environment and teacher credentials are all authentic, and the classrooms reminded me of my own childhood Montessori schools. If you take a tour, you will observe busy children enthusiastically working with a level of focus you do not see in traditional preschools/kindergartens. The education is top quality, and the staff friendly, patient, and extremely knowledgeable in child development. Three of my children graduated from MoB, with my youngest being the most recent graduate. They were under the exceptional guidance of Ms. Tess (lead teacher and also a music scholar), Ms. Padmini, Ms. Cindy, Ms. Dana, Mr. Vargas, and Ms. Nayna. We are so grateful for their contribution to our children's development. Every one my kids graduated from MoB with high-level reading and math skills, a love for science, strong musical knowledge, a love and respect for nature and the Earth, as well as high self-confidence and independence. My oldest children, now 12 and 10, are in GATE (Gifted and Talented Education program) in the public school system, and continue to excel. I have no doubt my youngest, who recently graduated from MoB, will also qualify for the GATE program. I credit Montessori of Brea for bringing out my children's full potential--they care about the mental, physical, social, emotional, AND academic wellbeing of the child. My kids loved all the hands-on learning at Montessori of Brea, and had so much fun over the years--we go back regularly to visit Ms. Ali and all the lovely teachers and support staff, as we consider them family. P.S. My children attended from age 2 to age 6; best decision ever.

I can only say good things about this place, the schedule 7am to 6pm, the teachers are so sweet,…read moreloving and caring, I am a single mom and they give me piece of mind while I am at work. If this is one of your options, do it, because it is a great community, small, they have extra classes like dance, soccer and golf, they also provide hot lunch at a great price, when I forget to send my daughter lunch and I forget to ask for lunch they always make her something. I do not have any complaints whatsoever my daughter just finished this school year, and we are so happy we will stay for the next. they follow Montessori curriculum and ways of teaching. Great place to leave your precious children at. Worth every penny.

Amazing school with wonderful and caring teachers. My daughter is in Ms. Sharia's and Ms. Esther's…read moreclass, but she also interacts with Ms. Livi, Ms. Evangeline, Ms. Martha, Ms. Scarlett, and Ms. Betty. Before attending Ms. Sharia's class, my daughter only babbled and didn't talk much, after being with Ms. Sharia for a year, she talks non stop and in full sentences. She now knows her ABC's, numbers, and shapes. She has learned so much. When I drop her off everyday, I never have to worry about her since I know that shes in good hands. I love that Ms Sharia would send me updates and pictures of my daughter. We are sad that she's leaving to go to preschool at another school, but we cannot wait for their infant class to be ready so we can send our youngest here.

The teachers at ICMA have been wonderful for our family as we came out of the pandemic and were…read moreseeking to move our toddler from home-based care to a classroom setting (Fall 2022). Our child really struggled with the adjustment from being with grandma full-time to being in a school with teachers (strangers). However, the staff were very patient with her crying all day for a few weeks before she finally adjusted. She now loves her teachers and her school. She has learned a lot about self-advocacy and exploration. Our child has really thrived in the toddler classroom and brings homes the systems and structures of Montessori, picking up after herself, problem solving and a lot of self-play (free time for parents!). She has grown in all the basic skills you would expect from a nearly three-year-old. The small size of the school means the teachers really know the students and the outdoor play area is fantastic! Not to mention the indoor classroom is very organized and teaches structural skills. Overall, Ms.Martha and Ms. Castellon have provided a great environment for our child to grow in confidence and skill. Ms. Allison is truly dedicated to creating an atmosphere of love and growth. A few of the drawback of the school are the schedule, they do close at 5:30pm, which can make it tough for working parents. There are also a few breaks throughout the year, so it is better if you have someone who can help with childcare during these days off so you don't use up your own personal time off. Lastly, they don't provide snacks or meals, so you will have to provide that - though that can be a plus if you've got a picky eater.

This is not a Montessori, it's a daycare facility. We paid all these extra fees (material fee,…read moresummer activities fee etc) only to receive 2 maybe 3 art projects and 2 summer activities. The only thing this place has going for it is Miss Allison (who is on maternity leave) and the playground! Do not send your kids here. We found a much better Montessori that actually follows the true Montessori methodology.

Our daughter has been attending Shepherd Montessori since she was about 14 months old, and is now…read moreabout 2 1/2 years old, and we plan to stay right up until she's ready for Kindergarten. The teachers and staff here have been wonderful. The teachers do an amazing job of teaching the kids not just their alphabet and shapes, etc, but also making sure that the kids are playing well together, looking out for each other, sharing, and being kind. As a first-time parent, I'm so impressed that the teachers instill a sense of right & wrong, and correct the kids clearly without being mean or arbitrary. And my daughter is always coming home with something new she's learned, or something she's made in class. New animals, new stories, new songs (sometimes in Korean!) and we can tell she's getting lots of practice with her letters & numbers-- she loves telling us about what she's learned. When we wanted to understand what to expect when our daughter moved from the infant class to the 2-year-old class, the staff sat down with us and talked through everything, letting us ask all our questions until we were completely comfortable. And they made the transition easy for our daughter, too. They made sure she still got plenty of time outside with her friends who were still in the infant class, and had plenty of pressure-free time to get comfortable in her new classroom. The teachers all know each child individually, and really pay attention to making sure each child is happy and feels cared-for, and is learning. I'm really happy that there seems to be plenty of balance between classroom activity & outdoor play, and that my daughter always seems happy to be going to school each day.

I don't not have a child that attends this school, but i live in the neighborhood behind it…read more Everyday they take some of the children ages 2-3 for walks. I see ONE teach for like 10 children. Most of the time she is far ahead of them and not watching them. As i saw them walking today many of the kids were walking in the gutter and slightly into the street. They happened to be passing my house as i was bringing in the groceries and i told her she should not allow the children to walk in the street. If it were my child i would be furious. Teaching very UNSAFE habits.

Our son attended Serrano Heights for the past two years, and we couldn't be more grateful for the…read morecare and support he received. Because of his medical condition, he required medication to be administered during the school day. From the very beginning, the staff was incredibly responsible, compassionate, and attentive. They gave us peace of mind knowing he was in such capable hands. Beyond the excellent care, he truly loved his time at Serrano Heights. He made wonderful friends and came home every day excited to tell us about story time, arts and crafts, daily activities, playtime, and sports. Seeing his enthusiasm for school was such a joy. Over the past two years, he learned his numbers and letters, gained confidence, and, most importantly, developed a genuine love for reading. The teachers created a warm, engaging environment where he could learn, grow, and have fun. We are so thankful to the entire Serrano Heights team for making his first school experience such a positive and memorable one. We highly recommend Serrano Heights to any family looking for a caring and nurturing preschool.

We've had such a great experience with this daycare. From day one, our daughter has felt genuinely…read morewelcome and part of a sweet little community. We loved how they celebrated everything from Holi to Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and Valentine's Day. The kids have an active social calendar! Now she's "graduating" this summer, and we can't believe how much she's grown during her time here. She's leaving more confident and social. We're so grateful for the warm, caring environment they've created--it's made a lasting impact on our family.

I send my daughter here and my experience has been positive. She is learning so much and enjoys…read moregoing to school. The teachers are very nice, caring, and the facility is clean. I get pictures from the school, which really makes my day seeing her playing and thriving. This is my first child and first school so of course, nervous mom but i feel comfortable and safe dropping her off at Smiles. I highly recommend this school for other parents.

I currently send my son here. Staff is very kind and caring towards my son. They talk to me about…read morehis development, appetite, and overall mood for the day. I appreciate staff taking the time to help him learn how to sit and stand on his own. Annie (the director) is always happy to see my boy. He smiles back at her when the greet each other. I am so pleased with Smiles Montessori.

We've had such a great experience at Miller's Preschool with my son. One of the things we love most…read moreis how they encourage the kids to be independent and learn to do things for themselves. They're always keeping the kids engaged with fun activities, daily share days, and hands-on learning with animals, science, math and more. It feels like there is always something new and exciting happening each week. Most importantly, the staff is wonderful. They treat my son with so much kindness, patience and love, and it gives us such peace of mind knowing he's somewhere he feels happy, cared for and comfortable. We're grateful for everyone at Miller's!

After more than 3 years at Millers, we can confidently say that the staff here has done so much to…read morehelp my son grow his confidence and curiosity. The staff here care genuinely, and it shows from the very first conversation with Sue. Would recommend any parents looking for a place that cares for students like kids of their own to schedule a tour and see what they're all about.

We absolutely love Montessori of Anaheim so much. The…read moreteachers are so loving and attentive to all the children and our son loves going to this daycare. They have a set routine schedule everyday that is great for the children and the teachers always have such amazing activities that help the children with their learning skills. I can confidently say my son has grown so much in his social skills making friends and building his confidence and self esteem. He is just over 2 year old and knows how to count up to 20, knows the whole alphabet song and remembers the lyrics to a lot of the songs he sings at school. We're so thankful to Ms. Noelle (the director) and all the lovely teachers (Ms. Pushpinder, Ms. Hang, Ms. Farida, etc)

My wife and I have vetted so many schools in the area. We were more than glad and proud to have…read moresent our kid to this school where TRUE Montessori values and discipline are instilled everyday. There truly isn't an amount or cost to pay for quality care & education. We will be forever grateful to Ms. Farida and her team for the awesome care to our little one and many others. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

The teachers are very loving and friendly. We feel like this is a very loving environment as the…read morekids are very sweet, parents are nice and teachers are very caring. We are very happy at this school

Threatened with Disenrollment for Asking a Simple Question…read more I rarely write public reviews, but my recent experience with Little Scholars Academy and staff member Shehara Devendra left me shocked and disappointed. The issue began with something simple: I dropped off extra clothes for my child and was told they would be labeled by the school. Later, when I picked them up, none had been labeled as promised. I politely messaged the school, explained the situation, and respectfully requested that only the unlabeled items be returned so I could label them myself. What I received in response was not acknowledgment or accountability, but vague reassurances and generic replies that completely ignored the specific concern I had raised. Instead of acknowledging the oversight, I was told to "trust the process" -- as if my concern was rooted in distrust, when in reality I had simply asked for follow-through and clarity. I remained calm and polite in every message, even thanking them multiple times. At no point did I use disrespectful or inappropriate language. Despite this, I was later told by the Director that my child's enrollment could be discontinued if I was ever "disrespectful" again. After receiving that email from the Director, my family felt humiliated, anxious, and unsure of what to do next. After much hesitation, we decided to email the school to withdraw our child from enrollment. The school replied, asking us which date we wanted our child's last day to be. Because we were unfamiliar with their withdrawal process, we politely asked for more detailed guidance -- specifically, what the procedure would be and what date would work for the school. Instead of receiving any instructions, the school simply stopped responding. Then, one morning at drop-off, I was confronted at the door by staff member Shehara. She blocked the entrance and demanded that I give her a specific last day for my child's attendance. This was done while my child was crying in fear and distress, and while other parents were lined up behind us trying to drop off their children. I asked her repeatedly if my child was allowed to attend class that day, but she replied that she "didn't know" and insisted I give her a date immediately. In the end, I had to almost ask for permission for my child to enter class, promising I would confirm the withdrawal date later that day. Only then did she allow my child to go inside. This was not the only example of pressured compliance. Shehara insisted we purchase the school's preferred diaper brand, even though we already had a large supply of another suitable brand, making us feel that noncompliance might result in mistreatment of our child. The Director, who has never been present during our drop-offs or pick-ups, nonetheless defended her staff without ever having witnessed these incidents. Rather than working with us as partners in our child's care, they created an environment where asking a simple question was treated as a disciplinary problem. As a parent, I believe in collaborating with teachers and staff, and in standing up when communication breaks down and basic respect is lacking. I expected better from a school entrusted with my child's care. It's disappointing that a parent raising a simple concern -- calmly and constructively -- could be treated as a disciplinary problem, then later confronted publicly at the school door, instead of being treated as a partner in their child's education. I share this experience in the hope it brings attention to the importance of accountability, empathy, and clear communication in childcare. Parents should be able to ask questions and express concerns without being threatened with disenrollment, ignored when seeking guidance, or put in uncomfortable and public confrontations during drop-off. I strongly urge parents to consider these experiences before enrolling at Little Scholars Academy. Your family deserves a school that values transparency, respect, and true partnership with parents.

My child has come here since an infant. The teachers from infant to toddlers are very caring and…read moreattentive. I appreciate that they are very flexible and the facility is clean and new. Despite having many children, they know my child's name and his development and personality. The staff is very personable. Every child attends any daycare would get sick until their immune system gets better. I have many nieces and nephews living all over the States and it's a rite of passage. I just appreciate that their infant class is right across from the director's office and has camera you can come in to watch anytime. What I like the most is that they follow safe sleep practice strictly so I felt very safe for my child to attend the school. My child, as a toddler, also learned colors and many other fun things. Not only does he get socialization, care, but he also gets education. The furniture is similar to Montessori - appropriate for the child's stature and development including sink and toilets! They are also screen free and very diligent at changing diapers every 2 hours & documenting everything - I truly appreciate that!

I wanted to do a follow up post- because the owner left a comment on my original post that said as…read moresoon as they were made aware of HFMD they notified parents- this was NOT true. In fact an immediate search of their school on the Orange County child licensed care website shows my allegation was sustained. If you're looking for honesty, this school is not it. And I'm sure like my last post there will all of a sudden be five random perfect reviews but remember if something seems weird it usually is. This school owes it to me to fully reimburse my one week of tuition that I paid. I highly recommend the other contact me- you have my info. Besides my own violation that is now on their official report I saw that another parent also recently reported them just be aware.