We truly can't speak highly enough of International Montessori Academy (IMA)…read more Our older daughter recently graduated after attending from age 2 1/2 to 5 1/2. As first-time parents sending our first child to school after being in a nanny share, we were understandably nervous. Looking back, we couldn't have chosen a better place for those precious early years. IMA gave our daughter a safe, loving, and nurturing environment where she absolutely thrived. She grew into a confident, kind, curious, and kindergarten-ready little girl. She made wonderful friends, developed a love of learning, and genuinely looked forward to going to school every single day. What makes IMA so special is its people. Many of the teachers and staff have been there for years, and it shows. There is a genuine sense that they love what they do and truly care about every child. We adored Ms. Merrill and Ms. Cassie, who had such a meaningful impact on our daughter, but the truth is that every member of the staff made us feel supported and welcomed. Ms. Solitto was a fantastic director, Ms. Ivy greeted our daughter every morning with such warmth, and she absolutely loved Ms. Ivy's music and Mandarin classes. She still sings songs in Mandarin at home! Ms. Susie was another friendly, familiar face who always made drop-off and pick-up feel welcoming. The entire team creates an environment where children feel safe, loved, and excited to learn. Beyond the classroom, IMA builds an incredible community. The parent community is welcoming, kind, and genuinely supportive. We formed friendships with other families and always felt like we were part of something special. The school also goes above and beyond to make childhood magical. Their holiday celebrations, summer fun days, and special events are thoughtfully planned, beautifully decorated, and filled with fun experiences the kids still talk about long afterward. One moment that will always stay with us happened when our daughter was unexpectedly hospitalized for a week and missed a significant amount of school. Without us even asking, IMA prorated our tuition for that month. That simple act of kindness spoke volumes about the compassion and integrity of the school's leadership. Like any school, no place is perfect, and I know some reviews mention communication concerns. That simply wasn't our experience. We always found the staff approachable, caring, and responsive. Whenever we had a question, they were available by phone, email, in person, or through classroom observations. We always felt informed and supported. The greatest compliment we can give IMA is this: we are absolutely thrilled that our younger daughter will be starting there next year. There is so much comfort in knowing she will be cared for by people we trust completely during such an important stage of her development. Thank you, IMA, for giving our daughter such a joyful beginning. We will always be grateful for the love, care, and foundation you gave our family. We recommend IMA wholeheartedly to any family looking for a preschool where children are truly known, nurtured, and celebrated.

Our daughter attended IMA as a 2-year-old for about five months. We left several months ago, and…read morewith some distance, I wanted to share our experience for other families. Our biggest issue was communication. The school moved her between classrooms more than once without discussing it with us first. Our repeated requests to move her back went unanswered, and updates on how she was doing were few and far between. Our daughter was struggling at IMA and it was clear that the school did not have the skills or staff to support her. Their approach was not a good fit for our daughter. If your child may need individualized support or a more communicative partnership with caregivers, I'd encourage you to ask detailed questions before enrolling. We wish we had, and we wish we'd trusted our daughter's unhappiness sooner.

Our son Fraser started at Enchanted Castle at 18 months and just turned two. The transition was…read moretough during that first week; he cried constantly from drop-off until lunch, and we had to pick him up before nap time. Fast forward to today.. he feels so safe and at home - he is definitely thriving! Fraser has a very strong personality, and we love how patient the staff is and how the Montessori way allows him to channel it positively. We absolutely adore his teachers (Ms. Nhi, Ms. Veronica, Ms. Wen, and Ms. Cat) + a special shout-out to Ms. M, who spoils him with so much love! What really stands out is that all the teachers at the school seem genuinely happy and know Fraser personally. The director, Ms. Prima, is super on top of everything and fosters a great relationship with all the families and staff. I truly appreciate the extra thought and care she puts into the school. If you want a place where your child will be safe, known, and nurtured, we highly recommend this amazing team!

My child transferred to this preschool because of the Eaton Fire. One of the main reasons we chose…read morethis school was that it is much more than a regular daycare -- it offers a trilingual learning environment with reasonable price. Even though my child is in the English program, he also takes Chinese and Spanish classes. Friends of mine from other cities and states often see the school activities I share/post and tell me how envious they are that we have access to such an amazing preschool. My child has learned so much here, especially in STEM-related subjects. His life skills, independence, and hands-on abilities have improved tremendously. The school also provides a wide variety of enriching activities, including science fairs, carnivals, puppet shows, bubble shows, and animal petting events where the children can ride ponies and interact with rabbits and other animals. The school also hosts special Mother's Day and Father's Day breakfast events that make families feel very involved and welcomed. Every year, the winter and spring performances are what I look forward to the most. It is truly impressive to see a group of 4-year-olds confidently perform three English songs, one Chinese song, one Spanish song, and even a dance routine on stage. The children always look so confident and joyful. This year, my child will be graduating, and I am incredibly grateful to Ms. Joanna and Ms. Regina. They are warm, energetic, patient, and genuinely caring teachers. The classroom environment they create is loving and harmonious, and the children are kind and supportive toward one another. We will always appreciate the wonderful experience our child had here.

Our son attends Aria Montessori, and it has truly been a happy place for him…read more Before Aria, he attended another private school starting at age three. That school had beautiful facilities, a large playground, and lots of fancy toys. However, despite all of that, our son cried almost every morning when we dropped him off. Over time, we noticed that our normally very happy and talkative boy became quieter and less excited about school. Everything changed after we transferred him to Aria Montessori during the summer. After about a 10-day break from the previous school, he started at Aria. From the very first days, he was excited and genuinely happy to go to school. Now he wakes up looking forward to his day. He has learned wonderful manners, greeting his teachers with a cheerful "Good morning" during drop-off and happily saying "Bye-bye Mommy." Many afternoons he even reminds me not to pick him up early because he doesn't want to miss activities like cooking on Tuesdays, science experiments, or popsicle day. What we appreciate most about Aria is that while the environment may be simpler than some larger private schools, the teachers truly care about the children. They create a warm, nurturing atmosphere where kids feel safe, valued, and excited to learn. The Montessori approach provides a more individualized style of learning that encourages independence and curiosity, which really helps children grow and develop qualities that many top private K-12 schools look for. For our family, that feeling is far more important than a fancy facilities. A school where children feel safe, loved, and excited to learn is priceless. Seeing our son happy, confident, and eager to go to school every morning means everything to us. As Elon is graduating from Aria, we can clearly see how much he has grown. He was recently admitted to one of the top private schools for kindergarten, and we truly believe the confidence, independence, and curiosity he developed at Aria played a big role in preparing him for this next step. We are also very grateful to the principal, Mrs. Schofield-Smith. She knows every child and family. The teachers also know each child by name and greet the children and families warmly every day, which creates a strong sense of community. An involved principal makes a big difference for a school because she understands the children, supports the teachers, and can make thoughtful improvements when needed. We truly appreciate the teachers and staff at Aria Montessori for creating such a warm and nurturing place for children to grow.

Both of our children attend Aria Montessori, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The…read moreschool provides such a warm, nurturing, and supportive environment where children truly thrive. Mr. and Mrs. Schofield-Smith place a strong emphasis on character development, good behavior, and respectful manners, which we deeply appreciate as parents. Beyond academics, the children learn independence, responsibility, and kindness toward others -- values that stay with them far beyond the classroom. We have seen tremendous growth in both of our kids, not only academically but also socially and emotionally. The teachers genuinely care about each child, and the sense of community at the school is truly special. We are very grateful to be part of the Aria community and highly recommend this school to any family looking for a nurturing and well-rounded Montessori education. Definitely recommend this school!

It's been a few years since we graduated from Our School and we are still so happy with our…read moredecision to send our daughter here. We visited recently and everyone still remembered our daughter's name and anecdotes about their time shared together. Everyone here is just so generous and loving; Im so grateful they exist in our community.

Our daughter started going to Our School in April 2023 when she just turned 2.5 and fully potty…read moretrained (required). And now she is going to be turning 5 this summer and graduating! Time flies and I couldn't be more thankful for the wonderful women who make this school so special. It is truly a safe space and a home away from home. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this place. Where to begin? I've toured a lot of preschools before seeing Our School and I instantly fell in love with how cozy and intimate the environment felt. Some of the other schools felt a little too "corporate." Here, there's no app or portal. Just good old fashion face-to-face chats with teachers and Ms Janel. They genuinely foster a sense of community so it feels like you are a part of the school too. In general, the school is well structured and organized. The staff ensures a good mix of boys and girls and will move kids up classes when they are ready socially and emotionally. Our daughter started off in Ms Yolanda's class, then Ms Doretha's class, and now in Ms Tiff's class. She has so much fun! She's grown so much socially and academically. The school gives you a booklet of the work they do everyday and it's such a treat to see how much they progress over time. I have no doubt she is more than prepared for kindergarten. The school also has a saltwater pool and my daughter swam everyday in the summer as an extracurricular (additional fee). This is her third summer swimming and is swimming like a fish. In the fall and spring, the school offers dance and gymnastic and pizza Mondays year-round for an additional fee. There's tons of fun activities that Miss Tiff does to make school so engaging and exciting. But above all, they all know your child SO well that you know they are truly paying attention to each child everyday. And during the Eaton Fires, Miss Tiff opened up her heart to make school feel as normal as possible and made sure the Our School families were cared after. Pajamas days, lunch provided for all students, donation drives for affected families, she did it all. There is so much intention and humanity built into this school and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. It's going to be really hard to say goodbye.

What a gift Bridge has been for our family! We have a 5 year old who just graduated and is in TK…read moreand a 2.5 year old in her second year at Bridge. We are so lucky to have found this school after relocating from the Bay Area. Everything about Bridge has been easy since day one and our kids love it. Each teacher in each year has been great and taught our girls so much. They also have wonderful leadership under Ms. Aarthi. Our 5 year old was fully prepared for TK and adjusted very nicely and we attribute a lot of this to the curriculum at Bridge. They have tons of programs the kids can participate in: dance, Spanish, art, etc. They also offer a paid lunch program which is awesome and makes things so easy. If you are searching for schools, feel very confident in sending your kids to this wonderful school. We love it!

I cannot put into so many words, without the help of ChatGPT to say how much we love Bridge…read moreMontessori. So bare with me... Our son went to the Pasadena campus, off of Lake Avenue for over a year, and will continue to attend every summer and every break if his current school (because we moved and are no longer local, but will make the drive) is on opposite breaks. He started during their summer program before TK, went for TK and then half the summer after that. He enjoyed his teachers, his friends, and the school. He has excelled so much that he's way beyond his years in math, reading and writing. He really is starting kindergarten strong. They truly are a gem and I'm sad we moved and he won't be attending on a regular basis, but glad he's had such great teachers and made such sweet and amazing friends. They have set the bar very high for us. We have been recommending the school to every one.

Foothill Progressive Montessori is a truly exceptional school that we have had the honor of sending…read moreour daughter to for the last two and a half years. Run by Ms. Kanthi and staffed by a truly excellent array of teachers, including Ms. Chrissy, Ms. Kim, and Ms. Fatema, Progressive has been instrumental in the growth and development of our daughter from age 3 to 5. With the guidance of Progressive, our daughter gained admission to our first choice private school, and one of the most competitive schools in the state. Over the years we have come to deeply value the warm, thoughtful environment of the school. Birthdays are truly special occasions frequented by princesses and superheroes, exceptional art is made with the guidance of teachers, and the educational rigor is unmatched. With the dedicated guidance of Ms. Fatema, our now 5 year old daughter can read, write, and do basic arithmetic at the level of a late Kindergartener, winning the admiration of family, friends, and admissions directors alike. Just as important, Progressive has allowed our daughter to find her voice, speak up and give her opinion, and instill her with a level of confidence that wows everyone around her. While perhaps less well known than other preschools that profess to be "feeders" for the competitive Pasadena private school scene (and who charge accordingly), Foothill Progressive is exceptional in that it stands not on a name, but the merits of its teachers and genuine commitment to the success of its students. Our daughter's success is proof that this is what truly matters. Thank you, Progressive Montessori, for everything you have done for our daughter and family. You deserve nothing less than our highest recommendation and we encourage all parents in La Canada, Pasadena, and Altadena to join your wonderful community.

We absolutely LOVE Foothill Progressive Montessori School. Our kids have been at this school since…read more2022, and I was a student 1997-1999. Ms. Kanthi was my teacher and now she owns the same school and teaches my kids! She is absolutely amazing! All of the staff are incredible. Ms. Fatema, Ms. Chrissy, Ms. Kim, Ms. Sumudu, Ms. Raquel, Ms. Angelica, Ms. Hazmik. Literally every single one of them. All of them treat the kids as if they were their own, so much love and patience with the kids. My kids love going to school and they actually get excited about learning. Ms. Fatema's science class has been amazing in instilling a love for learning for our oldest child. We can't wait for our other kids to take Ms. Fatema's science class and Ms. Kim's science class. My oldest is definitely ready for kindergarten solely because of Ms. Fatema. The school has great hours for working parents from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Hot lunch is available for an additional fee. The school goes all out for all of the holidays and graduation. There are lots of opportunities for parent involvement should you want to be involved. The environment is screen-free and true to the Montessori method.

I cannot praise Evergreen Montessori Academy enough -- Ms. Gladys, Ms. Lizet, and Ms. Rosi are the…read morebest. My daughter has gone here since she was 10 weeks old, and she's learned so much while there, and is also so happy to be dropped off every day! Their ratios of staff to students exceed the California standard, and it is clear how much they genuinely care about her. It is also amazing that all staff are trained in childhood development in some capacity. The flexibility that the longer hours provide is also amazing, and I love that I've been able to pop in to take her to doctors appointments or to have family visit her mid-day. I also love the activities they provide the parents to foster a strong parent- and parent-teacher community. I cannot say enough good things. You and your infant/child will be lucky if they get to attend!

My daughter has been attending Evergreen Montessori since she was 10 months old, and she's now 18…read moremonths. As a first-time mom, I was definitely nervous about leaving her in someone else's care, but the director, Rosi, was so warm, friendly, and welcoming that she made the whole transition so much easier. It gave me such peace of mind knowing my little one was in good hands. My trust in Evergreen also came from my sister's experience. Her eldest daughter attended from infancy until she started kindergarten, and her youngest is currently enrolled as well. That reassurance, combined with my own first-hand experience, has made me confident in choosing this school. The teachers are truly wonderful, always happy, friendly, and caring. My daughter has grown and developed so much since being here. They put so much love and effort into everything, from daily learning and fun activities to thoughtful artwork, gifts, and celebrations for holidays and events. Even the food they provide is high quality, which I really appreciate. While tuition is on the higher side, I honestly believe it's worth every penny. The care, attention, and nurturing environment they provide is priceless. Their hours are also very accommodating for working parents, which has been a huge help. I have absolutely no complaints and would wholeheartedly recommend Evergreen Montessori to any parent considering it. Knowing my daughter is safe, loved, and thriving there is the best feeling.

Our son Levi (4) just graduated from Enchanted Castle Pasadena Montessori! He has been attending…read moresince he was two, and we love the school so much that he will be staying for summer camp. He has grown into such a kind-hearted, curious helper. He is always smiling and laughing when I pick him up.. I know he feels confident and loves to share and take care of others. The school really fosters a nurturing, calm environment, and he absolutely loves his classes, his friends, and the teachers. Ms. Cassie has been amazing - she really shows that she cares for each of her students and believes in all they're capable of. The kids did so much throughout the year, and it just amazes me. We will definitely miss the staff at Enchanted Pasadena!

My 3 year old daughter started this week after I toured dozens of pre-schools in the area. I feel…read morelike we've landed in a great place! The teachers are warm yet no-nonsense. The administration is communicative and professional. My daughter made friends on her first day no problem. Everyone so so friendly and welcoming. The other parents are even cool! Secure check-in, nice shaded play area, weekly bonus activities (languages, arts), easy app communication, and reasonable prices. They encourage play, healthy lunches and snacks, and independence all around from going to the bathroom to practical tasks to self-guided learning.