Step One School is truly a school of happiness! Choosing it for our son was one of the best…read moredecisions we've made. Now in his second year, he started at age three as a shy and cautious child who spoke very little. His teachers surrounded him with love and care, helping him feel safe and confident. It's no surprise that many of the staff spend their entire careers at this school--it's a special place. This year, our son is thriving! He's speaking more clearly, counting, and making friends. Watching him grow in such a welcoming and nurturing environment is amazing. From drawing to music and even playing guitar, he loves every moment of school and looks forward to going every day. We couldn't be happier with Step One!

Step One School is a magical place! Our family feels so grateful to be part of this warm, welcoming…read morecommunity. Every teacher is loving, supportive, and kind. My favorite part of the school yard is the organic garden, but our oldest son most enjoys playing in the little stream of water that runs down the hillside. He is thriving, asking us to play Stevie Wonder songs at home, just like he dances to at school.

Our daughter attended LET for three years, and she truly thrived there. The warm, nurturing…read moreenvironment and wonderful teachers helped her grow into a happy, kind, and confident child. Staying for her TK year was the best decision we made. It was amazing to see the Montessori philosophy in action during that third year. Her confidence and independence blossomed. It was clear that the teachers prepared her well academically (early reader and a strong curiosity for learning) but more importantly, social-emotionally. What's more - many of the alumni still stay in touch, a reflection of the wonderful experience so many families had. The LET community has been an integral part of our daughter's early years, and we will always be grateful.

So fortunate to have found this little gem. We found Little Elephant Too in Berkeley online when we…read morewere moving from India to the Bay Area last year in 2022. Fortunate to have fallen in love with this cute cozy and calm space for our daughter! She has so much fun here, loves her teachers and her friends We have been enjoying being part of this community, talking to the parents and bonding over birthday parties at the park or potluck gatherings in school. Amazing memories we will cherish forever! If you ever want to gift something special to your child, gift them montessori education for their early childhood

We had 2 kids go through the program. They really take great care of the preschoolers- physically…read moreand emotionally! The play based model and layout of the school really allows for growth, learning and creativity.

Why, you might ask yourself, is a 65 year old woman writing a review about her preschool? Doesn't…read moreshe have a life? I graduated from the Albany Preschool in about 1950 as did many of my young Albany neighbors. Can't think of one of us who hasn't used those early years as a foundation for a colorful *educated* lifetime. Miss Curran was our teacher. We learned to share, to pour milk from a pitcher, to make clay vases for Mother's Day. And (of course) to give the obligatory plaster of paris handprint to our father on his "special" day. Although we came from a wide variety of religions, cultures and family groups, the kids at Albany Preschool circa 1950 all learned how to get along, and to contribute to society. Albany Preschool still exists. It is still training today's children for the future. Kids who go to the school *do* learn to share, to work and to value all living creatures. Kudos to a great place, which has done so much for so many people through the years! If you haven't been by it, check it out. Its still on the same site, half a block from Solano. And tell 'em Dorothy sent you.

I can't say enough good things about my family's experience at the New School. Its wonderful…read moreteachers take the work of creating a loving, safe, child-centric environment seriously, providing just the right balance of support and independence for kids as they discover themselves, their peers, and the world around them. The New School is great environment for working parents, with hours that reflect the reality of the work day, camps on days when public schools are closed, and a delightful summer program full of field trips, swimming, and ample play. We also really loved how the New School eased our transition to kindergarten by giving my child a familiar place with his longtime friends to go every afternoon. The fact that BUSD buses kids there from many elementary schools was a huge convenience, especially given the intense demand for afterschool care in Berkeley.

Amazing after-school for our 6 year old. Wonderful community, excellent teachers and care-givers,…read moreand a lovely place.

Tilden Prep has been transformative for our son, who's twice exceptional. It offers greater depth…read moreand breadth of curriculum and more highly educated staff than its competitors, like Fusion Academy. For example, Tilden offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra. While such courses are offered at a community college, having the option to learn 1:1 is critical in giving a student a more solid foundation before entering a 4-year college. At the same time, the rates make more sense than Fusion Academy, which is on a trimester system and 30% more. Tilden is run like a school rather than a corporation. It's more pure to its cause. Good job Tilden. Keep up the good work!

Our son had a great experience at Tilden. He is very bright but struggled to organize his thoughts…read moreand get them down on paper. We enrolled him in English 9 at Tilden and had him take the rest of his classes in his public high school. His Tilden teacher, Dave Locey, helped him learn the steps of writing and feel good about his progress and talents. He said Mr. Locey was the best teacher he'd had :). He wanted to get ahead in math (because the common core track forced him to take math slowly with a lot of boring repetition) so we enrolled him in Geometry through Tilden over the summer. Even though he could have taken Geometry online for less money, we felt the one-on-one instruction and monitored pacing and instruction helped him stay on track and thus made it more likely he'd succeed. He got through the course very quickly and is now starting Algebra 2 at his HS so he'll be able to take Calculus before he graduates. His Tilden math teacher was also very knowledgeable and positive.

Our daughter loves this small Co-op community school in the East Richmond Height hills, CA…read more The Teachers purposefully engage their students in experiental learning. The students have a beautiful nature based campus, which I love ! Check us out

I have two kids at Crestmont and my spouse even attended so I know firsthand the lifelong positive…read moreimpact this school has! My children love their school because the excellent teachers make learning fun, nurture my kids' souls, and meet the kids where they're at. What keeps me coming back to Crestmont is the truly wonderful community we've built here! I'm so inspired by the families and staff that show up every day to make the lives of kids better through all of our unique gifts and talents.

I can't say enough amazing things about Prospect Sierra. Our family feels incredibly grateful to…read morehave found this school and be a part of this wonderful community. Prospect Sierra is a truly exceptional elementary school (K-4 at lower and 5-8 at upper) that fosters a welcoming and vibrant community where diversity is celebrated both among students and faculty. There is a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence woven throughout their curriculum which feels balanced with their focus on academics. The school provides a warm and nurturing environment for holistic development and has the support of learning specialists, a wonderful school psychologist, etc. The faculty is beyond exceptional and in my opinion what sets Prospect Sierra apart. The teachers and administration are all dedicated educators that embody PS's commitment to leading with respect and joy and creating an environment that fosters a love for learning. My daughter is genuinely excited and happy to go to school every day! Prospect Sierra has a very well-rounded enrichment curriculum that creates a rich and engaging learning experience. Specialty classes include drama, music, art, Co-Lab, and Spanish to name a few. With two teachers in each classroom we certainly feel the personalized attention and extra support. The afterschool program is also wonderful and my daughter has enjoyed participating in the afterschool program classes such as cooking, legos, chess, judo, etc.! The campus and the physical spaces including the classrooms and enrichment rooms are beautiful. The school does an exceptional job with communicating with the parents (via emails, a fabulous newsletter, etc) and there are plenty of opportunities for families to get involved (as much or as little as they want to!) including volunteering in the specialty classes, driving for field trips or leading a school committee. The school is also extremely committed to diversity which is woven throughout the curriculum. As part of the professional development, they recently sent a large number of the faculty to a POCC conference, there are family cohorts and racial cohorts for students including a Black, AAPI, LatinX, Pride and Swana cohort and lots of cultural celebrations throughout the year. Beyond 5 stars! We have had the best experience and pinch ourselves everyday that PS is a part of our family and our child's development.

My children love this school, and at the end of each day, they do not want to leave!…read more This is a well-resourced, beautiful school perched at the top of the El Cerrito Hills. The school culture, which has become our home culture, is one of overt and active kindness. My children learn in an environment of safety and celebration of difference, and from my perspective, the school's administrators actively seek to build community wherever possible, and the faculty actively work to remove all barriers to learning.

As someone who both worked forHeartsleap and sent my daughter I can honestly say they run a good…read moreprogram! Knowledgeable, experienced and kind teachers. So much thought goes into making their classrooms a warm inviting place. Sad we moved away and my daughter didn't spend more time there.

It has very friendly and lovable environment. They hire the best teachers who are so caring about…read morechildren. The hearts leap schools are managed by the directors who are very expert in their work. They use the best methods to teach the children and they care about them too much. So if you are looking for a perfect place for your child, hearts leap is the best!