We enrolled our daughter here shortly after moving to San Luis Obispo. At first, it felt like we…read morehad found the cutest little school--her first week went great, and we were really hopeful. Unfortunately, things quickly went downhill. I was very upfront before enrolling that my daughter was coming from a Montessori environment, where children guide their own experience. I explained that transitioning into a more structured setting might take time and patience. Instead, almost immediately, I began receiving frequent calls about "disruptive" behavior. We're talking about a three-year-old having tantrums while adjusting to a completely new environment, new structure, and a recent move. That shouldn't be surprising--it should be expected and supported. What made this more frustrating was that I was repeatedly asked to leave work to address these situations. I'm fortunate to be in a leadership role with flexibility, but most working parents wouldn't be able to accommodate that level of disruption. I went in person to observe and even requested video. What I saw did not match the level of concern being communicated. It was a child expressing "I don't want to do this," not aggressive or alarming behavior. It looked like a normal adjustment period--not something that warranted the level of escalation we were experiencing. After less than a month, the school essentially gave up. I was offered a refund, and it was made clear that my child "wasn't a fit." That was disappointing. As educators, I would expect a willingness to work with a child--especially one coming from a different learning style. This could have been a success story: helping a child transition and grow. Instead, it felt like if a child doesn't immediately fit into their structure, they're not supported. I even reached out to her previous Montessori school, where she had been for over a year, to see if they had observed any of the behaviors being reported. They were genuinely surprised and confirmed they had not. During a meeting with the director, we discussed possible support strategies like peer shadowing. One teacher even referred to my daughter as "a leader," which stood out to me. If that's the case, it's even more disappointing that there wasn't an effort to guide and support that personality rather than dismiss it. Looking back, I also reviewed other feedback, and I will say this: the few lower-rated reviews aligned very closely with our experience. That's something I wish I had paid more attention to. If your child thrives in flexibility or is coming from a Montessori-style environment, I would strongly encourage asking detailed questions about how transitions are handled here. This school may work well for children who naturally fit into a very structured setting, but that was not our experience. If you're raising an independent, expressive child and don't want them forced into a rigid mold, this may not be the right environment. It felt like individuality was discouraged rather than supported.

I highly recommend Love to Learn preschool for any working parents that need child care, or any…read moreparents that want to give their child a head start at both learning and in life. Our little boy has been at Love to Learn now for the last year, and I can't say that we are anything other than impressed. Over the last year, his vocabulary has exploded and he has made so many new friends. He has learned manners and loves all of his teachers. Ownership and staff have this place dialed!!

Our granddaughter attended this preschool for two years. She was excited every day to go and loved…read moreher teachers and fellow students. The staff consisted of two of the most loving and professional women we could have asked for. Laurie and Sharon are energetic and attentive to every child they care for. The education our granddaughter received has prepared her for elementary school with social confidence and advanced school readiness.

Teachers Laurie and Sharon are great. Our daughter got enrolled much to our delight and has looked…read moreforward to going to school even after rough days. The routine of dropping her off and picking her up and hearing about her fellow students is great. Participating in field trips with the teachers, class, and fellow parents has been great even though my daughter had a meltdown on our first one. Great people all around and such a blessing to have them in our community. It's been a lot of fun to watch her grow after her first year and now be one of the older kids in class. It is still great to come in and see Teachers Laurie and Sharon and help out with field trips and contribute when we can.

Arroyo Grande Montessori is the best! My son enjoyed his time there. I don't think of Elizabeth as…read morea 'daycare provider' or a 'teacher'. She and Andrew are more like partners in parenting. Their attention and concern for my son helped him get a great start with school. The location is great. Very convenient, in a close-knit neighborhood area.

My son has been attending Arroyo Grande Montessori School, and I honestly cannot say enough…read morewonderful things about our experience. From the moment we enrolled him, it was clear that this is such a positive, nurturing environment where children are truly encouraged to grow and thrive. When he first started, my son wasn't really developmentally ready for a structured learning environment, but Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Andrew went above and beyond to meet him exactly where he was. Their patience, care, and expertise have been incredible to witness. Thanks to their guidance, he has grown so much academically and socially. His reading skills have improved tremendously, and he is now confident and enthusiastic about learning every single day. Beyond academics, the school has fostered a warm, inclusive community where my son has built a wonderful group of friends. The environment is consistently supportive, happy, and inspiring, which makes both children and parents feel at ease. It's clear that the staff genuinely love what they do, and that passion translates into an extraordinary experience for the kids. Arroyo Grande Montessori School has exceeded all of our expectations. My son loves going to school every day, and as a parent, it is such a relief and joy to see him flourishing in such a caring, encouraging, and positive setting. I wholeheartedly recommend this school to any family looking for a nurturing, high-quality early education for their child.

We've had a great experience at CCP over the past year. Our daughter started just after turning 2,…read moreand the growth we've seen has been incredible - from communication to potty training. The teachers put so much thought into their activities and truly go above and beyond. She is always excited to go to school! We're grateful to have found CCP and highly recommend it to any family

I'm so glad our family found Country Cottage. My older daughter went for one year before going to…read moreTK and was so prepared for school. My younger daughter is finishing her first year and will be going back again next year before moving on. The teachers truly care about every student and are great at updating us parents about anything going on with the students. They have fun events throughout the year for the families to participate in, and a few fun field trips too! It's a wonderful community of caring families- I would highly highly recommend!!

Card came very fast just ask instructor and they will get it out to you ASAP! Hands on learning…read moreand very knowledgeable instructors was able to answer any questions I had. Would recommend to everyone on the central coast.

I took the class with Ellery and he provided real life scenarios for the class to imagine with to…read morepractice. I really enjoyed his anecdotes. The class was hands-on and he made everything easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this to a friend. I also appreciate how fast he would respond to my emails. Thank you, Ellery.

The DANDY LION MONTESSORI SCHOOL is located in Grover Beach, provides an authentic traditional…read moreimplementation of the Montessori Method of education, it provides 2 classrooms for children aged 2 1/2 to 6 years of age. The school is affiliated to the International Association of Progressive Montessori. The directing teachers in both classroom hold credentials from the IAPM Organization. The school follows the curriculum and professional code of ethics of IAPM. Therefore parents can rely on consistency in the quality of the program and how it's delivered. The Montessori approach to education provided at Dandy Lion Montessori School is centered on the uniqueness, individuality, and potential of each developing child. The purpose is to develop the whole child into a well-rounded human being. Children enter this world with a natural desire to learn and to perfect themselves. Montessori education fulfills this instinctive need by providing a "Prepared Environment" where children are allowed the excitement of learning by choice, rather than by force. In this environment, children develop the "inner discipline" that guides their self-development and the joy of learning.

I would run, not walk away from this school. The owner/Director is more interested in giving you…read morethe initial tour/presentation and then is no where to be found when you contact her about the safety of your child. Research her and you will find that she is only interested in collecting her money off Montessori trainings rather than actually being involved in your child's best interest and welfare. She spends her time off site and is not present at this location and will never call or email you back because we were told she is not technologically advanced per Cindy. Cindy will handle everything and even reply back from the directors email herself &/or just ignore you if there is something that they just decide to sweep under the rug, Every other Director and site supervisors at many other locations have been extremely helpful. You would only hope that as a full paying customer, Dandy Lion would care enough to talk to you and help support your child during their young years. Sadly, this was not the case because we were told that they are a private school and can do whatever they want. This was very troubling to hear from both Cindy and the Montessori Director. I would do my research in advance before enrolling a child here. This is the only school that locks their gate and does not give you immediate access or the code to the school. Every other preschool gives the parents full access to the campus. That should be enough of a red flag in itself. Extremely unprofessional business.

Excellent experience for my son-Highly recommend! We reached…read moreout to Skill Haven when my middle school son needed a tutor to help prepare for his final math exam. He was feeling overwhelmed by the cumulative material and was struggling with his confidence. The team at Skill Haven was fantastic. They quickly paired us with a patient, knowledgeable tutor who assessed exactly where my son's gaps were. Instead of just drilling him with practice problems, he took the time to actually teach him the concepts in a way he could easily understand. Thanks to their targeted final exam prep, my son walked into his test feeling prepared and capable and did fantastic. If your child needs help keeping up or catching up or preparing for a big test, I highly recommend Skill Haven.

I cannot recommend Skill Haven enough! My son's tutor is amazing! The sessions are highly engaging,…read moretailored to his individual learning style, and incredibly supportive. It's also super convenient that the tutor comes to my home. If you're looking for top-tier tutoring that actually delivers results, Skill Haven is by far the best option!

Small and personable school. Mrs. Porter, the new principal is superb! 3rd in the 4 years my kids…read morehave been there and I hope she's able to stay for a few-several. Mr. Ramirez (1rst grade) is the greatest teacher I have ever encountered.....EVER!! 2-3 years ago, I was so-so on this school....today, I couldn't be happier! If you're lucky enough to have your kid go to this school, GO! Am hoping for Mrs. Teel next year, she is super awesome!