All three of my boys are dyslexic, and I have spent years fighting a system that was fully prepared…read moreto let them fall through the cracks academically. By the time I realized how severe the situation truly was, thanks to years of the school district lying, manipulating and gaslighting me, my children were years behind and being pushed through school without the ability to properly read, write, or do math independently. I refused to allow that to become their future. Like many parents of struggling learners, I was desperate to find help -- and unfortunately, not all "experts" are created equal. We had an extremely painful experience with our first educational therapist, whose treatment of my child caused real emotional harm. After that, I became incredibly guarded, skeptical, and hypercritical of anyone I considered bringing into my son's life. I wasn't just looking for someone qualified. I needed someone safe, compassionate, ethical, patient, and genuinely skilled at teaching complex learners. Thank god for Kellie Henkel at Lights On Learning. Kellie completely changed Hudson's life. In just ONE year, she helped Hudson close massive academic gaps -- literally 4-6 grade levels in multiple areas. The progress has been unbelievable. What felt impossible a year ago is now our reality. Hudson went from feeling defeated and overwhelmed by school to believing in himself academically again. But what makes Kellie extraordinary is not just her skill level -- it's who she is as a person. She is kind, patient, calm, compassionate, encouraging, deeply knowledgeable, and an absolute badass when it comes to teaching kids with learning differences. She knows exactly how to push students while still protecting their confidence and emotional well-being. Hudson trusted her. He felt safe with her. She rebuilt not only academic skills, but self-esteem. As a mother who has lived through the trauma of watching her children be failed by schools and hurt by professionals who were supposed to help them, I cannot explain the level of gratitude I feel for Kellie. She will forever be part of our family's story. If your child is struggling -- trust your gut. Do not let anyone convince you your child is lazy, unmotivated, or incapable. The right intervention and the right teacher can completely change the trajectory of a child's life. Kellie Henkel did exactly that for Hudson, and I will never be able to thank her enough for what she has done for our family.

Kellie helped our son to improve his speech, reading and writing abilities when he was 5 years old…read more We noticed he was pronouncing certain letter sounds and words incorrectly and became concerned when we were unable to help him. We wanted him to get the help he needed before attending Kindergarten. We were so happy when we found Kellie and could not believe how quickly our son made progress. The very first day she worked with him we saw improvement and hope. Kellie is incredibly caring, patient, kind and resourceful. Not only did she help our son but she also helped my husband and I understand what was happening with our son's speech and explained ways that we could help him using her proven methods. Kellie knows how to engage with her students and makes learning fun and enjoyable. I highly recommend her!

I write this review from a unique perspective as I was actually a preschooler at this very…read morelocation. As a matter of fact, I was a part of their very first graduating class of 1993! It warms my heart to see that Columbia is still in operation after all these years. When I had attended, it was a brand new preschool and truly the best of its kind. The venue was a large room sectioned off into areas per age range. I recall the place always being immaculately clean and full of awesome, educational books and toys. The part I feel had impacted me the greatest was the wonderful, dynamic staff. I still remember my teachers by name, though I'm sure they have all moved on by now. Four year olds are total sponges when it comes to learning, and I feel that the Columbia staff did a commendable job at preparing me for kindergarten. My days were filled with educational activities which involved a good balance of learning, art, singing, and play. I recall entering kindergarten and being at the top of my class. I cannot comment on the preschool's structure as it is today, but can confidently admit that it was one of the best experiences of my early childhood years. When I have children of my own, I'd wholeheartedly enroll them here. Thanks for the memories, Columbia!

We couldn't be happier as the parents of a thriving 20 month old who absolutely loves his teachers…read moreand the daily activities at this wonderful center! Structure, education, socialization and the highest level of care. Look no further and reach out today!

Holli is so amazing. She has a specialty in marriage and family, and is very good with kids. My…read morechildren are happy to speak to her and her confidentiality even within the family establishes a lot of trust. I would highly recommend her especially for anyone who has trauma, abuse or weight gain issues in their history. She is INCREDIBLY well credentialed for a therapist and has a lot of experience... 5 STARS no question.

Great course good instructor!!! I feel great knowing that my CPR skills are up to date!!…read more Thanks Ellery!

Best place hands down ... Ellery is an amazing teacher with experience, I never go anywhere else…read morefor my training

Highly recommended. Athena Test Preparation's tutor is willing to experiment with different ways…read moreto make material clear to the student. She has experience too - has taught high school math and SAT, ACT in Ohio, and recently in the SF Bay Area. She started her own tutoring center in Santa Maria (across from Santa Maria High School) but has had to teach online because of Covid-19.

From the owner: We offer tutoring and personalized, one-on-one instruction for a variety of different subjects,…read moreincluding mathematics, Chinese language study, and standardized test preparation. In light of COVID-19, we're now offering all of these services electronically via Zoom. We know homeschooling can be tough. Let us help you get caught up with your classwork, and make sure you're prepared for the upcoming year. A full list of our services is below. If you don't see what you're looking for, get in touch - we might still be able to help!

This school has been absolutely amazing for my three-year-old daughter!! We recently moved here and…read moretried another school that was just not a good fit. After talking with Elizabeth, the school's director, I felt so peaceful and excited about the school's vision for teaching, and their approach to child lead learning. My daughter has thrived at school! She is a highly spirited, very vocal, and a quite lively child, and she gets everything she needs and more. They have a large outdoor classroom that they utilize every day, that lets children learn through play, and movement, which is so appropriate for their developmental stages. She is already learning math, and doing very well picking up Spanish. It has taught her independence, and build her confidence, and ability to self regulate. I cannot say enough great things about the school's approach to learning! Then there are the teachers, who are some of the nicest people we've met here in Santa Maria. They are patient, they talk to my daughter with respect and kindness. Every time I pick her up, I see teachers down on the kids levels, teaching them, and helping them to solve their own problems between one another. Whenever I ask, they are so quick to share positives that they see in my daughter, and ways she is improving (along with ways that they are helping overcome obstacles that are unique to her in the classroom). I cannot say enough good things. I was recommended through a mom I met at Trader Joe's, and have recommended the school to several of my friends, one of which has recently enrolled her daughter, and is in love with the school too.

I am the father of a 4 1/2 year old preschool student who was recently expelled/kicked out. I write…read morethis review because no child should be punished for their parents speaking up regarding the health of their own child. How did a simple request regarding keeping my child inside on a cold and wet day escalate to an expulsion? Our main concern was the fear of having our child get sick that would increase the severity of her asthma resulting in us having to give her regular breathing treatments. The owner Elizabeth didn't agree with our request to keep her indoors on a wet day because she operates an outdoor Montessori school. So, I picked up my child on a cold and wet day and soon a flurry of text messages between my wife and Elizabeth resulted in Elizabeth soon determining that her school was no longer a good fit for my child. Take into consideration that all of this was by text message, the professional courtesy of a phone call or a sit down meeting to explain the situation and work together to find a mutual solution NEVER took place. As a parent in Santa Maria finding a preschool is tough enough and the last thing we want to do is criticize or question our childrens teachers. Flaws were always there yet we choose to look the other way. But, sometimes a culmination of flaws must be addressed. We often wondered why other parents were leaving the school. Now I am that other parent looking in and I am speaking up. Multiple lice outbreaks in 1 school year is unacceptable. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I will be glad to explain in detail my experience at Casa dei Bambini. Zero stars!!!!

Unprofessional security services. I hired them to provided security and parking management…read moreservices. After two months, I had to quit their service. The guards were asleep half the time. I caught them sleeping and they refunded money, but that is not the services we should have received.DONT HIRE THEM!

I've used this company for my security needs and found the owner to be responsive to all my…read morequestions and requests. I would definitely recommend this service; it's priced fairly and offers great service. All of the guards were terrific. Don't hesitate to use Frontal Security!

Cheryl is an amazing hands on instructor. I couldn't have asked for a more patient and…read moreunderstanding educator to teach this profession. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the externship being a little frustrating to schedule.

Waste of time and money .. so unprofessional! They don't…read moreteach you all So unhelpful I do NOT recommend at all