Our two kids began at Rising Sun at the beginning of 2022 in the older student classroom and we are so happy they found their preschool home here. Young children need a lot of care and attention with big changes, especially during the pandemic and we have especially appreciated the attention that the two teachers who work with the older students Miss Carolina (also the school head) and Miss Reina have invested in helping our kids transition back to a structured classroom. There is also a wonderful feeling of community among the students. I recently asked Miss Carolina how she managed to enroll children who got along so well. Demonstrating that commitment to working with each child individually, she explained that all students have the potential to succeed and that the teachers have a responsibility to cultivate skills and encourage children to get there. The community feeling extends to the school's parents as well and we hope to stay connected to some of our new friends for years to come. read more

Really love Rising Sun Montessori school, teachers have a lot of tenure, they are caring and create a safe environment. My child started Kindergarten and he is much more advanced than his peers because of the education at Rising Sun. We also built a strong community with other parents and still do play dates even though the kids have already graduated. We are definitely very happy with Rising Sun and truly recommend this place. read more

Not for every child. We had a very poor experience. Our 2 year old attended for a few months in the Spring/Summer of 2019. Pros and Cons below. Pros: Clean, Good Activities/Materials, Felt Safe. Cons: -Very poor communication. We had to message them numerous times to confirm enrollment. A few months into attendance we found out we had never been added to the parent communication list-serve with health, safety and activity information. Payment checks were cashed weeks after given. -Not a good fit for high-energy children. We had numerous parent-teacher meetings over very minor issues such as "walking around during lunch vs. eating at table" and not napping. They were unwilling to accommodate a non-napper and we were asked to leave or go down to mornings only. This happened to another child while we were there too. If your child is at ALL spirited, I don't recommend Rising Sun. read more

We cannot say enough good things about Rising Sun Montessori! Our 5 year old started there when he was 3.5. He went from 3 days to 5 days. He is always excited to go to school and every day after I pick him up I ask "was your day okay, good or great?" His answer is always an emphatic GREAT! :) Ms. Carolina & Ms. Reyna are his primary teachers and he absolutely adores them. They are kind, loving, gentle souls who create such a caring environment which has grown our son's confidence ten fold. Our son can count to 100, is now writing, sound out letters and connecting it with the letter, can count in Spanish, knows his days of the week and is now helping out around the house such as setting the dinner table every night (yes every night!). While I would love to take credit for all of this, the truth is that its these two ladies doing the heavy lifting with the above and so many other great things. They also teach conflict resolution (i.e. when 2 kids are having a problem they sit them down at the "peace table" to work it out) which has helped our son better understand his emotions and convey them. Another reviewer mentioned the disappointment around the admin side of things and also not embracing "high energy" children. On the admin side of things, yes they can take some time to get back to you initially but once you are in the swing of things they are fantastic communicators. Their focus is on the safety and health of the children on a daily basis vs. immediately turning around an email which I appreciate more than them communicating with me. For the "high energy" thing, I will whole heartedly disagree. Our son is VERY high energy and goes a million miles an hour ALL of the time. With their support and on the contrary, Ms. Carolina & Ms. Reyna have been able to harness his energy positively through boundaries and a consistent routine. We are fully on board and support their guidance, feedback and suggestions. In turn, our son still has a TON of energy but its better guided and directed which means he's less frustrated and way more happy. Oh and yes, he is learning Spanish. It's so much fun to hear him sing in Spanish, count or say words. We are rudimentary Spanish speakers at home so it's fun to do it as a family. Last thing, RSM families are also SO great and we love the familial community aspect. We now have friendships with the RSM families and enjoy hanging out on weekends or running into each other. Our kiddo will be going to kinder soon and we will be SO sad to leave when the time time comes. read more

My son attended Rising Sun for almost two years. He was always excited to go to school everyday. He was happy and made his friends there. He learned a lot at Rising Sun, always coming home talking about things he learned at school. Carolina and Reina are the most loving and caring teachers, and are talented at communicating with the kids. I benefit from talking with them and learned useful parenting tips from them. read more

My daughter and my son attended Rising Sun for almost 3 years. I can´t express how grateful I´m that a found such a wonderful preschool. The staff is loving, attentive, experienced, talented, and very professional. They are bilingual in Spanish and it was a big plus for our family. Students are totally engaged in an active learning environment every day with Montessori material.  I cannot say enough good things about the warm and collaborative environment at Rising Sun. We will remember with joy our day at this lovely preschool. read more

I would recommend Rising Sun Montessori to any family. We moved here from Boston area and enrolled our daughter. We have met some great families & friends through the school. My daughter attended the school for three years and has always enjoyed her time in the school. I am grateful to the staff and my daughter will miss the school. read more

Our son was at Rising Sun for a wonderful 16 months until our recent move back east. He started in the "ositos" classroom until he was potty trained (with help at school), then moved into the "big classroom." Our son had a great experience with his loving teachers, and he often came home with various art projects and stories about the fun, enriching activities of the day. His teachers' knowledge of childhood development was apparent and invaluable. For example, Ms. Carolina gave us some advice on how to make our son less clingy/more independent when arriving at school in the morning, and it totally worked! Definitely recommend the Rising Sun program. read more

When I first move to the States finding the right preschool for my then 4 years old kid didn't seem easy at all. I did some research via BPN and found out about this Preschool. Their owners-teachers, are two sisters who are fluent in English and Spanish. When my son started there he didn't speak any Engish and in less than 4 months he was ready to start Kindergarten in an English only program in a Berkeley Elementary School. Rising Sun has this "home" feeling that I love and my kids (now my youngest is attending the same preschool) learn while playing. It look very play oriented so they learn without this excessive pressure they'll find later in Kindergarten. Also, the staff is wonderful. Carolina and Reina are fantastic teachers. The School is located in a house, with a beautiful backyard, a small play structure perfect for toddlers and an orchard where they grow (and eat) their own veggies and fruits. I would recommend this preschool to any parents looking for a place where their kids can start learning in the warmest environment. read more

Rising Sun Montessori Preschool - part of the play structure - Preschools Near Me - Berkeley, California

It is such a wonderful school with truly caring teachers. It has a great home feel and tons of toys for kids to play with. Our son has been attending it for more than 1 year until we moved out of the area and he loved every day of it. Every morning he was ready to go there with a smile. I highly recommend this school if you are looking for a great loving environment and the feel of confidence that your child is going to have a great day every morning when you are dropping him or her off. read more

We miss Rising Sun so much! When my kid started school here, she did not speak English and had never been exposed to the culture here. My daughter absorbed everything really well with love and care from everybody in this community. It does really take a town to raise a child. I really appreciate for every member of this community including teachers, parents, and all the little ones. From the first day to the last day of school my kid enjoyed all the moments! Thank you! read more

Our three year old daughter has been at Rising Sun for six months and we couldn't be happier. A Spanish immersion montessori was really a bit of a dream of ours, so we were thrilled when we found Rising Sun. Carolina and her talented and experienced staff of teachers are incredibly loving and care deeply about each student. We have been amazed to see how much our daughter has learned already, and most importantly how she is developing a true love of learning. I only wish the school opened slightly earlier! read more

Our son began at Rising Sun still working on his potty training and his social emotional development since he had yet to be cared for by anyone other than family at home. Carolina, Pillar, and Carmelita are the wonderful and caring teachers that helped our son blossom in all areas. He is a better son and a prepared toddler as we transition into T-K/K programs because of the love and caring of this educational space. We felt so lucky to have found Rising Sun. Also, the parent community is great. We are applying to several private schools that had individual and group interviews. Our son was a confident and happy boy in these interviews displaying a development in socio-emotional, motor, and simple academic skills (i.e. holding pencil correctly, numbers, letters, shapes, writing). Our son got into all of the TK/K programs that we applied for, and I credit his success to the nurturing and attention that he received at Rising Sun. Our family is so appreciative for having these wonderful teachers at this awesome preschool. While we are sad to be moving on to TK/K, we will have fond memories of our son's first school experience at this great educational space and the friends that he made there. Thank you Carolina, Pilar, and Carmelita. You're such fantastic teachers. It was an honor and a privilege to have you as our son's teachers. Our family is forever grateful. read more

We highly recommend this place. Our daughter had been here for about a year and she absolutely loved it! Two great teachers Carolina and Reina took a great care on children, full of love and fascinating school program. My daughter loved planting, art, . music, gymnastics and Spanish. Unfortunately, we had to move out east bay but we still keep in touch with them and my daughter still talks about the school. The class size is small(about 12 children with 2 full-time teachers) and space is clean. Take a tour if you are interested in. read more

My son has attended Rising Sun Montessori for about 3 years. When he began during a temporary relocation here a few years ago, he was the youngest. And after returning to the Bay Area, he currently is the oldest. My son is five, but because of his birthday, he will be spending one whole year longer at Rising Sun before heading to kindergarten, and we couldn't be happier! We are thrilled with the level of care, creativity and learning that he is soaking up with the help of the growing teaching family- Pilar and Luna have joined the staff and each has made her own refreshing contribution. My son is learning far beyond what we would have expected at this stage. All while being nurtured and loved as if he was one of the family! We highly recommend Rising Sun and are grateful to Carolina for her warmth and welcoming environment. read more

Very complicated little school took a tour and the school didn't look save and it was very unorganized. I don't recommend at all!!!!

My husband and I have been very happy with our son's time at Rising Sun. He started there at 3.5 years old and is now 5, heading to K (at the school of our choice) this fall fully prepared--academically and socially/emotionally. A sensitive child, our son has sensory processing challenges, and the teachers at Rising Sun paid attention to this and nurtured along his development at a pace that was comfortable and appropriate for him. They provided a safe environment for him to learn and play, and unlike at his previous daycare, dropping him off at Rising Sun has never been a problem or difficult transition. Our son benefits from overall structure and routine, and the Montessori program here was a perfect fit for him. He is confident and cheerful, and has developed close friendships with a handful of the kids here. He likes all of his teachers, and especially adores Carolina (the Director), has learned exponentially from Pilar on letters and numbers, and to my delight, has learned how to play chess from Carmelita. I am quite fond of these teachers too, am thankful to have found this preschool, and will look back on our time with Rising Sun as a wonderful period for our family. There are a few openings remaining for Fall 2018, so I encourage you to meet with Carolina and check out the school. read more

Our son spent one year in this wonderful place. The staff is engaged and very caring, especially Carolina, the principal. Activities are numerous, prices are reasonable. Every time our son brought some art, paintings, etc. from class to show to us. Spacious backyard for outdoor play. We are very grateful for this experience! read more

Our son has attened Rising Sun for over two years now. I'd have only good things to say about Carolina, Rena and the whole school experience. They've treated our little boy like he is their own and provided an incredibly nuturing enviroment for him to grow and thrive. I can't imagine him going to pre-school anywhere else! read more

When we got the word that my husband's employer was transferring him to the Bay Area, we panicked; the new school year was well underway and I feared we wouldn't be able to find a quality preschool for our daughter. During a school-scouting trip before the move, I met with five schools, all with positive reviews on BPN. The moment my daughter and I walked onto the grounds of Rising Sun Montessori, we knew it was "the one" - and choosing it was the easiest decision we'd made in the whole relocation process. Now, about eight months into our new life here, it's clear our initial gut instincts were on target. Our daughter has been embraced by the Rising Sun team with such a sincere warmth and love - I couldn't ask for a more caring and supportive environment for her. Carolina and her staff are kid people through and through. They genuinely care about the children's wellbeing and growth. They are endlessly patient, consistently promoting responsible behavior and positive conflict mediation (I've seen some playground tensions defused with record-breaking tear-free efficiency!). The instruction is rich and carefully considered. The children have learned about the solar system, geography, the life cycle of plants and insects, on top of the basic reading, writing and arithmetic. They've learned about Chinese New Year, Ramadan and other signifiant cultural events. A recent earthquake turned into a teachable moment about the earth's inner workings. The installation of a new street light turned into a lesson about electricity. The sweet classroom has fish, cocoons just days away from opening, plants looked after by the students. Threads of music, yoga, Spanish language run throughout the day. All the children interact daily, so our daughter has a chance to learn from the "big" kids and teach the "toddlers." Our daughter is flourishing. If you are looking for a child-centered, enriching, stimulating environment infused with love, give Rising Sun a close look. read more