If you're looking for a wonderful preschool I highly recommend San Anselmo Montessori School (SAMS) - especially their PreK program! The moment I walked into the light-filled main classroom I knew this would be the right fit for our family. A tucked away but easy to get to campus with a picturesque view of the San Anselmo hills, this hidden gem is located in a very warm, safe, tranquil open space. My daughter has been enrolled at SAMS since June 2024, first attending their summer camp program and now as a PreK student. I cannot say enough good things about this school. The facilities, the students, parents, the curriculum and mostly, the patient, nurturing, incredible teachers. Once a week each student has their dedicated Garden Day group and they spend the first half of school outdoors learning about nature, tending to the various plants and trees in the back lush garden. They sample things they have lovingly helped grow, partake in creative projects, as well as other earth science learnings throughout the day. My daughter is in the oldest age group at SAMS and breaks out into the PreK group every afternoon. This small subset of students are taught in a converted greenhouse that is clean and organized yet has a homey, poetic feel to it. The students spend their days doing engaging activities, a mix of self directed work, lessons and artistic projects. This week they have been reviewing sight words, an introductory lesson in fractions, learning different parts of a fish and decorating gingerbread houses. A few noteworthy takeaways my daughter has shared with us is the idea that at school everyone is included (or no one is included - alone time) and exhibiting pride in personal responsibility and independence. My daughter has made strong connections and close friendships, she gets excited every morning to go to school - and has even asked to go in on a Saturday! This inclusive program I can confidently say will support your child to regulate emotions, help develop kind, considerate, thoughtful kids that will be beyond kindergarten ready when the time comes. This school has truly been such a gift to our family. We will be sending our youngest as soon as she is age eligible! https://samontessori.com read more

We have been at SAMS for four years now-our older child attended for three years and our younger child is now in his first year. We have been blown away by the program at SAMS. It's both a well-run organization (clear communication, policies, etc) and a loving community where children are seen for who they are and are given the love and support to thrive. The great parent community is just an added bonus! A few of the things that make SAMS special, in no particular order: - The physical space is inviting, clean, bright and organized. Children are invited to be the leaders in their space since everything is right-sized for them. Our kids feel so comfortable and empowered the second they walk in the door. - The outdoor space is incredible. Similar to the indoor environment, the outdoor space is perfect for kids, with child sized versions of real garden tools, a fantastic playground and a beautiful garden geared toward children's love of nature. - The communication from the school is excellent. We love the weekly newsletter, which often includes links to resources for us as parents. We grownups learn a lot from the team at SAMS, too! - The Montessori philosophy has been perfect for our kids. When we first started looking at preschools, we knew that we didn't want our kids to be in a space that felt too rigid/formal. SAMS honors the Montessori philosophy fully and always feels free and playful at the same time. - The pre-kindergarten program has been amazing for our older child and we are planning for our younger child to stay for this year, too. We have found this final year at SAMS to be a huge benefit for our kiddo in terms of confidence, grace and courtesy, social emotional growth, and academic growth. The third year of SAMS was extra magical for our child and set her up for major success as she entered elementary school. - THE TEAM is, of course, the very best part. The SAMS teachers are incredible-compassionate, patient, skillful, brilliant, and creative. They are inspirations and our children love them so much! Thank you, SAMS! read more

San Anslemo Montessori is a true haven. This is our daughter's second year and we could not be more in love with this school. Each teacher is deeply kind and loving and, they honestly feel like family, as our daughter comes home each day talking endlessly about them! When Michele King, head of school, isn't wonderfully running things, you can find her on the playground, hugging and playing with the kids. In fact, our daughters first stop in the morning is often sharing her thoughts and ideas with Michele. She learns continuously through works that foster her imagination and creativity and comes home each day regulated, as the teachers maintain a truly calm and thoughtful atmosphere inside and outside of the classroom. Anytime someone gets hurt at home, our daughter now "checks in" immediately with how we're feeling and has learned at school to be truly aware of her own emotions and those around her. There is equal emphasis on skill building and somatic and emotional awareness. I wish we could stay at this school for years and years and the only thing I mourn is the thought of leaving this beautiful community. I could not recommend SAMS more and I could not be more grateful for the teachers and staff who have forever changed my daughter's life. read more

I would absolutely recommend SAMS to any parent seeking to provide their child with structured learning, supported play, and a calm, beautiful environment. The educators at SAMS are absolute gems: grounded, compassionate, and kind. They've guided our daughter into self-sufficiency and helped her navigate interpersonal relationships--as well as instilled foundational education (like counting, letters, holding a pencil, etc.) The environment at the school is idyllic: a thoughtfully arranged classroom, with a lush garden area where the kids can learn about the natural world and follow the changing seasons in a truly tactile way. Each week, we get a gorgeous letter from Heidi, who takes so much care to make sure parents are kept up-to-date with their child's growth and development. Our daughter has a ton of energy (I think 'spirited' is the term), and her teachers at SAMS have been very supportive; as a first-timer parent, I've also benefited from the extra resources Heidi has offered from her years of experience. I'm so grateful a school like SAMS is available in our community: my daughter comes home every afternoon saying she had "the best day ever." read more

Our family recently ended a wonderful 3+ year experience with the amazing team at SAMS. Our daughter is now moving up to 1st grade and had nothing but positive experiences at SAMS. She was so happy to walk in every morning and full of great stories of her experience everyday when leaving. We were able to experience the pre-Covid "normal" environment at SAMS and were impressed with the teachers, facilities, and positive energy. The SAMS team really shined when it came to the Covid pivot. They were professional, pragmatic, and effective in adapting as necessary to ensure their students (and families) had the most "normal" experience possible. We thank the whole SAMS team for such a blessed experience and strongly recommend their school. read more

We had two of our three boys attend Preschool and Kindergarten at SAMS and our biggest regret is that our oldest son didn't get to go there because we didn't live in the area when he was young. We truly love everything about SAMS - the kind, attentive and loving staff, the peaceful, child-led classrooms, the curriculum that makes learning interesting and exciting, the greenhouse classroom where they learn about nature and sustainability, the music program and special guests that come in regularly, including author visits and animal experts. The teachers and staff members at SAMS are also very good at helping children navigate social situations and helping them grow socially and emotionally, as well as intellectually. We also feel lucky that our boys got to attend Kindergarten with Denise at SAMS. The Kindergarten program provides a warm and loving environment where, in addition to getting the children ready academically for the next step in their education, they also learn the importance of being good people and leaders for the younger children, how to relax their minds and bodies through yoga and meditation and get to experience going on field trips to interesting and thought-provoking places. And so much more... Over the past four years our boys have thrived at SAMS and we believe they are and will continue to be better people because they had the opportunity to go there. One of the toughest parts of having our boys get older is knowing that they will no longer be able to attend SAMS. We will always keep in touch with the teachers and value them as friends and mentors. I cannot recommend SAMS highly enough. read more

I can't say enough positive words regarding my daughters time at SAMS. We moved during a pandemic to a new home and school and both the teachers and families of SAMS welcomed us with open loving arms. This school is truly one of a kind. I've watched my daughter blossom both emotionally and academically more than I ever thought capable in this short time. They offer such support for each child to learn and grow at their own pace and bring out the best in each one of them. Equally offering support to us learning parents! As a first time parent I'm blown away with the lessons my daughter has learned and this young age. She enjoys going to school each and every day. They have beautifully and safely handled this challenging time in our world. I felt so safe having my daughter with them and appreciate they were able to guide these children into the past years new normal. The teachers always greeted us a smile every more morning and another big one at the end of the day. In a time with so much uncertainty, SAMS was our safe haven. They are an absolutely must in my book! read more

We absolutely adore SAMS. In early 2021 we relocated from Los Angeles to Marin and were not very well versed in the preschools here. I checked out several, but instantly felt a connection to SAMS. We could not be happier with our experience there so far. Our oldest son has really thrived with the Montessori curriculum and the sense of autonomy that is instilled. The teachers and staff are all lovely people, and clearly love what they do, my son has such a special connection to them and is genuinely excited to go to school everyday, which is all I could hope for! The entire school community is filled with wonderful families! We have attended another preschool previously, in LA, so I feel confident in saying I am very clear about what I want (and don't want) in a preschool, and SAMS truly checks all of my boxes. One of my son's favorite parts of school is the beautiful and expansive garden space and the garden teacher, it is such a wonderfully immersive learning experience. And for parents, the multiple drop off and pickup times are a lifesaver, I have a fluctuating work schedule and the flexibility of early care and afternoon program have been a lifesaver! I cannot say enough good things about the school and feel so grateful to have found it. read more

I am a San Anselmo mother of three children. Currently my second child (my oldest attended SAMS for two years) attends SAMS. I have always been happy with SAMS and always appreciated the warm and loving environment for my children. This year, as my third was approaching preschool age, I decided to take a look again at other preschools in our area. Through this process of touring other schools, I was pleased to find that there really is no comparison to SAMS. I did not find a school with the quality of teachers found at SAMS, so engaged, genuinely interested and loving. In addition, there was no comparison to the learning environment found at SAMS...it is unique, purposeful, and meaningful. My children have always loved going to SAMS and I am so looking forward to having my third child have this same experience. read more