I am so so grateful for SUMPS. Yes, the school went through some difficult times this year. While I was disappointed at first (and considered taking my daughter out), the way the school responded and made changes impressed me very much. People often comment about the amazing tuition price and extent of service (long day care hours and cooked from scratch hot & cold breakfast, lunch, snacks). This is only possible because members of the church generously give up much of their time and resources to so professionally volunteer for the school. The school was created solely to provide high quality education and a loving environment for parents who would otherwise struggle to afford such quality for their children. It is based on love and good intentions, not profits. In terms of the paid staff, there is a new Director at the school. She has made some nice changes to address previous problems while keeping all that was good before. We are especially grateful for our daughter's lead teacher Ms Roseanne! She is so dedicated, gentle, and constantly creates great activities for our daughter's education. SUMPS is not perfect and I'm sure not suited to all kids. It's perfect for us because we value a school that is not-for-profit, dedicated to providing loving quality education, and is self-critical and willing to make changes to adress problems. So make an appointment to see if it's a good match for your family. read more

I brought my son here because the price was good, the staff seemed nice and I love the educational aspect of the program. My son also was having socialization problems at his previous preschool and I was hoping he might do better in this setting. We have been here for about a year now and I have nothing but good things to say. My son has broken out of his shell and is so much more social now, I have no doubt he will be ready for kindergarten in the fall. He is four years old and can now write his name, count to 100, knows all his colors and shapes (including the octagon) and loves going to school each day. This school also has a wonderful nutrition program as well. Regarding the allegations against the school, I feel that if you are a helicopter parent you would be upset but for me I was not that concerned. The school had been accused of abuse because a child was found to have a scratch on his arm and no one could say whether he got the injury at school or at home. The school was cited because they had not done an inspection in the morning and should have been able to say whether or not the child came to school with the scratch or not. While I agree that this is a major oversight, to me it does not negate the positive experiences I've had during our time here. They were also told that the director yells at students and staff. In my opinion the director has a voice that is loud and carries, this is just her regular speaking voice. I usually stay in the mornings for about 10-15 minutes to chat with her about how my son is doing and just chit chat and even then she speaks in a way that some could see as yelling. I have never seen her yell at children or staff. I also come in the afternoons about once a week for various reasons and I have never caught them off guard doing anything I thought was out of hand. This is a small church school and the charge very little for tuition compared to many other pre-schools in this area. The fact that they also provide breakfast, lunch and snacks in the price is simply amazing. AND your child receives instruction as well. Evan after these allegations and citations I would highly recommend this pre-school. I also have a 15 year old daughter who attended 4 different preschools in the Pasadena/Altadena area and I have seen far worse over the years. If you are considering this school, I would suggest you check it out for yourself and not depend on online reviews. The citations are posted on the wall at the school (as is required by law) and I believe they must keep them up for one year. The school also reported themselves for the incident with the child who had a scratch and after the licensing board did their investigation they held a meeting for parents to discuss the citations and have a question and answer period, they were not required to do this but wanted to personally inform parents of what was happening. Everything is not for everyone, but I do not feel that my child is in any danger here. As I mentioned, my son has socialization issues and is wary of many people (he even avoids some family members) but he loves this school and that, for me, is the biggest endorsement I can get. read more

I would recommend everyone to take their child to this school. My daughter loved it and learned so much. The teachers are amazing all three of them Ms.Roseann, Ms.Renita, and Ms,Melissa. I was nervous for my daughter to start a new school because I didn't know how well she was going to adapt but she didn't cry on her first day which made me feel so relief. She felt so comfortable and loved. On Weekends she would ask me if she can go to school it was so cute hearing her say that. My daughter learn so many manners from Scott United and was able to make beautiful memories. My daughter no longer goes to Scott United because we moved to Long Beach, Ca and the drive was really far. She still speaks about her teachers and talks about how much she misses them. This school is amazing and your children will be in good hands. -Dalia Quijada read more

Thank you Scott United Methodist Preschool for providing affordable quality education and child care! Our 9 year old daughter attended this preschool and we were very happy with the loving atmosphere and rare academic instruction to preschoolers (age 2-5)! Our daughter matriculated to one of the top elementary (Independent) schools in the area. Currently our 4 year old is in attendance. This school has great hours (7am-6p M-F), year round! Plus hot breakfast, lunch and snacks are included in the tuition. Tuition is currently a meager $575 per month! Its a small church based school so your child gets lots of attention. We are indebted to the staff at Scott!!! Thank you! J Wilson read more

My boys are looking forward to school each morning!!! As parents we are very pleased with the curriculum and the teaching methods that are used. Also academic and physical activities are well blended. We highly recommend it!!! read more

Best quality education you can afford! I am very happy I made the right choice in putting my daughter at SUMC for pre-school. I remember when we did an interview during our initial visit, Ms. Gloria promised that my daughter will be Kinder-prepared when she graduates from Pre-School. Fast forward 9 months later; my daughter is able to memorize prayers, speak and sing in Spanish, read, count to 100 and many more. Today she's not only kinder-prepared, but she's on pace to finish Kindergarten at the top of her class. Thank you SUMC for helping me invest in my daughter's future! :) I really wish someday you can open your doors to many more :) (ahem! Kindergarten?) read more

I wanted to write a review of this facility a long time ago but wanted to wait until the investigation was completed. If I could give this facility negative stars, I would. I selected this facility for several reasons; small facility; which was important to me because my child had just turned 3 and was coming from a small home daycare setting. I thought it was an environment where my son would be able to grow academically, the price was right and meals were included in tuition. I am a working mother; in reality my child spends more of his waking hours in daycare/preschool setting during weekdays than at home. I wanted a loving, nurturing environment...I wanted peace of mind that while I am working I know my child is cared for; imagine the horror and guilt I felt having to remove my child from a facility out of concern for his safety. My child actually regressed while in the care of the staff at this facility. Luckily he is resilient and none of the physical or mental wounds have impacted his development. There were some red flags early on.....Despite paying a potty training fees, I picked him up on multiple occasions with his diaper so saturated with urine that when I pressed on his bottom while carrying him urine would seep out onto my arm, after a few months of being there, when I would drop him off in the morning he would chase after me crying, asking me to take him home, he would tell me on the way to school "I dont want to see Mrs Gloria". I thought it is just an adjustment period and allowed him to stay. Final straw occurred after he was injured at the site and no one could tell me what happened. Imaging picking your child up from school not seeing a smile but met with a request for a band aide and seeing a large dirty bleeding gash on your child's arm. When I asked the preschool director what happened her curt response "he must have come here like that". I am not a helicopter parent, I am a parent who drops my child off in the morning and picks him up in the evening, but one thing I learned for this nightmare is to listen to your kids and your gut. From personal experience.........Stay away from this place!!!! read more

We had a great last year of preschool for our son, before he graduated to go to Kindergarten. The teachers are warm and caring. They work to meet each child where they are and extend their learning. The classrooms are sweet and well appointed with many different opportunities for leaning and play, and the outdoor space is an appropriate size for the intimate number of students. One thing that stands out to me about this school is how well they celebrate: birthdays, holidays, and school rituals are child centered and so fun! I am a teacher and felt this school was a great value for our family! read more

Just wanted to check back in and thank Scott United once again for the amazing preschool education our daughter received there. She is currently at the top of her Kindergarten class and has already mastered all the curricula for Common Core requirements. Her language, math, and social skills were praised by her teacher. If anything, she's a little bored with the material as she was already reading kids books on her own when she graduated from Scott's Superstar program. She really enjoys her class, though, and when we volunteer in her classroom we can see how well she relates to other kids and listens to her teachers. If you're looking for a quality preschool in Pasadena and want a program that focuses not just on academics but also on social skills as well, pay them a visit. read more

If you want your children to be ahead of the curve when they start kindergarten, then enroll them here. A friend recommended Scott United when we first moved from San Diego to South Pasadena. It turned out to be one of the best decisions that we have made for our children. Because of the loving teachers at Scott United our oldest started at the top of her kindergarten class in a very competitive school district (South Pasadena). She was reading children's chapter books and could do pretty complicated math problems in her head. We were so happy with her results that we sent our twins to Scott United too. They loved the wonderful teachers there and they've become like family to us. Ms. Roseanne even watches our 3 girls on the weekends sometimes. If you are looking for a smaller program where the teachers can focus on each individual student then I highly recommend this school. They are by far the best in the area! read more

In the competitive world of Pasadena preschools, Scott United Methodist Preschool (SUMP) is a real gem! The Teachers - Renita, the Director is a really sweet and caring lady. As a director she is there to support the teachers and has given them the freedom to mold the curriculum to the needs of the students. It is a small school, only 24 students, and the staff is not large so Renita also acts as an assistant teacher to one of the rooms. She's a big fan of Minions (which the kids just love). Roseann is the lead teacher for the Rainbow room. We're on our second child in the program and Roseann has been a fantastic teacher to both of our daughters. She has instilled a love of learning along with lots of fun activities. In the last couple years she also started using the App Appletree to connect with the parents. I love getting reminders on my phone and seeing pictures of my daughter while I'm at work. Melissa is the lead teacher in the Superstar room. She really gets the kids ready for Kindergarten! My older daughter started Kinder this fall and her teacher was impressed with how well Melissa had taught the children in her class. My older daughter just loved being in Melissa's class! Both Melissa and Roseann have been at the school for at least the last four years. The newest teacher is LaTisha. She was brought in to cover during a maternity leave and thankfully has been able to stay with the school. She's brought a calming nature to the school and provides a wonderful balance to the staff. In addition to the wonderful teachers the school also provides meals for the students. These are made by a local catering company and Rita delivers them to the school daily. The food is nutritious and delicious. In fact my older daughter misses Rita's food! The school also does cooking classes with the students. For birthdays they allow outside treats of the family's choice and for holidays they usually have a potluck type party for the children. During the school year the children get plenty of play time in addition to academic lessons. Fridays include time with tricycles and bikes in a safely blocked off part of the parking lot. They also have music class with one of the church volunteers. During the summer students participate in theme weeks and take field trips to places such as the Gable House, Kidspace, the Post Office, parks, and some times even the Zoo. SUMP often invites members of the community to speak to the students including police, fire, dentists, etc. Memorable days for the kids! The school is part of a church, so there is a religious component. Many of the churches members volunteer in the school and there is a weekly Bible lesson. The lesson usually includes a story, song, and coloring page. I don't find the religion component to the program be the main focus. This is a school first and the Bible is a part of the curriculum. I also wanted to mention the school is open 7am-6pm and all the hours are included in the price (currently $675/month). If you work full time, SUMP is a program you should really consider. They provide a wonderful education for a lower cost than most other schools in the Pasadena area and this is possible by the giving of the church community. I was initially worried that the lower cost meant the care wouldn't be as good, but that's simply not true. This is a great school! Lastly, I wanted to write a bit about what you'll find in some of the older comments. Our family has been at SUMP since 2014 and experienced the licensing infractions firsthand. There were allegations made against the previous director and licensing did believe those allegations to be true. But through it all the teachers (Roseann and Melissa) were keeping a very close watch on the safety of the children. The school responded to the investigation in a way that I felt was the best path forward. That director (Gloria) is no longer at the school and hasn't been since 2015. SUMP today is not the same school is was in 2015. It's better! Renita is a doll and you can tell the whole staff is happier and healthier than ever. If you see the reports on the licensing website I hope you will still give SUMP a chance. It can be easy to miss SUMP tucked into a little corner of Orange Grove near the Rose Bowl, but this is a school worth checking out. The small program is wonderfully nurturing and we can attest to the academic strength as well. As I mentioned our older daughter is now a successful Kindergarten student and now our younger daughter started at SUMP last summer and she's having so much fun in Roseann's class! (P.S. Special shout out to Mr. Spicer for keeping the campus clean and beautiful!) read more

We love Scott United! When we moved to Pasadena last year, we started our daughter at a different preschool, but we were not 100% happy there. We switched her to Scott United this fall and we couldn't be happier! Mrs. Gloria greets us with an excited and nurturing welcome each morning. The program is structured (which we love) and Mrs. Gloria works hard to teach the children manners from the beginning. They all ask to be excused from the table at lunch time and she has worked with our daughter (who is a bit shy) on giving a proper greeting to the teachers and other kids in the class. She has been able to an environment that is both loving and structured for the children The academic portion of the day lasts 45 minutes, so it is not overwhelming for the kids, but they really seem to be learning the material! We have also had a few special requests of Mrs. Gloria, and she has been incredibly accommodating to each one. Our daughter goes part-time, and the tuition is very reasonable ($350 pt or $600 ft). We couldn't be happier with the school. read more

I am updating my review of this school because I will never endorse child abuse no matter the contoversy. What I once thought was a cute little school with a high academic achievemnt has now become an absolute nightmare. There are currently many substantiated claims from licensing regarding neglect, lack of supervision, the director yelling at children and staff in front of children and bodily injury. The hallway is covered in notices. The investigation regarding corporal punishment is still ongoing. The admistration not only didn't address the issues right away but denied and made light of the horrific events that have taken place there. If you want your child to witness physical and mental abuse this is the place to go. Do not be fooled by other parents who dont actually know whats going on. Many parents are only there for a few mins in the morning and at night to pick up their children and would rather pretend they know the director than face the abusive nature of this person. (also, if I get one more email from administrators or parents I will report you for harrassment) read more

I am sorry that I didn't find SUMPS when my son was in preschool. I would've enrolled him in a heart beat. Nonetheless, my daughter is now a student at SUMPS since she was 2 1/2. She's now 4 and it will be bitter sweet when she graduates preschool. I can't say anything more than positive words about SUMPS. And Ms. Gloria... she is one dedicated, committed, and wonderful Director!! The school itself is well maintained (Safe and clean) and the staff is friendly. Since there are only 2 classrooms (which is wonderful), the children feel at ease with each other and the staff. They are learning things that kindergarteners are learning. I love that they already have homework, because it's definitely preparing them for kindergarten. I highly recommend this to any parents/guardians that have preschoolers. read more

One of Pasadena's best preschool's. Great location and a wonderful learning environment. Miss Gloria is a gem and I'm happy that my son has had the opportunity to be one of her students. read more

Great preschool. My son loves it and he is learning. Miss Gloria is tremendous. Small class sizes. They do a great job on academics and the kids seem to have a lot of fun. I like the structure. Very nice neighborhood right by the Rose Bowl. The school is clean and organized. The price is great. $600 a month full time with breakfast and lunch. The fact that they are part of the church means they don't have to pay rent this keeps the cost down. If you are looking at schools in Pasadena you need to visit. read more

Preschool is Freedom of Choice. We now attend Scott's program for the Fall 2015 - 2016 school year. My son had grown so much at this program. It is just large enough for him & he is learning so much. The administrative staff has changed but the teachers are the same. As long as the academic portion remains a focal point and our son looks forward to being there we will continue to call SUMPS our preschool home. read more

Scott United Methodist Preschool is such a hidden gem in Pasadena. My twin girls went to this preschool it was the best investment I could have made into their education career. My girls received the best education the teachers (Ms. Gloria and Ms. Melissa) at this school are nurturing, attentive, and patient. The curriculum they teach prepares your child to be ready for kindergarten. My girls are now in kindergarten and they are at the top of their class. Because they came well prepared their teachers gives them more challenging work. My girls are doing very well in kindergarten because they had such an amazing start at Scott United Methodist Preschool. read more