We initially looked into KUBO thinking it was a Japanese-run facility, but we soon found it is…read moreoperated by a wonderful Filipino team. For any Japanese families considering this school: while the origin of the name might be different than expected, the quality of education is world-class. Having gone through a Montessori education myself, I have high standards, and this program exceeded them all. The teachers provide amazing attention to individual development, supported by an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. The curriculum perfectly balances education with character building. The level of discipline and respect shown by the graduates here is truly admirable--something often missing in standard TK programs. We also appreciated the professional touch of annual parent-teacher conferences and detailed progress reports. On top of the great environment, the food is fantastic! It's healthy, balanced, and introduced our children to delicious flavors like lumpia. We are so grateful to Mrs. Jeck and the entire team. If you are looking for a place where your child will be treated with respect and given the tools to excel, this is it. Our yongest is graduating this year and we are sincerely going to miss seeing Ms. Jeck and the staff on a daily basis, but we look forward occasionally swinging by just to say hello!

Long overdue review! We're so fortunate to have found Kubo! We had a very bad experience at another…read moreschool and had to pivot fast. The moment we stepped into Kubo, I knew it would be the perfect place for our daughter. It is a very serene and loving environment with a wonderful Montessori curriculum . The teachers are amazing! Homemade meals- what a life changer! A supportive parent community. We could not be happier to have found this little gem.

Our daughter attended Paragon and we were thrilled with the curriculum and the outcome. Now 9 our…read morelittle lady continues to show the core Montessori values she picked up when very little. Paragon is a sweet little school with in a lovely, welcoming locale that gives the kids calmness and focus to really thrive. Paragon teaches love, caring, and mindfulness. Even when she was 4 and 5 our little one came home singing songs, talking about the world she was learning about, and had so many questions. We learned to look forward to pickup because we'd always hear something new and exciting from our daughter. The school schedules many social events that allow the parents and families to be part of the process. This also drove interaction between families which culminated with a graduation ceremony that was just too sweet for words (hint: each kid gets to ride the little plastic "rollercoaster" to celebrate the event!). Paragon is a labor of love: It was started to fill a gap that was tragically created when another Montessori school was forced to close due to the untimely passing of its beloved leader. If you are looking for something really special that will create a strong, wise, and independent child, then this is the place for you.p

Paragon is magical. It's a well-rounded play-based Montessori program for children from 2.5 to…read morepre-k. The school is very small with an ideal teacher to student ratio, creating a tight knit community that extends beyond the hours of school. We, parents included, feel truly blessed to be a part of this experience. It's an idyllic bubble where the children can follow their hearts, engage, and explore. Foundations in math and reading are taught through play by patient and nurturing teachers. Ms. Valerie gives the best hugs and Ms. Pranita, the director of the program, is more than an educator--she is a true role model. Without going into details, I believe this school is a passion project given her competing roles. I've watched my son go through Paragon with my daughter following his footsteps become increasingly confident and responsible independent little humans. They come home with "Paragonisms" that we use daily, such as "nutritious before delicious" and "less talking, more eating" during meal times. LOL. The school is beautiful. My son considers it an extension of "home", even after he graduated and entered elementary school. The classroom is immaculate (feels like the progeny of the Container Store, Blicks and Drosselmeyer's toyshop) with enough nooks and crannies for the children to let their imagination go. The pirate ship play structure is my personal favorite. All of this is set in a lush garden. During the fall and spring, my kids often pick a lemon and pinch some mint from the garden on their way to the car. We have attended several highly regarded preschool programs in the area. Some differences noted are 1) the children are fully engaged without any screentime at Paragon, 2) kids may be covered in paint and markers but not food and urine at pick up and 3) galloping out of the car, all the way to the entrance during morning drop offs. Based on my single date point, we also saw a positive change in my son's demeanor almost immediately after he started attending Paragon. We love this school. The only cons are the hours and lack of extended care. For families who can make it work, I highly recommend it!

We love Edison Montessori School. All 3 of my children have gone there. The teachers have decades…read moreof Pre-School and Montesorri experience. The students learn and grow the Montessori way. They learn to be independent and on task. My eldest started at 2.5 years old and continued until he went to Kindergarten. He is now 9 years old. My middle child went for a full year before moving on to Kindergarten. My youngest will have spent an entire year there before he goes off to Kindergarten this upcoming Fall. The directors Ann and Angela, Teacher Beckie, Teacher Virigina, and all the rest- are the best. We adore all the teachers there. My youngest remembers the songs they sing, about who the officer was during their circle time, he tells me about historical figures and the science of his internal organs! They practice writing, math, reading, science, geography, art, music, they even have a soccer coach! I will miss their Pre-K years at Edison Montessori after my youngest graduates.

My son has been here since February and he absolutely loves all the teachers here and all type of…read moreactivities scheduled. All the teachers here are very patient, which is what we care about the most when touring for schools. I also really appreciate teacher Angela's approach. She explained to me very patiently how kids need a lot of fine motor exercise before writing letter and numbers, but the same time they get to be exposed to older kids writing which will give them a sense of what it would look like, for us single child family this can be very helpful. I also like how they encourage kids to open their own lunch boxes and have lunch and how we can provide a more kids friendly lunch box to enable that. They also provide soccer class during summertime which is excellent! We don't have to send him to other places for only less than an hour. We toured many other schools as well, but sometimes the director might be very friendly and professional but their teachers are not doing what we've been told; other times they are patient but it's mainly just taking care of kids. Overall, I like how they encourage independence for kids in a friendly and professional way, and that teacher Angela is really paying attention to details. When he first joined he was a little scared and didn't want to go to school for around two weeks because he didn't know any kids and teachers. So if your kids feel the same, give it a bit more time and you may see the change like we did.

Our son has been at Genius Learning preschool for the past 2 years. The staff is kind, the hours…read moreare flexible, and our son is learning a lot. They also provide lunch for the students, which is a huge plus! I would highly recommend Genius Learning for any parents interested in a Chinese immersion preschool program.

My son has been here for 4 years now. Great experience overall. We are very happy that we found…read morethis preschool. Lots of pros (open up to 6pm, open all summer, often on holidays, nice teachers, Chinese immersion, good balance of work and play, etc). The only con, which other reviews mention, is the heptic pickup, mostly caused by a few parents trying to maneuver their giant unnecessary pickup trucks in a very small parking space.

Both my children went to Nada at La Petite Montessori and the kids love it there very much and…read moreenjoy their day at school learning and having fun . My son went for about 1.5 yrs to preschool and Nada has cared for him very well and made sure he adjusted well in the beginning . We started seeing difference in first few months itself , he was able to read, write and catch up very well for his age . Nada is very accommodating and a great teacher who knows how to focus on each child based on their level . She provides lunch based on our requirements and sends pictures of how the kid is doing at school which is very nice :) My daughter thrived at her Elementary school after she finished preschool at Nada's La Petite. Nada has very well structured activities planned for kids which keeps them engaged , improves their thinking ability and disciplines them . We highly recommend this school for any child who wants to thrive and have a great foundation to begin their school journey . We are highly satisfied and had a wonderful experience both the times .

Our son attended La Petite Montessori for a little over a year, and the amount he has grown in such…read morea short time has been tremendous! He has developed so much confidence and independence, and he always leaves school with a big smile on his face. I'm always so impressed by the activities they plan for the children - they're engaging, thoughtfully designed, and educational. Teacher Nada is wonderful and very communicative, and I especially love receiving photos from her throughout the day. It's so nice to get a little glimpse into what he's learning and enjoying at school. We've had such a wonderful experience at La Petite Montessori and are so grateful for the positive impact they've had on our son!

The Mandarin Immersion (MI) program at Orion Alternative Elementary is hands-down Redwood City's…read morebest-kept secret for an exceptional public school education. It is an extraordinary environment where students of all backgrounds can thrive. For non- Mandarin speaking families, the dedicated support, including a specialized TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) ensures kids catch up to grade level. My own daughter attended TK elsewhere and had no trouble catching up in Mandarin when she started Kindergarten here. What Makes Orion Special: Dedicated Staff & Leadership: The teachers are exceptionally kind, attentive, and engaged. Principal Winnie works tirelessly to address parent feedback through frequent, accessible touchpoints like Zoom check-ins and Principal Coffees. Vibrant After-School Support: A huge shoutout to PlayThrive, the on-site Mandarin after-school program, which provides fantastic enrichment and care. They help kids with homework and support the mandarin learning, but also offer extracurricular activities (for an added fee) of Math camp, Photography, Sports, etc. An Unmatched Parent Community: Parent involvement here is incredible and it really feels like a collaborative team effort to help our kids succeed. Beyond cultural celebrations like the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lunar New Year, and Dragonboat races, there are constant opportunities for parents to connect. Our family has gotten involved in "BroRion" (the dads' group), moms' pickleball and even parent dragon boat racing! Things to Keep in Mind: Like any growing public school, Orion faces a few operational hurdles: Facilities & Funding: Facility maintenance and air conditioning can be ongoing challenges, but the active parent community consistently steps up to help bridge the gaps. For instance, during the hottest day of the year, the air conditioning was not working well in some of the TK portables but parents dropped off air conditioning units. The school also relies on annual fundraising drives to fund classroom assistants and extra enrichment classes. Admissions: While TK often has a waitlist through the lottery, the program's expansion means there are usually plenty of openings for Kindergarten. Academic Outcomes: Don't be deterred if some students transition to North Star Academy after 3rd grade. CAASPP assessment data consistently shows that the MI students who remain in grades 3-5 score exceptionally high in Math and ELA, with the vast majority testing at the "Advanced" level. This is especially impressive since they learn Math in Mandarin, but test Math in English. Orion is a warm, high-achieving, and deeply supportive community. We are very fortunate to be part of this school!

We bought a house in Redwood City specifically so our child could attend this school. Since we…read moredon't speak Chinese at home and our daughter was diagnosed with a speech delay at age two, I wasn't sure how much Mandarin she would actually pick up from the Mandarin Immersion program at Orion, especially without extra support from us. But after completing kindergarten and halfway through first grade, she surprised us by initiating conversations in Chinese on her own. I'm pretty sure I cried the first time it happened. The teachers are incredibly thoughtful and professional, especially in guiding young kids through learning two languages. In the first few years, about 90% of the school day is conducted in Chinese, which provides an immersive experience during those crucial early years. I remember my daughter sometimes mixed up calling her teacher "mama" and calling me "Wu Laoshi" -- small but meaningful signs of the trust she was building in this environment. The quality of education is outstanding. It's project-based, with a rich blend of art, gardening, STEAM, and physical education throughout the week. During lunch, the kids have options for how they spend their free time. My daughter loves cooling off in the air-conditioned library on hot days, gardening with friends, or practicing her monkey bar skills on more moderate days (after all, Redwood City is known for its slogan, "Climate Best by Government Test"). What matters most to me is that my daughter wakes up excited for school. She genuinely looks forward to her day, eager to see her teacher, curious about the new things she'll learn, spend time with her friends, and engage in the many activities this wonderful space offers. It's a place where she's building her own community, being challenged academically, and hopefully forming friendships that will last at least until high school. At this age, while academics are important, a positive and supportive community matters even more to us. Finding both at the Mandarin Immersion program at Orion has been an absolute gift, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have this school in the Bay Area.

We have two kids graduated from PRINTS kindergarten. One started already in Children's House and…read morecompleted, the other started from Nido and also completed Children's House. The kids actually did not overlap due to age difference, but we had such a great experience with the first one when we first moved to the Bay Area, we decided to send the second one there as well. What we like about PRINTS: 1. The campus is very clean, and managed to have in-person learning with only 1 minor disruption starting back in summer 2020 (with camps first) and continued throughout, while the public schools remained in distance learning mode. 2. The freshly cooked meals are excellent. The younger kid literally loved the meals at PRINTS more than anywhere else. 3. Teaching standard very high, and kids have no problem transitioning to public schools afterward. (I came from a family with many professors and teachers and have a doctoral degree myself.)

Our child started the Nido program this summer and he has flourished at PRINTS…read more He is given lots of floor time and has learned to roll and is working hard on sitting. He is offered solids, and they are even following his cues and place him on the potty. The daycare providers all are very loving and invested in the progress and growth of our son. We even had a few questions on sleep training and they lent us a book from the school library that was incredibly informative. It's such a relief to not have to worry about his safety and well being while we're away at work. Yes, they are pricier than the other programs, and while we were fortunate enough to have been admitted in a few infant day cares and had options, we opted for PRINTS because the atmosphere was much more calm, clean, and organized, which translated into providers being more focused on the kids. Our little guy is very happy here, and their investment in our son's milestones is pushing us to be better parents--we've gotten more proactive with introducing solids and potty time to our kiddo! I have a friend whose daughters are enrolled in the Emeryville PRINTS location and they are very happy at that location as well!

I liked this place so much I had another kid just to send them here!…read more Well, not really. But there was no question that once our second daughter was old enough that she'd go to San Mateo Montessori. We've sampled many of the day-care/pre-school programs in or near San Mateo, with an emphasis on Montessori programs, and hands down, this one is the most professionally run and has the highest quality environment. As a working professional with a demanding schedule, I have a few must-haves when I go to select learning environments for my children: 1) To be certain that my kid is in a safe environment that challenges them to grow to their fullest potential. 2) To work with talented child-development professionals whose experiences with my kid leads to insights and recommendations that I can unreservedly trust. 3) To be able to trust in the professionalism of the staff and observe consistent high-quality operations. This one sounds obvious, but I am constantly amazed at the unprofessional conduct of most day-care/learning environments. San Mateo Montessori hits the ball out of the park in all three of these areas. It's a special place, and both my kids have thrived there. Yours probably will too!

My son went to San Mateo Montessori for two years and all the teachers are amazing. They are kind,…read moresmart and seem to really care about our kids. The community of parents is also great and I've come away with some very good friends. When my second daughter was less than a year, we already put her on the waiting list to ensure that she'd have Mrs. Prozell, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Gonzalez and Mrs. Wong like her brother did. I really, really love this school.