My son started at SCM at 3 months old and he is now almost 1year. As a new mom, of course I was nervous but I turned out to be the best decision ever for him and our family. Itzy and the teachers assistants are excellent. They have helped my son with lots of seamless transitions such as daycare routine, naps, bottles, and solid foods. He is so happy and well adjusted. He has learned to happily play independently. He loves seeing the other kids in his class. He loves the stimulating and educational toys and the activities they do there. He always has a smile on his face when we drop him off and when we pick him up. The classroom and drop off area is calm, clean, and orderly. The teachers have given me great advice for at home too. They are helpful, educated, and nonjudgmental. They also often send the most adorable pictures and videos of my son throughout the day which is the highlight of my workday! Unlike many daycares/schools, the holiday schedule is quite reasonable. They offer "camp" where they can take care of your child during weeklong holiday breaks which are about 4 times a year. Can't say enough good things. Highly recommend. read more

South Coast Montessori - Preschools Near Me - Goleta, California

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My family has been part of South Coast Montessori since my daughter was 18 months old; she is now 6 and we're excited to continue into the elementary program. SCM has been where she learned to potty train, dress herself, read, and build early math skills. She's learned practical skills like sewing, and the school has nurtured the artist inside her while encouraging her natural curiosity about the world. The teachers and administration are genuinely invested in each child's success. I appreciate how collaborative the environment is -- there's far more access to teachers than you typically find in a traditional public school, and staff communicate thoughtfully with families. As a parent, I've always felt supported and included in my daughter's learning journey. SCM follows a traditional Montessori approach, and I'm consistently impressed by the classroom dynamics: up to 20 children working independently yet not in chaos, but in a calm, productive rhythm. The school fosters independence, confidence, and a love of learning. I wholeheartedly recommend South Coast Montessori to families seeking a warm, well-run Montessori school where children are encouraged to grow academically, creatively, and socially. read more

The BEST school! The teachers are absolutely amazing, the office staff are SO kind and welcoming, and the students absolutely thrive at SCM. Love this school! read more

My children went to South Coast Montessori for 2 years. Horrible experience in the toddler program.

South Coast Montessori is the best thing we've done for my daughter. I enrolled her in the infant program at 3.5 months when I went back to work. The teachers are so knowledgeable about infants and developmental stages, they really helped this first time mom. They worked with me and my daughter for a smooth transition and provided tips and ideas, while also listening to my specific scheduling requests so that my daughter's school day mirrored our weekends and time together. We are now in the Toddler classroom and I have to say, South Coast Montessori has helped my daughter to be wonderfully independent and confident. She seems miles ahead developmentally then if we had simply enrolled her in a daycare - verbally, physically, emotionally. It takes a village and for working parents, this is yours. Cost compared to other centers in Santa Barbara is minimal and worth it. I would never consider another center. This is the best! read more

We had moved here from Northern California where we'd had our son in a Montessori preschool that he loved and thrived in. We'd heard some good things about our local public school so we enrolled him there for kindergarten. I'd thought it could work because he tends to like having a schedule and knowing what is expected of him but It was a terrible fit. The teaching style was very limited and regimented with a lot of worksheets and memorization. He would come home from School unhappy every day and dread going back every morning. We researched and toured several schools before deciding on South Coast Montessori. And mind you- it wasn't for convenience as the school is a 35 Minute drive from our house! It was truly the best school we looked at. We are about 4 weeks in now and the transition has been amazing! His curiosity has increased, he is more creative and, most importantly, he LOVES School! He absolutely adores his teacher Leah and her teacher's aide Stephanie and is disappointed when I pick him up early (he's in aftercare so we're talking minutes before they close!) The montessori method is something I believe in strongly and they really embrace it fully at this school. Kids are taught to be self-sufficient, clever, creative, respectful and kind people and that is worth its weight in gold. I just can't tell you how grateful I am that this school was an option for us because it's one of the best decisions we've made for our kid so far. The entire staff is so dedicated and caring and it shows! read more

Our family is so thankful for the teachers and staff at SCM. Our son has been supported since he was 14 weeks old and my husband and I returned to work. We were blessed to find an environment that is warm and welcoming and supports our family throughout this journey - especially since all friends and family are on the east coast. (There's even "camp" during the holidays when most families are on vacation but my husband and I are still at work.) Our son is now 21 months old and in his third class thanks to his development and skill growth. He loves cooking, cleaning, the outdoors, worktime, reading, singing, art and table setting. And, he asks to go potty on his own. It's amazing! Thanks to the entire team for the value you bring to us all. read more

I may be the odd man out with leaving a negative review and I'm unsure why there is not more parents participating in leaving a negative review. During our time at SCM there was many unhappy and frustrated parents. Our child was in Miss Leah's preschool classroom. Here are the facts of what our experience was during our time at SCM. Miss Leah- 1. We were told from the teachers aid that when our daughter first started at SCM that she was not receiving the proper care during those crucial days and weeks of transition into a new school. Leah's tactics were to ignore her because she already had her favorites in the classroom. When the teacher aid mentioned this to us, it was about 2 months after we started and I guess Leah had started to warm up to our child. The aid also highlighted that there was other kids in the classroom that Leah did not like, so it was not abnormal for her not to like our child. No parent should be worried that there child is being ignored during the day and that the teacher does not like them. 2. A drop off at SCM is that the parents wait in the car and the aid grabs the child out of the car and takes them inside. The parents are not allowed in the classroom. About a week after we started, it was our first time being late due to a very rainy morning and heavy traffic. I carried my daughter and rushed to the first door so that we would not get too wet. I knocked on the locked door while standing in the rain and there was no answer for 5 minutes. Finally, Miss Leah answered the door and was furious that we were knocking on that door, scolded me in front of my child and walked us to the back door. 3. On many other occasions Leah was cold and rude. Overall it was concerning that she had this demeanor towards an adult... I could only imagine what she was like behind closed doors. After School Program 2:30-5:30 1. They finish the montessori day at 2:30 and Miss Leah goes home. The next part to the childrens day is with the after school program through SCM. They typically play outside and go to the non-montessori allocated room. Last winter there was several occasions where we picked up our daughter and she was soaking wet. When I reached out to the aid she said they they can not give any details why she is wet or they would get in trouble. This was very odd. During this time, I also was getting notifications almost daily that the allocated room for after school care was changing. It was bizarre that there was constant changes with the rooms but I didn't think too much about it. They I finally got some answers from another aid. The school did not have permits for the rooms and they were only using the rooms after 4:00 when the county would not make any unexpected visits. The children had no place to go during the hours of 2:30-4:00 and had to play outside even in the pouring rain. I then asked Brian and Leah for more details into why my child was wet and asked for more information on the after school room situation... they did there best to not answer honestly and deferred my questions. Other Notes: 1. Brian is unprofessional and has no business running a preschool. Many issues with the lack of communication to parents. 2. They prioritize fundraising but do not prioritize fostering community for the students/ children. Its clearly all about money for this school 3. The facilities are very boring for children that attend 40+ hours/wk. There is not enough rotating Montessori curriculum in the class room and the outside area is really pathetic. After a few months of being at SCM we started looking for a new school for our child. We started talking with other parents at SCM and we were not the only ones unhappy with the care and service provided at the school. Our daughter is happy and thriving at her new school with a wonderful group on teachers and staff, its night and day. When I used to pick her up at SCM her head would be down and she would walk very slowly to the car (clearly unhappy), now I pick her up and she does not want to leave. I hope this review helps with any decisions in regards to SCM. read more

I am so glad we found this school for my daughter. The teachers are wonderful, the staff are professional and friendly and it's located on a beautiful school campus. Montessori has always intrigued me so when we were looking for childcare I knew that this method of education was a must. It warms my mother's heart knowing that my toddler loves going to school here each day. read more

I can't speak for the toddler and preschool programs, but I had a bad experience with the infant program. South Coast Montessori wanted me and my husband to spend another month teaching our then 4 month old son to play independently and self soothe before enrolling him in the program (Mind you our son has no developmental delays or special needs). Then, once he's enrolled, one of us has to be available that first week to help transition him into the program. The amount of preparation they expect out of parents is excessive! If you're trying to return to work, it can definitely interfere with that timeline. Another thing they expect the parents to do is arrive with premade bottles for their baby each day. While this isn't necessarily unusual, it does add fuel to the fire when you think about how much South Coast Montessori charges in comparison to other daycares. You're not paying for the staff to do their job, that's for sure. I hope they realize that selecting for perfectly behaved infants makes their staff look lazy and incompetent. read more