Our daughter attended Pearl Montessori for close to two years, and is now moving on to her next…read moreadventure in TK. She had a wonderful experience at this school and really grew into her own. From language and building block topics (letters, numbers, speech) to potty training and social skills, she learned everything you would expect from a top flight school. Our daughter thoroughly enjoyed her time. The teachers were skilled, patient and definitely had the kids best interest at heart. We would 100% place her here if we had to choose again.

My son started attending Pearl Montessori Daycare in January 2025, and he absolutely loved it from…read moreday one. He was with Ms. D, who quickly became one of his favorite people -- he mentioned her name at home all the time! When he first started, he was barely talking, and now he can't stop chatting and expressing himself. He recently graduated to a new school, and his new teacher immediately noticed how well-prepared he was. She even commented that she could tell his previous teacher had done an excellent job with circle time and early learning activities. I also appreciate how Ms. Kelly thoughtfully transformed the school this year to a more authentic Montessori environment -- updating the furniture, toys, and curriculum. The school organizes fun and engaging activities throughout the year, which my son always enjoyed. Another thing I truly value is the school's excellent communication. The teachers regularly share photos of the children's daily activities -- as a working parent, it always makes my day to see what my little one is doing while I'm on break. They are also very prompt and transparent when reporting any accidents, clearly explaining what happened, what steps were taken, and how my son was doing afterward. I also love that students wear uniforms, which gives a real sense of belonging and community. I've even met other Pearl parents outside of school (randomly like at the YMCA), and we all share the same sentiment -- Pearl Montessori is a wonderful place for our kids to grow. Even though we've graduated from Pearl, Ms. D and Ms. Kelly, as my son's very first teachers, will always hold a special place in his little heart (and ours).

Great teachers who care about the kids and love to be there. My daughter spent two years there and…read morewe are looking forward to sending our next kid when she turns two

I cant stress how amazing Jodi is and how this staff has taught my 2 boys a great Godly foundation…read morein life. It has spilled over to the kindness they show to others now in elementary school. I and my boys have miss you all!!! Thanks for some great memories. Rachel and Jimmy

We are very happy with the experience we've had during our daughter Elena's first year at the…read moreschool. Her growth has been remarkable in every way -- academically, emotionally, and socially. From the very beginning, we felt welcomed and part of a true community, which made all the difference for us as a family. Principal Dena Stoneman is always attentive, approachable, and thoughtful in every detail. Secretary Sara Sinclair is a kind and loving person, always willing to help with warmth and efficiency. We are also deeply grateful to Elena's teachers -- Ms. Chu, Ms. Delgado, and Ms. Andy -- for the care, dedication, and love they've shown throughout her learning journey this year. We fully trust the school and are excited to continue this journey with you all in the upcoming school year!

It has taken me months of reflection to write this review because our experience with MMS was…read moredeeply confusing and upsetting. Our 3-year-old daughter started at MMS in January 2024. We really loved her primary teachers, and initially, she seemed to be doing well. There were a few incidents of misbehavior (hitting, biting, not listening--maybe three times?) but overall, it was a positive experience. She made friends, spoke happily about school and her teachers, and seemed engaged. From the beginning, I found Dena to be condescending and sanctimonious, but I tried to overlook it. After summer camp, she returned to the same class with many of the same students. But from the start of the new school year, we began receiving frequent calls and incident reports about her behavior--hitting, biting, disrupting nap time, etc. Over the next few months, things unraveled. Our daughter no longer wanted to go to school. She became hysterical every morning at drop-off. We received daily incident reports and multiple phone calls from the school. At home and in other settings, playdates, gymnastics, family events, her behavior was very different. She wasn't perfect, but she was typical for a 3-4-year-old. It began to feel like the school had completely lost control of the situation. She was regularly sent to the office for "breaks" or timeouts, but she would just sit and color, so it didn't feel like a consequence to her. The school called us to pick her up early several times, saying they couldn't manage her and that she was essentially a danger to others. She also began saying things like "I'm bad" and "I'm mean," which was a major red flag. We took her to the pediatrician, an occupational therapist, and had her evaluated for ADHD and other potential concerns. Everything came back within the range of typical development. We had multiple meetings with the school. Dena assured us they were trying everything, but their actions didn't reflect that. Eventually, they asked if we could switch her to half days. Although it was a major challenge for our full-time working household, we agreed, hoping it would help. It didn't. The daily calls continued, and we were still asked to pick her up early. They assigned an aide to shadow her, but the behavior didn't improve. Our daughter started coming home saying no one wanted to play with her, that she had no friends, and that she was bad. Our OT was confused--if she had a one-on-one aide, how was she still getting into so many incidents? We tried sticker charts, calming strategies, every tool recommended by professionals. And yes, our daughter is emotional and sometimes struggles to keep her hands to herself, but again, not in a way that felt outside the norm for her age. We received two to three detailed incident reports each day. It often seemed like the school was spending more energy documenting her behavior than actually helping her. Over time, it became clear we weren't welcome. Dena and some of the teachers began giving us cold looks. Dena even told us that other parents didn't want their kids playing with ours. The whole environment felt hostile and out of control. After another unproductive meeting with Dena, we were told our options were to find a new school or pay for a full-time aide, on top of tuition. We enrolled her in a new school the following week, and the difference has been incredible. One of the strangest parts came when we decided to withdraw our daughter. Dena asked if we would bring her by for "closure." I declined, as I didn't feel that would be appropriate. I went to pick up her belongings, and while the students and teachers had made her a goodbye card, which seemed sweet at first, the messages inside were deeply unsettling. Things like "We know there's good in you" made it sound like she was evil or broken. Again, she was THREE. And she really is a sweet, loving kid (who gives the best hugs). At her new school, she has many friends, and in 7 months, she's had one behavioral incident. We still recognize that she is an emotional and spirited child, but she is thriving in a supportive environment. I only wish we had made the switch sooner. Looking back, it's shocking to realize that for the entire second half of the school year at MMS, we didn't hear a single positive thing about our daughter. I feel heartbroken thinking about the constant negative feedback loop she was caught in. no wonder she thought she was "bad." I'm not saying MMS is a terrible school for everyone. Clearly, some families have had positive experiences. But it seems that if your child doesn't fit a certain mold, they are unwilling or unequipped to support them. I still struggle to understand how things got so bad, especially considering the immediate change we saw when we moved her. Even at home, she was noticeably happier. she now runs into school every morning and i have so much peace of mind.

There are not enough good words to say about this school. Children's Growing Center is an amazing…read moreplace to send your kid for their 0-4 years. My daughter went there for the past three years, and the experience was great. Every class was fun, engaging, exploratory, and my child looked forward to going every day. The school was good with communication, they have cute performances for families throughout the year, and you can tell all the teachers are genuinely invested in the kids. What amazed me the most is that every single teacher at that school knew my kid's name. Every single one. It feels like such a safe and loving community. The director has been there for close to 30 years, and she's great. Straightforward, no nonsense, and kind, and loving to the kids. They spend a lot of time outdoors and have a very play-focused curriculum. The families are warm and friendly. We were genuinely sad to go. I picked this preschool in part because of the excellent reviews, and I wanted to contribute to that. These reviews are spot on--the school is as good as the reviews say it is. 10/10 preschool, absolutely recommend.

My daughter spent about two years at this school and went through three classrooms. The great thing…read moreabout schools like this is that children will move up to a new classroom about every 9 months and the curriculum targets the age group. All the teachers were very caring and the teacher the student ratio was good. They had a lot of volunteer opportunities and there were a few of parent led events each year so I thought that was really neat. This school would have been more fun if it weren't for COVID. During normal times, they had school performances in the spring and early December that they rehearse for. We moved to Santee and since I work from home, going to this school became a hardship. We were sad to leave but my daughter will always have great memories of this place.

We have both our older girls enrolled (and our youngest is on the wait list for 2022!). We waited…read more2.5 years to get into this preschool, and it was worth every minute of the wait. Caring teachers, clean environments, fun kids, loving program with a Sunday School-vibe. Ms. Parker runs an excellent program and is very understanding, flexible and communicative. Even through the throes of COVID, they did an EXCELLENT job. We love the purple room (Ms. Johnston and Ms Leverett) and the yellow room (Ms. McHenry and Ms. Brown), and the girls know all the teachers from the other classrooms as well. The girls asked to be dropped off early and picked up "as late as we can". I have never heard them say that before!! The playground and classrooms are kept neat and clean (my hubby was impressed with the clean smell and feel right away!). The kids are learning so much! We get an annual assessment sent home with an outline of their learning and it amazes me! Our oldest will start kindergarten in the fall and she is beyond ready, emotionally, academically and socially. Our only wish is that they offered a K-12 grade option, we would sign up tomorrow!!!

My 5 year-old recently graduated from Noah's Ark after having gone there for a year. (She just…read morestarted kindergarten). Everyone from the director to the teachers was extremely kind and made a ton of effort for a positive experience. I loved the layout with simple outdoor access from all the classrooms and two large playground areas immediately outside that the classes would alternate between daily. My daughter loved the activities they administered. Cost was very competitive compared to other preschool options. Only one suggestion for improvement. Our daughter came home sick ALOT from other parents sending their sick kids to school. We readily complied with mask requirements when dropping off and picking up in the interest of minimizing sickness risk to others during COVID times, and also kept our own child home when sick, but felt that better enforcement of health standards across the board would have been more in the spirit of respect for others that we and several other families approached things. All in all though, it was an overwhelmingly positive experience. I can see why we had to wait on a waitlist for over 2 and a half years to get her in here. It's a fantastic preschool and I highly recommend it.

There are quite a few amazing teachers here, but our overall experience was not five stars. Our…read morechild attended for almost a full school year, but we were dis-invited to re-enroll for the summer or next year. I really appreciated how careful this school is about the kids health, and how steamlined their check-in, check-out process was. I think it avoids a lot of potential pitfalls of drop-off. Their space is amazing, and they have a ton of enriching and vigorous play options. From what I heard from my child, I think circle time was great too. So many of the teachers are extremely warm and caring. However, the school was very poor about communicating with us. After a couple of months of attendance, we got a phone call where the director suggested our child might need a one-on-one aid for emotional-behavior issues. We were extremely surprised, caught off guard, and devastated. We took the phone call to heart and worked extra hard with our child. The same issues came up during the parent teacher conference a little while later, and we worked with the staff to implement some of their suggestions. After this, we attempted to communicate much more frequently with the school to make sure we were on the same page about our methods, our progress, etc. Many of our emails were ignored entirely, even as we were trying to schedule a meeting to check in. When we were finally able to scheduled a meeting, it was to tell us that we were not invited to re-enroll. I think it is fairly common for preschools have more formal processes for working with parents to identify strengths and challenges, share strategies for working on challenges, and provide progress reports. That was not our experience here. What is even more perplexing is that according to several professional medical and behavioral health opinions we have gotten, in part due to this feedback from the school, our child is pretty normal for her age. What's more concerning is that we were not the only family expelled during our time there, and we were not the only family to whom diagnosis and intervention was flippantly suggested (that is, without any kind of formal or licensed assessment). And to our knowledge these other children were also very much in the normal range of behavior and development. To their credit, they waved our obligation to complete our payments for the year and refunded our deposit, though not the $600 yearly materials fee. And as I mentioned above, there are numerous positive aspects to the school. We've been at another preschool now for six months and our child has been thriving. No complaints from the staff, who have been extremely communicative. It's hard to know, in the end, what went wrong. It could have been a developmental mismatch (perhaps our child should have been in the younger class), or a mismatch between teacher/child personalities. In the end, what is very clear is that the communication was lacking. Other notable aspects of this school are that it is half-day with hours between 8a-12pm (optional additional lunch time on a few days from 12-1p), and with a low child / teacher ratio.

What a special place! Anna has very strong instincts for reaching, calming, and inspiring each…read morechild. The whole staff is very sweet, every (T/Th) morning Stacey, Lynn, and Emily greet the kids and engage them in whatever new craft or science experiment is out (unless the kid isn't ready in which case, they hold them or give them just enough space, no pressure to conform). Every week has a very thoughtful theme, including books, music, toys, and hands-on activity like hatching chicks or planting a garden. This is not daycare, this is intentional nurturing and development. All of the teachers are very well versed in positive discipline and what is age-appropriate. I felt like I was leaving my child with family, not strangers and not folks who are just performing a job. The teachers really love kids, and celebrate the differences that make each kid unique. I never saw even a hint of fatigue or grumpiness. The space is clean and safe, the snacks are healthy. We feel very lucky that we got to spend time here.

Our daughter attended from 18 months until 4 years old, ending this past summer. She loved it and…read morewas very sad to leave. The staff is attentive and the owners (who are there, hands on, every day) are eager for feedback and either act on it or respond thoughtfully. There is a sense of community and the kids (and often parents) become good friends. They also make an effort to teach the kids academics as they get older. My daughter left knowing all of her letters and numbers and starting to sound out words, which is amazing. It was a great three years and we're thankful we found Timbertoy!

Timbertoy has been one of the best things to happen to our family! We are so grateful to have found…read morethis school. The quality of care they provide for their kiddos goes beyond our expectations. I especially love their weekly app updates and the daily photos we receive. My son has truly thrived at Timbertoy, and we do not take them for granted!

My son has been going to St. Marks since June 2013. He/we love it there. All the teachers are so…read morewelcoming, there are always different activity stations for him to go to when I drop him off. In pre-school he is learning various topics during any given month and it is posted and shared with parents. I feel like socially he has grown a lot in the last few months and he rally likes his teachers and new "buddies". There is a open door policy here and everyone (including administration) is very engaged in making sure the children are getting the best experiences. I am really enjoying the experience and if it is any testament I went to this school 36 years ago along with my brother when we were toddlers and my mother who is a 1st grade teacher (36 years) really wanted my son here because of the environment and curriculum. A great choice if you are looking around :)

This is by far an exceptional place to trust the care of your children. The teachers and staff are…read moreso caring and dedicated, the school is clean and well-kept, and the play areas are safe, mostly shaded (very important!!) and spacious! They have so many activities planned that both my daughters loved coming here and it was always hard getting them to leave at pick up time:) They would always be so busy drawing, painting, playing dress-up, puzzles, blocks, games, or interacting with other children at the sandbox (my little one's favorite spot). She is now on her last months at this preschool. She will be starting kinder in the fall and it's a bittersweet feeling to have to say goodbye to this place. We love St. Mark's School, the staff, and all the wonderful work they do with the children.