Studio Montessori is a wonderful, warm school, with caring teachers and a close community. Our son started in Nido and then transitioned to the Maternelle classroom. He loved his teachers in both. They were kind and deeply attentive to his development and growth. He learned so much, so quickly! We toured many Montessori schools in the city (I think all schools with AMI lead guides), and Studio was our favorite. We are very happy we went there, and highly recommend that you visit to see if it's right for your children. read more

The primary reason my family has not moved from San Francisco is due to Studio Montessori. We were tempted to leave the city with the ability to work remote but seeing how much my daughter enjoys going to class, singing to herself in french, and the overall independence she is gaining was the main reason we are giving SF at least one more year. Our daughter joined Studio when she was 3.5 and has been attending the Maternelle class since November. Our daughter has grown and thrived so much over the past 9 months. The other day I mistakenly asked my daughter what she played at school. She reminded me "I don't play at school, I do work." She said this in such a proud voice. They learn so many practical life skills in a warm, safe, and nurturing environment. I found all the teachers exceptionally strong. They have a strong amount of empathy for the children while also balancing a level of directness and respect my daughter has responded really well to. Seeing all the kids growing together into their own little communities has been such a treat. When you see all the kids together with the teachers it is amazing to see how respectful, comfortable, and caring they are to each other. So if you were like us, new to montessori, new to french, new to really any group childcare and are looking for a safe, nurturing, and respectful place to send your children I would recommend Studio. read more

The place is beautiful. A lot of care is put into the space. The teachers appear to be all very sweet (note that turnover is high). What's lacking is the connection between my child and the head teacher / owner (Zoe). There wasn't one. I realized that Zoe actually doesn't watch or teach the kids. She hires others to do that. But I felt she was cold and a little off putting when we met her. Perhaps it's her interpretation of the "Montessori way" but the warmth, care, and thoughtfulness I was hoping for just wasn't there. She let my kid explore the area, just watching my child look around. She asked the most basic questions ever, most which had nothing to do with my kid. Questions were: How did you hear about us? Are you in a care situation now? Why studio Montessori? When is your ideal time frame to join our studio? When I told her we were already in a care situation that we loved, she seemingly turned off after that. I asked lots of questions, which she responded with a few words and little detail. I thought the online application itself was pretty asinine. Why do you need to know our occupations? Or how we plan to "give back" to their community? It felt a bit too bougie for a daycare run by someone who really didn't care to get to know my child. Honestly this place just confirmed that we should stay in our current care situation for as long as possible. read more

Studio Montessori is a very special place. Our daughter started there 2 years ago and we just had our younger one join the school as well. We feel very lucky that our kids are starting their education and discovery of the broader world in such a thoughtful and inspired environment. The place itself is beautiful, but what really distinguishes the school is a genuine dedication of the school staff to the wellbeing and growth of the kids. You can see it reflected in many things: careful selection of truly passionate and caring Montessori teachers, very thoughtful approach to development exercises and materials as well as personalized attention to the strengths and needs of every kid. The focus is not only on academics, but also on social interaction and more fundamental skills - such as curiosity, empathy and independence. It's amazing to see your kid come from school and suddenly start insisting on dressing themselves or sweeping the floor! We also appreciate that diversity is at the core of the school's philosophy. From the very young age and on a daily basis the school exposes the kids to the richness of different cultures and languages. Our older daughter now sings a French nursery song "Frere Jacques" to our younger one as a lullaby - and we're not French! :) We also really enjoyed getting to know a wonderful community of Studio Montessori. Zoe, the head of the school, is one of the most passionate educators and hardworking founders we've ever met. She is among the leaders of worldwide Montessory community and this school is her life-work. She genuinely cares about the Studio kids and puts their interests and needs above everything else. We also appreciated getting to know the teachers and other families that are a part of the community. Many of us (in pre-COVID times) really enjoyed spending time together outside of school. We would highly recommend the school to other families looking for real Montessori education, dedicated staff and diverse close community. Our kids are going back tomorrow as the school is reopening after COVID - and they're so excited to be back! read more

I would not recommend this school. Our first interaction with Zoe was intimidating, she lacks warmth, cold personality, seemed overtly critical of parents and their ways of thinking. She need more training in running schools for little kids (toddlers and up). She gets annoyed by children screaming (I heard her screaming at kids during our parent-teacher conference) Kids mostly spend the mornings outside the school without access to toilet almost more than 4 hours, which is insane. In the morning, kids get loaded up in carts and are headed to the playground. Not all kids get a seat in the cart but Zoe will talk them into walking and they will try to keep up with the cart (Zoe is super impersonal). I witnessed this several times. One person pushing per cart, which used to frighten me a lot when I saw them on the street. The person pushing the cart is always on the phone (I saw that multiple times). Zoe doesn't spend time with kids and all her employees are either super early in their career and/or never managed little kids. They lack empathy required for little kids, such as 3 years olds and above. Please look around before enrolling your kids here. There are other places that might not look this fancy but are more caring. It's okay to unenroll if you have enrolled already. Don't make your kids go through this experience, it's unnecessary. read more

Our child has been with Studio for more than a year now. She joined when she was a year old, and we could not be more pleased with our experience. This is one of the rare 'real' montessori daycares in the city, and one of the only ones who accept kids so young. The teachers are so caring and loving (my child misses them on weekends and sometimes even cries about it), they have been amazing with her strong willed personality, and have shaped her to be an independent, kind and curiosity filled child. They also led the way on potty learning, and she was diaper free (including nights) by the time she turned 2, without any struggles on our part. She spends her days baking bread, being outdoors, doing art and everything else she loves and we don't have time for! She also perfectly understands French and is starting to speak it, despite no exposure at home (she is bilingual at home with Hindi). Zoe is an amazing leader - we have absolutely no issues and intend to be here for a long time, and our second our soon to be newborn here too (starting at six months). read more

I can't say enough things about Zoe and all the teachers at studio montessori, Zoe is a very kind, warm and extremely caring person she has a great soul and spirit with positive energy which radiates from her as soon as you met her. I was so lucky to have found studio montessori, my daughter wakes up every morning so excited to go to class she really enjoyed playing with the Montessori toys, she never got bored and enjoyed her interaction with her friends, she learned a lot of French and she became very independent, they regularly updates us with pictures on how much fun she's having with the great activities that they provide for the kids. Definitely the best option you will find with a daycare/preschool in sf. read more

Studio Montessori saved us and our little one! As first-time parents, both full-time working and taking care of a newborn/toddler during the pandemic, it was an incredibly challenging time but still a really hard decision to put our child into school. In the end, we were not only so glad that we did but also thinking that we all would have benefited had we done it earlier. There are so many things that we love about Studio, some of which I list below, and we are so grateful to have our child in the school. He couldn't be happier and we couldn't feel more comfort in knowing that he is developing in such a caring, considerate and supportive environment. This is a new school with a warm, family feel whose owner is passionate about raising independent, confident and considerate children. Top 5 Things We Love about Studio Montessori: 1) Safe! - Ultimately, this is what you want out of a place where you send your precious jewel. The owner is present on-site and always available; the teachers are experienced and caring; they use an app as a method of communication during the day and are immediately responsive; they use buggies with stroller-like straps to buckle the kids up when traveling to the park; daily temperature checks etc 2) Montessori Method - The school teaches so many great skills related to the Montessori method that are so practical (in addition to the great learning experience and environment provided) -- they learn to eat and drink on their own, bring you their plate when done, take clothes on/off, potty train, put toys away and just generally be a helpful little human. 3) Uniforms - I grew up wearing uniforms, so love the idea of this for the young ones too and don't know of other places that provide uniforms. It simplifies the day immensely and allows each individual child's personality to shine while also allowing them to feel part of the same community. 4) Lunch/Snacks - All lunches and snacks are provided. Again, shaving off any amount of time in your busy life is a win and this one certainly helps. 5) Diverse - We are a mixed family and immersing our child in a diverse environment is something that is really important to us. The children and staff are of all backgrounds making it so reflective of the city that we live in. I asked about diversity to another school during an interview and the Director reacted as if she was really put off and never returned my calls. Hard to believe, but true. Montessori is truly so welcoming to all. If you're looking for a safe, nurturing, beautiful environment for your child to thrive, send your child to Studio Montessori. They'll be learning French in the new school year too - a major bonus in my book! read more

Our toddler has thrived at Studio since joining at 18 months at the height of COVID. We've been so impressed at the care she's gotten and the clear communication we've gotten from her teachers. We're DIY people who appreciate Montessori's focus on teaching practical life skills. Our toddler loves helping us around the house with chores. On a practical note, we love that the school did 90% of the potty training for us by age 2, and provides all snacks, lunches, and uniforms, which saves us so much time and energy. read more

We love this school very much..our son has been going here since he was 10 months old and he is 3.5 years now. all the teachers including Zoe are exceptional and have played a key role in our sons learning and development. read more

Our daughter attended Studio for ~3 years and had a wonderful experience. The school is beautiful and they do so much to establish a strong foundation for the kids. We also met several amazing families through the school that will be lifelong friends. read more

As first time parents we count ourselves lucky to have found Studio Montessori and have enjoyed the experience since it opened. In addition to the beautiful space, we deeply appreciate the diversity of the staff and students. One of our main concerns was our brown skinned child being "the only one" in a school. We appreciate Studio's commitment to diversity. In addition to learning French, our child has blossomed under the guidance of teachers that have poured their Montessori teaching style and genuine concern into him. He is even more independent now and his capabilities have stretched beyond even our own expectations. Studio Montessori is in its early years as a start up school and from what we've observed, the leadership team has navigated its fair share of challenges with grace and thoughtfulness. Including the huge challenge COVID-19 has presented, we have appreciated their transparency, communication and the opportunity to contribute ideas and solutions. Finding community in SF can be challenging at times so we're extra appreciative that we've had the opportunity to get to know other families as well as Zoe and Lindsey on the leadership team. Thank you Studio Montessori for helping to educate, mold and shape our lil' guy with so much TLC! We appreciate you all. read more

Don't know much about the school but I see the teachers taking the kids out in the carts when I stop at the peets. I always thought they needed mor than one teacher per group walking the streets but today I say a child walking along the side of the cart trying to keep up while a big bag was in the cart where she could have been sitting like the others. The child did not look happy and she just so happen to be black. I saw a couple of other passerbys taking notice as well. read more

I wish I had 7 stars to give. I truly credit Zoe (the founder of Studio Montessori) and the amazing staff for helping us raise our children. Our kids have absolutely THRIVED at Studio. The oldest runs into school each day, often forgetting to say goodbye because she's so excited to be there, and the youngest leaps out of my arms into his teachers' arms. They come home happy every day. Studio is helping them become independent, focused, diligent, kind young people who are eager to learn and contribute to the household and family. There are so many things my children do - the 1-year-old using utensils, the 4-year-old knowing her letters and numbers, describing her bread as a right triangle, cleaning up after herself, speaking a second language, knowing how to make bread from scratch, doing everything independently, the list could go on - for which Studio gets full credit. The teachers are exactly what you want from teachers - so loving and caring to our kids, while also holding them to high expectations for community-oriented behavior and a strong work ethic (in a developmentally appropriate way, of course). I have regular parent-teacher conferences where I feel up-to-date on my children's progress and I am given useful tips and advice from the teachers about how to continuing supporting their development at home. For basically every crucial aspect of parenting, Zoe and the teachers have been partners to us. I observed recently and the classrooms are a model of calm, focused, joyful learning. It's an amazing environment. As another parent said, we are literally staying in San Francisco for this school. (I'd also like to respond briefly to some of the other negative comments. First, the entire staff has all been there for close to a year and a half, and many much longer. Second, I caution against trusting reviews from people who haven't actually attended the school who are characterizing other's perceived "warmth." Third, there are some blatant inaccuracies in other reviews: many of the staff are rigorously trained and certified in Montessori, Zoe has a strong relationship with the kids, and they spend their mornings in a work cycle (not outside for 4 hours).) Suffice it to say, you could not pick a better place for your child. read more

We were not satisfied with the school. The communication from the teachers is quite lacking and lacked sincerity. The teacher turn over is very high and if you try to ask for reasons, you always get a defensive answer from the owner. This approach extends to just about every aspect of the program - if, as a parent, you are not happy with any part of the program, any feedback you offer is met with either this defensiveness/denial or worse, met with criticism of your parenting style. read more

The stars are for the authentic, traditional Montessori program. And our toddler grew to love his Nido teachers. Unfortunately, communication is not as transparent as we would have hoped, and a 3-day termination notice blindsided us via email out of the blue. When we reached out to discuss the termination email, they never returned our phone call. Throughout the eight months we spent at the school, we thought our questions as well-intentioned, and yet the owner never told us otherwise until we received the termination email. We attended all parent-teacher conferences, volunteered, we gifted teachers over the holiday, we were active in the parent community and rode the waves of a new school opening which had its fair share of changes and teacher turn over in a short amount of time. We share this all to say, we thought we knew this school, and they knew us well enough to be provided the courtesy of such a severe decision in person or by phone, or at the very least inform us that anything was amiss beforehand, which shocked us the most. As new parents, we now appreciate this lesson because we have much more rigor around the choice we make for the next school our child attends. Since we were shocked by how the owner handled this, we reached out to private school board members we know, and they provided more guidance for us to consider since they also thought the decision was strange given the lack of insight for cause prior and after reviewing all of our correspondence with the school, it didn't add up to them either. We are now only looking at schools established for a minimum of 10 years. Also, schools that have set guidelines to inform parents of any issues or concerns as they arise, so our family has any necessary information promptly. We realize that email and apps offer convenience, but we have also now prioritized schools that provide an old school approach for the sake of stability and value a phone call or in-person meetings to relay important information, which reduces any unnecessary confusion, or in this case shock. read more

Our toddler started at Studio at around 18 months and she has THRIVED there. Zoe is such a wonderful leader and all the other teachers are thoughtful, detail oriented, caring, organized and deeply rooted and committed to the Montessori principles of independence and self confidence. Our kiddo learnt how to interact with others, be independent (e.g. she pulls down her own clothes, pees in the potty, empties the potty and pulls her pants back up -- all at 20 months!) at Studio M and developed a self assuredness that only comes from spending time in a place where she knows she is safe and loved. Our kiddo loves going to Studio M everyday, and we are so excited to be able to see her grow and thrive supported by this wonderful community. read more

My daughter has been a student at Studio for two years. She's excited to go in the morning, and she tells us all about the things she learned and fun she had with her friends at the end of the day. When we were searching for a school, we were looking for an environment that would foster curiosity, creativity, compassion and independence, and Studio has provided all that and more. A gem to have in the neighborhood. read more