A few years back we were searching different after school programs especially those with Chinese…read morelearning, and we are so happy that we found D&T for the kids. Now they still really enjoy the curriculum and have much progress in Chinese and also other enhanced programs. They enjoy so much that they would like to go to D&T for summer programs as well. Ms Kelly and her staffs have spent much effort in the educational programs both in the Chinese speech and writing aspect but also the cultural activities. The curriculum is versatile and thoughtfully planned, and there is a good balance with outdoor activities as well. Not only the kids are very happy after school everyday sharing lessons they learn, but also they express that they would like to practice more at evening and weekend voluntarily. I am also very impressed by Ms Kelly's attention to details for each kid, reflected by how she communicate with the parents on each child's personality, behavior, and learning. We always have good communications on how we can help the kids improve their academic and behavioral performance, and she makes great suggestion in those areas and always seeks for mutual agreement. The philosophy of the school and also the way they are doing it is outstanding. The location is very convenient and the facility equipped with so many different fun things for learning and for leisure purpose. I highly recommend D&T for any parents.

I decided to try this center for backup care after reading many positive reviews, but…read moreunfortunately, my experience was disappointing. About an hour after I dropped off my child, the principal called and urgently asked me to pick him up. I was told that my child and another child had argued over a toy and that the situation escalated into a fight. My concern is that if staff noticed the conflict developing, why wasn't it addressed and de-escalated at the time? Redirecting or separating the children would seem to be a basic responsibility of the caregivers. I also question how the situation was handled. My child has attended preschool and childcare programs for the past 2-3 years without any similar incidents being reported. While disagreements between young children can happen, I was surprised that a backup care provider would ask a parent to pick up a child so quickly rather than first attempting to manage the situation. The principal's communication came across as rude and unprofessional, which made the experience even more frustrating. Overall, I found the response lacking the level of care, judgment, and professionalism I would expect from a backup care provider serving children ages 4 and up. Based on my experience, I would not return.

Overall, we've had a positive experience with Kumon Foster City. The staff is friendly and…read moresupportive, and we appreciate the structured learning environment and consistent approach to building students' skills and independence. One concern, however, is accessibility. The center is located on the second floor, and the staircase appears to be the only way to access it. This setup does not seem to adequately accommodate individuals with families (e.g., a younger sibling) or others who may have difficulty using stairs. I hope the center will consider ways to improve accessibility so the program is more inclusive and welcoming to all families.

We love this Kumon center. We have been attending for two years and the program has really helped…read moreour boys become master readers. Mr. Kwok was a fabulous teacher and owner. When he retired, Ms. Melitta took over as the new owner and is equally wonderful. We saw marked improvement even within the first 4 months of our signing up and have continued to see huge strides. Even the boys' school teachers have commented positively at their abilities thanks to the extra "schooling". This particular center has the best hours, they are open multiple days a week and on Saturdays!!! The latter was what made the program do-able for us. This center also has a very fun rewards program that seems to incent our boys in just the right way. We are grateful to Kumon of Foster City for helping our family in such an amazing way. We highly recommend Kumon of Foster City and Ms. Melitta, the owner and main teacher.

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.

I searched high and low for a great preschool for my daughter (even pulling her out of a previous…read moredaycare and touring countless others), and I am so grateful we chose Challenge School. Even though Challenge is a bilingual Mandarin immersion school and our family is Korean, every box was checked the moment we walked in. We immediately noticed the safe, clean and warm environment, the kind and nurturing teachers, the exceptionally well-maintained space, and the highly organized, thoughtful curriculum. Every teacher my daughter has had or currently has--Teacher Catherine, Teacher Joannie, Teacher Lilly, Teacher Stephanie, Teacher Jing, Teacher Min Min, Teacher Hong Li, and Teacher Xiang--continues to foster her growth, act as a positive role model, and provide incredible care and education. In just about over a year, our almost 3 year old daughter can understand, speak, recite poems, and sing in Mandarin, despite us not speaking a word of it at home! Her English also exploded after attending Challenge. But the teachers go far beyond language by weaving in essential life skills. They teach core values like fairness, kindness, and respect . They give opportunities for each child to respond, stand up in front if the classroom, even donate books to build a sense of pride and confidence. They promote healthy eating through hands-on activities--from gardening and harvesting vegetables to actually making wontons! They integrate Chinese culture while ensuring families of all backgrounds, including our Korean family, feel completely included and celebrated. Best of all, the teachers are highly responsive and act as true partners in parenting. If I ever bring up a typical toddler concern, such as body safety and curiosity, they will often incorporate a supportive lesson for the class the very next morning! I truly can't say enough great things about this school and the amazing experience our family has had so far. It's no wonder my friends have raved about Challenge School (all at different locations). As a parent who wants to give my child the best, safest, and most nurturing environment possible, this was the best decision ever. Thank you so much to all the teachers for everything you do -- for the kids and the parents!

Sent my 2 yoe to the foster city challenge school after touring almost 10 others nearby, and this…read moreis simply the best decision. The school is so well managed, with amazing curated curriculum daily. Teachers are professional, attentive, and genuinely caring. My kid loves it, and we appreciate it so much. Would recommend to anybody.

Ms Orta's house was a godsend for our son Cameron. Cameron came in with the usual challenges…read moreassociated with middle school kids: lack of attention, unorganized, not prepared, C & D's in elementary... Ms Orta's experience, compassionate and positive approach led to Cameron being a straight A student and Scholar/Athlete by the time he finished 8th grade at Borel. He was ultimately accepted at a prestigious private high school based on his credentials and experience at Ms. Orta's... We cannot say enough about this program and highly recommend it to any family who wants to prepare their child for the next level.

Ms. Orta's is a top-notch program that provides quality tutoring and mentorship. Most after school…read moreprograms cram students into a classroom and leave them to finish their homework with little to no supervision. Ms. Orta and her team, on the other hand, not only provide individual instruction but also teach students important study skills that will benefit them beyond the doors of middle school. For teenagers (and parents) who are having a challenging time with organization and focus, this House will surely help. In addition, the atmosphere is comfortable: students do their work in a home-style setting, eat healthy snacks, and interact with a collaborative community. Plus, students get to actually play outside - without the distractions of mobile devices. Ms. Orta's House is truly a San Mateo gem.

My now third grader has been at Parkside since preschool and we've had a wonderful experience. He…read morehas loved his teachers and we have loved watching him learn independence and self direction. The staff and the community are kind, caring and engaged. I love that he will be with his same small community through 8th grade too. The fact that this is a public school is icing on the cake! Parkside is a gem of a school and worth serious consideration if you are a believer in montessori education.

We were thrilled to find my son a small, Montessori-based PUBLIC school in the San Mateo Foster…read moreCity school district when he graduated from a local K-5 private school. We were concerned about him transitioning from a small private school to a large comprehensive middle school and were so relieved to learn than Parkside was adding 6-8th grades over the next few years. Parkside Montessori is enrolling TK-7th grade for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. They will add eighth grade the following year and be a true K-8! If you are looking for an alternative to the three comprehensive middle schools in the SMFCSD area, I invite you to attend a campus school tour and learn more. We have only been Parkside community members for the last 4 months, but have been incredibly impressed so far!

I signed up my daugher for Math. I spend about 4.5 - 5 months with this program and it was a…read moreabolute waste of $. A couple of reasons: 1. The starting point was absoutely off. My daughter completely struggled and did not do anything make any adjustment. I ended up teaching her myself at home on her work. 2. Center can be extremely busy and a lack of staff. I noticed the staff has a serious lack soft skills and caring for the students. 3. Center can be noisy as students are constantly talking and staff does not have control of the classroom. 4. Times when I requested the work to get picked up (when she was not able to attend to class as we requested to pick up work) when we get their, no work was left. Wasted my time to drive there to see no work left. When a center gets to busy and have a lack of staff for the younger kids, the place is a circus. Owner needs to do a better job managing the place. At times, the owner is not even there. This makes it bad to see the MAIN INSTRUCTOR ABSENT. I would NOT recommend this place.

Also I would like to mention that my kid learned how to take the state reading tests from doing…read moreKumon. They will not teach this in the classroom at school. He knows how to do the work before the teacher explains it. Also what's really amazing he is one of the only kids in his class that can explain the math and knows the answers

I've known Rigel for many years and they've never failed to educate my kids! Highly recommend this…read moreplace - great Mandarin instruction.