One kid already graduated but still going back for summer camps, and another one going through…read moreschool now. Love this school, if only they would let me enroll myself! Kind and knowledgeable staff, a different environment full of creativity...

Our family has had an incredibly positive experience at KMS. The teachers are truly the heart of…read morethe program -- thoughtful, caring, and deeply invested in each child. Over the past two years, our son has grown and thrived in the Pumpkins (preschool) and Strawberries (early elementary) programs, and KMS has been a safe, nurturing, and formative place for him. The Reggio-based approach, with its emphasis on open-ended learning and play, has allowed our son to explore, ask questions, and build confidence in a way that feels both joyful and meaningful. The field trips are exceptional and thoughtfully tied into what the children are learning, bringing lessons to life in memorable ways. The aftercare program is also outstanding. It's engaging, well-run, and a real extension of the school's values. We are deeply grateful for the community, care, and creativity KMS has provided our son, and we couldn't recommend it more highly.

Studio Montessori is a wonderful, warm school, with caring teachers and a close community. Our son…read morestarted 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.

The primary reason my family has not moved from San Francisco is due to Studio Montessori. We were…read moretempted 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.

We chose this preschool after our neighbors recommended it, and right from the tour we knew it was…read moresomething special. My son started when he was 2.5 and graduated at 4, and he absolutely thrived during his time there. The teachers are wonderful, and the Spanish immersion has been such a gift. I can see now how much it prepared him for TK, not just with learning but also with confidence and friendships. He especially loved show and tell, playing outside on the tricycles, and of course the friends he made. The school is very well organized and thoughtfully run, and our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. There's no question that our daughter will be attending here too. I'd recommend this preschool to any family looking for a warm, supportive environment that really sets kids up for the future.

My daughter has been at SF Tikes since May of this year and I've loved it. Previously she was at a…read moreplace that lacked that more familiar *school* structure she seems to thrive best in, and it's been amazing watching her bloom both academically and socially. The current (new) location is really nice, they have a fun science lab with a pet gecko my daughter's obsessed with, there are strong and clear curriculum goals + themed weeks where the kids will do deep dives into whatever topic, a bit of gardening, occasional science projects (bottle rocket, butterflies, slime!), and more. I love that teachers from other classrooms know my daughter's name, and I love how warm everyone is. One time I sent my daughter to school with crappy braids and she came home with two beautiful ones, ha! I really appreciate the director's approach on blending teaching philosophies and frankly how seriously she takes early education. And in general the administration here is really intentional about learning, fine-tuning, and just trying to be a great school! While my daughter's in the Flamingo preschool class, there's a TK program as well that seems awesome. There's an overall love for children here and it's balanced with enough structure to keep my kid happy and bouncing around while learning tons.

A hidden gem! My…read moredaughter attends preschool here (after previously attending a very well-regarded SF private preschool, which we also liked very much) and its been a suprisingly wonderful experience. We were at first wary, given SFUSD's lackluster reputation, but we've been very impressed with the educational and social environment at SF Public Montessori. Ms. Mary, our daughter's preschool teacher, has a great relationship with our daughter and all the other kiddos, and really tailors her approach to each kid, so that they all thrive. I can't speak to how it is in the elementary school side of things, but I'm hopeful that it will be as great an experience as the preschool.

I love this school. My son attends preschool here. He receives loving attention in a…read morewell-structured classroom from excellent educators, and he is thriving. The front office staff are kind and caring. I almost sent my son to a private preschool, and we are getting so, so much more at SFPM--a big beautiful school, additional programs and supports. The thing that touches me the most is the educational freedom that children have at this school. After becoming hooked on Montessori education, I'm pretty sure I'll have to build my plans around keeping him here. I don't want to see him sitting at a desk, bored, like I was as a kid. I will be happy when the renovation is done and a)there is a full playground b) it's easier to park.

We joined this school's waitlist in March 2025, enrolled in July 2025 and left in Nov 2025. At…read moreenrollment, we understood that the typical age range is 3-5 years old, but Natalie approved our child, who was 2 years and 4 months at the time, as long as she was fully potty trained--which she was. She ended up being the youngest in her class, with most children over age 3. We chose this school mainly for a parent's recommendation, location and advertised 1:4 teacher-to-student ratio. Initially after enrollment we realized the school operates with a very strict curriculum and is not a care-center-style environment that can adapt to individual needs. We stayed because the parent community and curriculum is good, our child liked her teachers and showed enthusiasm about being there. However, the past month has been extremely difficult and ultimately led to school's decision to unenroll our child. We found Natalie inflexible regarding our child's needs, and we now feel abruptly left to find a new school mid-school year. I would not recommend this school for children younger than 3.5 years old. It is a challenging environment--especially for a child's first preschool. Expectations are high, and we frequently received long text messages documenting even minor concerns. On multiple occasions, after speaking with Natalie about an issue, we would receive follow-up texts restating and documenting the same concern, and note that if it keeps repeating, it would be hard to have our kid enrolled. Even on days our child's behavior was good, the message would reiterate the prior issue and note it wasn't repeated. At times it felt like our text interactions were focused on record keeping, rather than an educator trying to collaborate on solutions. In one particular week alone, we were called three times to pick up our child mid-day for behaviors such as talking loudly, kicking a barricade, or running. While we agree that disruptions to other sleeping kids is totally unacceptable, no attempts were made to separate our child from the napping area. Natalie explained that during nap time she only has two teachers for twelve children--far from the 1:4 ratio we were originally promised in writing. When we pushed back requesting our child be allowed to work or play in a separate indoor or outdoor area if she wasn't napping so there is no disruption to other children, we were recommended to hire a nanny who can pick up our child at nap time and drop her back after nap time. This issue eventually led to school decision to unenroll our kid. There are additional concerns worth noting: * Drop-off policy: Natalie enforces a strict no drop-off window between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30/9:45 a.m. (depending on the day), regardless of the circumstance. With school hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., we feel drop-off times should accommodate parent's schedule, not the other way around. * Photo-sharing and privacy: All parents are given access to a shared Google Photos album where every parent can see photos of every child. While we value the sense of community, this practice does not feel privacy-conscious. Most schools use apps or systems that show only photos of your own child. Here, the options are either to allow photos and see every child's images or opt out entirely, meaning your child isn't photographed at all. Overall, our experience - especially in the last month has been utterly disappointing and stressful, with a long road to readjust our child in a new school environment ahead of us. Worst of all is that our kid liked the school and all her friends, and we now have to explain to her why she can't go to the school she liked. I would not recommend this school.

My daughter had the pleasure of having Ms Natalie as her Pre-K teacher for 2 years at San Francisco…read morePublic Montessori. We could not have been luckier to have started Pre-K and also have Ms Natalie start at the same time. Her teaching style, patience and philosophy worked so well for my daughter, that Annika has exceled! She achieved more than I could ever have hoped for due to Ms Natalie being so engaged with my daughter. She observed and taught to her level which really gave my daughter the best start she could have hoped for in her education journey. I wish my daughter could have continued with Ms Natalie - but it's time for other children to experience the magic of Ms Natalie!

If you're looking for a phenomenal, welcoming, high-quality preschool, look not further than St…read more Anne's! We were fortunate enough to send both our girls to this wonderful school, which has the added bonus of being more affordable than many of the other comparable options in the city. Let's start from the top: Judy runs an incredible program and has recruited many wonderful, loving teachers who have been at St. Anne's for a long time. They do a great job teaching through all kinds of fun, thoughtful activities. They have a solid curriculum for all faiths, a great outdoor space so the kids don't have to walk around the city any time they want to leave the classroom, and convenient hours for working parents. As a family with a different faith, I can wholeheartedly say that St. Anne's is perfect even if you're not Catholic -- and it's proven out by the large number of kids they have of all faiths. We couldn't recommend St. Anne Preschool more. If you're looking for a wonderful place to send your kids, please do yourself a favor and take a tour.

This is a wonderful preschool. The teachers here are very loving and supportive. Preschool Directo,…read moreJudy, is always responsive and helpful. My son loves being here and often time doesn't want to go when I come and pick him up. When he is home he can't stop talking about all the fun things that he did at school. He loves teacher Amber. My husband and I are grateful for all the teachers at this school in helping us in caring for our sweet little boy.

My daughter recently graduated from Miraloma having spent two years at the adorable little red…read moreschoolhouse. Our family really enjoyed the co-op experience and supportive parent community. We formed lifelong friendships and made many sweet memories. We enjoyed parent teaching and felt lucky to have the opportunity to watch our daughter explore, learn and develop new friendships. It felt wonderful to be a part of a collective community effort with the goal of providing children with a safe and nurturing space where they can learn, grow and have fun. Miraloma is such a warm and welcoming place! I highly recommend touring in person to really appreciate Miraloma's wonderful space. The school has so many unique assets that affords unique experiences for the children like dancing on stage under a plum tree, harvesting plums from the same tree and making jam! Digging for worms and roly polys in the garden. Planting seeds, observing the growth of plants, harvesting fruits and vegetables and eating your bounty! Cooking up soups and baking cakes in the mud kitchen. Getting cozy in the book nook. Building strength and having fun on the trapeze! Challenging themselves to be brave and finally go down that fire pole. The current Director Rose and Teacher Anne (both began at Miraloma in July 2023) are highly credentialed and have decades of early childhood development experience at preschools. I have seen the tremendous passion and care they have for the children that I have never experienced before. I wish our daughter was able to have spent more time with these amazing teachers before she graduated. The play based and child led approach was wonderful and empowering for our daughter. Every day the teachers set up new and fun experiences and activities for the children, but the kids decide what they want to do. The teachers then build on and adapt the curriculum to support the interests of the kids at any given time. Kids are given the tools and freedom to explore and develop their authentic selves while knowing a loving and supportive adult is nearby if they need help. Anne and Rose are often found on the floor engaging with and connecting with the children. I would venture to say that Anne is the best preschool teacher in all of SF and she shares her insight and wisdom with families in weekly detailed updates. Parents can learn alot from both Rose and Anne. We are forever grateful to Miraloma for providing our daughter with such a wonderful foundation for learning. Take a tour and you will also be wowed by how wonderful this place is!

We are coming to the end of our Miraloma journey as our youngest has graduated. We started at…read moreMiraloma right after moving to SF and right away felt welcome into the community. All of the families we have met and gotten to know through the school have been wonderful. We would highly recommend Miraloma to families looking for the co-op experience. It has everything you and your child will need! We love the facilities with its private fenced in play yard, mud kitchen, swings, slides, climbing structure, a music garden + herb/fruit garden and so much more!!

I can't say enough good things about Potrero Kids! My younger daughter was at the Illinois campus…read morefor almost a year and is now at PKDW. We LOVE it! The playspace, the teachers, the crafts, the learning, the curriculum, the sense of family and safety. She has definitely blossomed into a fabulous 4 year old and we love hearing her stories about school that day. Plus she is learning spanish through songs and phrases which will hopefully prepare her for Daniel Webster! This is truly a gem (an AFFORDABLE gem!) in San Francisco. (On the affordable note - We're paying less for alllll day with all meals and snacks than we were at the Italian school down the street half days and we're not being constantly asked to donate more and more money.)

I had a nephew apply to the preschool. He lived just a few blocks away...but apparently on the…read morewrong side of Potrero Hill. This "neighborhood" school only focuses on the north side of the hill.