My daughter attended Beresford Montessori for over 3 years, and during that time she blossomed…read moreacademically and socially, thanks to the care and dedication of the teachers there. The teachers guided my daughter in every aspect of her growth, including forming friendships, learning to read and write, math skills, learning to speak in front of a group, playing well with other kids, and much more. She developed from a quiet and reserved child, to a notably more confident and socially well-adjusted child. Her experience and growth at Beresford prepared her extremely well for the transition to elementary school. Also, my daughter attended the school during the years surrounding the COVID pandemic, and the dedication that Ms. Karina and all the teachers showed to continue teaching and nurturing the children was incredible. Thanks to the teachers' expertise, my daughter actually learned to start reading during the pandemic through remote teaching sessions, which is amazing! When she returned in person to the classroom, she was able to continue her education as if we had hardly lost any time during the pandemic. We also valued the community of families at the school, and have continued to maintain strong friendships with other families after graduating. Overall, we are extremely pleased with our experience at Beresford, and are deeply grateful for the wonderful teachers and families at the school.

A Truly Special Preschool Beresford Montessori…read more Our family has had a long and wonderful history with Beresford Montessori, specifically the Gum Street location in San Mateo. Ms. Karina, the owner, is an incredible educator and highly trained, kind, and deeply dedicated to creating a nurturing environment for children. One of the most remarkable aspects of this school is its staff; many of the teachers have worked there for decades, which speaks volumes about the positive and supportive community Ms. Karina has built. The classrooms are beautifully maintained, warm, and inviting, making it a place where children feel at home. The staff is not only professional but also incredibly loving and it truly feels like family. My older niece and nephew attended Beresford Montessori years ago, and when my daughter started eight years later, she had the same wonderful teachers. That continuity and experience are invaluable. I can't recommend this school enough to family and friends. Even now, my daughter loves to visit whenever she can and often says she wishes she could still go there! The Montessori method gave her such a strong foundation, fostering independence, confidence, and a love for learning. We are forever grateful for the lasting impact Beresford Montessori has had on her education and development. If you are looking for a preschool that provides a loving, enriching, and stable environment, this is the place.

Worst school ever! School owner feels so entitled and kept asking parents to park properly while…read moreshow no intention to improve the parking situation such as buying more slots. You can circle forever and cannot find a parking and be late for 2 min and get fine of $50! The job for teachers cannot be easier - they don't tell story and let kids listen to radio - they don't do white boarding and let kids watch screens lol We stayed for one year and due to poor planning we let kid attend summer school - there is no schedule or whatsoever - kid complained so bored it was $2600 (2 years ago summer tuition) per month for absolutely nothing. We could not escape faster and this is worst school we ever attended in Bay Area across private and public schools!

We've been so happy with Merry Moppet/ Belmont Oaks Academy! Our kids have been attending since…read morepreschool, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The teachers are exceptional--dedicated, nurturing, and truly passionate about education. They have low turnover in teachers. It's actually pretty impressive. The leadership, including the owners and principal, demonstrates a remarkable commitment to creating a supportive and enriching environment. You can feel the support and care that permeates the school. In elementary, the curriculum is academically rigorous and continues to progress. So that maybe an important consideration for your kid. We appreciate the close-knit community; it feels like family. Our kids genuinely love going to school every day, and that says it all.

The kids Konnect teachers are all welcoming, professional, and really care about the children which…read moreis refreshing as a parent. They have an app for the parents that allows us to check our children in/out, contact the teachers, and also get updates on our child throughout the day which I personally love especially the pictures. My son (1.5 yrs) is enrolled at this location for infant care and I got to say, from the school itself to the teachers, it has been an amazing and wonderful experience so far. He has grown to love his time at daycare especially the activities they do. From music to artwork, his fine motor and recognition skills have grown. I love the fact that the teachers really put in effort in teaching and making the environment a fun learning space especially at such a young age. they keep him entertained while teaching him.

My daughter has been at Kids Konnect since she was a year old and she has received so much love and…read morecare from all the teachers, more than we thought was ever possible. In the Cubs classroom (for babies under 2), teachers McKayla, Leigha, Angela, Stefany and Gisel are wonderful. They always have a smile on their face and they genuinely care about the kids. In the Panda classroom (for toddlers over 2), teachers Grace, Becca and Xander are the most wonderful people. They love the kids like their own but also inculcate discipline, which is something I really appreciate. Ms. Avinna is a wonderful center director. They arrange events on a frequent basis to celebrate things like Halloween, Mother's and Father's days with the parents and kids. Lastly, breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided by daycare, which is a massive plus since both my husband and I work. All in all, it's the all the teachers and Ms. Avinna who make Kids Konnect a wonderful place.

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.

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!

We love the Rec EEC. Our son was a Tiger and our daughter has grown from an infant in the Monkey's…read moreprogram to toddler in the Monkey's program. This is truly a special place. This isn't our first preschool, but it is the best. For starters, there is a robust education program where kids learn age-appropriate content and are encouraged to go as far as their interests take them. In addition, there is a genuine care for the children. The teachers really know the kids and the families. Parents are encouraged to visit any time and feel welcome rather than that they are intruding (as was our previous experience). And Rebecca, the head of the program, knows every child that has ever passed through, every parent, every sibling - and yet always makes you feel like you are the only one. This is genuinely a special place and we feel grateful to be a part of the community.

We have 2 kids going to the Highlands Early Education Center -ECC. All teachers are very attentive,…read moreloving and care greatly for the children. My eldest has been a student there for over a year now and my youngest who started recently loves it just as much. They also offer additional programs such as soccer, swim lessons, basketball, cooking class, and tennis through the Highlands Recreation Center. The classes have a good balance of artwork, free play, circle time, outside time, snacks, story time, etc. The teachers give you a summary of how your kid was each day, for example: potty training progress (yes! They don't required potty train and will train your kid once they feel he/she is ready). We compared against 4 or 5 other preschools in San Mateo and Burlingame and the EEC was the best facility. It is newer and cleaner built few years ago and had the best staff.

We feel so lucky to have found Sea Breeze for our children's first school experience. Our two…read morechildren are genuinely excited to go to school each day and we know that has so much to do with the amazing staff and the environment here. What has amazed us is how much our son has learned and grown. He came into Sea Breeze with some speech delays, and watching his confidence and communication flourish has meant so much to us. We truly believe that the growth is a reflection of the patience and encouragement of the incredible teachers who show up for our children every day. We're so thankful that their love for learning has sprouted from such a young age and trust it will have a positive impact as they grow! As parents, trust doesn't come easy with who we feel comfortable watching our children, but they are truly in wonderful caring hands.

The 2 stars are for the teachers here who have treated both me and my daughter very well…read more However, the Director Jamie Briones and the Principal Jerelyn Weber are a different story. I signed up my daughter for after care through 4CS, which is a program that helps low income families afford child care services. I got a really negative vibe from Jamie right away. She had told me that 4CS was giving them extra payments beyond tuition that I asked her to use towards the $200/month they were charging me directly for transportation because they told me that it wasn't covered by 4CS. I kept asking Jamie to ask the 4CS payments coordinator if they could use those extra payments for my transportation costs, since that money was meant to help me with child care costs after all. Jamie then proceeded to outright lie to me (as I just found out yesterday, 6 months later). She told me she had not received a response from 4CS. I had to keep asking several times and she lied to me several times. I feel she was waiting for me to send a frustrated email so that she could show Jerelyn that I didn't deserve to get MY money back. After receiving that frustrated email from me, Jerelyn responded and told me I was being unprofessional and that they would not be returning MY money to me, instead they decided to use it for their scholarship fund. I went back and forth with Jerelyn until she sent me a screenshot that showed that Jamie had gotten a response back from 4CS saying that they could use that money 'however they liked' back in early February. So, Jamie lied to me for months and she would end those lying emails with 'have a lovely day! Warmly, Jamie'. So disgusting. I showed both of them proof yesterday that Jamie outright lied to me for months and I haven't heard anything back since then.

Our child has been attending AAF for a few years now, pre, during and now - post pandemic. The…read moreteachers are very thoughtful & and give our child all the attention she needs from the time that she enters and leaves the school. I have seen a real evolution of her behavior and attitude towards school, I feel this is a direct result of the passion of the teachers and their belief in the Montessori system. The location is easy to get to, safe for drop offs and parking is always easy to find. There was a ownership change since we have been there and while that transition was not a pleasant one - the new owners have been keen to address any concerns that we had and have surpassed our expectations. The school is a great choice if you are local and are looking for teachers that care about their students.

This review has been a long time coming…read more My son is starting his 2nd year at AAF and we could not be happier. Ms Debanjali, Ms Swana and Mr. Tamir are really invested in each child and you can tell that they really get to know them as individuals. I can see the growth in my son academically and emotionally. He makes friends so easily, and that was something we were worried about post pandemic. The teachers keep us up to date on our son's development and are open to teachers conferences year round. They really make my son feel special and excited about learning. We are looking forward to this new year!