I wanted to update my review because I've continued to see so much growth and positive change since…read moremy last post. This school has truly been such a gift to our family. My son has made wonderful friendships with children who have grown right alongside him, and it has been amazing to watch. The teachers put so much heart, dedication, and genuine care into what they do every day, and it shows. A special thank you to Miss Jonnay! She has been an incredible teacher to my son, and I am so grateful for the care and attention she gives him. She keeps me updated, celebrates his successes, and truly understands him. Over the last couple of months, I've seen such a big change in him, he's grown in confidence, understanding, and independence. It means so much to have someone who spends her days with him, notices these milestones, and genuinely cares about his development. The support she provides feels like having a second mother in his corner. Miss Tressa has created such a special place for children to learn, explore, and experience their first years of education. This school is truly a hidden gem, and I feel incredibly lucky to have found it and to be part of this community. If you're considering this school, I encourage you to visit and meet the staff. You'll quickly see how passionate, caring, and dedicated they are. We couldn't be more grateful for the love and support our family has received here.

Editing to recognize certain teachers:…read more I have gone back and forth for over a year about writing this review. Parents deserve to know what we experienced before trusting this school with their children. Our experience started off well. Like every daycare, there were minor issues here and there, and we gave the school grace because no childcare center is perfect. The problem wasn't that mistakes happened. The problem was that the mistakes kept getting more serious, and every concern was met with excuses, denial, or an attempt to make us feel like we were overreacting. Looking back, I wish I had trusted my instincts and left much sooner. One of our first major concerns happened in the infant room. My daughter came home with bleach stains all over her pants. The teacher admitted they had sprayed bleach on her high chair, forgot to wipe it down, and then placed my infant in it. That should never happen. Then came something even more alarming. I picked up my infant one afternoon, and she screamed hysterically from hunger the entire drive home. I checked Brightwheel because I assumed someone had simply forgotten to log her bottles. Instead, I discovered there were no bottle entries because they had not fed her formula all day. Not a missed log..a missed feeding. As a parent, that is terrifying. Then there were the coyote issues. Coyotes were coming right up to the school fence and parents even photographed a coyote standing right outside the children's fence (see attached). Tressa's response? Cayenne pepper around the perimeter. It took months of parents pushing before only one small section of fencing was raised. To this day, much of the fence remains low. Another issue involved mold. The children's play couch had mold covering the bottom. Rather than simply acknowledging the problem and informing parents of mold exposure, the initial response was that it "might be black paint." Parents know what mold looks like. Cleanliness was another ongoing concern. My children routinely came home with dried food on their faces, dirty hands, and crusted noses. This wasn't dirt from outdoor play. They simply weren't being cleaned throughout the day. My children were constantly sick while attending this school. The final straw was something I still cannot believe happened. My daughter came home wearing the exact same diaper I put on her that morning. It was soaked, sagging, cold, and hanging to her knees. I immediately contacted Tressa. Rather than investigating what happened, her first response was that another child also wore Coterie diapers and the teachers must have accidentally used someone else's diaper. That explanation fell apart almost immediately. Coterie prints a unique quality-control code on every diaper in a package. The diaper my daughter came home wearing had the exact same code as the open package sitting in my house. It was the diaper I put on her that morning. Only after I sent photographs proving it did the apologies begin. That was the day I reported the school to Community Care Licensing. Despite all of this, I want to recognize the people who made our experience better. Ms. Chandler, Ms. Jonnay, Ms. Jenn, and Ms. Debbie are wonderful educators who genuinely love children, and my daughters adored them. I also want to acknowledge that my daughters loved Ms. Tressa as well. My criticism is not about whether Tressa cares about children. I believe she does. My criticism is about leadership. Running a preschool requires more than caring about kids. It requires accountability, transparency, and the ability to admit when something went wrong and fix it. Instead, I consistently felt dismissed. Concerns were minimized. Excuses came before accountability. I was repeatedly made to feel like I was simply a difficult parent for raising legitimate health and safety concerns. An experienced director once worked at the school and made noticeable improvements because she accepted responsibility and addressed problems head-on. I truly believe the school would benefit tremendously from hiring an experienced director and allowing that person to manage the day-to-day operations. Tressa, if you're reading this, this review isn't being written because mistakes happened. Every school makes mistakes. This review exists because of how those mistakes were handled. Your response to concerns was almost always to deny, minimize, or explain them away instead of simply acknowledging them and making meaningful changes. My daughters are thriving at their new school. Every teacher they've had at ANY school has described them as kind, respectful, and a joy to have in class. They weren't the problem. I wasn't the problem. Parents raising concerns about children's health and safety are not the problem. I sincerely hope this school improves because the children deserve it. But until accountability becomes a priority, I cannot recommend that families entrust their children to this daycare.

This school is a real gem! They make you feel very warm and welcome while taking excellent care of…read moreyour little ones. We had the best experience here. Highly recommend!

My child went to Hummingbird for 3 years and love every minute. The one thing that stood out to me…read morewas how the teachers cared for the students. There were a few mornings, like all kids, where drop off was not easy. The teacher would help us ease her into the day and comfort her in those mornings. Miss Shauna was great with this our child and could not thank her enough for it.

We've had such a great experience at Montessori School of Agoura Hills (MSA). Honestly, it feels…read moremore like dropping your kids off at a cozy little cottage where a loving grandma lives. It's warm, inviting, and just really genuine. The teachers are amazing. A lot of them have been there for decades, which says everything about how much they love what they do and where they are. Our kids have always been safe, clean, cared for, and truly seen. They've gotten to try so many things and participate in dance, athletics, art, and at the same time they're guided academically with patience and encouragement. Both of our kids went to MSA and really thrived. We've also made lifelong friends through the school, which has been an unexpected bonus. We're super grateful for our time there and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a loving, down-to-earth environment for their kids.

This is such a special place! Our oldest daughter started in public Kindergarten this year after…read morenearly three wonderful years at Montessori School of Agoura, and our youngest is now at MSA in Room 1. Across the board, the teachers are truly exceptional - warm, nurturing, and deeply committed to each child's growth. The classrooms are inviting and thoughtfully prepared, and so much care and intention goes into every activity. The teachers bring tremendous experience and heart to each interaction. Ms. Diane and Ms. Nogel (room 3) made the transition to Kindergarten seamless, supporting her both academic and emotional development. The extracurriculars (dance and sports) and music with Mr. B are such an amazing addition to their day, giving the kids new ways to express themselves and build confidence. We feel incredibly grateful to be part of this community and couldn't imagine a better place for our children to learn and grow.

We sent both of our children to Oak Park Montessori and have had a wonderful experience. They…read morenurture a safe and caring environment for the students to learn everything from counting and writing skills to folding laundry and watering plants. The school also instills life qualities like politeness, kindness, and patience that I don't always see in peers their age. Ms. Mary and the other teachers teach and discipline with kindness and instill a curiosity and love of learning that extends well beyond the school day. And FWIW, when I enrolled my son in elementary school, they said that they love it when kids come from OPM. They mentioned that they are some of the best-behaved and well-prepared children entering into TK and Kinder.

We have had such a wonderful experience with Oak Park Montessori! Our son, Cooper, has been…read moreattending since July, and it has been amazing to see how much he has already learned and grown in such a short amount of time. Most importantly, he genuinely loves going. As a parent, there is nothing more reassuring than knowing your child is somewhere he feels happy, comfortable, and cared for. Everyone we have interacted with has been incredibly kind, welcoming, and friendly, and you can tell they truly care about the children. One of my favorite things is how well they communicate with parents throughout the day. I love getting updates through the app and being able to see what Cooper is doing, what he's learning, and how his day is going. It makes you feel connected even when you can't be there. We feel very lucky to have found Oak Park Montessori and are so grateful for the care, attention, and encouragement they give Cooper. I would absolutely recommend them to any parent looking for a nurturing, engaging, and genuinely caring environment for their child.

I cannot say enough amazing things about Lovely Bees and Iryna. Our daughter is absolutely thriving…read morebecause of her. Iryna is incredibly thoughtful in how she builds her days, creating themes for each week, integrating music classes, and coming up with the coolest crafts. She also provides amazing food each day, so much so that our daughter is disappointed in what we cook on the weekends! At the last daycare my daughter went to, it was always a battle to drop her off. But now she walks right in with barely a glance goodbye and is sad to leave. She is so taken care of and loved at Lovely Bees, we are so grateful.

Iryna is an amazing teacher with infinite patience and kindness. Her ability to create interesting…read moreactivities with an educational focus is amazing. Food is also a specialty of this daycare where all food is produced with an eye on nutrition as well as taste. All of the parents are more than satisfied with the operation of this daycare.

We love Horizon Hills. I attended the school when I was 3 years old, my son (age 3) has been…read moreattending for the last two years, and soon my daughter (1) will be enrolling. We look forward to class every week - I can really see how my son's social skills improved since attending HH. I also love the parent discussions, it has really validated my parenting experience! We love the teachers, they are incredibly loving towards the kids, knowledgeable about toddlerhood/parenting, and make the day so much fun. 10 out of 10 recommend!!!

We love Horizon Hills! My son has been attending for three years, and we've loved each of the…read moreclasses he's been a part of. The campus is full of trees, flowers, and plants, and it has so many fun outdoor areas to play. It's a wonderful environment. As for the classrooms, they are clean and have so many diverse and engaging activities for the kids, from art, to dramatic play, to blocks, there's always something fun to get into. I love that I get to stay and have so many fun ways to play and interact with my son, as well as socializing and commiserating with the other moms and dads. Finally, and most importantly, the teachers are wonderful! They are caring, patient, thoughtful, and supportive of both the students and parents.I love their philosophy for helping little ones learn, grow, explore, and problem-solve. I highly recommend this school for both students and parents!

Amazing day care. Christine has helped me with my kids after school. They beg to go back because…read moreshe treats them and loves them like her own children. She provides enriching activities , and delicious and healthy snacks. Because we don't have pets my kids love going here because they find the animals soothing and therapeutic to be around. That said the chickens are secured and clean and outdoors, and the cat is super friendly and safe with the kids. Christine is a great leader for my kids, she has strong values, integrity and is kind and attentive to my kids' needs. I highly recommend this day care!

Brightest stars academy is an amazing experience! The home is lovely and well taken care of, and…read moreChristine continues to add more experiences for the little ones. My son has been there for about 5 months, and coming from a corporate daycare, has now flourished and thrived! Christine not only helped my little guy meet his milestones, she has helped us become better parents. Highly recommend!

Gan Malibu Preschool has been an absolute gift for our family. Our daughter started at the infant…read morecenter around 16 months old and is now 4.5 years old, still happily growing, learning, and thriving there. If they offered more years, we would stay forever! Sarah, the director, along with her incredible family and the entire team of teachers, has created a warm, nurturing, and very loving environment that we consider an extension of home. The care they provide is unmatched, my daughter is seen and supported. They also do so much baking and cooking I love it! All the arts and crafts and creative projects - wow ! The nature-based learning approach is magical. The children are always exploring, discovering, and learning in ways that honor their curiosity and connection to the world around them. Anaya has not only blossomed academically and emotionally but has also formed meaningful friendships that we know will last beyond preschool. Gan is more than a school, it's a community, a family. We are endlessly grateful to be part of it.

I could write a novel on my love for Gan Malibu. What a magical place for children to explore,…read moreplay, and grow. The teachers are so kind and warm and there's something so special about this place. My son started at 3 and was previously struggling with drop off at his previous school. He'd just cry hysterically. At Gan Malibu, they encouraged us to do a slower drop off to ensure he was feeling okay and what do you know... drop offs only became easier and easier with time. He knew he was safe there and that his teachers cared for him. We had such a wonderful experience we opted to put our 1 year old daughter at the Gan too instead of keeping her at home with a nanny. We knew she'd thrive and flourish under their care and she did. I unfortunately lost our home in the Palisades Fire and there were only 2 things keeping me in Malibu: proximity to our family and access to the Gan. At one point right after we evacuated we were driving 3 hours round trip to keep the kids at the Gan. It's that special. We ultimately decided it was best for our family to move out of state but we had the hardest time parting with the Gan. Sarah is one of the most compassionate educators you'll find. Her leadership really sets the tone for the school and you can see how much all the teachers love the kids. The gan becomes a home away from home for the children. Teacher Lauren has the patience of a saint and really tries to understand toddlers even when they're being little maniacs. Teacher Jacqui is a baby whisperer and even though my daughter can take a minute to warm up to people, I knew she was obsessed with her from early on. Teacher Imelde is great too and is always so calm and positive. There is so much enrichment happening. They are intentionally recycle and upcycle everything, which I LOVE. They have yoga and gardening and cooking and even beach trips. They overlook the ocean and watch the dolphins play in the water. You won't find a better place for your kids.