--With a half-eaten chicken nugget in one tiny palm and a fistful of buttered pasta squeezed into…read morethe other, our then three-year-old turned to us mid-meal and said, in the sweetest, most innocent little voice: "Mommy... Daddy... I think I really love my school." () That was the moment we knew, meeting with Ms. Simin and enrolling our child at Mills Montessori was the right decision. From day one, Mills felt like a place filled with genuine warmth and care. Over the 2.5 years our child attended, we experienced a close-knit, family-like environment that helped shape the foundation of his social, emotional, and academic growth. It's a school we've confidently recommended to family, friends, and coworkers looking for a loving first school experience for their children. His final year at Mills was especially impactful and played a big role in how prepared and confident he was starting his new school. Ms. Jen and Ms. Kaytlin provided incredible attention, nurturing, and encouragement, leaving a lasting impression we know he'll always carry. Ms. Helen is truly a gem--her dedication to phonics and early literacy made a huge difference in his reading and penmanship, and we credit her greatly for his progress. We also loved the variety of extracurricular programs offered. Our child participated in soccer, ceramics, art, dance, Spanish, and piano, all of which he genuinely enjoyed. One standout experience was the Messy Hands sensory class led by Ms. Ineca. We were amazed at how much he loved it and how quickly we saw growth in his sensory confidence and cognitive development--major shoutout to Messy Hands. The teachers, the playground, the programs, and most of all, the warmth and care make Mills Montessori truly special. We're so grateful we walked in for that first tour, and after our experience, we couldn't agree more with our son's words. We really love this school too. -Bryan

I can't tell you what it's like for when your children are in this school, but I can tell you that…read morebased on how they present themselves, I don't think they would be doing a good job at that. To start with, you're asked to message them on their website or email. Cool. And then they'll tell you over email to call and make appointment to tour the facility....why can't you just tell me over email? I took a tour and I wasn't sure about it, so I wanted to arrange another time to come back with my wife. So I called them again, and guess what they told me? "Call back in January." No explanation. Why would you give me a tour just two days ago in September, and then say that I can't have another one until the next year? "That's when the waiting list opens"....got it. I was promptly hung up on. So now it comes time to tour again. We come back and make an appointment over the phone. The school is a school but...the people just don't seem like they care at all. The tour was so lackluster. It took all but like 15 minutes. I've spent more time looking through a grocery store. I don't think they're paid enough to give tours, let alone look after your kids. I've seen high schoolers give better tours at the children's museums. I could have been guided around with a lifeless robot. Hell, if robots could critically think, then they would be like, "...Damn. You're making me look bad." The ratio is 7-8:1, at the toddler age. It's ideally supposed to be 5-6:1. I guess the school is affordable, but it seems too good to be true. It's too affordable for something that's supposed to be Montessori, so I'm suspicious. RESPONSE: "...genuinely wonder if your review may have been intended for a different school." Does your version of Montessori teach children to deflect and gaslight to protect a narcissistic ego?

Both of my kids attended Parkside Day School, one being there for 1 year and the other being there…read morefor 2.5 years. We recently decided to make a switch in schools as this place was no longer the right fit for our needs, but overall, had a generally positive experience with the school during our tenure here. Positives: * Ms. Tina from the toddler class is amazing. There is no better Head Teacher to work with kids that are entering preschool for the first time, dealing with separation anxiety and lots of big emotions, and also having to learn how to potty train at the same time. Both of my kids loved her and you can tell that she genuinely cares about the children. * The classrooms here are big and well maintained. * The playground is big with lots of equipment for the kids to interact with. * There are plenty of organized parent volunteer events or offsite field trips. * All meals/snacks are included as part of tuition. * You get tons of pictures throughout the day of your little ones. Cons: * The teachers speak little to no English. If you don't speak Mandarin or Cantonese, you have to rely solely on the Assistant Director to translate for you. And things get lost in translation when you are not communicating directly with the teachers that are the ones watching your kids ever day. * As the staff are all Chinese, the cultural philosophies of how kids are cared for lean very much toward an Eastern approach. Many of the kids that attend the school are also from a Chinese background so in general, this can be a good match, but if you identify more with a Western philosophy, as we do, then the values and philosophies don't always align. * There were many teacher changes during our time there, especially in the Rainbow Class, with new teachers and new faces showing up with no communication from the school in who these people were. * Price - you are paying an arm and a leg to send your kid(s) here, especially when you consider the amount of holidays/school closure days there are and having to drop off later than 8:30 and pick up before 4 (unless you pay extra for extended care hours). * Class size - they advertise the class ratios as 1:8, which is reasonable and normal. However, there are actually 4 teachers assigned to each class, meaning you can have up to 32 kids in a class. Having 32 3-5 year olds together at once can be very overwhelming. The reason we pulled our kids out is a mixture of the cons above, but primarily, there was a severe drop in the ball from the staff in communicating some important information about our son to us in a timely manner. This was already unacceptable on its own, but in addition, by the time we were notified of what had been going on, changes in our son's school plan were already being actioned without our input or consent. This led to us losing faith that this school was the best fit for our child's needs. While this was our unfortunate experience, others may very well have a positive experience here, so take my review with a grain of salt. But I do think that the ability to speak the language and/or have an alignment with the Eastern philosophy of how to raise kids will be a major determining factor in the type of experience you have here. We were fortunate to find another academic institution that is much better aligned with our values and philosophies and have a more nurturing environment that meets both of our kids' needs. Our kids are currently thriving in their new school and while I wish our experience at Parkside could have ended differently, I'm grateful for the time that we spent there and for the good times that we did have.

My daughter Nora attended the toddler class here in 2025, and it has been a truly wonderful…read moreexperience. She absolutely loved her classmates and teachers -- especially Miss Tina, who is incredibly thoughtful and treats every child with so much care and love. The teacher-to-student ratio is excellent, which gave us great peace of mind. We received tons of photos showing the kids enjoying circle time, making crafts, and learning letters. They host fun events like pajama night, and the facilities are among the best we've seen in South San Francisco. The classrooms are bright, spacious, and even larger than some entire daycares we toured -- both Chinese immersion and English-speaking ones. As we say goodbye, I just want to share our experience and give this school the review it deserves.

I have 2 kids attending UP Academy and they love the school!…read more My older son used to struggle in a public school with math and writing. 3 years ago, at 2nd grade, we transferred him to UP Academy, and, within a few months, he has become a lil writer. He fell in love with writing. He wrote one full-page of very a fun story. I can't thank you enough to all the educators there. Since then until now, he always happy every morning that he gets to go to school. He loves the community there and the small-sized class makes him feel like a part of the community. My younger one started last year as a kindergartner. He loves his teachers and his friends. He learned a lot academically and socially. We love how UP academy teaches kids by their own paces. Thus, our kids get challenged throughout the year. If you are looking for a project-based learning, a place where you child can build confidence and empathy, small class sized, great community, and personalized learning, UP Academy is the place for your kids.

We love UP Academy!…read more My older one went to the school since 2nd grade (now 3rd grader), and my younger one since TK (K now). The school is relatively new (2.5 years old) but our kids attended since 2 years ago. We are happy with the school in the full two years. ***Strength** We love the super low teacher-student ratio, the differentiation of learning. We also love the mixed-age classes, that allow kids to grow and thrive not limited by grade but by the their own levels. The school focused on growth mindset and recognize the efforts and progress. We also love the focus on project-based learning and social-emotion learning. The school also offers foreign languages classes, Chinese/Mandarin and Spanish. This might be a good plus for some families. We love that. We also appreciate the schools offer afterschool extension to 6pm as well. This is very helpful for parents who are both working. The school builds a great community. Teachers that we experienced - which means all teachers since we have two kids there for two years - are all very caring. Kids love each of them. The founder has an amazing vision inspired by a strong why. We love the philosophy, the vision & mission of the school. ***Potential concerns some families may have*** - Small school space: As a micro school, the school space is small - basically an office building only. But with various field trips and outdoor learning opportunities, especially during the pre-pandemic era, we don't have any concern at all. There's indoor facility for exercise, and kids love it. - Small class size For some parents, the small class size might be another concern for social issues. However, I appreciate this a lot since it also means great individual attention from teachers. Every kid can develop his/her own learning plan, academically and socially. We particularly appreciate the small size of the school during the pandemic time. A small class makes us feel safe to send kids to school in person during pandemic, knowing that the school is small and our kids could still learn and socialize safely in person with the COVID precautions that bigger schools may not be able to offer. The school remains open in 2020-2021 school year with the waiver. I believe it's heathier for kids to interact in person than virtually on Zoom anyways. - New school This is a progressive lab elementary school, and yes it's pretty new. We've seen the school evolving in the past two years, and overall towards a even better direction. I do encourage families to experience the school themselves during the trial-out days. We did so before we transferred our kids from a good public school in the following school year. Kids loved Up Academy so much that we made the decision right after they experienced the school. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. Overall, we love the school and highly recommend the school to other families.

As someone who moved to the Bay Area about a decade ago, I've often missed the sense of Persian…read morecommunity I grew up with, attending "mehmoonis" (parties), hearing Iranian music fill our home, and being surrounded by our rich, beautiful culture. When it came time to find a preschool for my son, I dreamed of a place that could offer him that same warmth and connection, and Golestan has given us exactly that and more. The first time I stepped into Golestan's "hayaat" (yard), I was instantly transported to my grandpa's garden in Iran. The laughter, the trees, the care woven into every detail. It's such a lively, loving, and vibrant space where my son learns, plays, makes friends, and creates lasting memories. The teachers are absolute angels, deeply nurturing, creative, and so attuned to each child. From the thoughtfully designed classrooms to the fresh, nourishing food (with ingredients straight from their learning garden!), every aspect of Golestan reflects an intentional, heartful approach to education and community. I feel truly honored for my son to spend his days in such a magical and enriching environment, surrounded by love, culture, and curiosity, and I'm already dreaming of the day my daughter can join. Regardless of your background or heritage, Golestan is a place worth experiencing. I'm sure they'll woo you at "Salaam" :)

It is an AMAZING school. They have created magic at the school and it has become an extension of…read moreour home. The teachers love being there and always have a smile. The happy environment is very accepting of kids and loving towards them. The environment is very conducive to learning and building self confidence for the kids. The Director is probably the most passionate person I have met about education and every detail in the school show it.

You'll wish you could be a kid again and go here!…read more This school is incredible - the teachers, staff, and students alike! The ethos of the school focuses on children as changemakers, the idea that each student has the ability to change the world. Within this framework, they center the child, and focus on "knowing the child well" and the child "knowing themselves well". The kids learn from a young age what makes them thrive (what environment, what tools, what topics interest them, what their growth areas are), giving them self-reflection and self-understanding skills which they will take with them for their whole lives. The school also focuses on instilling a growth mindset with the power of "yet", the idea that anyone can learn to do something new at any age. My absolute favorite school saying by far is "mistakes are magic"... Can you imagine growing up thinking that mistakes are just a part of learning and nothing to be ashamed or feel guilty about? I wish I could go back in time and attend this school!

We're in our second year as parents at Live Oak School, and we've been very pleased with the…read moreexperience. Our daughter loves going to school and really has enjoyed the teachers and staff, the lunch program, and the the experience to date. Things We Really Liked: * Weekly Field Trips in Kindergarten, which helps the students get to know the community / city and get comfortable with public transportation and exploring. Several also involve parents driving, which is a great opportunity to meet a lot of kids and other parents. * AnjiPlay, which helps promote exploration and team work, while also introducing a hint of "risky play". * Camp Live Oak, every year the entire school community goes to camp in May for 3 days, two nights. It's a wonderful and unique community building experience. * School lunch (included with tuition) program is great * Facilities are great - fairly light-filled former Hillsbro building in Potrero Hill, most classrooms have great natural light, Jackson Park is across the street. One of the few schools with a climbing wall (and will now have climbing as a middle school class). Small gym on sight, with UCSF nearby to support sports. * Very thoughtful and intelligent curriculum that they continue to respond to feedback on. They are expanding the Spanish program (currently starts in 4th) to encompass K-8. They are trying a new 8th grade capstone trip this year (traditionally DC) to be Civil Rights movement focused -- Memphis - Alabama - Atlanta. Things to Consider / Areas Could improve * The school doesn't come out of the gate hard in academics in kindergarten, ie they stay pretty light on reading, writing, and math the first year. This ramps up - for some kids very quickly - in first grade. This is probably ok, but parents should be prepared / aligned with it. Know that Live Oak 8th Graders place very well at the more academic high schools in San Francisco. They know themselves well, and they are prepared academically. * Extended Day Program. There are great hours of coverage (730 - 6pm, and holiday care on many of the days there is school off) available for working families. The enrichment programs leave a bit to be desired -- particularly the sign-up process. they seen to have way too few slots and getting a slot is like getting a Yosemite campsite. Soccer program is good. Be prepared to augment this outside of school if you have strong desires.

It has been over 1.5 years since my last review, and we love the school as much as we did when our…read morechild started school 2+ years ago! Everyone on staff has been incredibly easy and pleasant to collaborate with, and responsive to my questions. The school expanded over the summer to add 2 more classrooms, so that Burkard now has 6 classrooms: K/1, 2/3, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7/8th. Having experienced a few private schools and a public school between my 2 kids, I am confident this is the best environment for my child, for both academic differentiation and SEL support. It's often lamented that parents have to choose the least bad educational option for their 2e kids, but I truly believe this is a great option. We were fortunate enough to be with his amazing 2/3 teachers for 2 years, and have a new set of teachers we love this year, too. Speaking with parents across grades, they also think highly of their teaching teams. My son continues to thrive academically (measured by his overall engagement, as well as MAP testing), and we are very happy with the math differentiation he receives. Each year, I have been pleased with the attention and care the staff takes to make sure he's challenged at the right level. They take great care to plan engaging lessons across ELA, science, social studies and SEL, and incorporate hands on projects regularly to extend their learning. My son regularly shares interesting facts he learned in class! Math is a subject he continues to be passionate about, so I reach out to the school annually for math acceleration. He is given math assessments at the start of each year to determine the appropriate placement, and is given the option of joining a higher level class, or doing independent study in his classroom. We opted this year to have him join the higher level math class on a modified schedule, and we are grateful for the ability to choose the right option for him. The daily SEL teaching is also very well done. Many schools don't have the ability to go in-depth with SEL, but our BT has devised fun games and exercises for the kids to put their SEL knowledge into practice. It was so sweet to hear that my son's 4th grade class taught new recess games to the K/1 class! The BT's keep a close watch throughout the day, so the students are able to learn and play in a physically and emotionally safe environment. When conflicts arise, the staff is there to help the students resolve the issue in an appropriate way. We get daily reports, and twice monthly newsletters sharing what he's learning, so I know he's receiving a high quality education. If your child is at a school that is not meeting their needs, I encourage you to tour the Burkard School. It is truly a gem of a school!

We found TBS about three years ago and it is quite surprising that there aren't more schools for…read morebright kids who have significant social & emotional challenges, including mood disorders. We unfortunately found very little real understanding and expertise along the way, moving from program to program, from school to school, in every case deeply involved with the IEP process. Then we decided to try TBS. The results have been nothing short of amazing. Our student's self-esteem and emotional intelligence started to grow from the start and has continued to grow ever since. No more calls asking us to come quickly, the benefits to our entire household have been pretty incredible, across parents, siblings, and friends alike. When your student talks to you about how the kids at school are 'just like me', when they express a sense of belonging and common purpose to thrive in the face of big emotions, you can only smile and reflect on the journey. ...and imagine what it's like for other parents to understand you, understand your child, and understand so much of the details of the journey. The TBS community, made up of students, teachers, and parents is one that sees your child as deserving, powerful, and good.

They have a great reputation in our area for a reason. I have only dealt with them from a business…read morestandpoint and can say that they are very trustworthy and extremely nice people.

I am able to offer a unique review based on the fact that I previously worked at Serendipity (as a…read moreTeaching Assistant) and am now a parent of a Kindergartener who attends this school. Also, I am a Teacher (at a different elementary school), so my standards are quite high ;-) While working at Serendipity, I was able to get to know administration and staff on a personal basis. I got a behind the scenes view. The truth is that this school is as great as it appears to be. The teachers genuinely care about their students and are extremely talented. Meaghan, the Head of the School, is down-to-earth and compassionate. She deeply cares about the families and staff she serves. My son began Serendipity in TK. He wasn't a cookie cutter child by any means. In fact, he was diagnosed with ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder during his first year here. When I communicated this to the school, the administration was very supportive and worked with us to make his school year a positive one. This year my son is in Kindergarten and is thriving. His teacher, Ms. Kim, has embraced his many quirks (he loves to sing all day long..as a teacher myself I feel for her!). He has learned invaluable skills such as self regulation, perseverance, communication and self expression. My formerly shy child, has become an outgoing little person who is confident in who he is and isn't afraid to be himself. When you join this gem of a school, you become part of a family. It feels like Cheers where everyone knows your name :-).

After trying 10+ summer camps across San Francisco over the years, Stratford has been the best…read moreoverall experience for our family. The camp offers the perfect mix academics and fun enrichment. We've been consistently impressed with the quality and structure of the program. We signed up for the 4 week camp this summer and honestly, wished we signed up for more weeks. Each week, Stratford staff sends out a highlight reel that gives us an idea of camp happenings. Its a very sweet gesture. Almost every single day, our child comes home with an art project or hands-on activity (we honestly don't know where to keep them all!). The teacher-to-kid ratio is low I think for one kiddo it was 7 to 1 ratio. Special shoutout to Teacher Cole, Teacher Ben and Principal Sherrie! They are the best! The academic curriculum is strong, we get weekly packets to see what the kids are learning each week. I'm constantly surprised by the things they're learning and can tell its setting them up for the next grade. Stratford sets a high bar, we will be returning for (more) weeks next year!

We thankfully left the Pre-K Chinese immersion program early and got a refund due to disappointing…read moreand questionable practices we experienced at Stratford. We felt staff and leadership lacked transparency and focused too much on negative reinforcement to correct behaviors. We didn't want our 4 year old to stay in the class due to teachers inability to maintain control over the class and concerning practices they implemented without parent consent or agreement provided in the school policies or handbooks. Prior to Stratford, our child was advancing in all areas, socially, emotionally, and academically. During our child's time at Stratford, we observed concerning comments from parents/teachers and inappropriate phrases he picked up from the class. Since leaving, our child's focus, academics, and language vastly improved immediately. It's really been a blessing to have left, but I regret not leaving sooner when I saw earlier red flags. We stayed because our son enjoyed making new friends and socializing with his peers. We felt the educators didn't understand how to apply appropriate labels of behaviors for kids who are still developing at the age of only 4. In what professional training do educators apply harsh labels to 4 year olds like gun violence, intentional choking, and frightening attacks? When asked staff to clarify these statements, we later discovered they were either highly questionable with no evidence, exaggerated, or escalatory. Hearing these statements are deeply disturbing to parents and do not accurately represent the intentions or true behaviors of the little children at age 4. We even paid out of pocket for two medical professionals to investigate and they told us our child is very cheerful, healthy, and even ahead of the curve based on typical metrics scored for these types of behavioral tests. To try to work with the staff who didn't want us to leave, we requested a third-party professional to observe the class and better understand the dynamics of the classroom to see if we can improve the situation. They concluded the teachers were treating our child in a way that was not age appropriate, intimidating, and constantly singled out, and that's when we knew it was time to leave this place as quick as possible. We knew the experience our 4 year old child was telling us vs what teachers were telling us didn't add up, and having professional observers witnessing the class helped us understand the situation clearly. After we decided to leave, we asked for a refund, in which the Head of School (Ms. Sherrie) and the Director (Ms. Laysan) told us it would VERY likely not happen, despite the messages, observations, and violations of school policy that we outlined and showed them. We brought it up higher to the regional director, and she promptly refunded us without disputing our observations, finally validating our disappointing and disturbing experience. Another significant concern for us that we wish we researched earlier is that the school was bought out by a foreign investment firm based out of China called Primavera Capital Group a couple years ago, which as a mission seeks to create the best value for global investors. We felt the family and school values we had were not going to be aligned with the overall ownership based on what I researched. We sincerely hope Stratford is working to improve it's program and that leadership will consider the values and expectations of similar neighborhood families entrusting their children to the school, so future parents and toddlers do not have to endure the deeply troubling issues we experienced. Added/Updated: Response to business owner's defensive remarks. I understand their reaction, but these defensive remarks exemplify why parents should exercise caution when considering sending their children here. The notion that a little 4 year old with no life experience could be labeled as a "safety threat" to a group of adult staff or cause significant disruption is not only ludicrous but also highlights a lack of tact, empathy, and understanding -- skills crucial for any educational institution catering to young kids. Moreover, the claim of "voluntarily" inviting social services is highly questionable as such visits typically arise from serious complaints about child welfare. It's disconcerting that a social services inspection is a point to vindicate yourself, instead of taking a reflective look at how you could better accommodate a child's needs, which is ostensibly the foundation of your business. My hope is for the school to walk away from this with a genuine commitment to transparency. To any parent considering preschool, I urge you to do a lot of research or reach out for an open conversation about our experience. The well-being and happiness of our children is paramount and they should be fostered in environments that value and understand them. Good luck in your journey of finding the right school!