Yes not a problem. I enjoy the school. My boy enjoys the school. It is a very good schoolread more

Ahhh memories. I went here from 3rd to 6th grade. The teachers are caring, friendly and very…read morehelpful. Good sized playground, huge field (at least when I was going here). I checked their website and none of my teachers teach there anymore, so can't really comment on the quality of the teachers now, but back in the 90s, this school was fantastic!

About me: I am the antithesis of the PTA mom. I'm pretty much a hot mess most days. I have two…read morewonderful boys (20 mos and 3 mos) that run my life and keep my busy beyond belief. I sought daycare, not because I needed someone to watch my children (thanks grammy!) but because I wanted my children to be socialized, learn some structure, and HAVE FUN! I'm extremely protective and highly opinionated mom, but I will be the first to admit that I kinda suck at this mom gig. So! Any help I can get, I'm game. SO, I shopped around at a few daycares in town and was surprised by the massive variety of variables in care, prices, and personalities. My first impression, just from visiting Little Discoveries: I love it! I just enrolled my 20-month-old son three days a week. Here's why: The moment I stepped into the safety-gated front door, I was greeted with a smile. It felt genuine. Not desperate or lackluster. I was also THAT mom who called and literally asked 68 questions in a mini interview before even stepping foot in the doors and the owner was kind enough to answer EVERY question in detail. I was surprised to not have any concerns when I got off the phone with her. I had heard from MANY friends, especially THOSE moms who everyone wants to be like, that Little Discoveries was the place to go. True to my rebellious nature, I decided it'd be the last place I checked out. I am SO glad I did. I felt something missing from so many other daycares. Something I think is more important than just about anything else: LOVE! I want to know that when I drop my little guy off, he will be held and cuddled and adored as much as humanly possible for those who've not birthed him. I was stoked to see many hugs and snuggles given the moment I walked into the infant area. I heard soft, pleasant voices cooing at babies, saying "please" and "thank you." It was peaceful enough that I wanted to lie down and rest listening to the staff's sweet voices. I witnessed positive structure. The kind where back pats and hugs happen when something goes right. The kind where safety is first, but kindness isn't far behind. I saw SMILES! I had no idea how much of a difference this would make to me, but it was huge! Too many other places in town have structure without smiles. That just feels so wrong. Here, everyone was smiling. The kids, the staff. It's lovely! I saw tons of age-appropriate toys, a well-fenced backyard for play, and all kinds of active, devoted staff. The place is not immaculately clean, but it's cleaner than my home. I found daycares that were too clean and it bugged me. How can kids have fun if they don't get a little paint on their hands? How do I know they've eaten if there aren't yummy little crumbs on their clothes? I think a healthy level of cleanliness is important to observe. Part of it being healthy is having room for brain-growing messes. Little Discoveries had exactly that. I LOVE that they feed the kids. I didn't know how off-putting it'd be to have to think about making lunches and meals for kids, but it literally made me disinterested in another daycare. Being able to drop my little guy off knowing they are well stocked on healthy food and feed kids throughout the day so I don't have to worry about a thing is GREAT! The pricing is reasonable and better than a few other places in town. For the value, it's the best by far. You can do part time, full time, or drop-in if you're registered already. They adhere to the state ratio laws and seem overstaffed at times (which I think is a bonus). Little Discoveries has a few citations on the licensing board site BUT! If you look at those citations, there are far fewer than any other places and their license is one of the oldest in town. Also, one of the citations is for a staff member playing with kids and accidentally falling. If there's gunna be a hazard for my kid, I HOPE it's while he's having tons of fun doing something engaging. At least that's my take. There are definitely places I didn't even check out based on the citations I read alone. Feel free to check the website and see what I mean... Finally, I like their electronic check in and camera systems. The first thing anyone hears about, when daycare shopping, is the cameras. There's something about knowing you can peek in on your kiddo anytime that soothes the soul. Also, who's gunna do wrong when they know they're on camera? Not many folks... I'm BEYOND happy to have a place like Little Discoveries in Chico. They have two other locations as well and it sounds like they're very flexible with parents and their scheduling needs. Based off of first impressions alone, obviously, I'm sold. I shall update more as our experience deepens. Wishing all the other parents shopping for this most important service luck! It's terrifying and wonderful. Trust your gut! There are definitely worse places to take your kiddos. For now, I highly recommend Little Discoveries. :)

All three of my children at one time or another have gone here. Now, my two year old attends during…read moreschool hours mon-fri. Every morning the staff greet him so kindly and respectfully; me too of course. I'm so appreciative of how much he loves going to "school" like his big brother and sister. It's a clear reflection of the diligence and love Rhonda and her staff put into making the place so welcoming and warm; so that my son can get down to the hard work of being two!

My son has really enjoyed his 3 years at Sherwood. His teacher, Sheng (same for 3 years) has been…read morewonderful. It's a small, caring, community and my son looks forward to school each day. Traditional school models are not a good fit for him, and he enjoys the work at your own pace Montessori method. He is able to quickly do his work then earn free time and help others.

Wonderful learning environment and community. So greatful my son has this experience!read more

Hooker Oak is a really great school for your children to go to. It goes up to 6th grade and in 2015…read moreor 2016 they are changing it to k through 5th grade. But in the mean time you should send your kids there. My favorite teachers are Rita 4th grade, Kristen 4th grade, Mr C. 5th grade, Jeniffer Kindergarden or 1 grade and more. I hope you send your children there. BYE!

Looks like a prison and feels like a prison. The curriculum is developmentally inappropriate…read more Algebra in 1st. grade? 6 hours of school a day and 2-3 hours of homework? When can children be children? Some good teachers here but the system is broken. Students no longer learn critical thinking, just how to pass tests. Research has proven that overloading children with too much academic work at a young age is counterproductive, and schools that test the highest in the world do far less work in primary school. However, this information does not jive with the current authoritarian regime, and the commandant seems to only know how to punish, and flaunt her unquestionable power. What is this environment preparing young minds for other than passive, obedient consent to unquestioned authority while toiling endlessly on mind-numbing work? Our children have been stressed and anhedonic since they began attending here, and have begged us to be placed back in their previous charter school. My wife and I feel that it will be beneficial to their overall well-being to be at a school that focuses more on social and emotional competence at their age rather than rigorous academics.

I loved this school as a kid i went to this school in 6th grade and the teachers are now very nice…read moreand understanding and the this hole school is great for littler kids who are shy and want to make new friends

I love this school. My daughter graduated two years ago and I never had any issues with this…read moreschool. Now my son is in 1st grade at Neal Dow. He loved his teacher last year and this year. The teachers seem very involved in the kids. My son was taught chess last year in Mr. Obe's class and now plays chess on the chess team.

Love this school. 3 of my kids go here and I attended here when I was younger too. Only problem I…read morehave is I literally had to call the office to find out when kindergarten orientation was. Didn't get the letter till the day before. No time to plan and no consideration for the parents. I've got a busy schedule so this was hard to work around. Miss Marie (Barry) is by far the best teacher at that school. Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Stein are also wonderful. Can't go wrong with those teachers! I wouldn't have my kids in any other school :)

Our daughter attends TK at Notre Dame after two years of preschool there. We have had an excellent…read moreexperience and she is thriving and loves the other students. Not only is the curriculum excellent but but the teachers are wonderful and the environment outstanding. The parents of the other students seem top notch and we have a family-like atmosphere. Our youngest can't wait until she is old enough to go there too. We highly recommend the preschool and TK both of which are still having in person instruction.

My husband and I sent both of our children to Notre Dame School. What we really appreciated was the…read morenurturing environment that we found. The academic rigor that Notre Dame provided also came with fun and challenging athletic and arts opportunities. We also loved how the school supports specials: students have a different teacher for music, fine arts, and physical education. Further, there is a fabulous after school theatre program run by parents who have passional and commitment to the theatrical arts. The hot lunch program is delicious and nutritious. We especially appreciated the upper elementary and junior high field trips to interesting places including: the Balclutha ship trip (5th), the Monterrey Bay (7th), San Francisco (6th), and Ashland theatre field trip in 8th grade. When we were there, parents also organized a Washington D.C. trip. The choir and music opportunities were embedded in the school program and classes, and all students learn the fundamentals of music. The proximity to the university also provided the students with enriched programs and activities such as the science lab just a hop, skip and a jump away. Notre Dame is a traditional looking school that values respect and community service, but teachers also bring the most relevant and research-backed best practices to the classrooms as well. One other aspect is that my children, during those turbulent junior high years, were not just around peers who they had grown up with, but were able to be role models and teachers for the younger students, as Mass buddies and teacher aides. I feel that the TK-8 structure keeps junior high students a little more innocent then massing all of the same-aged kids together at once, like the other junior highs in town. The financial investment is just that: an investment in our children. Well worth every penny.

I have liked all 3 of the teachers that my son has had, but if you are looking for a good student…read morecentered principal this is not the school for you. A student's safety at school should not be decided on a case by case basis, which is the situation we found ourselves in. All students should always be safe at school! We had to remove our son from school with 4 months to go and turn his whole world upside down because the principal couldn't trouble herself to do a thorough investigation of an incident that I personally saw with my own eyes. We were left disgusted and heartbroken.