Mountain Shadows International Montessori School is a phenomenal place for children to learn and…read moregrow. Head of School Lauren F, Assistant Head of School Jeff, and the entire teaching team are exceptional--caring, professional, and deeply committed to the Montessori philosophy. My son is in his fourth year at MSIMS and my daughter in her second, and both absolutely thrive here. It is also the only fully accredited AMI Montessori school in Colorado, offering a level of quality education you won't find anywhere else. I cannot recommend this school enough.

My daughter attended the school in 2020-2022 and our experience was far from positive. When we…read moretoured and applied in 2020, the school sounded fantastic. Unfortunately between the time we applied and the time we started, the seemingly wonderful head of school left and the board selected someone with no educational experience to replace them. A year later the other, fantastic, member of the original 2-person admin team left. My daughter started in YCC at 18mo. Several times my daughter came home with injuries (head injuries, bite marks) and no incident report or communication from the school. In 2022 we moved into one of the primary classrooms. My daughter initially had an ok experience in primary. But again we found out about several incidents from her that should have warranted an incident report, but never did. This culminated in her telling us that one child had hit and shoved her 3-4 times inn the course of a week. We of course brought this up and the teacher kept trying to tell us this was "normal behavior". We disagreed, and attempted to raise this with the head of school, who ignored us for weeks. In this time we had interactions with several other parents, where upon telling them of the issue we'd get responses like "oh, was it [kid]? My kiddo was getting hit by them too." One other parent told us their kid shook with anxiety about going to school and had to be kept home for a month as a result of bullying by this same kid. It became clear that the kid in question had bullied almost every other kid in the classroom, and the school had done nothing about it. Finally, we got a meeting with the head of school. He started by gaslighting us, telling us we were "complainers" and that he felt "nothing he could do would ever make us happy" - as if enforcing the school's own policies on bullying were too much to ask. We quickly ended the meeting after agreeing that the school would refund us the tuition we had paid for the two-month summer session we wouldn't be attending. The school refused to issue a refund until after the summer session, and then sent us ~$200. Half-day tuition at the school is ~$2,000/month. The refund is laughable and, in my opinion, an intentional fraud. In summary our experience was of an incompetent administration, classrooms that could not provide a safe learning environment for our child, a sudden termination of services and a wholly inadequate refund from a disingenuous head of school.

Our experience at Growing Minds Learning Academy has been top-notch! Our child has been very happy…read morehere in their infant classes. Our child is not only treated and cared for with the utmost kindness and attention, but also, the teachers and admin staff provide excellent enrichment and experiences. I definitely recommend Growing Minds if you are looking for childcare in the Gunbarrel/Boulder/Niwot areas!

I would like to say that I have had a wonderful experience at Growing minds. The staff there is…read moreextremely friendly and helpful. They truly care about the students at this facility and are passionate with their job. I have been here a few times as an higher learning consultant. And now have enrolled my child here.

Harmony is the best. I know my kids learn to be kind loving and compassionate to all of their…read more"friends" (what they call other kids at harmony) and are stimulated with the rich learning environment and fantastic teachers. The pedagogy and climate is excellent. I looked far and wide and Harmony is the best preschool we found. The Harmony community is also fantastic.

From the owner: At Harmony, we believe children grow and develop valuable skills when their classroom experiences…read moreare geared to their natural level of development. We accommodate the uniqueness of young children using a developmentally appropriate curriculum and learning materials for each individual child. At Harmony, we avoid adhering to only one philosophy and instead choose to combine several philosophies, thus creating a special and unique atmosphere for each child's individual growth.

Our older son (now 14) graduated from BVWS last year, having been here since his early years…read more Looking back, we're amazed at how the school shaped him -- not just academically, but as a whole person. He left with a strong foundation in math, science, and writing, but also with creativity, confidence, and a deep sense of compassion. The combination of academics, arts, music, and hands-on learning really gave him a well-rounded education that will serve him for life. Our younger son is now in middle school at BVWS, and he is thriving. Middle school can be a tough transition, but the small class sizes and dedicated teachers make such a difference. He feels seen, supported, and challenged in ways that bring out his best. The curriculum balances academic rigor with opportunities for growth through orchestra, theater, outdoor education, and practical projects -- things that keep him engaged and excited about learning. What stands out most is the sense of community. BVWS feels like an extended family where teachers, parents, and students truly know and support one another. It's a nurturing, values-based environment that helps children grow into capable, compassionate young people. We're grateful to have found a school that educates the head, heart, and hands -- and we would highly recommend BVWS to any family looking for something more meaningful than a traditional school experience.

This is not a review disparaging BVWS. It is about the lack of transparency and consideration my…read morefamily and I were given through the application and enrollment process. My daughter is no stranger to BVWS: she attended in early childhood and has spent a couple of summers there and loved it. When I reached out to the admissions director, (s)he expressed that my daughter would be welcome back and that there was space for her, so I submitted an application and she did a 3-day shadowing. To my surprise, my daughter's application was rejected. I spent several months trying to get a clear answer as to why, unsuccessfully. The following is a summary of events post-shadowing. My husband and I met with the teacher who discussed my daughter's shadowing experience and stated multiple times that (s)he "saw no red flags". I then asked questions about the founder's philosophy including topics that touched upon racism and how they have evolved, as my husband and I come from diverse backgrounds. The teacher answered them with openness and transparency, which further solidified my decision to send my daughter there. A week later, I receive an email, "after careful consideration...we do not feel that (student) is a good fit for our program." I requested a meeting to better understand the decision and sent numerous follow-up emails over the next 2 months to which I received no response, or the admissions director was sick, out of town, or catching up on work. Upon finally setting a meeting, I mentioned that I had emailed the teacher to get more specific feedback regarding my daughter's experience and if (s)he could be encouraged to respond. The response from the admissions director: "to be clear, I will be talking you through the application process...but not discussing re-opening the process". I thanked them and wrote, to "make sure I'm understanding correctly - you will not ask (teacher) to give me information about my daughter, nor will you speak about her experience at BVWS," to which I received no reply. On the call, the admissions director explained that the enrollment process was a collaborative, complicated and nuanced process. It included not just the teacher's opinion, but also input from ALL the Grade teachers, consideration on the age and maturity of the class, and the fact that the teacher is new to Waldorf teaching. If that were the case, then the shadowing, which caused disruption for everyone involved, was pointless and in fact, no new student could join. My insistence on following up was to have an opportunity for an open and transparent discussion regarding my daughter's application. If the teacher had told me during our debrief that (s)he felt the class dynamic with my daughter was not right, I would have respected the opinion. Funny that while my daughter attended BVWS there had never been any concerns raised. I can only deduce from the lack of response and transparency that this decision had less to do with my daughter and more about the questions I raised during our meeting with the teacher. In my last email after our final call, I expressed my hope that this experience be shared with the faculty and board as a learning experience and that I would always be open to dialogue. Since I never received a reply, I assume this issue had been swept under the rug. Though I know no big change will come of this, this experience will serve as a lesson when my daughter is older so that she may learn to advocate for herself with awareness and discernment. BVWS states they support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and boasts that it cultivates a welcoming, inclusive community. A few qualities of inclusive leadership include fairness and respect, collaboration, empowerment and growth, and emotional and cultural intelligence, none of which I received. It is a shame that fear and avoidance of tough questions will now directly impact a 7-year-old's education. DEI has become very trendy in the past few years but simply taking a training without putting the principles into practice is not enough. Let's do better for our children and set the examples we want to teach them, not just have empty words on a website. That is when you muster the courage to step forward, not back.

Of 5 preschools that my kids have been through, this is definitely the worst. There appears to be…read moreno modern early childhood education in action, no conflict resolution taught, preschoolers are sent home or isolated within the school for saying unkind words and pushing verbal boundaries... I won't go into specifics to protect my and other kids' privacy, but message me if this is raising red flags for you... I would never let my kid set foot there again. Very rigid. Should have looked more into the approach of the director (who we never even met until there was a "problem"). Note that most of the positive reviews are quite old when it was under different leadership. Two stars just for the beautiful setting and farm animals, which really drew us in (but turned out to be superficial and far less important than how children are treated - obviously).

We have felt moved to share our experience at BWK because it has truly changed our life. Our son…read morehas attended since he was 2.5yrs old (he is 6 years old now) and our youngest has just started at 2 Years old. We feel very grateful to have been introduced to waldorf by chance. We live just down the road and discovered it by driving past the quaint adobe school building and huge , peaceful, tree covered play yard with goats and chickens roaming about. From an outside perspective , it looked like an extension of home; and it has proven to be just that. The teachers are people of integrity, authentic, kind, and nurturing . They hold the kids so beautifully and create days full of wonder and beauty. It becomes obviously quickly that the priority at BWK is To nurture the children from a young age to be confident, curious, gentle, and intentional beings. There is a huge emphasis on social emotional learning and development and the entire faculty support the children and families to create a joyous environment where all are treated with respect and kindness. Now that we have been a part of the school for four years, with kids in two different classrooms , we can attest that it truly feels like the "village" that we have lost in this society. Recommend sending your child at any age if you are seeking a welcoming and safe school, with a strong and connected community of parents and faculty

Our two kids went here for 2 years. It's great. Miss Rita is a constant and runs the ship. Several…read moreother caretakers have rotated through and they've all been great too. Miss Rita can pick 'em well. Our kids have learned, grown, socialized, and played a ton--exactly what they need. When we first moved to town, we looked for daycare options in every prospective neighborhood, which is to say a lot. The yard at Strawberry Farm was the first indication this place is the best. It's a huge yard. There's a "car" area for driving, grass area, playhouses and slides, sometimes a bouncy house, sometimes a sprinkler, always a sun-protected sandbox. In the summer, there's a sun shade canopy over the kid-height picnic table and benches. There's a garden the kids help with. Inside is cozy. The whole downstairs is for kids--a quiet, dark nap room, another nap room for the youngest so they can sleep longer, a music room, cozy living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom with changing station/small toilets and sinks the kids can reach. The schedule is posted in the entrance hall. The kids have drawers and hanging pockets for delivering and picking up things. More about sleep: Our oldest had just turned 3 and we were lucky there was a spot open. The little one was 1 and no spot. He went somewhere else that was...fine...he was safe and fed. However, maybe they never turned the lights off? or didn't have a quiet room? hard to imagine but he didn't nap. They said he wouldn't nap, which was nonsense. At pick up sometimes he was asleep literally on the floor of the main room. He'd sleep in the car/bike, pass out at home and barely revive for dinner. We had to move him ASAP. Once with Miss Rita, he napped perfectly fine without any trouble. Such a relief. They have healthy food and snack every day. Lunch is prepared and the menu posted daily (I love that). They occasionally take fieldtrips to the library and a local Italian restaurant (and send along any leftovers). They have circle time and interactively enjoy story books every day. They learn manners, taking turns and polite language that has been very helpful to use at home. Life is never always smooth and to help with that, Rita will always make time to discuss concerns and issues. We've talked to her when we wondered about our kids and she talked to us when there was something we could help with. That communication is important.

My grandchildren have attended Strawberry Farm since they were 2 year olds. They love the program…read moreand Miss Rita. She is the most kind, gentle and patient person. She is very knowledgable about childhood development and as a result, my grandkids have thrived under her watch. We are so grateful for all Miss Rita has done for our family.

A Warning for Parents of Neurodivergent or ESL Children…read more My experience here was traumatic. If I could give zero stars, I would. We attended before my son's autism diagnosis, and he was treated with a shocking lack of empathy. The owner actually called me to claim my son had a 'medical tic'--which was actually just a self-soothing raspberry-blowing behavior he only did when he was extremely stressed by their environment. I witnessed systemic neglect: children who spoke English as a second language were left to sit alone without interaction, and toddlers were left to sob inconsolably after drop-off with no comfort from staff. I actually had to step in and hug a crying child myself because the teachers wouldn't. Most concerning was the lack of respect for parental boundaries and age-appropriate care. When my 3-year-old was nervous about potty training, I requested he wear a pull-up for one day to build his confidence. Instead, the staff spent 30 minutes of his school day forcing him back into underwear against my explicit instructions. Unless your child is neurotypical and requires no emotional support, stay away. This is not a safe or inclusive environment.

My daughter and son both attended Wildflower Preschool. They both had wonderful teachers. My son…read morerequires a little extra attention and the teachers always accommodate him with ample patience and love. I feel so lucky! I love the balance of outdoor time, art, music, social emotional learning, and gentle exploration of academic learning. To top it off, there is a great community of kind families each year!

Amazing school. Wonderful staff. Engaging environment. I couldn't ask for a better school for my…read moredaughter to be.

Boulder Journey School made all the difference to my son, who spent three years here. There is a…read moreculture here of deep respect for children and always a willingness to work with both children and parents to ensure a valuable experience. While some schools are rigid in the way things must be done, Boulder Journey School teachers and staff take cues from all of the opportunities that life presents inside and outside the school each day and turn them into rich teachable-learnable moments that augment an already excellent educational foundation and philosophy. I am profoundly grateful that my son began his educational journey here.

Pay attention to the number of complaints/founded reports of child abuse made on the Colorado…read moreShines website and the frequent inability to pass inspections here: https://www.coloradoshines.com/program_details?id=001o000000JBEGGAA5 And save yourself from being in a situation where you are the next one calling and making a report for something that has happened to your child. Don't be surprised if this review is met with a defensive, minimizing, or manipulative reply - my personal experience predicts this will be the case. I have seen the director Michael on Facebook telling parents not to pay attention to the Colorado Shines website to me that should be a Red Flag they not only have something to hide but are actively working to hide it. For a school that has been around since 1970 you would think they could pass an inspection by now without manipulation or paying someone - see photos.

The Little Red School House, as Children's House is so lovingly referred to in our family, has been…read morethe only preschool I've sent my children to (once they reached 2 1/2) upon arriving in Boulder, from an inner city environment 4 years ago. My oldest, who is now going into 1st grade, was in need of a lot of stimulation outside of the home when he was little. He was one of those very active, curious kids always seeking out new adventures and interests. The education staff took great care in feeding that curiosity from the first day. Their story book journey curriculum is a tested and proven method (see Ashley Merriman's and Po Bronson's, Nurture Shock) for early childhood education success across all areas of learning, whether it be speech, pre literacy, social awareness, personal development, gross/fine motor etc. My husband and I beamed when our 3 year old son came home with books on sharks for us to read to him from the school and started memorizing facts and reciting them to friends and relatives. It seemed he had met his match. As an elementary age kiddo he has flourished into a very kind, loving, enthusiastic and confident student. I give a lot of credit for that to Elaine, the director at Children's House. Our youngest son will be starting his final year at CHP in the fall. He has developed so much from their care by learning self confidence, self reliance and finding his own voice. He is now looking forward to being a leader for next years students and I know he will continue to thrive in this loving, nurturing environment. A point worth making is that it is a one room school house meaning the children are of mixed ages together throughout their day. I can only speak from my family's experience but it has been wonderful to watch our children flourish as they get older, growing first from silent observer, to active participant and lastly to confident leader. The one room serves as a wonderfully safe and creative environment to explore through play, art, music, and pre literacy story telling. While it is a very active and diverse classroom, each child really does find their own sense of peace and space to grow within it. Children's House Preschool has been a very, very positive experience for my family.

Not only is Ziji a fantastic school but they emphasize outdoor play based learning. I was impressed…read moreby the reading skills of the 2nd graders. The projects about planets posted on the walls were so creative and showed that the students really understood what they were learning about. The two very experienced teachers have embraced a way of teaching that blows public education away. Small, personal and impressive school. Call them and take a tour to see for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

Ziji Early Elementary is a hidden gem in Boulder County. I have been so grateful to have my girl…read morehappily learning in a nurturing environment with two lead teachers who are very mindful in their presentation of the material, very loving with their care of the children, and keenly aware of the children's progress and challenges. The schoolhouse was once a home and the warmth Norah and Marti have created in it speaks worlds to the benefits of "home" schooling. Sending my daughter there, I feel confident that she is in the best of hands and is getting exactly what she needs in the early primary years of her education. She and I both have made friendships that will endure and I firmly believe she has been well served for future learning.