My child started at East Bay Academy in summer 2022. We love it -- the teachers are so caring and he is playing, learning and growing so much each day. I would highly recommend, we have had nothing but great experiences with this school.  When we were signing up, it was a little hard to find information online, so I will share some here: meals are included, you do not need to pack a lunch, which we appreciate! The hours are good for working parents and the days they are closed for holidays are limited compared to other preschools. Kids can be enrolled starting on their 2nd birthday. Tuition as of January 2023 is $850/month, paid at the first of the month (we pay via Zelle transfer, it is very easy and convenient). If you would like to schedule a tour, reach out to Teacher Ma at (510) 267-0788, she is so welcoming and will show you all around and answer your questions. Thank you East Bay Academy! read more

East Bay Academy - Enjoying a snack: milk, apple and pretzels - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Oakland, California

Both my daughters attended this preschool, 3 years apart and they loved it. The teachers are all very caring and patient, especially teacher Helen. Both daughters had teacher Helen and I heard nothing but good things. At first, I was skeptical about sending my youngest to school during the pandemic but she did well. She got sick a couple times but mostly a cold which I can tell you a lot of kids will get when they first start school but not once was it Covid. They made sure all the kids sanitize their hands and keep mask on when they are not eating or drinking. I love their curriculum which includes art, singing, dancing, learning the alphabet and numbers, speaking and writing Chinese and free play. My daughter comes home telling me all the time what goes on at school and she loves it. She does the dances and singing for me at home. I would 100% recommend this school. read more

This is a wonderful place for the children. The staff and owners really go the extra distance to care for the children. I highly recommend it. read more

East Bay Academy is a well-run, safe clean daycare with hours that cater to working households: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are over 100 students, most of them Asian, because the school does some basic integration of Cantonese and Chinese characters in the curiculum. Breakfast , lunch and a healthy snack are provided. The school does a good job of teaching hygiene, cultural tolerance, and basic etiquette. It is affordable for middle-class parents. The tuition for a 4 -year old is $620 (80$ of which must be in cash) a month. Beat that! $1.00 for every minute late, which is a needed policy for parents like me. My gripes are that the parents do not socialize much and the feedback about kid's behavior is limited. Years ago, my daughter daughter once came home with adult sized claw marks on her arm. I said "WHAT HAPPENED?????" An my daughter told me, "Teacher X did it when she pulled me off a girl I was fighting." Yipes. I would have liked to hear about that incident from an adult. Perhaps this was not the best school for my wild free spirited girl. However, my introverted baby daughter , age 3, is a student at EBA now and she absolutely loves it. She's excited to go to school and comes home singing cute little songs. She writes her name and knows all her numbers and letters and many Chinese characters. On the way to school she once told me "Teacher Wen loves me!" I don't know about you, but that's just the sort of care situation I want for my kids. read more

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Teacher Anita is the best!!! My Daughter Winter really excelled under her teaching. Her reading/vocabulary had improved so much. Their program also focuses on the arts. Before COVID there was a yearly Christmas Program that our Daughter looked forward to. It consisted of Singing,dancing,and cultural traditions. read more

I just can't describe enough how much we made a good decision with enrolling my boys in East Bay Academy School. My older son started to go to East Bay 3 years ago, he is now in TK at Lincoln and goes to the after school program at Starlite; my younger one who is 2 years and 6 months old started 3 month ago. Both did not have any difficulties getting used to their new teacher when they started the school at East bay. In only 3 days, they adapted and were excited to go to school. All the teachers and the staff team in general are doing a great job making sure the kids feel loved. Not only do they treat the kids like their own children but they also keep them busy by changing activities every 20 min. My boys are learning so much. They come home singing in Cantonese and they speak fluent English. My husband and I are both French so we only speak in french at home, so knowing that our boys are learning 2 more languages it's so beneficial for their future! My older son started East Bay when he was 2 years old and they even introduced him to potty training, the school is really clean and they teach kids very good hygiene habits. One of the reason I really like the school is the fact that the teachers really take their time studying the personality of your child and they always make sure he is with the right teacher or in the right class level. We feel like we have a second family at school. The teachers and the team put really great effort into our kids education and development. They make sure they learn, feel loved & comfort. Not to mention the monthly tuition is reasonable, plus the kids get snacks and lunch and it's a full time program! Knowing that my sons are happy & safe at school and that I can communicate anytime with their teacher make me feel grateful that I found such an amazing quality school! And I speak for both schools east bay academy & Starlite. read more

Excellent choice of preschool as far as being curriculum based. My number one reason for choosing this school. Very affordable, I dont think there are many preschools that are, especially for my daughter who was not potty trained when she started. They teachers are very nice, and although its a lot of kids, the class sizes are really small, like 11-12 each with multiple teachers. #1 COMPLAINT- Poor management services!!!! I cant stress this enough!!! Ms. Wong (the director) is very rude and quick to point the finger. She does not care about losing customers, in fact she will insist you leave if you want. John is a much better person to speak with. (not sure if he's her husband) During the first month that my daughter started, they lost her coat for 2 days and then she tried to insist I never sent her with one. WTF???? It was freezing cold and my daughter had to wear sweatshirts! Only when I threatened to deduct the cost of a new one from the tuition, did they decide to look for it and found it. Then I bought a brand new blanket for her to start school there, when they sent it home, it had a big ass gaping hole in it, not even on the seam. She insisted that my 2yr old toddler did it all by herself, who barely weighed 25 lbs by the way. I was so damned annoyed. Tried looking for another school but all had waiting lists and by the time aan opening came up, she was already settled and loved her teachers. All in all, its a good school, curriculum-based, the teachers show great care, and they keep it clean. that why it has two stars. But I am the type of person who loves great customer service even if the product wasnt stellar. I would not reccomend anyone coming to this school and having to deal with her attitude problem and finger-pointing. Revised: to 1 star. Never realized how much my daughter hated this place. She cried when I left her everyday for the the short 6 months she was there. She was very restricted here. One incident was when they called me at work because she started crying because she wanted to color a penguin purple and they only wanted her to use black. She was 2. Took her out and placed in a different school and she flourished. She was happy every day and starting writing and was able to play with what she wanted to on any part of the yard. Not restricted to one gated area. read more

i started my son here, he went from a small family day care in a home of 10 kids and 4 teachers to a school with 110 kids at East bay academy, which I thought would be good to prepare him for Kinder, and teach him things i couldnt. Unfortunately he had been moved around prior to him going to EBA, so had been trying to adjust to EBA, but they also only gave him 2 weeks to adjust. Then, demanded the $250 deposit in cash in the beginning and now have not given it back to me that they kicked my son out 2 weeks ago. When I am not able to afford daycare or anything else being low income, they shouldnt have acted this way or have accepted my money or my son without some trial period, otherwise we really like the school. But that to me felt like I was being scammed at my kids expense. Not cool. read more

I have had both of my boys at East Bay Academy within a four-year span and that was one of the best decisions I've made. All the staff are great - all the teachers are caring and is very obvious that they love every child wholeheartedly. I still remember the day of my older son's graduation, I saw a few teachers cry as they will yet miss another class of children whom they care for as if they were their own. The facility is very well structured and organized. They care for each child not only academically, but also socially. They have two areas with play structures - teachers are always present to make sure every child is playing nicely and safely. My sons made many friends and learned how to share and play with each other nicely. My kids had always brought home artwork, little projects, school work of letters and numbers, and also sang songs they've learned. My younger son is now in TK and his current teacher keeps praising my child of how he's advanced and is a great helper - I will have to give this credit to East Bay Academy. East Bay Academy is very reasonably priced that one might automatically assume its standards are not up to par. However, do not judge a book by its cover, they are great - inside and out. They provide breakfast and lunch, and also potty train. All staff - from the owners/coordinators, teachers, to the cleaning staff - are all very attentive and caring. They teach them manners and correct behaviors, provides a session to learn Chinese, have guest speakers like the Firemen and Dentist who provide talks to teach the children safety skills and dental hygiene. The teachers also teach the kids daily hygiene habits as well. Both of my kids had always mentioned that they get picked up too early as they love the daycare and always had great things to say about the school overall, teachers, and friends they've made. So thank you East Bay Academy for providing a great environment for my kids and also very well prepared both of my kids for elementary! read more

Pluses: - Inexpensive - Structured - Multilingual & multiracial - Caring staff who love children Minuses: - Perhaps a bit too structured - Communication not the best - Want cash as part of monthly payment read more

The school is very nice and has great teachers. They keep me informed on the day to day happenings. Both my boys like it there. They provide breakfast and lunch and are open from 7:00am to 6:00pm. The tuition is very reasonable. They teach both English and Chinese. Overall it is highly recommended to send your children here. read more

I have had my daughter in EBA for a little over 2 years now, and I must say this school has been my safe haven. They have my back like an establishment responsible for your child or children should. I love how they incorporate Mandarin at a young age, and I look forward to the number of activities teachers do with them weekly to expose children who aren't familiar to the language like my daughter. Anybody who has been in the OUSD school system or even took a second to step in a teachers shoes know that it's a tough challenge. I commend teacher Wong and uncle John for their continued efforts in supporting our children of tomorrows growth by providing structured, respectful, knowledgeable and most of all caring teachers for our babies. It seems some people have been disappointed at the way this establishment is run, but I must say, they don't bend the rules. All of us parents get the same treatment. They definitely set a standard moving forward, and for that I am grateful. This place has served as my daughters second home, and i whole heartedly trust all of the staff. They provide breakfast, lunch and snacks, no more packing lunch for me. Yayyy!! But you must tell your child allergies, and specific diet if any. They will honor your wishes 100%. I think people have come here looking for their kids to be babied, but this school means business, and structure. Other schools may let kids learn through play and things of that sort, but this school has curriculum that will surely have your child knowing more than he/she did yesterday. They have play and fun time, but its not really a daycare setting, its more school setting which is what drew me here after leaving a daycare center. Your kid will have fun and learn, don't get misconscrewed by the other reviewers. As a working mother and student, EBA has helped me in various ways. One huge burden EBA has helped lift from my shoulders is the priority enrollment at their sister school. Because of this, I don't have to go searching and stressing for a school for my daughter's upcoming school year!! Thank you EBA, teacher Wong, teacher Anita, teacher Ma and everyone else who keep this vessel running on a daily. EBA teachers rock read more

My daughter has been going this school for almost 3 years! The teachers there are very patient and nice! My daughter loves the school. Very affordable tuition and includes 2 meals and snacks! Time is from 7am to 6 Pm, hours are good for working parents! I highly recommend this school! read more

The fees they charge for not signing in and being late to pick up your chid is ridiculous. $10 if you forget to sign in or out. $25 every 5 minutes your late. So I was 12 minutes late, shouldn't they round it down to 10 minutes? But instead they rounded it up to 15 minutes and charged me $75. That's absolutely absurd. read more

I so regret the month my daughter spent here. The teachers are nice but all they do is sit and do work, The sound of laughter is missing at anytime other then outside play time. Which is probably why they only want you to visit when there are kids playing outside. My daughter is a free spirit and it was squashed a bit when we left. Thank god for Habitot and their summer camp program, she is back to a super happy kid. The communication is off the charts bad. No email, no notes going home, overcharge for everything. Ms. Wong is one of the oddest people I've ever dealt with. Uncle John is the only person that you can speak with at all. They have a blocked phone #, which is weird. Save yourself the frustration and pay more for a better school. read more

You will be hard pressed to find anything as safe, clean, and affordable as East Bay Academy. This preschool is definitely for the (hard)working parents out there who want an academically enriching environment for their child but who don't have the luxury to drop off their kids at 9am and pick up at noon. East Bay is open from 7 to 6pm, and for less than $750/mo. your child will be served three meals a day, including snacks, and be in a structured environment with an adequate, age-appropriate preschool curriculum. The teachers are caring, yet firm, which has worked out well for my overly energetic, playful, silly boys. I've never had an issue where my child was sick and they hadn't called. If anything, I've always felt the pressure from them to be there right away after they've called (which is difficult if you don't live close by to the preschool). To address the concerns about signing your child in and out: Yes, it's mandated, and yes, I have missed signing in at least five or six times, and yes, it hurts the pocketbook, BUT a rule is a rule. Just get yourself into a routine where the FIRST thing you do upon entering is signing in and out, and you will be fine. No need to huff and puff, think big picture--you are saving alot of money already by sending your child to this preschool. Having said all this, this preschool won't be a good fit for every child (or parent). This is not a play-based preschool. The kids sit in chairs around a kidney-shaped desk to eat and work on projects/workpapers. I wouldn't have thought that a preschool like this would have worked for my can't-sit-still boys, but my older one really liked the small groups (each group consists of 10-12 same-age kids) and built a relationship with his teachers very quickly. My second one is benefiting by being in an environment where there are clear rules. As a parent, I actually appreciate that he is issued a warning first, and then is put in time out when he decides to run around and pour sand on other children's heads (yes, there's time out, and yes, you would want my child in time out, too, if he poured sand over your kid's head for no reason). The teachers all deserve a shout-out. It is not easy managing so many little kids. This preschool makes it look easy. read more

My daughter loves East Bay Academy. She loves her teacher, Teacher Chow. She looks forward to working with her older buddy and comes home with the cutest artwork. She is full of stories of playing and learning through books while at school. She is just starting to show interest in potty training. As soon as she is ready, they will mobilize to help her get it down! Yay for EBA! read more

I love this school! All the teachers are amazing and my child has liked and enjoyed all she has come in contact with. She is learning so much. read more

I started my daughter at East Bay and she still attends. I was actually just looking for the phone number to call and decided to write a review since I see so many negatives. I really like the school. The teachers are warm and my daughter is very happy. They do great art projects that my daughter is excited to show me. She makes sure to give her teachers hugs before she leaves each day...that tells me that she's as fond of them as they seem of her. It's inexpensive, accessible and my daughter comes home singing in both English and Cantonese. Regarding the fees - they tell you upfront of any fees that are accessed if you don't sign in and out properly or you're late. Guess what people? We're adults - sign in and out. Period. If you're careless enough to forget, well I bet it won't happen too many more times at $25 a pop. I feel the same way about being late. I didn't give 5 stars because I would like to be a little more involved in the way of a school production or a monthly newsletter - maybe I'll suggest it. If you're looking for a good place to send your child, I'd recommend East Bay Academy. read more

The staff seems nice but the director there rules the place with an iron fist. All she cares about are profit and penny pinching her way through making revenue rather than caring about the kids. I seen first hand where the director yells at parents for pulling kids out and blames it on the staff. Not a very cool place for kids to be if you ask me. I would never recommend this place to any parents who are looking for daycare here. read more

Today I was told about Yelp by owner/so called director Uncle John of this facility. After waiting 3 months on the wait list calling and calling about the status of my kids enrollment on the wait list they failed to call me back in a timely manner, quick to take my deposit though. In Cash. I went there in April was told by Teacher Wong they had room for my kids in may, come back end of month, took 2 days off for practice sessions then was told by uncle John and I quote " There must be some big misunderstanding on your part as we would never tell you we have openings, why did you not call us?" I was disappointed that day, I even had scheduled this out ahead of time on my calendar to take time off. Then Teacher Wong also denied she ever told me she had openings or had told me to come back end of month on those 2 specified dates that I took off from work. Even though I wrote down notes on my calendar. They both acted like I made this up. So, fine. I get it they were probably some very disorganized folks or just don't communicate or better yet did not want to take responsibility for their messed up. Ok I still did not want to flip out as these two so called directors are clearly lying to my face, so I played along and gave them the benefit of the doubt. Then uncle John decided he will deal with me moving forward as Teacher Wong seems to forget what she say to customers. I waited another month, here is end of May, I called and called every other day asking what is the status of the wait list? Ms. Wong who answered the phone like 5 times could not answer a simple question and kept telling me Uncle John will call me back. It is now June 9, he finally called me back today after I called him for two weeks straight. Today he tells me, sorry we will refund your deposit back. He said we will not be accepting your kids now or in the near future. I asked him why? His ridiculous reason to me was....Drum roll...We suspected you were someone who left a bad feedback about our school on some website so therefore we will not be accepting your kids at our school! I said...(W..T..F) WHAT???( Exactly!!) Are you kidding me? What website is this?? He said I am unable to disclose but because you did that We are unable to accept your kids here? I asked him are you serious? He said yes, I asked, what source told you that info?? He said oh someone we hired..third party and they told me you did it! Who told you? They did, I can t say who it is!!! This is by far the biggest B.S I ever heard from a place I thought was doing business the right way and prior to today I actually had some respect for you Uncle John. I hope you realized you made a big mistake, your business leadership skill is really poor as you definitely don't know how to run your daycare and is doing all the right things to drive customers away. Thank you for telling me about Yelp now the whole world will know what a poor experience you gave me as a customer. There is no excuse.. If someone did leave you a poor feedback you take it and run with it as a reminder to do business better not take offense and pinned it on another customer. I work with lot of businesses everyday and I never seen one with such a horrific practice! This is why your school continues to get bad reviews one after another. As a business professional and a mom of two kids, I do not recommend anyone to put their kids here or trust the people here. And trust me the "wait list" is supposed to be really really long and they can not answer the question when you ask what is the expected wait time nor what is your status on the list once you hand over your money to them. You just wait, we'll call you is their famous line! I see why their price is cheap, you get what you pay for and kids come and go fast at this school once the Smart parents figured out their poor business practices. read more

Looking around for an affordable Pre-K school is very hard, close to impossible but then I found East Bay Academy. My little shy 4 yrs. old daughter has been attending for about half a month now and let me just say, she isn't so shy any more. LOL! The school is well structured, safe, clean and communicate with the staff is easy. I see a lot of complaints about communication with the director Teacher Wong and the staff. Well, if you want to know about things that goes on in the school, just ask like I did. They were very informative to any questions I had. Teacher Wong is a very nice lady who just wants the best for her students and her staff. The school has cameras almost every where so I feel safe knowing the facility is being monitored. The fine for not signing in and out is $25 per incident is a little steep but I bet it won't happen too many times. The fee per minute ($5 per) if you're late to pick up your kid is understandable 'cause who doesn't want to go home after a long day's work but we have to wait on you "Johnny Come Lately" 'cause you couldn't read a watch. I understand things happen sometimes but everyday is unacceptable....they want to go home to their family too. The "cash payment" portion of the tuition that everyone is concern with is for the petty cash box so just in case they have to buy something that they wouldn't need "approval or a check" just to run to the store for "your kids' needs". I don't see the big issue if it's documented and goes towards your child's tuition and in which you get a receipt for. Overall, I'm satisfied with the progress the my daughter has shown. She comes home singing songs, learning to write her name, brings home work sheets at the end of the week to show the lessons they have learned that week, the teachers are very nice (they speak to you) and the communication is there with the teachers...just ask. read more