My son attended Elm Park 2023-2025 for preschool. Miss Ariana, Miss Elli and Ms Denise were so fantastic with all the kids. My son grew leaps and bounds academically, socially and emotionally. Would absolutely recommend Elm Park for anyone needing preschool services! read more

We are so glad our grandson is attending Elm Park. It didn't show up at the top when we searched for preschools but our grandson's daycare person told us about it. We visited many preschools, including Carmel Mountain and Kindercare, but when we visited Elm Park we knew it was the right school. Rowan's speech skyrocketed in Ms. Sam's class and he has blossomed socially, made many friends. I love how the teachers plan each week's lesson and sends those lessons home. We love the intimate size of the school and how caring the teachers are with the children. I would highly recommend the school read more

The quality of care and attention is what you want for your young children. We were very fortunate to have our daughter enrolled for a little over a year and a half. Wish we have sent her here earlier. Ms. Elli is the sweetest Teacher and now as director, only more wonderful things will comes from this school. The others from Miss Anna to Mrs Rashida and Mrs Rosalie. I always felt she was in the best care. My daughter also learned so much in her time her. Please consider this wonderful preschool, you won't be disappointed! read more

Entrusting others to care for your child is such a big decision. I hadn't left my son with anyone before, mostly because he had intense separation anxiety and sensory sensitivities and I just struggled so much with the idea of leaving him in the care of someone else. All my worries went away after I met Ms. Denise and Ms. Elli. Ms. Elli has so much warmth and patience, I knew she would be the very support my son needed - and she was. Going back to work and school after years of being a stay at home mom wasn't easy, but Elm Park made it so much more manageable. Being able to drop your kids off and feel confident they are in good hands is so important. I don't know what I would have done without them. I ended up enrolling both of my children, and I'm so glad I did. Both thrived academically and emotionally. I received photo and video updates frequently throughout the day, every day, which kept me at ease and my children were always happy to go and sad to leave. The teachers were so supportive when my son needed surgery, offering extra support. I cannot recommend the teachers at Elm Park preschool academy enough. read more

This place is a hidden gem. This place won't show up at the top of your search for preschools in Poway. However, I'm so glad I found it after scrolling down my search feed in desperation of finding a preschool I felt comfortable sending my son to. I was pretty set on enrolling my son at My Room To Grow based off of Yelp reviews but then I called them and had a really strange conversation with the director, where she went on this 30 minute long rant about COVID. Despite the phone call that made me feel really uncomfortable, I decided to take a tour. I could tell that they get a lot of requests for tours because the tour was about 5 minutes long, and seemed really rushed through, and the person giving the tour just really didn't seem to care. Anyway, I felt really stressed after that experience and didn't know whether I could find a place that I could trust to leave my son with. I mention this experience to illustrate my relief upon finding Elm Park. I was able to speak to the director, Denise, and she offered a 30 minute tour to answer all of my questions. She showed me the classrooms and introduced me to some staff members. The classrooms have a homey feel and there's a nice playground. But after my interaction with the director I was sold on the place. It's also one of the more affordable preschools in Poway, which is nice. They really care about their students and I really like the staff, I trust them that they'll take good care of my son. I also have to credit them with their advocacy for my son in getting him tested after he was showing behavioral issues. He ended up getting diagnosed with ADHD and autism. These early diagnoses have allowed us to get treatment for him and he's making great progress. He's an only child, so we weren't seeing the signs as much but being in the school environment with lots of kids and stimuli, they could really see his signs/symptoms more. Without they're advocacy for him, I don't think we would have gotten him tested. So for that, I'm eternally grateful to Elm Park and the educators there. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who asks for preschool recommendations in Poway. I wish you the best of luck on your search to find a preschool for your child. It's not an easy task, but I'd recommend you check this place out. I was so glad I did! read more

My kid just finished pre pre k? We loved the school and the teachers there. The program director is very involved with the kids and you can feel the love all the staff has for the kids. There are even outings with all the families to be able to meet staff and other families from the school. Our kid has learned so much throughout the year and we couldn't be more happy with sending him to elm Park. They also update you with pictures throughout the day to show you what they are up to. Can't recommend enough! read more

Both my kids attend Elm Park Preschool Academy and they absolutely love it! I work in early childhood education and I could not be happier with the curriculum and teaching philosophies I've encountered at Elm Park. My kids go full-time so they've been able to build bonds with a lot of the staff. Ms. Sancharee has been so patient and loving transitioning my two year old into full time care. Ms. Modessa has loved my son like her own and prepared him well for TK if we go that route. Ms. Elli is always so welcoming first thing in the morning and my kids love getting to have some special time with her before breaking away to their own classrooms. If you're local and looking for full-time care, I cannot recommend Elm Park enough! read more

My daughter started at Elm Park this past August in the 2 year old class with Miss. Sancharee. We really could not be happier with our experience at Elm Park. From day one the director, Miss. Denise, knew our names and our daughter's name. She is frequently in and out of the classroom and really has a good sense of what is going on in her school. She creates a fun and welcoming atmosphere for everyone. Miss Sancharee was the perfect teacher for my daughter. She is kind, patient and always seems unruffled. Our daughter loves her and talks about her a lot at home. Her classroom is always clean, and she sets clear routines and expectations for the children in her care. We are keeping our daughter at Elm Park through TK, and it feels so good to finally be at a school where we know she is well cared for. read more

For the past four years I've had both of my children in Elm Park Preschool and I finally feel qualified to write a review of their experience. Both my children were enrolled at 2-years-old. My 6-year-old son has since moved on to elementary school, and my 4-year-old daughter is entering her final year at Elm Park. I can say with absolute certainty that their time at Elm Park was extremely well spent and has served to make them both better people. I started my search with the same checklists that you're likely using right now. There are a ton of Preschool options in Poway, and to be perfectly honest a lot of them made my short list. But through my exhaustive search I kept finding little things here and there that simply didn't "feel" right to me. Their sales pitch was often appealing but I'd notice smaller ticky-tacky things during walk-throughs, or stories from other parents, or online reviews that just didn't sit right with me. However, when I first toured Elm Park everything finally fell into place. They checked all the boxes and it quickly became clear that they could provide my children with the best of all worlds for a very reasonable price. They utilize standardized curriculum. Their classrooms are spacious and in close proximity to each other. Their campus is safe and secure. Their learning environment feels setup in a way that inspires creativity. I have been pleasantly surprised by the breadth of my children's studies. Students are empowered to think independently, but also spend time learning how to function in a group. The teachers and preschool director are very approachable and communicative. We regularly receive updates on the status of their class. At no time have I felt out of the loop when it comes to my children's progress. The key lesson for each day is posted on a white board at the front door to encourage discussion between parents and their children after class. One thing that was really neat is that by using standardized curriculum, my son and daughter would both focus on the same study topics each day (albeit on a different level) so they would often carry on dialogue with each other at home. Their facilities are clean and well maintained. Their playground equipment is top of the line, made by the same companies that supply play equipment to the local community parks. I've closely monitored Elm Park's license status and they haven't had a single warning or violation since their inception. Their director follows licensing standards to the letter and maintains a level of compliance that really stood out from the other schools I toured. Despite being located inside a church there are very few (if any) religious elements injected into their experience. As such it provides a safe and welcoming environment regardless of religious background. I am currently aware of children in attendance who are Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, and Athiest. Though the pre-school and the church are in no way affiliated with each other it's worth noting that Community Church of Poway is one of the most progressive churches in the entire region. My ultimate goal has been to prepare my children for a successful transition to Poway Unified. I am not aware of any Elm Park graduates who have had any issues with their Kindergarten entrance assessments. In fact, all students that I've known have far exceeded expectations. My son passed effortlessly and I expect my daughter will do the same when she transitions next year. It's hard to type everything I love about Elm Park, so I invite any parents to feel free to message me if you'd like to talk directly. I know picking your child's first school is a huge decision and I'd be happy to share anecdotes from our time at Elm Park and answer any questions based on my experience so far. read more

See all

My daughter attended Elm Park last year and we loved everything about the school and staff. The staff are very caring and do a great job of communicating with parents. The progress that my daughter made with both learning and social skills was obvious quickly after she started attending Elm Park. We really could not have had a better experience and highly recommend Elm Park to anyone looking for a preschool for their child. read more

I've only heard good comments and praise about the staff here and how they work hard.

After experiencing the high volume of kids that you will see at places like Kindercare, we decided to go with a small private preschool this go around. We could not have found a better fit for our needs. They have a curriculum that is fascinating to the kids and it keeps them engaged. I love the teacher to child ratio. I recommend Elm Park to all my friends looking for a preschool for their children. We also had a great experience with the summer camp and vacation bible school. read more

My son has only been going to this preschool for 2 months and we absolutely love it. Miss Jen (school director) and Miss Elli (my son's teacher) are extremely nice and sweet. My son tells me everyday he loves going to school because of them. As a parent, having to be away from your child makes it much easier when you know your child is being well taken care off. So glad to have found Elm Park Preschool. Highly recommend read more

Elm Park Preschool Academy - Preschools Near Me - Poway, California

And just in a blink my 5 yr old son is promoting to Kindergarten after spending about 2.5 years at Elm Park Preschool. He had a blast and learned so much from his awesome teachers. I think there's a good balance between learning and playing. He went to school every day with a smile and made a lot of friends. On his request he even did extended stay. And did I mentioned already that when my son came to Elm Park he didn't speak any English but because of his patient, loving and flexible teachers quickly became fluent! He knows his numbers and letters, learned how to share, play together, about rules, take control and wait his turn. He's so ready for Kindergarten. I can't thank the Elm Park Preschool teachers enough and can only highly recommend this preschool. read more

See all

Our family loves Elm Park preschool! Our son has attended for the past two years and has thrived in the loving and nurturing environment that the teachers create. He was really shy in his first couple of weeks and Ms. Denise went out of her way to make him feel comfortable and loved as he settled in. His current teacher, Ms. Elli, is an absolute gem. She works so hard to provide fun and enriching activities for the kids, my son always comes home excited to share what he has learned. Her energy and enthusiasm for all our kids is so earnest! And Ms. Ariana has always been so warm and encouraging with him in the after school and summer programs. Even the teachers who's class he has not been in at the preschool know his name and are so friendly and sweet. The sense of family and community they have built is rare and wonderful. We cannot say enough great things about Elm Park and it's amazing teachers!! read more

Wow! What an amazing preschool... My kids are so happy there and they love their teachers! The teachers are compassionate and really get the best out of each student. The teacher:student ratio is the best I've seen in San Diego. The principle went out of her way accommodate each of my children's specific needs and we had regular feedback sessions where she, the teachers and I would create specific action plans to meet our objectives. I would recommend this school without any hesitation! read more

Such a great preschool for little ones! The director, Miss Jen, works very diligently to ensure a balance between academics and play and age appropriate activities. My daughter is in the preK class and was very upset to be separated from me but the teacher Miss Nichole is truly gifted at making each child feel safe, special, and confident in their own abilities. She's so excited to see my daughter each day and it has left me feeling confident my daughter will succeed in kindergarten next year. I have had such positive experiences at this school I can't recommend it enough! read more

Elm Park preschool is such a gem My daughter loves going to school here and gets super excited to see her teachers and friends everyday I drop her off. Miss Ellie is so amazing, very nurturing and loving to my daughter. She's very positive and calm with her which has helped my daughters behavior immensely and helped her self confidence grow too. I can tell she really cares about my daughter because of the way my daughter talks about her and the look on her face when she sees her. On the weekends my daughter will say she misses her. Miss Modessa is also a very sweet and loving teacher and very positive with her as well. Miss Jen the director is very on top of things and so great with my daughter too. She welcomed her into the school so wonderfully and my daughter instantly felt comfortable there. She always keeps me updated with everything I need to know too which I really like. There are beautiful playgrounds for the kids with plenty of shade and the classrooms are very nice too with lots of windows with the sun coming in. The class sizes are super super great too, so lots and lots of one on one attention. I'm very very happy I found this place and I know my daughter is happy we found it too:) read more

I was googling "preschools" in the Poway/Scripps/RB area, with no idea where to start, and came across Elm Park Preschool. I can't say how lucky I am to have found this school, Miss Jen, and the teachers. My daughter absolutely LOVES going to school - frankly I'm surprised at how quickly she transitioned. The curriculum and teachers are excellent, the campus/grounds are beautiful, and the classrooms are in pristine condition. They do such a good job here. Love it! read more

I cannot say enough about the level of education and enjoyment my son gets from the teachers at Elm Park Preschool. As a school teacher myself, I appreciate the thought and preparation put into every activity the children participate in. Their lessons are content driven, but the end result is very well rounded and fun, incorporating many of the multiple intelligences that are so crucial for all learners, but especially the youngest ones. I also want to add that their behavior management is excellent. When deciding on a preschool for my son, behavior management and discipline methods were important to me. After observing the classroom and speaking to the owner and head teacher, Miss Jen, I found that they use the same method I prescribe to, which is basically centered around good and bad choices. The students are not chastised in any way, which was a must for me. My son always looks forward to going to school, and is disappointed if it is not a school day. I believe this is a testament to the engaging and nurturing environment that Miss Jen and Miss Kendra continuously maintain at Elm Park. read more

My son has been going to Elm Park for almost 2 years now. We love it. The staff is so kind and professional. My son loves his teachers and is excited to go to school. He has learned so much and continues to grow. We are so lucky to have found this preschool. I would highly recommend it to family and friends. read more

We transferred to Southern California from Nor Cal and enrolled my 4 year old son here last month. The enrollment was smooth and the director answered all our questions. Our son was previously attending Montessori last school year and he has excelled socially and academically so much already at this school. This school is a Gem in the heart of Poway. The environment and teachers are all warm and nurturing. They are inclusive and respects diversity. The facility is clean and well organized. There is a nice sized shaded play structure and sand pit. Kids can ride on trikes or have the option to free range in their nice sized supervised gated play yard during free play. There are no morning struggles getting DS to school and he is so happy at this pre school. Jen the director is personable, she greets all the parents and kids at morning and afterschool drop off and is also involved in the classroom. When my son walks in class in the mornings all the kids are engaged doing morning activities and the teacher is hands on, patient and involved. This school is a balance of play and academics. They also offer the children healthy snacks at break. My son said they have the best watermelon. :) He comes home with projects about a specific topic (last week was tree/plant roots) and he is very proud to show us and tells us about his day and what he learned in school. He also really enjoys playing with all his sweet new friends. We love elm street pre school!! Thank you Jen for helping to make this transition a breeze and less stressful for our 4 year old son. "The process to become an inclusive leader doesn't start when a grown person enters into the business world. No, indeed it starts much earlier. It starts at the childhood stage and must be nurtured throughout the formative educational years. " read more

Elm Park is not accommodating, and has some major issues primarily because the director, Ms. Jen, does not give her teachers the freedom to teach. This review is based on the 4 year old classroom. My child was there for about 6 months and didn't learn much more than the months of the year. When asked about his/her day at Elm Park my child had little to say beyond that we just played- which is now not the case since we switched schools and raves about all the activities completed and has learned so much that my husband and I are blown away. The work he/she brought home was half done, they had journals but pages were skipped or not completely filled in. The kids only used crayons to write. Pencils would be used next year is what I was told. They didn't have enough scissors for every student to completed scissor lead activities. They were told to wait their turn for the scissors to become available. Then the kid who got the scissors second would be rushed to finish since it was time to move on to the next thing. At the patent teacher conference (that I had to request and then rushed through bc the director had to go) was lead by the director and based primarily on an assessment the director had preformed on my child. The parents were not notified that such assessment was done. I figured this out when I heard from my child that he/she was removed from class, brought to another classroom and asked a bunch of questions from the director. The director did most of the talking and had not one positive thing to say about my child. I was told that I already knew that my child is above average and that there is nothing more they could do for him/her, and that I should bring in more advance worksheets or books. When I did bring in more advance work it did not mirror what the other children were learning, and feared that learning was not becoming fun as he/she was only getting a worksheet to do. The director Ms. Jen is very unorganized, parents are notified last minute on events. School parties are thrown together last minute and then the kids are rushed through it because the director wants the kids to go outside or the teachers are to continue with the lesson plan. When we registered for preschool we were not notified that the school was switching locations until the first day of school started, and then not updated on the location switched until months after school started. When my child's teacher was absent the entire class was uprooted to the other teachers classrooms instead of having a substitute come in. Parents were suppose to get emailed from the teacher weekly and got them at first, but then they stopped coming too until it was brought up then the teacher apologized for not including us in the emails. The classroom age requirement is not existent because there were 2 year olds added to the class half way through the school year. We are so happy that we decided to leave Elm Park, and would not recommend this school. read more

We found this school by chance. After visiting other schools we chose this one and were never disappointed. The staff love the kids like their own. On top of the unity the kids learn a lot in so many ways. I am so glad my daughter attended the school for the years she did. The teachers provided education that helped expand my child's knowledge in ways I could not. I reccomend this school any parent in the area looking for a caring and nurturing environment. read more

Today was my daughter's last day of preschool. She has spent the last two years at this wonderful preschool (5 full days/week) after having never been cared for by anyone other than family. I could not have been happier with the level of attention and care she received and the skills (both academic and social) she has learned. At her kindergarten assessment she demonstrated that she was "more than ready and prepared" for kindergarten at PUSD in the fall. She never had a single complaint about her teachers, classroom or experience (and she is more than happy to share her complaints and criticisms haha). We will miss the staff dearly. And I would highly recommend this school. read more

Our daughter loves Elm Park Preschool and that's the best review possible! We relocated to San Diego last summer and found it challenging to find a new preschool to call home. The director and teachers were incredibly warm and welcoming and worked with our daughter to make a smooth transition to a new environment. Whenever we have had a challenge, and taken it to the director or a teacher, they have partnered with us to find solutions. We also appreciate the smaller class sizes, monthly newsletters, and weekly emails from her class teacher. The teacher and the director provide us with regular feedback about our daughter's social and academic progress and we have always felt like partners in her school experience. We are happy to be a part of the Elm Park Preschool family! read more

Elm Park preschool is a wonderful place for kids. The campus grounds are beautiful and classrooms are clean and well maintained. Before enrolling in this preschool we visited many other places that were highly recommended but this school had the most welcoming atmosphere and attentive teachers. The school is small and kids get to know each other and teachers very well. Every week my son learns something new, brings home multiple art projects and demonstrates new skills. He talks about his teachers all the time and wants to go back. Teachers at Elm Park preschool have experience working with bilingual kids. My son came in with zero English and after a few months of part-time attendance he is starting to use English words. Both miss Jennifer and miss Kendra are very dedicated to their jobs and created a warm and friendly learning environment. I wish I was a child so I could go to Elm Park preschool as a student. read more

My son recently started attending Elm Park Preschool, and we are so happy with the school! It's small, has a great teacher to student ratio, and everyone who works there is so friendly! This is my son's first experience with preschool, and the transition has been much easier than I expected it to be. I highly recommend Elm Park! read more

This is my sons second year at Elm Park preschool. I wish I had found this school when my daughter was in preschool! Miss Jenn is the BEST teacher! She really works with each child and know how to engage them in learning! My son is always excited to go to school, and so excited to tell me about what he has done that day. I know this school will really have my son prepared for kindergarten next year, although we will be sad to leave! read more

This is my daughter's second year at Elm Park and we couldn't be happier. She loves going to school, and has since her very first day. The teachers have created a super comfortable and friendly environment. Class size is small and the kids get a lot of personal attention. My daughter is already achieving the educational benchmarks she will need to succeed at kindergarten next year. Ms. Jen is incredibly open and available to parents. This is a fantastic school in a great neighborhood! read more

Elm Park preschool has been the perfect preschool for our son. Once reserved and shy, our little boy has come out of his shell. The teachers are kind and they use a great system for learning sounds and letters. The campus in beautiful!! read more

Being new to the area I had no idea where to begin looking for a preschool for our son. I began searching for preschools in the Scripps/Poway area on the internet and had my work cut out for me. We were looking for a preschool that had a safe environment, curriculum that prepared him for kindergarten as well as reinforced values, staff that was nurturing, encouraging, and supportive, social opportunities that encouraged development and growth, and of course all of this in a bundle without creating a hole in our wallets (being that he is our youngest of three). After looking at several other schools, I was so happy and relieved when I realized my search was over when I visited Elm Park Preschool! We have had such a wonderful experience at this school and my son loves going to school as well as his new friends; especially his teacher Miss Jenn! My son always comes home with fun activities and crafts and can't wait to go back. The staff is also amazing! Miss Jenn is a fantastic teacher that really communicates well with the parents and has great interaction with the kids. She has a lot of experience and I know that every day when I leave my son there, he is in good care. I would definitely recommend this preschool to others! read more