This charming preschool is located in the heart of Altadena. The area is very safe and family-friendly. My 4-year-old attended until he was 19 months old. The school helped him learn to speak, be gentle and kind, and even potty train him! The staff is excellent, patient, kind, and everyone is enjoyable. Now, my son is in TK, and thanks to the excellent education he received, the school decided to place him in a combined TK/Kindergarten class based on his advanced development. We will miss the Firehouse School and all of its wonderful after-school parties and programs. read more

Firehouse School - A child with shoulder-length hair, wearing a blue checkered shirt, beige pants, and sneakers, is playing outdoors near a red slide. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Altadena, California

This is a wonderful learning environment. The teachers and staff really are committed to their craft and the students. They are all kind and smart. The highest caliber we've encountered in the preschool circuit. They also tailor their approach towards the student. My child has been challenged and is doing advanced work for his age because the teachers do not believe in limiting the kids. The facility is cute and well maintained. Also they have a wonderful community of parents who get along and support the school with their presence and supplemental activities. I plan to send my youngest there as well when the time comes which is the best endorsement. If you want a safe, supportive, structured, and familial envío, the firehouse is for you! read more

I wanted to take a minute to write a review of FHS daycare for the location on Casa grande and Altadena. We pulled our 14 month son out of the daycare, because circumstances changed in our home, and grandma was eager to spend more time with him while she still has the chance. I have nothing but praise for this daycare. The owner Ms. Ishani, and Ms. Gayane run a tight ship here. They have created an environment with structure and rules that I feel work perfectly for little ones and parents. Our little baby boy was always taken care of, and loved by his teachers. The curriculum makes sure that he was socializing and learning fundamentals skills. His favorite teacher Ms. Romelia was an amazing teacher and showed him so much love! We look forward to enrolling our baby when he's a bit older and needs to be in a classroom environment full time. Thank you FHS for taking care of our baby boy for the limited amount of time he was there. We're looking forward to seeing you in the future, where he will be back full time. read more

Firehouse School - Having a great day at FHS. - A toddler sits on the floor of a preschool classroom with colorful rugs, walls decorated with children's artwork, and child-sized furniture. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Altadena, California

The teachers here are amazing. The patience and calmness they possess amazes me. They deal with my very energetic kid with smiles and make him feel cared for and listened to. My kid always has stories to tell me about his teachers, friends, and what they did at school all day. They have a lot of activities, and the community of parents is supportive and inviting. read more

We have sent both our children to Firehouse School and have nothing but wonderful things to say. Firehouse School balances play and learning really well. Our two kids are very different but have both thrived at Firehouse. The teachers are great - really skilled with children of all types of learning approaches and energy levels, extremely experienced, and very communicative with parents. I highly recommend Firehouse School. read more

I only have good things to say about this pre-school. Our son attended for a little over a year, and we had a chance to meet a few of the teachers. Ms. Aru, Ms. Soni, Ms. Gloria are all wonderful and caring, and have a perfect combination of softness and strictness, which I found very appropriate. Ms. Ishani, the director, was very responsive to whatever requests we had for our child. I was also very happy with the sport and dance classes that were offered in school at additional costs, as well as music class that was included. We purchased lunches for our son, which is about $100 per month extra, but our son actually ate them, as opposed to lunches I was sending to school, that would get cold by lunch time and return home untouched. This preschool also hosts events for kids, such as magic shows, science days, etc. on top of their already strong academic program. But to show that school really cares, they put on kids shows couple times a year after work hours (!) complete with snacks and drinks so that both working parents can attend without taking a day off from work. They host open house, which also takes place after working hours, so that your kids can show off all of their amazing projects they worked so hard on! This is our 3rd preschool (our older kids went to a different one), and I have never seen preschools hosting these type of events outside of their working hours. That to me shows that they are really committed to the families they are serving! Another perk is that they do not have breaks throughout the year other than for the winter holidays, and are open on non-major holidays, so no need to plan your vacations around school calendar. I was very hesitant to pull my son from his previous preschool due to their early closures, but in retrospect, wish I would do it sooner. read more

This review is for the Firehouse Day care facility at Altadena Dr & Casa Grande. I've had my son at the 3 month - 2 yr. old room. They have a separate pre school class for 2 - 4 year olds in the same facility. He's been with firehouse for almost a year now so I can safely express my review about the facility. I had initially visited 3 other day care facilities and when we visited Firehouse I liked the way things we run and it was a very safe, clean environment. I also had an opportunity to interview a few parents. What made me ultimately sign on with Firehouse was a former recommendation that I got from an old colleague because he had a great review of the program. I appreciate all the work and help that the caretakers give my child. Miss Naria gives me updates on what my son is learning every day, Miss Gayane sends me photos which I appreciate and Miss Romelia is so kind and loving to my son. They're all wonderful. I see that they have had some staff changes and they currently do have an All-Star team. My son is now 18 months and he's been coming home reciting his ABC's, I appreciate the academic and social help that he's been receiving at Firehouse and recommend this day care facility. read more

This is a review for the Firehouse Preschool on Allan Ave and New York Ave. Both my daughter and son went to Firehouse Preschool from 2-5 years old. We could not have been happier with the leadership from Ms. Ishani and the talented and professional skills of all the teachers there. My son and daughter excelled greatly academically and socially. Ms. Ishani and all the teachers do such a great job incorporating family, sports, and holiday spirit into their curriculum too to teach such a social and inclusive environment for all. I'm honored to say my children were graduates of the FIrehouse Preschool and highly recommend it to others. Best Regards, Carissa Tudryn Weber read more

This review is for the Casa Grande and Altadena Dr. Location. My daughter turned two last month and has been with Firehouse for one year. The transition from staying home with me the first year and starting daycare was seamless, thanks to Firehouse Director, Ms. Gayane. Ms. Romelia, Ms. Jennyfer, Ms. Naria, and the other amazing infant room teachers have treated my daughter with love, care, and patience. Thank you all so much! My husband and I appreciate you. Today my daughter transitioned from the infant room to the preschool side. We're excited for this milestone and look forward to another year of learning and socializing! I wholeheartedly recommend Firehouse to anyone looking for a daycare in the Pasadena area. read more

My son attended Firehouse School in Pasadena for over a year. He was in the infant room from 7 months to almost 2 years. We are only leaving because we are leaving the state and I honestly cried when we left. I have nothing but good things to say about the teachers and staff. I've always felt my son was looked after, and yet, given the freedom to play and explore. If there were ever any booboos such as scratches or anything at all, they always let me know and cared for him. As mentioned in other comments, there was some turnover, but my son's teachers have been consistent for many months and he adores them. I know they have very high standards for their staff and are very strict in following all rules and regulations. He is always happy to go to school and is excited to show me all of their toys and his friends when I pick him up. Almost every day I feel as though my son is bringing home an art project or an academic project. He has truly grown and excelled under their care. He's also made many friends and it warms my heart watching them play together. It is true there are no cameras, but they often send photos of activities and include the parents in many social events. I highly recommend taking a tour if you're thinking about putting your child in daycare. read more

This is also a review for the Firehouse location in Pasadena (located on Altadena and Casa Grande). I debated writing this review, but feel the obligation to inform other parents. I, like many other parents, assumed that the new location would leverage the established best practices that are in place at the Altadena location, est for 20 years. I was disappointed to learn that was not the case and they are very much in the trial and error mode with their operations, common to a new location. First warning signs: Emotional Abuse to Children - I went to turn in my application and heard a teacher changing a baby that was wailing and the teacher was yelling at the child, exasperated, "Stop crying, what else do you want me to do, I'm changing you!!" I was shocked by the lack of care and aggressive tone towards a baby! I shared this experience with the Owner and she was defensive, saying that she knows the infant room teachers and they are very good and that particular baby was very attached to one teacher and he needs to learn to be with other teachers. I was also bothered that the Director gave me the door code to leave my application without verifying any ID. I wrote them off at that point and looked for other preschools, but my husband asked me to reconsider because the school was in a convenient location. I interviewed 2 parents and 1 of the preschool teachers and was happy with the feedback, so we moved forward. I thought perhaps that was a one-off issue and /or issues were siloed to the infant room (we were entering preschool). The Owner later told me that she fired that teacher after many parent complaints. Next warning sign: Teacher Turnover - The 2 preschool teachers in the classroom left 2 months before we were due to start. We weren't notified of until 2 weeks prior to our start date. Turns out this was not the first time the teachers turned over. I learned later, in the previous year, 8 teachers in total have come and left (6 from the preschool), some just poor hires from the start and some who didn't want to work with the Director. When all of preschool teachers left, the Director and an aid were managing a classroom of 15 children ages 2-4. We were assured that hiring was eminent and were asked to give them a chance to rehire teachers. By this point, we had let go of our nanny, so we had no choice. Next warning sign: Security concerns observed on transition days - I attended 2 transition days in which I was present for part of the day. I'm not supposed to interact, just be a security blanket for my child. In that time, I saw him walk through an unlocked gate and wander off the playground into the alley that leads to the abandoned church with no teacher/aid going after him. I saw the aid (who is an 18 year old child that looks miserable at all times in her role) forcibly pick up a little girl that was having a hard time transitioning from playground to inside and exasperatedly plead, "XXXXX, COME ON, COME ON!!" I know kids at times need to be picked up and that's fine but the tone was so devoid of any care or love. I was shocked to see this in front of me. How much worse do they speak to children when I'm not there? Separately, I had to grab something from stroller outside and asked the aid if she could let me back in the front locked door (as I didn't have the door code yet) and she said "you can just prop the door open." I told her I would not do that for security reasons. Lastly, I came to pick up my son one day and he's crying the hallway and the Director is with him and says "I think he's wet." I shared that I left diapers in his backpack in his cubby and she defensively said "you didn't tell me that." I didn't think I needed to. This was a sign that they were obviously too overwhelmed to literally unzip a backpack and change a diaper, which the owner later admitted was the fault of the Director. When I asked the Owner if she would be spending more time at the Pasadena location in this time of transition she said no, that both locations need equal time. This strikes me as oblivious and a way to avoid paying for proper management and oversight to run schools that maintains high standards and credibility. The Owner offered me a spot at the Altadena location but by this time, they had lost my trust due to: Security concerns Poor staff retention Poor hiring practices Incompetent and uncaring aids Ignoring basic hygiene needs Poor parent communication Overall poor management and oversight Inappropriate curriculum for child's age I'm ashamed to say that I gave FH so many chances and ignored the warning signs. I didn't trust my gut, please trust yours. The reality is that this location is experiencing major growing pain due to being a new location and lacks the management and oversight to make it a success. Don't let your child be the guinea pig. read more

My son has been enrolled at the Firehouse School location on Altadena Drive (Pasadena) for almost a year. He started when he was just under a year old and will be transitioning to the preschool room soon. We were grateful to find an open spot for our infant and have found the center to be communicative, clean, welcoming, and loving. My son loves his teachers and I feel confident each day that, when I drop him off, he will be well cared for and happy. He has clearly learned a lot and developed friendships with other kids. I also appreciate the community of parents we have been developing. The hours of operation are very accommodating for working parents as well as the year-round schedule. read more

I am reviewing the location on Casa grande and Altadena. My daughter has been attending the school for five months. The beginning was a little difficult transitioning from home to daycare but overall she was very happy. I saw a lot of growth with my child. She is extremely happy to go into school and just as happy to see me when I pick her up. I'm happy with the cleanliness of the facility. They did have a bit of a rocky start when I first started, but I know the teacher was having a family emergency had to move to be closer to a relative. when they did rehire 2 teachers, I am equally happy with them. My daughter has grown so much, talking and potty training has been a great help! I would recommend them to anyone. read more

This is a wonderful school thats opened year round. My daughters started in May 2021 at the age of 2 and a half and 4 and a half. They had never been in any school. They have been there now for the past 10 months. All the teachers are caring and professional. My youngest was potty trained at school with in a month. And my oldest started reading a few months ago. I am very happy with the curriculum because they are learning fast and are happy to go to school. I highly recommend this school. read more

Firehouse School - Two children wearing masks stand in front of a mural at Firehouse School, with potted plants and cartoon characters in the background. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Altadena, California

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Our toddler attends Firehouse in Pasadena (on Altadena dr and casa grande). Our child has been attending since they opened and is going on 2 Years now. She Loves going to school. She cried the first couple days being an infant and separation but after couple days, she forgot all about me and runs to the door to go to school. She has learned so much, their curriculum is super age appropriate! They have security cameras at every angle, even outdoors which I've seen in the office. They do proper background checks for their employees upon hiring. The teachers have all been loving and caring with the baby's and toddlers, especially the director! She is very hands on and treats the children as if they are her own. I get photos and videos of my child when she's there. I am always aware of what's happening, so communication from the owner, director, and teachers is good. I get daily reports about my daughter's behavior, mood, eating habits, restocking on her diapers/wipes, changing times, and even nap times. We have to put our child's wipes and diapers in their assigned place that has their name on it in the Changing station. I get emails with upcoming events, schedules, holidays, even changes that might be coming. So there is constant communication about what's happening. I will always recommend Firehouse School! read more

Firehouse School - HAPPY toddler who loves going to Firehouse School - A child in a Pokémon costume and a green recycling hat stands in a classroom with educational posters and decorations. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Altadena, California

This is a review for the other location (Pasadena on Altadena Dr.) of the Firehouse School, as the owner has not yet posted a Yelp page for the new location. (Hmmm I wonder why?) This page has old 5 star reviews which is what I looked at when considering the new location. So I'm posting this review because I feel it's important for any other parents looking for a safe, loving and nurturing environment for their kids to warn you about Firehouse. This place is not that. My son attended this daycare for two months and in that time we were very disappointed by the care he received to the point where I was worried about his emotional safety. I witnessed a teacher yelling at my son to stop crying and then walk away from him when he was still struggling to adjust to staying at daycare for the whole day. He was just 18 months old. I immediately pulled him out. I was horrified to imagine what else went on that I didn't happen to witness. No wonder my son was so upset every day :( When I brought it up to the owner she was very dismissive and said it was because my son was too attached to me and his other caregivers, so it was our fault. And took no responsibility for what happened. (Are you serious?) I know from other parents who have kept their kids here, there have been ongoing issues with the level of emotional care and connection given to the kids as well as teachers quitting/being fired and overall, it's just bad vibes. They don't have cameras or send videos which is another red flag. Even doggy daycares have cameras. I should've trusted my gut. Please trust yours! :) read more

Our 5 year old daughter just graduated from Firehouse school. She has been there since 2 years old and we could not have asked for a better school. She has grown both academically and socially through the care of each teacher. We love this school because the teachers cater to each child's learning ability and social interaction which has benefited our daughter immensely. We also love how they incorporate spanish lessons at such a young age. The music program is a highlight for our daughter as she loves to sing and after school programs like sports, legos, and dance are also great options to pursue. The Firehouse school summer program is very fun for the children as they both in-house field trips (Sawdust Factory is a favorite), water play, and academics. Ms. Ishani direction over Firehouse school is impeccable. She is always there to help or talk making sure one has the best experience. Here teachers have been there for many years and it's beautiful to see how they watch each child grow from 2 years old. We highly recommend Firehouse School! read more

We, and our 2 year old daughter, simply love this school. - The teachers are caring, attentive, and thorough. - The facility is clean, well equipped, has a nice outdoor play area, and the fact that it's a former firehouse makes it super cute and quaint. - The other families have been lovely and involved. - The drop off area is better than most daycares, which can really impact your day, both in terms of efficiency and safety. - Also, unlike many daycares, the rate is reasonable, and the waiting list isn't crazy long (though you'll still likely have to wait a few months for a spot to open). Plus, for a small extra fee, lunch is included. Highly recommend. read more

My daughter has been at Firehouse School for almost a year and it was the best decision we could have made. She transitioned from a home day care (very small and light on teaching) and Firehouse School was super accommodating about helping her adjust. She is absolutely thriving without sacrificing just being a kid. The school has a good balance of curriculum and and play, structure and fun. Ms. Rose-Marie is awesome at checking my spirited child without repressing her, doling out discipline without shaming. The curriculum is well-rounded, learning letters and numbers, music and dance, Spanish and science! For a monthly fee, they even offer sports classes. There is a parents club that meets monthly and is active in the school. They fund raise to sponsor awesome activities in the summer months and smaller field trips and events during the school year. Top to bottom a wonderful pre-school. read more

I can't praise this school enough. My family has just finished up 4 years here, starting with my daughter, and then my son. The teachers here are top notch. Both children left at age 4 to attend TK and were more than prepared, both academically and socially. Ms. Ishani, the owner/director is not only a wonderful, caring person, she is also a complete professional. Any goofs, usually on the part of the parents, are addressed quickly, kindly, and efficiently. If the above reasons aren't enough, tuition fees are more than reasonable when compared to other daycare in the area. Don't wait! Sign up early because this place is always full. read more

The Firehouse School was an amazing place for our family. Our daughter was enrolled for three years, and it was incredible to see her social and academic development over this time, especially with reading and writing. The curriculum was structured but also creative, and there were many fun events for the whole family throughout the school year. The school itself is spotless, adorable, and just the right size. The children learn to share spaces and pick up after themselves, and this learning process is further helped by the great organization systems within the classrooms and outdoor area. Our daughter talks about her friends and teachers from FHS regularly, and it's really no wonder. The school was welcoming, and the faces were constant. The FHS family became her family, and we were very sad to leave. Please do not hesitate at all to enroll your children at the Firehouse School! read more

Our daughter attended the last 3 years at Firehouse. Ms. Ishani and her staff of teachers and aides care deeply about teaching children academic foundation, nutrition, performing arts, manners and athletics. Ms. Maral (3 yr. old class teacher) , and Ms. Soni (5 yr old class teacher) we're both so sweet and impactful on learning. Ms. Rosemary the longtime 4 yr. old class teacher had an illness and was forced into retirement halfway thru our daughters year......Ms. Ishani was prepared and had Ms. Gloria ready to step-in and takeover the class...all the kids and parents quickly adapted she did a terrific job. Thank you Ms. Mary for your wonderful music performances, and Ms. Armine for your yummy lunches and snacks. We moved to the South Bay in March the week before COVID-19 shutdown. Our daughter was enrolled in local Kindergarten public school, and went straight into virtual learning. As parents we could see from the background that she was more than prepared. She is thriving with the online apps for reading and math and not afraid to speak up and communicate in the online Zoom meetings. Thank you Firehouse for preparing our daughter to succeed in the years ahead!! read more

I've wanted to write this positive review for some time now with the intent to: let prospective parents know that this is a great school to consider, reaffirm to existing parents or past parents they made a great decision in sending their kid(s) here, and thank the faculty and school for a professional and enjoyable experience for the kids and the parents. I have been fortunate enough to live in three affluent areas and have tried well over a handful of preschools due to having to relocate. To this day, both my husband and I say Firehouse was a great school and experience for us. We never really found anything better and this school checked all of our must have boxes. The director and teachers were so personal and would work with us on anything. I felt beyond comfortable in reaching out to the director on any matter, which turned out to be an added bonus. If you want to know your kids will be okay and you want to see them achieve academic and social success, then I would highly recommend Firehouse for consideration. Every school has their strengths, but Firehouse finishes strong in all areas. When I look back on my childs attendance there, I realize how encompassing it was for the total growth of the student. We love Firehouse and miss the school, staff, teachers, parents, and our childs classmate friends too! read more

Firehouse school is simply the best preschool program in town. Both of my kids have been going to FHS for over 3 years and we have loved every minute of it. The teaching staff and director are incredibly caring and loving. Our kids enjoy going to school everyday, they do a lot of cool activities and overall the curriculum is quite brilliant. We are so thankful to the staff at FHS for helping us educate our kids in such an extraordinary manner. read more

This school is so wonderful. My three sons have absolutely thrived at Firehouse. They are multiples and all different socially and academically and the school was wonderful in treating them as individuals. I chose the school because it is very clean and looked very fun for the kids. I had heard good things and knew my sons would be in good hands. What was an added bonus was the fact that all of my 4 year olds are able to read and do basic math! This school has prepped them for elementary school beyond what I could have ever expected. They have a wonderful music teacher who comes twice a week and the option for additional Sports and Science classes, which we have loved. The community of parents and teachers is so wonderful! Ms. Ishani does a wonderful job directing the school. read more

If you are looking for safety, a good educational beginning, caring kind wonderful staff, then this is the school for your child or grandchild. Two years ago, my daughter sent my adorable, but challenging two year old grandson to Firehouse School. Two years later he is a dream. He is happy, learning something new everyday and loves to go to school. A great educational and loving curriculum. I highly recommend. read more