It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and a great reminder for me to share a review…read more May 2025: A year later and we are still loving Guidepost. Ms. Emilia, Ms. Carol, Mr. Miles, Ms. Tanya, Ms. Shelby, and so many others have been amazing teachers to our precocious, rambunctious toddler. He loves his class and looks forward to school every day. The guides take such great care to nurture our toddler's curiosities, spending a great deal of time organizing events and exposing him to new words, activities, cultures, and habits every day. They spend some of their evenings and weekends as well to facilitate fun activities like movies & pizza for Parent's Night Out or summer water parties when the weather is warm. We feel so fortunate to have been introduced to this place and know that our kids are happy and healthy here. The teachers use apps to help log activities and photos, so we never miss out and get tons of updates throughout the week. Ms. Emilia sends weekly updates about our toddler's class and their focuses for the week, and Ms. Shelby send weekly updates about school happenings. Ms. Stephanie is always available to chat if we have any questions or concerns to share, and all of the guides seem to celebrate the mini milestones our kids achieve every day. --- Jan 2024: Our little one just started in the Nido infant class and is thriving! We were so worried about the transition, but Mrs. Yvette and all of the teachers are so wonderful and kind. They guided us new parents and helped make the environment so warm and welcoming for our baby. It's only week 3 but our little one is eager to go to school to see his teachers and friends!

We have had such a wonderful experience with both of our children at Guidepost Emeryville. As a…read morefamily, we deeply value the Montessori approach--fostering independence, confidence, and the joy of self-directed learning--and we've seen those principles in action every day. Our older daughter thrived in the Children's House, thanks to a nurturing environment and a team of dedicated teachers. She has a uniquely expressive personality, and her guides--Ms. Vivian, Ms. Becky, Ms. Bobo, and Ms. Ladan--have shown exceptional patience and understanding. Their consistent guidance helped build her confidence and supported her development in both motor and learning skills. We also deeply appreciate the after-school programs, which not only save parents from a lot of logistical juggling but also expose the kids to a wide variety of experiences and learning opportunities. The support from all the other guides--Mr. Joe, Ms. Eva, Ms. Madison, Ms. Daisy, Mr. Alex, and others--across classrooms has been equally warm and encouraging. Our younger son has been part of the toddler class since he was 1.5 years old, and we're so impressed by the impact of the consistent teaching strategies. His independence and language development have blossomed under the care of Ms. Emilia and Ms. Carol, along with many other thoughtful guides, such as Ms. Ashely and Ms. Adis, who rotate in to support the class. The administrative team has also been wonderful--Ms. Stephanie, Ms. Shelby, and Ms. Zoey greet families with warmth every day and remember each child by name, creating a welcoming and consistent environment that truly feels like a community. Guidepost Emeryville has been a truly enriching place for both of my children. We're so grateful for the loving, respectful, and developmentally thoughtful care they provide.

Bay Sky is a gem of a school. Grace does an excellent job supporting the whole child--socially,…read moreemotionally, physically, and cognitively. Mandarin is the primary language used in daily routines, songs, conversations, and play-work, and the children all seem to gain real comfort and confidence with the language even if the household is not Mandarin-speaking. The classroom environment encourages independence and hands-on activities and exudes warm calm. We've seen our child develop solid skills in emotional regulation, social interactions, and self-confidence. Highly recommended for families seeking authentic Mandarin immersion in a thoughtful Montessori setting.

There are many wonderful details I could write about Bay Sky, but to keep it simple: having tried…read morenumerous other preschools in the area, Bay Sky was the end of our search. And based on those delightful years, to which my daughters still fondly refer, Bay Sky is also where my baby twins will go when they're old enough. If you discovered Bay Sky via this review, likely it will be difficult to get in, because it's just so good that every Bay Sky family will already be recommending it to everyone they know. Good luck! If only I could find anything even remotely as good at the elementary level...

We could not have been happier with AIM preschool and elementary school. They have incredibly…read morededicated teachers and staff. Ernie Mahr is a great leader and sets the tone from the top down. He even did a home visit for us to help reinforce the learning our kids were getting on a Thursday night at 7pm (sometimes parents need help too)! We would get emails from teachers late at night keeping us updated on progress and ways to collaborate with them. I have only good things to say about this school and wish we could have stayed longer. Alas, the pandemic changed the direction of our lives and we moved away but if there is anything our entire family misses from the bay area, it is the AIM school and community.

The American International Montessori School is a wonderful school. They have a nice and clean…read morefacility for the kids to play in with lots of learning going on from the infant rooms straight up to first grade. The director and teachers have been very warm and welcoming to my family. I do not speak Japanese or Mandarin. They have given me a lot of CDs and books to help me better understand the languages. I also love that they have really made it a point to include diverse celebrations from the Latino culture and many others. I really feel lucky to have found such an amazing school for my son.

We are so grateful to have found Mountain Boulevard Montessori School for our son. It's hard to…read morefind a daycare you can truly trust, especially when you're starting them at such a young age, but we immediately felt comforted by the staff's warmth and genuine care during our initial tour there. Our son started here at just two years old, and we have been amazed to watch him blossom over the years. The teachers and staff have not only provided a nurturing and loving environment but have also been deeply committed to the children's education. We've seen him learn and grow so much, and the curriculum has thoroughly prepared him for his start in grade school. Mountain Boulevard Montessori School is a truly special place, and we are so grateful for all the hard work they put in. We're so happy with our experience that we've already decided to bring our next child here when she is old enough. We couldn't recommend this school more highly.

I want to take a moment to recognize the Director Mr Dennis for his excellent customer service. I…read morereached out to a few Montessori schools with questions about their policies because I'm currently going through a custody battle. , the father enrolled our child in a Montessori school, and that school refused to provide me with any details--even after I made it clear there are no restrictions on custody. It made an already difficult situation even more frustrating, as it felt like they were siding with him or had been told not to share any information with me. Dennis, however, was incredibly helpful and went above and beyond . Even though my child isn't enrolled at his school, he took the time to clearly explain their policies and shared that all Montessori schools should follow the same principles. He emphasized that both parents should be treated equally and provided all the information I needed without hesitation. He even instructed me on what steps .which was incredibly thoughtful and supportive. Although I currently share 50/50 custody, if I had the choice, I would absolutely choose Mountain boulevard Montessori. It's clear that they genuinely care about the children and families they serve. They're not just focused on profits--they put people first.

My 3 kids have been with GMIS for the past 6 school years. If I had a 4th, i'd choose them again!…read more We love the Montessori-style of learning! The classroom is full of different trays on shelves - very neatly organized - that the children get to choose as their activity. Everything is play-based, but all contribute to their future learning of math, language, and independence. When my kids were 2 years-old, GMIS helped to potty-train them. They are very flexible and work with you to get this done. The Young Children's House teacher is a god-send!! A huge draw for us was the Mandarin immersion. We do not speak Mandarin at home (I come from a Cantonese and Teo Chew speaking household, my husband is English only), but I wanted my kids to have a Chinese language and have more exposure to the culture. There is a Spanish after-school class if families are interested in that as well. My daughter takes that and loves it! Each class has a Chinese teacher and an English teacher. They learn all their letters, sounds and also learn them in cursive. The older classrooms are combined ages of 3-5 years-old. For enrichment activities, they are grouped by age. What I love most is that I feel absolutely no pressure to enroll my kids in any other enrichment because GMIS has it all! Consider it the "One stop shop" of preschools! The regular school day is 8:30am - 3pm (but you can have your kids there as long as 8am - 6pm) My kids have all learned: dance, music, performing arts, gardening, cooking, animal care, soccer, various art projects, caring for their environment (folding clothes, wiping windows, watering plants, feeding pets, etc...). Only thing they don't have is swim ;P There's a lot of opportunity for family engagement: Chinese new year is biggest performance. A theatre is rented out and the kids perform multiple songs and dances. They recite lines and wear costumes that are shipped in from Taiwan. There is lion dancing and food. Is a huge event that is so special to watch come together! How they get all those kids to do this is still incredible to me!! One of my favorite events is the Grandparents luncheon where the kids make stone soup for Thanksgiving. Each kid contributes an ingredient, prepares it at school, and it all goes into a pot. Grandparents come and the kids sit with them to have lunch. It's such a special way they incorporate the elders into their school lives. You may not even need to do your own trick-or-treating because GMIS throws a Halloween parade with trick-or-treating around the block afterwards! Another thing I absolutely adore is the birthday circle. The birthday kid will sit with the teacher and show the class a photo of each year of the kid's life. The teacher explains what are normal developmental milestones for that year, then the kid holds an earth and walks around the image of the sun on the floor. Then they go on to the next year of life. It's so super special! There are weekly newsletters with reminders, signups, photos, and Montessori education. When the kids graduate, they are well prepared for Kindergarten. There are some GMIS alumni who return for some of the special events too! I had the option of putting my kids into TK but opted to stay at GMIS because of the robust program they have. I wouldn't be able to do half days (many TKs end at 12noon) and wouldn't want to just have babysitting for the remainder of the day if the schools offered extended care. I've always said that GMIS feels like home. It's not a huge school and things don't feel fancy inside. But everything is well-kept, the teachers are understanding and the kids are loved!

Our kiddo has been here a year and loves Holly laoshi! It's amazing to see how much he's grown, and…read morehow much he has to tell us about all the things he does at school He likes being around the older kids at playground time - they've been helpful peer encouragement for potty-training, which was pretty difficult for us beforehand, and the teachers here made it look easy. He really enjoys the dance, music, and soccer as well.

Our daughter recently started at BIM. I am originally from Japan so I was looking for a full…read morejapanese immersion school and I have so far been impressed. BIM does an excellent job at incorporating traditional Montessori teaching methods with japanese language and culture. The children not only learn the language, they also get to experience the culture including holidays and other traditions. The educational team is excellent, a group of teachers who pride themselves on being warm and loving while encouraging the children to grow at their own pace. We have another baby on the waiting list, make sure to sign up early as it can take a while for your space to open up.

I had the great honor of working at BIM as an office admin and co-teacher for 3 years. Even though…read moreI had tons of teaching experience and ECE units under my belt when I started, BIM was the first and only Montessori program I worked at. I learned so much about the Montessori method from my fellow co-teachers and was always inspired by their hard work and dedication to their craft. Japanese is my second language that will no doubt deteriorate if I stop using it, so being able to use it daily in various situations at my place of work was also a huge benefit for me. The BIM community as a whole is extremely tight-knit and supportive. I had never felt so loved and appreciated by the families I worked for before BIM, and it was heartening to witness new bonds and friendships being formed among everyone firsthand. Of course, I really miss the kids most of all and the funny things they would say and do, but feel very lucky and privileged to have 3 years' worth of fond memories with them. BIM, iroiro arigato! Mata ne!

There are not enough words to express how grateful we are for Ms. Amela and Mrs. Sarah (school…read moredirector) Since Lily was 3 years old, you have been so much more than teachers--you have been mentors, cheerleaders, protectors, and a constant source of love and encouragement. Through your patience, guidance, and dedication, you helped shape Lily into the confident, smart, kind, and resilient young girl she is today. You celebrated every milestone, encouraged her through challenges, and always made her feel safe, valued, and loved. As parents, we say goodbye with tears in our eyes but full hearts, knowing she is ready for the big world ahead because of the foundation you helped build. The lessons, confidence, and values you instilled in her will stay with her for years to come. Thank you for loving our girl and helping her become the amazing person she is today. We will forever be grateful for the impact you have had on her life and our family. Tearfully, but knowing she's ready for her next adventure--Lily is signing out. Thank you for everything.

I enrolled my daughter to start at the Montessori school June 2025 right after she turned two. She…read morestarted in Room 4 with Ms. Howida, Ms. Reina and Mr. Martin. She loved all of her room 4 teachers and always talking about school on the way home. After being potty trained a couple of months ago, she is now in Room 1 with Ms. Amela. She loves going to school every day and learning new skills and play with her friends. Despite several issues along the way, I also very appreciate Ms. Sarah, the director of the school. She is very informative and knowledgeable. She always follows up with issues that we raised, follow through and come up with solutions that work for us.

I learned about Pacific Coast Montessori from friends years ago. My daughters, now ages 11 and 8…read morehave had so many enriching experiences throughout their schooling and care at Pacific Coast Montessori. Director Ann Toy and Teacher Pat were instrumental in transitioning my girls to kindergarten. Ann and Pat's nurturing manner of teaching helped to foster independence and confidence in the many kids who were/are lucky to know and learn from them. Pacific Coast Montessori's calm, bright, clean and tidy space is complemented by a cheerful play structure, teaching garden and shaded lunch area in the backyard. My girls fondly recall many memories and friendships at "Ann Toy's School."

We looked and looked and looked, and finally landed here. The decision was right. Director, Ann…read moreToy's warm, loving, with commitment is what this preschool is all about. I had a minor concern about the yard being small. But turned out just fine, as I met many nice Moms and quickly formed after school play dates in nearby parks. In the end, it's not the yard size that makes the school great, it's who teaches and cares for your children.

We toured A LOT of schools before settling on Little Elephant. First, we saw plenty of larger…read moreschools and its smaller more intimate size was appealing to us. The space shows very well with two bright well laid out classrooms, nice outdoor space and lots of pets! Most importantly, we found the teaching staff to be warm and generally very experienced with reasonable tenure at the school. Our three children all had a positive experience and have fond memories of their time there. We spent almost a decade there (including through COVID) and appreciated the staff and parent community.

We love LEMs! Our 3 year old has been thriving there since she started the week of her second…read morebirthday. The teachers are fantastic and loving and fun and the environment really fosters happiness, curiosity and learning. The community is wonderful as well and we've become close friends with a few parents and good friends with the rest. We also love the diversity they foster and our bilingual daughter (we speak Spanish in our home) has flourished as she gets to speak Spanish with several of the teachers (who happen to also be native speakers) but has picked up English quickly from the learning and atmosphere here. We plan to send our second child here as we've had such a wonderful experience all around!

My child has attended ABS for almost 3 years now, and we would absolutely do this again if we had…read moreto. When it was time for our child to attend preschool, we wanted a school that provides language immersion and in close proximity to our home. ABS checked all the boxes with an added bonus of HOT lunches! Our child could now converse in French despite having non-French-speaking parents, and this is definitely the cherry on top. The school campus is very cute with veggie patches, chicken coop and a sizable play area. It is well taken care of; you can sense the pride Coralie and her staff has of this place. The teachers are engaged with the students and are responsive to parents' questions. We love the potluck events that brings the school community together. Most importantly, our child loves ABS and his teachers, and frequently tells me that he misses school on weekends!

Such a great school! The teachers are caring and so kind to each individual child. They really put…read morein the effort to make sure the kids have educational, healthy, and fun activities each and every day. My son is always grinning when he arrives and happy with the day he had when we left. Highly recommend this school, especially when compared to other options locally.