My daughter is wrapping up the third grade at ACDS. Our family has been with the school since her…read morefirst grade year. It's interesting to note how I just mentioned "our family" in reference to ACDS, because it's true - from the start it never felt like it was just my daughter being welcomed into a classroom. My husband and I were also ushered into a community of parents, children, teachers, administrators, and staff that truly are a community. This sense of familiarity and care, right from the start, was welcome. We looked at ACDS for my daughter after having been with a couple of other schools in the region that seemed to emphasize academics above all else. Academics are of course important, but I also wanted my daughter to have the chance to play and explore other possible interests. ACDS has a full complement of enrichment and extracurricular activities. Science, art, drama, music, you name it. There's a choir and a band. And every year every grade puts on a theater production, which I'm hoping next year can be done in the brand new Event Center. When school closed for COVID in March of last year, ACDS was ready for it. They moved their entire educational program online within a matter of 3 days, and it has been going strong ever since. When the school reopened for in-person learning in the fall, they continued the remote learning option alongside it. My daughter is presently the only child left online in her class, though she will be returning to school next week. Her teacher has been in close touch with me to make sure that she feels included and supported. The real gift is that my daughter has felt she is an active and important part of the community no matter where she physically is in relation to the school. And speaking of the teachers, wow! Dedicated and enthusiastic sound cliche but I assure they are not. The thought and energy they put into their lessons, especially even across two learning platforms, is phenomenal. If they had a high school, I would be planning to send my daughter. But for now I will just enjoy the stellar preparation she is getting for whatever step she chooses next.

We had a very disappointing experience with the middle school program. In my experience, the…read moreenvironment was particularly difficult for families seeking a supportive and inclusive approach, for example for students with learning and attentional differences. If your child is energetic, social, and learns best through encouragement, engagement, and positive reinforcement, I would encourage you to ask detailed questions of administrators and parents about the middle school's approach to these students before enrolling. I was particularly concerned by what I experienced as an excessively punitive and anxiety-producing approach to discipline and academic expectations. At times, the way students were treated appeared to undermine their confidence and enthusiasm for learning rather than support their development.I was also disappointed by the gap between the school's stated mission and what our family experienced in practice. There appeared to be limited attention to students' social-emotional needs, and I found the administration insufficiently receptive to families seeking additional support or collaboration with outside resources.Overall, the middle school experience had a lasting negative effect on my child's confidence and relationship with learning. Families considering the school may want to ask specifically about learning support, counseling and social-emotional resources, disciplinary practices, and how the administration works with families whose children learn differently.

My daughter has been coming here since she was 1.5 and we really love this place. She's been…read morethriving and she loves her teachers and friends. The director and teachers really care about the kids and it shows. Thank you to the team for all that you do.

My younger daughter just graduated from "Discovery years" to attend transitional kindergarten. She…read morehas been in this school since she was 18 months old. She attended every classrooms in this fantastic school. She had great time in every classroom (2/3/4 yrs classroom) and loved every teacher. The Director, Ms. Nahzie always hires the best teachers for the children. My elder daughter who is in grade 2 now also attended Discovery Years. Children does a lot of independent activities, make friends and do a lot of indoor/outdoor play. Compared to other daycare, we feel that the teachers genuinely care and love the children. We are very fortunate to find such a wonderful daycare in our neighborhood where our children had spent their most important years with great care and love.

I can't believe how fast the year flew by--it's true what they say: time really does fly when…read moreyou're having fun! Moving my son from a quiet preschool into the energetic, social environment at Toddler Town was one of the best decisions we made. He blossomed--making friends, growing in confidence, and thriving in such a diverse and supportive setting. I'm so impressed with his handwriting, his growing grasp of math, his ability to recognize and write numbers up to 50, and even start reading sight words! What sets Toddler Town apart is the consistently excellent communication and genuine care: the small surprises like holiday treats, popsicles, or fun accessories make each day feel extra special and consistent communication through the bright wheel app and pictures. Neeka and Sarah (the owners) are hands-on and clearly devoted to the children's happiness and growth. Thanks to Toddler Town's strong focus on both academics and social development, I have no doubt he'll excel in kindergarten. We're deeply grateful to everyone at Toddler Town--you made this year amazing!

We have had such a good experience with Toddler Town. The teachers are wonderful and truly care…read moreabout every child in the school. My son has food allergies and every concern we had was met with prompt action and most importantly his safety ensured. Our son is so happy to learn and make new friends and his parents know he is in the best of hands. If you're looking for a school to go above and beyond for your child then Toddler Town is a great place to be!

The director is amazing. She can memorize all the kids name and also the alumni'sname. All of my…read morekids went here. Felt so sad when my last kid graduated from here, because I will miss this school so much. The teacher kids ratio is small. They have more than enough staffs to make sure all the kids are well supervised and helped.

Both of my children attended this preschool, including their summer program, and we had such a…read morepositive experience. The teachers are truly amazing! My kids have had Mrs. P, Mrs. McManus and Mrs. Meyers who are all so kind, patient, and caring. One of the things I appreciated most was that they incorporated Bible learning and weekly chapel into the program. Both of my kids learned to count, write, and recognize the entire alphabet, which really helped prepare them for the next stage of school. The teachers also worked on potty training with them during school which really helped. Can't recommend this school enough!

We love Miss Donna and her preschool!…read more My son had hated going to his previous preschool (crying every day at drop off), but it was totally different when he started attending Almaden Footprints because it felt just like home. He attended her preschool for 2 years prior to kindergarten. The spring of his last year Covid hit and he missed all of the last year activities like his graduation. During the summer, Miss Donna and Miss Daisy safely came to each student's home and dropped off their graduation items and preschool mementos! He was so happy to be able to see them again Fast forward 3 years and his baby sister is now with Miss Donna and she is thriving. It has been such a wonderful experience having both of my children grow under the guidance of Miss Donna and Miss Daisy. Can't thank them enough for all that they have done for my kids!

Donna is honestly the best! She is so kind, gentle and patient with the kids amongst many other…read morewonderful things. Both of my kids went to her and they loved being with her. They learned so much and were both beyond ready for kinder. We just finished our last day today with my youngest and can't say enough good things about her and her team! Your child would be lucky to get a spot with her. We will miss her soooooo much :)

This school gave me that fabled village we always hear you need to raise a child. Between the…read moreamazing teachers and the on-staff Positive Discipline Parent Coach, they really support the whole family. Working in the classroom deepens those relationships, I have come to know and love all of my son's classmates as well. It is amazing to be a part of a community that really knows and honors my son for who he is, and where we all work together as a team to support our children together. I feel so good about how I've been able to contribute to my son's education and to the development of all the students and parents. The work feels so important that rather than draining me, it ends up inspiring me. I know I'm modeling for my son what it means to not be a passive observer in an environment but to actively co-create it and tend to it. That is something I want for him as he grows up. And with safe and nurturing relationships as the base, it makes the play based learning work all the better. My son learns that he is capable, that what he thinks matters, and he relies on his own internal drive and curiosity to push him faster and further than any academic program could hope to do. I feel so grounded in my family's values here, and it's just so fun. I'm beyond grateful to have found this school and this community!

APPS is such a hidden gem. The unique nature of each child is celebrated here. The parenting coach…read morehas helped me through so many tough spots of parenting a 2-4 year old! It is so amazing to get to raise your child alongside other parents who value community and positive discipline. I've learned so much from this school and my children just love it there. This picture is of my son. He can get pretty frustrated by failure. These stilts were VERY difficult for him. Between the teachers and parents we all gave him the space to fail and get angry. He got validation from every adult he interacted with while trying to walk on these. Within 15 minutes he was walking laps around the yard and yelled "I CAN DO HARD THINGS!" Watching him succeed like this reminded me that this school is special and I needed to write this long overdue review!

We have 2 children in Kiddie and are very happy with their experiences thus far. Our youngest…read morestarted in the baby room and he was so loved and cared for by the baby room staff. It never felt unsafe and he was always so happy at drop off and pickup. He continues to thrive and we have loved all his teachers along the way. Some we have developed very strong relationships with and continue to check in with even if they are no longer in the classroom. Our oldest has since graduated to K but loved her teachers. She was able to take dance and piano (both of which she has continued outside of Kiddie) and learn many new things. She loves going to pick up her brother so she can visit her old teachers. You can tell the teachers genuinely care about the kids! They also love the meals and snacks provided and often tell us what the daily menu was and how they ate all of it! Thanks, Mr. Jose for the wonderful food! There have been some minor challenges with administrative turn-over, but overall they have been okay. No major complaints and the new director is very nice and responsive.

Our personal experience overall has been good and feedback from our daughter has always been…read morepositive. We have always found all staff warm and welcoming towards our family and our daughter for the last two+ years (her stay from age 2-4). She has thrived in this nurturing environment, and I can see the positive impact it has had on her social and emotional development. She has done soccer, kung fu, performing art, and piano lessons. This has allowed her to try many new things and grow with her community. The curriculum is well-rounded, incorporating play-based learning that keeps the kids engaged and excited about coming to school every day. You'll see the exterior and interior decor change along with educational lessons or cultural holiday recognition. I appreciate the emphasis on creativity and exploration, which has sparked my child's curiosity and love for learning. Communication with the teachers was excellent. They provided regular updates on my child's progress and were always open to discussing any concerns. I know these positions are NEVER easy and we always made sure the teachers knew we appreciated them. She leaves with memories of her times, teachers, and classmates that have become her best of friends.

My child has been growing with Ms. Doan and NEST for two years now, officially! The transition from…read more1:1 nanny care to a group setting was not easy to overcome for my then 2.5yo but Ms. Doan did make the transition easier for all of us as we continue to see our child grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and a sense of comfort that instantly put all our nerves at ease. If you choose to take a tour you will see current children in their natural environment. Ms. Doan and her amazing staff are kind, caring, enthusiastic, and always find a lesson to teach with every dynamic interaction or situation. Rest assured that your child will blossom at NEST with Ms. Doan, the team, and all other like-minded families wishing for the best and safest childcare options in South San Jose.

We cannot say enough good things about Doan and her program. Our kids went to a well-run preschool…read morebefore we discovered NEST, and although that was a good option, the quality of care, ratio, teaching philosophy both academics and learn through play as well as life skills provided by NEST are far more exceptional than I could ever expect in a preschool. Like most parents, we had reservations in general about in-home child care. Before knowing about her school, we got to know Doan through a neighborhood group and through our relationship learned how kind and reliable she is as a person. From a profession standpoint, Doan has a Master degree in Child Development and had experience teaching at Stratford and other well established schools. The business is fully licensed. We had a tour and interview in December 2022 when my son was 2.5 years old, and the rest was history. A day at Nest starts with circle time, a walk to a nearby park where they get to spend plenty of time outdoor, play on the playground (I have a smile on my face every time I think of the image of our kids and their friends holding hands walking to the park together), when there's rain they get to put on little rain coats and play in the puddle, or make homemade cookies, smoothies and enjoy together, or other times they get to do gardening and learn about butterflies, bees, and pollinators. She teaches the kids to appreciate and protect the earth and the environment. They celebrate different cultures and develop kindness towards one another. Doan also invites each family to a private Facebook group where we get to see photos of the kids and their activities each day. This is the best part for me, as I look forward to seeing what my kids are doing while away from them. I often say to Doan, I wish I had a childhood full of experience and memories like these little kids. Doan's teaching philosophy is learn through play, and if that's what you are looking for, you are going to love NEST. Doan pays a lot of attention to the development of each child. My son barely talked when he started at NEST, he had troubles with certain pronunciation and to bear on the safe side, Doan made sure she informed me timely to check with his physician. Today, he is a confident 5 year old boy who is well prepared to start his next chapter at grade school. We are grateful for NEST and I am sure it will be one of the best decisions you'll make for your child.

This is no longer Galileo Preschool. The owner is now Bright Horizons…read more The management no longer screens students and allow students to hit, bite and scratch teachers and other students. Curriculum is weak and often skipped because of class size, it has become daycare only.

Final Update - Summer 2018…read more Well I figured I'd finish sharing our journey here at Galileo. 1st child went through room 1, 2 and 3. Now my second child finished rooms 1,2 and 3 today. What a journey and our family can't thank the staff, teachers and Mrs. Burns enough for growing our last baby up into a Kinder Student! We will always be extremely grateful to Galileo Preschool.

I am a graduate from the class of 2026. I liked to say my personal experience was full of ups and…read moredowns. downs: the dress code is very sexist. they only punish girls for dress codes even thought the boys break it regularly. staff and faculty do not listen to student feedback yard duties always turned a blind eye lots of bullies, very little authority ups: MOST teachers are good at their jobs and truly helped me learn schedule is good and has even balance many fundraisers and dances your child will definitely make lifelong friends, and learn the things they need to. they have a relatively high chance being teased and suggestions will not be heard.

Horrible. The teachers were fine, but everything else is atrocious. NB: if your kid is getting…read morebullied, the school will turn a blind eye and do absolutely nothing. They cater to the people who fit their mold and that's it. I highly recommend IF you want your kids to have an education that's on par to what we received 30+ years ago.