Our 5 yr old daughter learned more in a half year at Chaminade University Montessori Lab School…read morethan she has in her previous 4.5 years of life! OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but I really wanted to sing the praises of the incredible staff at CUMLS. My daughter comes home and asks when she can go to school next. She's constantly amazing us with her vocabulary. She actually taught me the definition of an archipelligo. Maybe she can teach me how to spell it too? What's truly important too is that this year's current crew of teachers are so loving to our kids. I can feel how much they care for the kids as if they are all Ohana. They grow herbs in their garden and my daughter brings home kalo chips, hummus, and other wonderful things that were from the things grown on campus. Extra Kudos to Kristie Sakai who provided a safe space for our keiki and gave us the flexibility to stay distanced during Covid and welcoming us when we were ready to go back to in-person learning. The logistics and coordination are not taken for granted. I'm especially emotional about this fine school since this is our daughter's last day and she'll be moving on to a different school. Our many, many thanks to Ms. Claire, Ms. Megan, Ms. Veronica, and Ms. Kristie for their love and care of our most valued treasures. We will miss CUMLS!

Our third son just finished his last year of preschool at Chaminade University Montessori Lab…read moreSchool and our fourth son is going to be starting this upcoming school year for 2019. All four of our sons will have attended preschool here - which shows clearly how much we have appreciated everything about the school, including the teachers, the program, the campus, the fun night events where parents are invited to visit the school and see students' projects, the security, the shaded and safe playground, convenient school hours, ample parking, and the beautiful view from the classroom and school grounds. The classroom is well organized, clean, and full of amazing educational materials. As other reviewers have noted, the curriculum is Montessori, so no complaints there. We think methods used to teach learning and skills to the young children really works and it's easy to see the progress each month. Some of the other specific things I really liked about the curriculum and how this school instructs the children, is the teaching of practical skills and shared responsibilities like cleaning up and preparing food together, or taking care of the younger children in the classroom. During this past year, our third son looked after a couple of younger children and in turn, was befriend by an older boy that took him under his wing. He couldn't wait to go to school each day! Other things my wife and I appreciated about the school, included all the educational field trips to a variety of places around the island, including historical sites, organic farms, and holiday events. While the teachers and the head staff have changed since we enrolled our oldest son five years ago, the ratio of teachers to students has always been high. We have also liked all the teachers and thought they were caring and attentive and did a great job of communicating about our sons and their progress, including providing us with photos of them learning and doing projects at school. At the end of each year, the students work hard to put on a graduation show that includes music and singing, and a potluck lunch. It's always been a little sad to leave at the end of the school year, which means I highly recommend Chaminade University Montessori Lab School!

I heard many good things about this school and so when minor issues/concerns came up here and…read morethere, I just let it slide because I figured that's how all preschools are. My daughter was always tired and not very happy when coming home from school, but I thought that too was normal. But when I had a safety concern and the director did not take it seriously, and was more than a month unresponsive, I decided to switch my daughter to a different preschool after being at Queen Emma for 2 years. When I switched my daughter to a new school, she came home SO much happier! I didn't realize what a difference a good school can make! Unfortunately, Queen Emma wasn't the right fit for my daughter. I think the teachers there do a great great job! And there are many teachers that my daughter loved! However, I think the classes are so big and the teachers are overworked...and so my daughter thrived much better in a different and more family/small school environment.

Great preschool. My daughter has been there for the last two years. Teachers are happy and there is…read morevery little turnover. The kids are very happy. Strong emphasis on social emotional development. Ms Susan is the director and hands on always subbing in herself if a teacher is sick etc so she really gets to know the kids. Lots of available instruction on parenting skills from potty training workshops (before admission--as kids must be potty trained to start) to play based learning workshops. Also lots of extra curricular activities available during school hours like music, piano, soccer, hula and tumble bus. We love Queen Emma Preschool.

We love this preschool! Everyone is so nice and caring. It starts from 7:30am and finishes at…read more4:00pm everyday. You only have to pay one fee for the whole day. I know many other preschools charge you extra if your child stays after 2:00pm. You don't have to worry about that here. The school communicates with parents via the Brightwheel app, so you get updates about events, classes, and how your child is doing throughout the day. We love seeing our son bonding with all his classmates and teachers over the past year and a couple months. There are events and field trips to educate the children and they allow parents to interact with their children every month or two. We get to see how our son is learning to do things independently and become more social with his peers. They also have a nice playground for the kids to play at in between classes and after school while all the kids wait for their parents to pick them up. The Director Ms. Nancy and her team of teachers are always willing to talk with parents about what the kids are learning or if you have any concerns.

I've had two kids at this preschool, and although during my daughter's time there (2010-2013) the…read moreschool went through some turnover of teachers, this is still a fairly new school (started in 2008) and I think it probably takes time to find the right fit for things and get the foundation you need for long lasting relationships. I think and hope that their teacher roster has finally settled in, as I love the teachers there now and think each and every one of them are compassionate, creative and have invested themselves in these kids just as a good teacher should. My son is now in the 3-4 year old class and his teacher, Ms. Zyrah is awesome! (His 2's teacher, Ms. Mika, was also wonderful). Ms. Zyrah is so creative and has so many hands on activities for the kids to learn from and experience. We get an email every day on how my son's day went and although last year, my daughter would often get two or three sentences at most, Ms. Zyrah always paints a great picture of my son's day, and gives us not only the standard notes such as how much he ate, if he took a nap, etc, but also provides us with a nice idea of what he is showing strengths in and what he is still working on. For things she works on with him, she always lets us know what works and what doesn't, and this helps us work with him at home too. She also always points out nice things he says or helpful and respectful choices he makes and gives us insight into times in his day that we would love to be able to see, but of course cannot be there to witness :). She also finds time to send us pictures when they go on field trips of participate in special events and we really appreciate that. The school overall is small - which was one of the reasons we chose the school. There's just 6 kids in the 2 year old class and no more than 12 in the older classes. The kids wear uniforms (which I think is great - no hassle in the morning to get dressed!) Each year, they add more to their program and this year, the director even had a shade tent structure built over the playground - which is makes me feel so much better when I forget to put sunscreen on my son! Their playground is small, but beautiful, with nice green grass and a great hill the kids love rolling things down on...even themselves! The director also tries out different things for the special events and this year they are even having an "open mic" for Thanksgiving lunch that lets the kids or even parents sing or share any talents they may have. They also do different things for May Day and even have a grandparents tea party and Sweethearts ball for Valentines day that is so cute...just like a toddler prom! And possibly one of the best things - for me anyway - is that the school is the cleanest preschool I've ever been too! And although their sick policy is pretty strict, as a parent, I appreciate their efforts as I've been to other preschools where half the class has green snot running down their face and the teachers do nothing about it! yuck. I would recommend this preschool to anyone who is looking for a smaller class size, warm and caring teachers and staff, and a strong foundation in Christian values. Last year, I would have given 4 stars due to the high turnover, but giving 5 stars in hopes that the teachers will remain next year as my sons enters the pre-k class!

Pro: food is included(breakfast, snacks,and lunch)connected to community organizations, the school…read moreis accredited, can see class schedule via email, parents can be involved in holiday events and field trips. There are street parking along the loop if there is no space in the parking lot. It is close to kam shopping center. Con: The hours at this location from 7:00am to 5:00pm. I wish they had toothbrushing like the other school I checked out, just water and toothbrush is better than nothing. Overall my son loves the school and is happy to go there.

The office admin is extremely rude/childish and bossy. Every time I brought up any concerns to her…read moreshe gave me mechanical and cold responses. My impression is that she does not like to handle anything and she is just hoping everyone obeys her.

This is not really a review about the operation of the school itself, but rather of my experience…read moreas a potential teacher there. I was positively impressed even though my interview happened to occur during one of the few crisis near panics that the city of Honolulu has undergone. The staff seemed to take everything in stride and kept calm so that the student body was not as panicked as was the general public in the urban environment in which this school sits.

MCS has become a second family to us and our two children. It is truly a special place where kids…read morelearn independence, confidence, skills and knowledge, all while having fun and feeling a part of the community. As parents we feel very supported by the teachers and administration. All of the teachers and staff know us and our kids. We have touchpoints with them every drop-off and pick-up and they always make themselves available if we have concerns. There is a full time counselor that is a valuable resource. If we have a concern -- even if it's a behavioral issue at home, the counselor will help support us and even do observations of the child in the classroom if it is something we want. Montessori method has also proven to be an amazing, timeless way to engage and teach children in an intuitive way. Reading some of the other reviews, it is disappointing to hear that a couple people had negative experiences. I believe these to be very specific, isolated cases, as all the other parents we know absolutely love the school and administration. We would highly recommend MCS!

It's hard to simply describe how much we loved Strode Montessori. Our daughter attended from 5…read moremonths - 18 months old in the infant class, 18 months - 3-years old in the toddler class, then the preschool until she was 5. We interviewed 4 other daycare facilities and Strode was the only one where we left with no doubts or concerns whatsoever, and we knew it was the best choice. We are so lucky we got a spot! Pam, the owner, has always been very responsive and became a trusted advisor as we navigated parenthood. We relied on her for advice and guidance almost as often as we did our pediatrician. The infant room ratio was 1 teacher to 3 infants, but all of the teachers are backups and very involved as needed. You could tell our primary teacher loved our daughter, and our daughter loved her. It was like a family member was taking care of her - the love and care was evident, and the teachers were not simply babysitters. Pam let me store frozen breastmilk there. She had much more freezer space than I had at home. If you have limited freezer space, I know you understand what a welcome offer this is. The toddler room ratio is also low, about 1 teacher to 5 toddlers. Preschool is a little higher. Lunch and snacks are provided. In all three rooms, our daughter thrived. They teach practical lessons, encouraging independence and self-confidence. This is not simply a daycare - they teach and nurture. Our daughter would come home and tell us about the continents, the difference between a moth and a butterfly, how much she loves her teachers, and more. I know this sounds crazy but if you are pregnant and are considering Strode, take a tour and get on the waitlist NOW. You won't regret it.

Strode Montessori was my child's first school/daycare, and it was an amazing experience! They are…read moretechnologically sound, using the bright wheel app to send updates to parents throughout the day with pictures to notes to reassure you of your child's safety and happiness. I appreciated the opportunity to freely communicate with the teachers and administrators at any time throughout the week. The teachers are sweet and kind, and the classroom is pleasant and aesthetic with educational wooden toys in the Montessori style. They also have a lovely outdoor play area that is semi-shaded. Parking is validated at a nearby lot and coded entry required for drop-off and pick-up. Lunch was included in tuition at the time when we attended! Would have loved to stay with them, but the commute was just a bit far for us! If there is a spot open and it is a convenient location, don't hesitate to jump on the opportunity!

I'm so sad that the time has finally come to leave a review for Strode Montessori....because it…read moremeans both my children have aged out. We have been sending our kids to Strode since 2014 (the infant care centers in downtown) and we were so upset when our daughter aged out......but then they opened the preschool!!! It was perfect. We have been there since they opened their doors in 2016 and have watched them evolve. From the beginning, Ms Kelsey was there, and Pamela Strode, with quality care and love for our kids. Their resources have been expanding as time goes on and the units and events have gotten even more engaging and interesting. Now that my older child is on the verge of finishing 1st grade, I can see that Strode's evolution is in line with preparing them to be successful in kindergarten, with events that are very similar to those in elementary school. All the teachers are wonderful and caring, the facility is clean and the rules effectively keep the kids safe. If they did elementary school, we'd stay on for that, just like another reviewer said. They sent us off with wonderful memories and memorabilia. Both our kids got into one of the top private schools on the island, with our younger child waitlisted with the other two (we got our preference, though!). The Montessori philosophy and multi-age learning has been highly valuable. Pick up and drop off is secure and simple. If I could give Strode Montessori 10 stars out of 5, I would.

Went to a preview of this school, it's absolutely amazing! I had limited knowledge of Montessori…read moreschooling but it definitely seems to be focused on fostering curiosity and independence at a young age when the kids are in the critical development age. Kelsey is the director and she is absolutely amazing at her job and is passionate about the kids. The facility is sparkling clean and spacious and I saw an outdoor area they are going to build. The facility is secure and the staff seems to be top notch and are genuinely excited to be teaching kids, something you might be missing in many other schools out there. I can't wait till my daughter starts the next year!

My oldest attended Good Shepherd for 2 years…read more The teachers, teacher assistants, director and office manager all participated in my child's growth. They are responsive, professional and caring. Through all the challenges we faced, the staff helped us get passed them. In the first year, the curriculum was just right. He learned the expected ABCs, counting, and proper writing skills, but he also learned many social skills and small things like how to sneeze into his elbow, wash hands properly, speak when asked, etc. They had regular field trips, provided a wide variety of activities like sand play, water play, and free time. During his second year, the curriculum become much more academic and focused on counting, sight words, and math. They also did STEM projects, which I hope they do more of in the future. My son also had regular progress reports which were detailed and informative. Summer fun is also available which had more play elements but they still focused on learning as well. Because my son was a regular student there, they were able to continue emphasis on the areas where he was weakest. For example, my son had to strengthen his writing skills so they focused a lot of time on proper pencil grip and fine motor skills. They also had Amazing Athletes, Soccer Shots, and Ballet as extracurricular/optional activities although I'm not sure if Soccer Shots is still an option. I'm missing a lot of specifics, but the bottom line is that, today, my son is more confident, kind and curious about the world around him. I'm glad he attended Good Shepherd.

This is the Best Preschool to send your keiki to. Our 2 sons, in 2005 & 2012, attended Good…read moreShepherd Preschool and they have benefited from this program and have done excellent academically after leaving GSP. It's an affordable school, with an awesome staff. Ms. Carolyn Gima was a terrific teacher, I'm not sure if she's still there though. You will not regret enrolling your child or children here!