It's hard to even know where to begin! Farmdale Elementary is such an important part of our…read morecommunity, and my child is so happy here--thriving academically and has made so many sweet friends! Our new principal, Mrs. Maldonado, is excellent as is all of the administrative staff. At Farmdale you'll find teachers that have walked the halls for decades, creating a rich, vibrant, friendly culture and incredible learning experience for our kids. I currently have a third grader at Farmdale and my second child will be joining her as a Hawk next year! Friends, please don't be fooled by the Great Schools scores - - they are meaningless trash. If you live in El Sereno, do yourself and your child a favor and just tour this school!

I am so proud to be a Farmdale parent. My son who is now in high school has taken AP classes in…read morehis freshman year. I give credit to the teachers, the dual language and IB programs for my sons success. The teachers are exceptional. Very knowledgeable, caring and patient. I have enrolled my younger son, who is in 2nd grade now and i am very happy with his performance.

I wanted to take a moment to say what an incredible experience we've had with the staff and faulty…read moreat Oneonta Montessori. We put our kiddos there in April 2021 during the pandemic which was a tough decision given the times. However, the staff and Ms. Fiona made us feel at ease and assured us of their safety. They attended Oneonta for three years ending their time their more than ready for first grade. As a result, our kids are more than prepared for first grade. Anytime we had a concern all of the faculty addressed them with care, empathy and concern. I truly felt we had a partnership with everyone there at our school. While every child is different, I know that our kiddos thrived there and are looking forward to coming back for summer camp in 2025! Thank you to everyone for giving our children a strong foundation to start on their academic journey!

We moved from the valley to Alhambra, and this school was the first school I inquired about when…read moreenrolling my kids starting preschool and kindergarten. My kids came from a Montessori school and I wanted to continue the same curriculum. My kids had such an incredible experience at Oneonta and are still there! As a mother of 3 kiddos, I loved that all the teachers knew the kiddos names right away and would communicate frequently via the dojo app, whether they were photos of their activities, classes, and even events when my husband and I couldn't make it to an event at school. From Ms. Theresa to Ms. Vangie, Ms. Carol, and Ms. Maryann, plus Ms. Fiona and Ms. Christina, it's been easy to communicate with them throughout my kids' education. They offer the STEM program and knowing that my kids are being taught these subjects will help them prepare for middle school and up. Coming from a catholic school and public school background, I was impressed by what the school had to offer with the activities/field trips/science fairs/math and spelling bees, plus a fun summer program! It's sad to know that my daughter will be leaving as soon as she finishes 5th grade, but I'm glad my kids have that foundation from Oneonta. :)

I sent my son here 5 years ago. We were searching for a suitable daycare, and I am very picky with…read morechild education, so it was a tough process. When I was visiting here, the standard, policy, thought on child education from principal Ms. Melina was very impressive. It didn't sound too strict or too naïve. I felt like it is well-balanced and trustable (already 20year business, so no wonder!). I also talked with teachers. Ms. Britney was going to be his teacher. Kids with that age would have many mistakes with potty training, and I was asking if it was too tough. She said something like(cannot remember exact wording) "it comes with my job, so I rather enjoy it", then I decided to send my son. It would be the best answer I could hear, among what I could think of. My son had a selective mutism that we did not know at that time, so i guess it was difficult to deal with him at daycare. Every time i picked him up, i could easily tell he was hugged all day. He also told me teacher hugged him a lot. I felt sorry and appreciated. He got out of mutism while he was at the daycare (also with speech therapy), and now he is doing fine. I do not know how teachers are hired there, but i have to say that i will never find better daycare with better group of teachers. I have a huge respect on the teachers I met there and it actually helped with my parenting attitude. I am still learning. Today I went there for the 20th year celebration event, and Ms. Terry remembers Vincent (after 5 years with big changes!), and treated him so nicely. No wonder how she has been his favorite teacher. Nowadays respect on teachers disappears day by day. I wish people understand how much efforts and love teachers have to put on kids to stay as teachers. It is physically and mentally very demanding. If anyone is looking for a daycare, this place has a wonderful group of teachers with passion and expertise. Tuition fee is also middle range so I think it is very reasonable.

Our son has been attending Angels Montessori for about two years now, and we couldn't be happier…read morewith his growth and progress. He started at 2 1/2, and it was a big transition for him -- he was an only child, still on a pacifier, not yet potty trained, and very used to being "babied" at home. The teachers and Director Melina were so supportive and patient during that period. They guided us with strategies for home, encouraged his development, and even helped us through a smooth, seamless potty-training journey. Fast forward to now: he's 4 1/2, and the difference is incredible. His language, motor skills, and overall development have grown so much. He's always been a friendly, energetic little boy, and we've seen real improvement in his focus, social skills, and participation in class. We're constantly amazed by what he knows and what he comes home excited to share. The teachers are caring, nurturing, and professional, and Director Melina truly runs the school with heart. The Montessori curriculum is impressive -- structured, hands-on, and tailored to each child's pace -- while still creating a warm and loving environment. Most importantly, our son is genuinely happy, confident, and thriving. We are so grateful for the impact Angels Montessori has had on him, and we are already planning to enroll our daughter when she turns two. We highly recommend this school to any family looking for a supportive, well-rounded environment where children are encouraged to grow, learn, and shine.

Best school with awesome teachers and staff! School is small…read morebut has all children need. It's been a friendly place for my children and nephews. This school deserves 5 star reviews.

09/10/2023 We were able to use the school playground area…read morefor parking. Those of us participating in the parade and festival were given parking passes to show. There's a shortcut at the back of the school to Belvedere Park where all the booths are located. Seems like a small school and wish I picked a spot in the shade.

So far so good! The year has just begun and we give kudos…read moreto the hard working teachers

The Little Otters Academy is a great place for any parents with busy careers to have a peace of…read moremind, knowing that the kids are in good hands while they are at work. We've sent both of our kids to this school: my son when it was called Virgin Mary and my daughter who just graduated after two years and going to TK next year. My nephews and nieces also went to this school. The school's accommodation is excellent. The playground area is very spacious and safe for kids. The playground, play toys and carpet are always clean. Parents can drop off their kids without breakfast and the kids get warm breakfast, lunch and snacks. Ms. Elva who has been working there since the days of my nephews, nieces and son is an excellent chef and kids love her. The staff and teaching program is excellent as well. The teachers for my daughter are very diverse in background. All of them enjoy teaching the kids from the bottom of their heart. My daughter started at this school at the age of two. Her development accelerated during those two years. She went from wearing diaper and not speaking properly to a confident girl who reads and write all alphabets and even some three letter words and who can count and add numbers. The teachers also constantly gave us reports on her development. We didn't need to teach anything outside of school. Other than academics, the school also focused social and physical development. The school has planned activities almost every month for the students to learn and appreciate different cultures. The school also invites different professionals (cops, fire fighters, dentists) to school. The school also teaches music, dances, different languages like Chinese and Spanish. We highly recommend this school for any parents who wanted to have their kids grow while having busy lives.

My son has grown so much socially and academically since starting at Little Otters Academy. We've…read moreseen huge strides in his confidence and social skills. We are especially impressed by the extracurricular activities they offer; having Spanish and Chinese classes integrated into the day is such a unique and valuable benefit. They also recently added a Soccer Shots class, which has been a huge hit--my son absolutely loves getting out there and playing soccer with his peers. I also love that they have cooking activities, which is such a fun way for the kids to learn and explore. Beyond the academics, they put on the cutest little performances for parents to watch, like the Christmas show, which we absolutely loved. We couldn't ask for a more stimulating learning environment with amazing and attentive teachers for our little one!

All Souls World Language School has been such a gift for our family. My son is genuinely thriving…read morehere. He's engaged, happy, and excited to go to school each day. The dual language program is a standout: with both Spanish and Mandarin tracks, TK through 8th grade, the kids get an immersive, rigorous language education you rarely find anywhere, let alone at this price point. But what really sets All Souls apart is the community. Teachers, staff, and families all pull in the same direction, and you can feel it the moment you walk in. It's warm, welcoming, and genuinely invested in every child. This is the kind of place where kids are known and cared for as individuals. High-quality, affordable education with real language fluency baked in and a community that feels like family. We couldn't recommend it more highly.

We explored a handful of schools, and although we ultimately chose a closer school, we wanted to…read moresing the praises of All Souls. Note that we were interested in the Mandarin program, so my observations shared here are mainly based on that aspect. This model should be replicated nationwide. Growing up, my parents had to choose between a public German immersion school and our local parochial school. They prioritized faith, which was the right call, but at All Souls, parents don't have to make that compromise--you get both! Dr. Allison is the principal, and after multiple conversations, it was clear how much he "gets it." He has an extensive background in education, and seems like exactly the person you would trust in charge of a growing and thriving school like this. He instills confidence. We met with teachers, parents, and staff, and everyone is kind and the teachers seem like great educators. The classes have very good teacher-to-student ratios. The weekly schedule is better than essentially all other schools, including early release on Fridays (perfect time to schedule doctor appts, dental appts, music lessons, etc.) and Mass only every other week (which is smart because it doesn't burn the kids out on it). Also, it is a very food-allergy-friendly school, with no nut/peanut classrooms TK-2 just to name one thing. For anyone weighing the benefits of language immersion against a faith-based environment, All Souls proves you really can have both without compromise.

My son attended Alpha Shen for six weeks, and I was genuinely impressed with how much he grew in…read moresuch a short time. Within just a couple of weeks, he was already writing his name and reciting the alphabet. The school provides snacks and lunch, which made things super convenient, and I always felt he was well cared for. This preschool really helped open the door for him to start learning how to read and write. I'm very grateful for the experience and highly recommend it.

After two years and two kids, I wanted to provide an update as our time at Alpha Shen is sadly…read morecoming to an end with our youngest moving on to public school. If you read my previous review, we enrolled my oldest at Alpha Shen, and he is now entering 1st grade. The foundation he got here is undeniable--he recently tested at school at a 3rd-grade level as a kindergartener. I attribute this entirely to the early learning habits built at Alpha Shen. Just to give you an idea, as a kindergartener in AUSD, he was working on material he had already learned at Alpha Shen as a preschooler. Because of his growth, it was a no-brainer for my wife and me to enroll our youngest when she turned 3. Unlike our son, who is very chill, our daughter is a bit more spirited and stubborn. We were expecting a tough transition, but Ms. Linda somehow worked her magic and had her adjusting on day one with ZERO tears. On top of that, my daughter is a notoriously picky eater who basically lives on rice and furikake, but Ms. Elaine's kitchen wizardry somehow got her to expand her palate and eat broccoli and protein. Just like my son, she experienced a great balance of academics and fun. She had light daily homework and could write basic words and do simple math by age 4. At the same time, they do plenty of arts and crafts, and Ms. Linda even partnered with an outside dance company so kids could take dance classes on site. We drop off our daughter every day with complete peace of mind knowing she is in such a nurturing environment. Over the years, we've gotten to know all the teachers (Ms. Garcia, Ms. Hilda, Ms. Wendy) and support staff (Ms. Linda, Ms. Elaine, Ms. Esther), and we are genuinely sad to leave. They truly treat the children as their own. One of my favorite details is seeing her hair styled differently at pick-up than when we dropped her off--she tells me the staff take turns doing her hair when she wakes up from her nap! My daughter likes telling everyone about her toys and when Ms. Linda noticed my daughter was missing one specific Disney Princess doll from her home collection, she bought it for her for Christmas. It's those personal touches that make Alpha Shen so special. Check my review history--I don't post often, but I felt compelled to share our experience. Picking a preschool can feel daunting, but I want other parents to know your child will thrive here. So many families at Alpha Shen are returners with younger siblings or cousins previously attending the school--and honestly, there's no better endorsement than that.