This preschool is truly a magical place! It's a warm, peaceful, and loving environment where…read morechildren are not only cared for, but deeply seen, heard, and nurtured. The educators are incredibly kind-hearted and compassionate. They lead by example, and kindness is genuinely the cornerstone of everything they do. The director, Debra, is a force of nature in the best way. You can tell she has dedicated her life to early childhood education. She's shaping the next generation to be good humans -- empathetic, curious, confident, and capable. Her leadership sets the tone for the entire school. She is leaving the Moraga campus to head up the new Springhill campus and we are in turn getting Kavisha (from the Oakland campus). It's bittersweet saying goodbye, but we're excited to have Kavisha who already seems incredible, and we feel lucky for the new families who get to be part of GLMS. The Montessori-based curriculum here is the real deal, with the added gift of Spanish immersion. My children sing songs in Spanish (and correct my pronunciation at home of course :)). They learn real-world life skills, gain independence, and engage with thoughtful, rotating themes (some months it's the continents, the next it's the parts of an apple or the lifecycle of a butterfly). The curiosity this school inspires is beautiful. The school is also incredibly clean. Cleanliness is a huge priority for us. My kids both have sensitive skin and you can tell how well cared the environment is -- carpets are changed out regularly (when they sometimes still look new), toys are refreshed, sand is rotated out, and everything always feels fresh and well cared for. There are also many enrichment courses offered throughout the year: yoga, music, dance/movement, soccer -- all brought in through thoughtful partnerships with local programs. The energy of the school is calm, joyful, and intentional. It's the kind of place that where you feel instantly at ease when you walk through the doors as there is usually a gentle hum of children playing, laughing, or working. We are so incredibly grateful to be part of this community. There is truly no better school in the area!

So grateful to be part of the Growing Light experience and community!…read more The teachers are amazing - so loving, patient and engaged. The curriculum/ skill development is exactly what they need - socio-emotional, physical, and academic. and the campus is so perfect for them to have indoor & outdoor time, to explore, be curious, and have fun. Not only do our children love it, but they keep us as parents so connected and informed - with weekly emails, photos, summaries, and all the information we need to support our kids. They also provide countless opportunities to get involved on campus or with the other families. Can't say enough good things! Get on the waitlist now

My son went there for his first year of school (TK) and had an amazing time. DVMS is such a…read morenurturing and loving place for not only the children, but parents too. They are incredibly supportive and really care about the families. The teachers are also the absolute best! You can see how much they love the students and really pay attention to each of them individually. There's a reason they have been around for over 60 years. If you're looking for a school for your child during infant to 6 years old, DVMS is the one!

We enrolled our two-year-old at DVMS for the 2026-27 school year and paid $2,890 upfront, including…read morea $2,700 payment that DVMS's agreement specifically calls a "Last Month Tuition Deposit." The agreement also states that the tuition deposit "is applied to your FINAL DVMS invoice." Before we paid, we had asked DVMS for additional time. They declined, telling us in writing that they had "a significant number of families currently in our wait pool" and therefore could not hold the space without the deposit. Our circumstances later changed and we notified DVMS approximately 30 days before Theo was scheduled to start that he would not be attending. He never attended the school and therefore never had a final tuition invoice against which the "Last Month Tuition Deposit" could be applied. DVMS refused to return the money. Less than 24 hours after we notified them, they told us they could not backfill the opening because wait-pool families had already committed elsewhere. This was difficult to reconcile with their earlier written statement about the significant number of families in their wait pool, our two years on the waitlist, and general community knowledge that most never get into DVMS. We pointed out the language in their own agreement and asked them to identify any contractual provision stating that the "Last Month Tuition Deposit" instead functions as a forfeitable reservation fee when a child never attends. We also asked them to preserve records regarding the wait pool and efforts to fill the opening. They did not provide that information or refund the payment. Parents considering DVMS should understand this policy and the language of the enrollment agreement before paying the deposit. Our experience was that DVMS retained the full $2,890 despite our child never attending, approximately 30 days' notice before his scheduled start date, and the agreement expressly describing $2,700 of the payment as a last-month tuition deposit applied to the final invoice. We also learned that four families from DVMS moved their child to our current school in moraga in the last 30 days alone. It seems this may not be an isolated issue with how they operate.

Our son has been with Creative since he was just 6 months old, and we couldn't be happier with our…read moreexperience. Silvia and the entire staff treat him like family, which gives us so much peace of mind while we're away. Their love and dedication truly shine through. Since joining Creative, our son has flourished in so many ways--physically, emotionally, and in his speech development. Now, at 20 months, he amazes us daily with new words and songs he's learned, as well as important life skills like picking up his toys and throwing things in the trash. The learning environment they provide is incredible! Beyond his development, we've also noticed how social and personable he has become, which we largely credit to the nurturing and interactive atmosphere at Creative. We are so grateful for Silvia and the entire team for fostering such a loving and enriching space for our son. Thank you, Silvia!

My son started at Creative Montessori at age 3.5 years old. Due to Covid he had been home the whole…read moretime and spoke no English prior to attending school. Ms Silvia and other teachers have been so patient and helpful. My son has grown so much in every aspect and loves going to school every day. Highly recommend.

Our family has been incredibly pleased with Growing Light Montessori in Lafayette, and would highly…read morerecommend it! The teachers are extremely skilled, patient, and nurturing. Since our child started we've seen a dramatic increase in her social development, creativity, and engagement in group activities. Class sizes are small with multiple teachers, and allow for a level of personalized attention that you can directly observe during drop-offs and pickups. Our child even talks about her teachers and asks after them on weekends. Communication with parents is also great. The school keeps us informed with regular updates, progress reports, and pictures of the kids engaged in class activities. The communication is two ways as well, they always respond quickly to feedback or questions, and they're very accommodating to any life circumstances that may come up. The campus and classrooms are well organized, spacious, and have multiple outdoor play areas. The school also organizes regular social events, educational workshops, and seasonal celebrations for families. We can't recommend Growing Light highly enough. It's absolutely worth it, and we feel lucky to have joined!

Both our son and daughter attended this preschool, and we couldn't be happier. The staff is…read moreattentive, warm, patient, and always accessible--you can tell they truly care. The environment is nurturing and thoughtfully balanced between learning and play. Our kids came home happy, confident, and excited every day. We really have nothing but positive things to say. It's been a fantastic start to their learning journey.

Started our son at one year old, and have been at both the Moraga and Rheem Campuses for 15 months…read more We really enjoy the team and the care our son receives. The teachers are all amazing, super friendly, and our son enjoys talking all about them when he gets home - Ms. Nancy, Ms. Dani, Ms. Liz (x2), Ms. Gabby, Ms. Becky, Ms. Lulay, they are all amazing, sorry to those i missed! Antonio is always helpful and responsive. The school uses the brightwheel app which is great for communicating with both staff and admin and getting regular updates and photos during the school day. We can really see the daily learning when our son comes home, and it's such a pleasure to know he's getting socialized and receiving great care durning the day. They let kids be kids! During most holidays you can signup for holiday care to avoid taking more days off. The cost has always seemed very reasonable especially for Lamorinda. The only comment I would mention, is the school runs like a well oiled machine, thus when you are new it's overwhelming to learn how the system works for drop off, pickup, and bringing food and clothes, etc. This was stressful when leaving your first little one for the first time, but this subsides after the first week or two after you learn the system. Advice, don't hesitate to ask the staff either in person or via brightwheel, they will always help. Packing lunches the first few months was stressful! Would recommend Lamorinda Montessori to any family.

Our family has a had a great experience at Lamorinda Montessori (Rheem Campus)! We started there…read morein June 2023 and at the time our daughter was 2.5 and son was 10 months. They have checked the boxes for us in terms of providing a reliable, loving, and kind care solution for our kids. The teachers seem very attentive to the kids and we are always met with smiles at pick up and drop off. The school continues to try and implement new programming to engage both kids and parents, like spirit week and off-site excursions but there is probably even more opportunity to do more of that. The school also offers "parents night out" care giving about once a month which provides for an easy solution to leave the kids for a few afternoon hours on a Saturday. Communication could be better just in terms of updates / photos throughout the day, but our kids are happy every day when they come home so honestly that's all we could ask for. The administrative and teaching team makes a real effort and genuinely cares for the families and children. Thank you to Antonio and the team!

Initially I sent my son to a Montessori school nearby. They did not meet his social and emotional…read moreneeds. Everyday during drop off he would vocally tell me he didn't want to be there. So for a few reasons we decided to switch him to TOPS. His demeanor instantly changed. Although this school isn't "academically focused" he gained self confidence and doing much better in social settings. For him, that was exactly what he needed to continue to thrive and "learn" from all the interactive and magical activities that occur at TOPS. Our son is now more confident than ever in all social settings including with strangers and adults. The confidence set the foundation he needed to thrive in other areas of learning and development. Being first time parents, it was the best decision we ever made. (On a side note: The parent participation and abundance of optional school events have fostered a genuine community of parents at TOPS. I really appreciate the connections I have made here.)

TOPS is an amazing place. Last year, my wife and I moved to Orinda from San Francisco in July (a…read moremonth before school started) and we were welcomed with open arms. The school is play based. TOPS may not be for everyone. In fact, our oldest daughter would have been a deer in headlights in this unstructured environment. However, our son loved the cornucopia of all the wonderful activities inside and outside the classroom. He's so excited by all his options that he's eager to get going after getting dropped off. Which has been wonderful, because we were worried about teary eyed goodbyes every morning. The teachers and staff at TOPS are beyond excellent. Many had been there for years, even decades. They are very knowledgeable about child development, discipline, etc. I feel very comfortable leaving my son in their care. Last, but not least, is the superb TOPS community. Because parents have to be involved, there's a great sense of belonging and camaraderie that is fostered by TOPS. In summary, TOPS is a wonderful school and environment for kids.

Old Firehouse School is Exceptional!…read more We sent both of our children to OFS after moving to Lafayette, and it was a wonderful experience for our family. The dedication of the staff is truly what sets this school apart. We especially valued the model where teachers, like Liz, Pam, and Zahara, continue to work with the students as they grow. This consistency and the deep care they show for the children is evident every day. Our kids absolutely loved their teachers. We are huge fans of their kid-led, project-based learning approach. It allows the students to drive their own education. Just as important is their focus on emotional education--teaching kids practical ways to understand and manage their feelings, which is a key skill for life. Alex and Michelle are fantastic leaders, and the entire team deserves praise. We have nothing but great things to say about OFS and highly recommend it.

I have had at least one child at OFS since 2021. It is an incredible community and the director…read moreAlex is a thoughtful, bright, measured, and caring leader. We have loved all the teachers we've worked with and were first drawn to OFS because of the Reggio Emilio method they practice. This approach centers around a single primary caregiver for the majority of a child's time at the school. Our oldest has come out of OFS with incredible social emotional skills as a result of this model. We still have our son there and will be sad the day we have to leave. This is not the closest school to our home, but we trust the staff and we can't imagine going anywhere else.

First and foremost -- we love FMS so much we will keep coming back even after our kids have…read moregraduated! Our experience: Our son (Lake, Year 2): Truly loves school. Ms. Ifra, Ms. Fere, and Ms. Boey are so doting and have created such a sense of love the second you walk into the classroom. Our son misses the teachers after missing days for holidays, vacation or sickness, and constantly asks to make art or cookies for them to show his love! Spanish immersion: He just started with Ms. Gigi, Ms. Rosa, and Ms. Jungwen and is thriving. So for example -- within two weeks he could count to 10 in Spanish and is beaming every pickup telling us what he learned. Science with Ms. Amy: A total highlight. If we pick up early his first reaction is "aw I was just starting X." Our daughter (4 years at FMS, now in 1st grade): So well prepared because of Ms. Sarah, Ms. Destinee, Ms. Rosa, Ms. Gigi, and Ms. Isabel. Result: She reads books, writes sentences with little to no spelling errors, and is extremely helpful to her teacher + listens so well. The community: We still visit our old classrooms because we miss everyone. Ms. Connie, Ms. Sinaye, Ms. Annabel, and Ms. Juweda are all so kind and always welcome us with open arms. In summary: warm teachers, strong academics, and a community that feels like family.

My little girl has been attending Fountainhead, Pleasant Hill location, since she was two years…read moreold. I cannot say enough words to describe how wonderful our experience has been. All of the teachers are kind, attentive, fun, and just amazing, the director is very sweet and responsive, and the parents we have met have become our village. I'm sad my girl will age out next fall!

We have been very happy with our child's first year at this Montessori school. She has learned so…read moremuch and has grown both academically and socially. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed and provides a strong foundation. One of our favorite things is seeing all of the beautiful artwork she brings home. The teachers are kind, attentive, and truly care about each child's development and well-being. We would recommend this Montessori school to any family looking for a nurturing environment with a strong educational program.

Our family has been part of this Montessori school for the past three years. Our son started here…read morethree years ago, and our daughter joined a year ago. From day one, we have felt welcomed and supported. The teachers create a nurturing environment where children are encouraged to learn, grow, and become confident and independent. We are incredibly grateful for the positive impact this school has had on our children and highly recommend it to other families.