The Harvard of preschools. Kids get so much attention, the teachers are all tops in their field. In addition to multiple playgrounds, kids go to the JCC gym for PE. They also have music, Spanish and Judaic teachers who come in to each class for additional enrichment. read more

Both of my children have attended this school and I can only say wonderful things about the school, the facilities, the administrators, and especially the teachers. The Spanish immersion program is at no extra cost and my daughter started kindergarten fluent in two languages able to hold conversations in Spanish with complete strangers the same as she could in English. I have never doubted for a second that my children will be safe and loved when they walk through the gates each morning. They use an app where we get updates with information and pictures every day of what the children are learning and working on in class. I didn't realize how spoiled we were until my older child went to kindergarten and we realized that we had to ask at dinner each day what she had done and often were faced with a shrug in response instead of a detailed breakdown. I cannot recommend any early childhood experience more than this one! Two of our best friends have now sent all of their friends to the JCC as well and we are all so happy to get to attend family events together. We will be so sad when we are all too old to attend this school because it truly has been a home to our family for 4 years and counting! read more

We love this preschool. My oldest already graduated and I'm about to put my third kid in here. I will be so sad when he has to leave this school. The staff feels like family, the kids love them. Every teacher I've met is very nice to us and to the children. We also like the diversity; we have made some really good friends in here. It's very easy to communicate with the teachers/staff, they're very accessible and flexible with schedules which is a plus. I've never doubt their capacity to take care of my children and teach them good values. The facilities are well kept, my kids love the playgrounds there and the toys they have. I recommend this school 10/10! read more

Nierman Preschool - Preschools Near Me - La Jolla, California

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All I have to say is I would drive from the north park area all the way up to the JCC and then drive all the way to work downtown to send my kid to the bilingual program and it was worth every minute of that horrible commute to seen my kid there.!!! Not only are the teachers amazing and so warm (really it felt like sending my daughter off to a hug each day) but the pre-reading, math and language skills she acquired (while not the focus of their program) putting kid in advance groups the next year during kindergarten. The experienced teachers made sure my daughter who knew no Spanish and comes from an English speaking home was supported and felt confident while tackling a new language. My only regret was not going there sooner. There is so much love there I wish they had an elementary program. read more

Amazing school. Yes, there are other options, many are less expensive, however they all have drawbacks. Some of the positives include: our favorite teacher Manisha, their regular incorporation of active play using the gym at the JCC to set up obstacle courses for the kids, the regular use of in person music, making Shabbat a fun thing as opposed to a mostly religious thing, and limited screen time for the kids -- most teachers are good about this. Some of the other schools we visited closer to home incorporate projectors on the walls of their classrooms due to how often they use TV to mollify the children..... Long story short, it is a great school, I have had nothing but positive experiences and would highly recommend it. It may not be the optimal bargain as far as preschools go, but the quality is tough to beat. Lastly, one of our kids had a speech delay. when I mentioned this, a number of preschools became OVERLY nosy, to the point of asking for medical records or to sign a release so they could talk to their doctor (lol). That is the main reason we talked to so many preschools in San Diego. The unstated concern was clearly that there may have been an autism diagnosis in their record and that perhaps our kid would be more challenging than most. JCC approached it from a very different way and simply asked us how they were doing and if their speech therapist had any concerns. At the end of the day, it all worked out, and this preschool has been the single best thing for our kids speech, social and emotional development since they saw how other kids acted and began to emulate their behaviors. read more

We're very disappointed with this preschool. Definitely not what it used to be. This place needs major upgrading, in all aspects. Many of the teachers are old (and I'm talking about retirement age old), tired and worn out. Our teacher was kind of lazy and seemed to hate her job. Definitely not the teacher you want for your child :( I've also heard bad things from parents who have their kids in different classrooms with different teachers. My general impression is that most teachers there are mediocre at best and that is if you're lucky. With tuition of over $2000 per month, I don't expect to find broken toys in the classroom or broken equipment in the playground (I have witnessed both). The playground is old, worn out and not very appealing. In general the entire building and classrooms look very old and ugly. There are way too many senior staff members (i.e. not teachers) who basically do nothing and it's unclear why they are there (of course, parents pay their salaries with the crazy tuition I mentioned above). Last, when we did have a minor issue with our son that required management involvement, we reached out to Fran (the director) and unfortunately she was useless. She even lied to my face. Overall very disappointed and we don't recommend this preschool. Maybe it used to be good a decade or two ago, but not anymore. We couldn't wait to get our son out of there. There are much better preschools and with more reasonable tuition. We moved our son to a preschool that actually cares about hiring good teachers and the difference is HUGE. read more

We love the Nierman preschool! Both of my boys went and received the most amazing education. The curriculum is top notch and really sets your child up for success in elementary school and beyond. The teachers are all wonderful too. I love that a lot of the staff has been there forever, it really shows what a fabulous place it is to be. We miss the school so much and wish we could have stayed forever. The peace of mind we had knowing my kids were cared for and loved was unreal. We truly appreciate everything the school did for our kids and us! read more

I'm so thankful for the Nierman JCC preschool! They've provided such a warm and loving environment for both my kids. It truly feels like a family there and all of my kids' teachers have been incredible. My kids learned so much there and formed lifelong friendships. They have a great combo of play and learning. I'll be forever grateful to my oldest daughter's 18 month teacher and to Judy for helping detect a hearing issue she had. They know the kids so well and communicate with the parents about anything going on with them. One of my kids did the Spanish immersion track and the other was in the English classes. We had great experiences with both tracks. I can't say enough wonderful things about JCC and also Camp Jaycee! read more

The best place! Feeling nostalgic thinking about the fact that my kids will eventually grow out of the preschool. Love the camps here and the preschool. Wonderful teachers who are like family. Love the flexibility in the morning and evening with the preschool, as well as the after school program for the older kids. read more

Both my sons have gone through this warm, caring and enriching school!!! So grateful to have found it. My oldest, now in first grade, game out fully prepared to tackle the "big" world. My youngest is still there and looks forward to going every day. It is incredibly nurturing, happy and fun! Not all kids are the same and they understand that. read more

One of the best preschools in San Diego. I agree with the very thorough previous review on all accounts except for the special needs issues. I've been very pleased with their attention to these issues for my kids. My oldest boy received early intervention for some early developmental delays and is now at or ahead of the level of his peers. My youngest also received early intervention and is doing well also. Although this intervention was funded by the state and not the JCC, their teacher at the JCC did a great job at addressing any issues we had and made sure we were comfortable with their growth and development. Our teacher also has been at the JCC for more than 20 years. The JCC also provides outstanding language screening by Kara Dodds and Assoc. Just a caveat here, "early intervention" actually can start prior to the age at which many children enter pre-school. Screening can be done as early as 6 months of age and is provided by the California Early Start Program. The San Diego Regional Center handles assessments and therapy. My boys received services before age 2 and up to age 3. read more

Hands down the best preschool in San Diego. Both my sons attend. We looked around quite a bit, started with one and ultimately came to the JCC. It's the happiest place, my kids love to go. It is rich with opportunities for enrichment. The teachers really care and though it is a big school, there is individual attention to your child's needs. Administration is wonderful too. Worth every single penny. read more

I sent my daughter here for three months (we left because we moved out of the area), and we all just absolutely love it. The classroom teachers were wonderful, there were three teachers for about 15 kids. Even though the kids were two to three, they did a bit of Spanish, a bit of exercise, and a lot of play. My kid learned a lot in the few months she went there, and she blossomed socially, making friends. The playground is also nice. the classrooms are organized in a circle, so the classrooms look out onto the playground. There is also a separate playground for kids below three. Also, one of the goals was to create an inclusive classroom, there are some subsidies available to help people afford the school. I was pleased with the degree of diversity. There was also a free speech evaluation, and optional extra-curricular activities. read more

Our eldest child went to Nierman. We loved it, he loved it. Only complaint is that it's a large school (200 plus kids!), so lots of viruses flying around during the flu season. But- it's clean, great facilities, and most importantly, the teachers are AWESOME!!! Most have been there for years and years and years (like- 15-20 years!). They are experienced and very loving. Despite the large program, you definitely feel like they know each and every child and personalized attention is given. The downside? The cost. It's pricy (well, okay, not compared to other La Jolla preschools- in that sense, it's comparable), but it's still too pricy for us, nonetheless. We have 3-year-old twins now and would love to have them go, but we're priced out. One other thing- we've had our kids go to the summer camps at the La Jolla YMCA and Camp Jaycee (JCC's summer camp version), and hands down, by far, Camp Jaycee is so much better organized and well-run than La Jolla Y (I think because La Jolla Y employs mostly temp college kids in the summer and they're not as experienced with kids). read more

Hi everyone ! We just moved to San Diego from Miami, Florida. have two sons, one almost 3 years (in January) and the second is one year old. My older son goes to the Nierman preschool at the JCC since last month. I want to tell you all: it's a great place !!!! My son is so happy to go there every morning! The beginning was very Hurd since we just moved and left behind our family's (grandma, grandpa etc.) but after a week I can tell you that he just ask me in the morning to go to school !! The teacher is very sensitive to his situation, (I forgot to mention that he has epilepsy) so that is something that it's very important to me too. I was looking for a place with good education but also looking for sensitive and loving staff. Our last preschool was very good too but stil I think this is much better. People will say that they are expensive and they might be right but believe me, it's worth every dollar. I forgot to mention also that being a membership gives you lots of benefits like free entrance to there gym (which is very big and exclusive), pool, variety of classes like aerobic / tennis / basketball and much much more ! So basically it's more than just a preschool ! It's the family's right place to be ! :) read more

Nierman Preschool - One of the preschool playground (they have 3/4!!!) - Preschools Near Me - La Jolla, California

Amazing preschool with an exceptional staff that really care about the children. My son is 2 and just finished his first summer camp...he loved it. They take the kids to the pool everyday and that was his favorite part. The facility is nice, clean and comfortable with 2 playgrounds! I can't wait for him to start school in September! read more

My boys attended the Nierman Preschool at the JCC during the 2007-2008 school year. They were 4 and 2 at the time. The things I liked about it: Security You had to enter through the JCC main doors and then gain entrance to the preschool inside the building which was a secured door with a receptionist. You had to enter the secured double-doors with a membership badge (you don't need a membership to be in the preschool but you do get a huge discount for the preschool if you do) by sliding it through the reader or signing in with the receptionist. While you had to wait for a parking spot most of the time, their security staff is very efficient (they have limited parking spots). Some people probably didn't care for the lead security guy, EJ, because he reprimanded folks who speed in the parking lot, but let me tell you, he LOVES the kids there and his top priority is ensuring their safety. Teachers/education There is a low turnaround at this school which says a lot about the school. My older son's teacher has been with Nierman for over 15 years! Most of the teachers there have been there on the average of 5-10 years. They give a lot of attention indivually in an effort to focus on each child's needs (my child needed social facilitation). They work on academics. Each week, they learn a letter of the alphabet and their activities are tailored around that letter. For example, one week they worked on the letter P and so they made pizza, sang songs and read books beginning with the letter P, talked about the color Purple, etc. They do fun group physical activities in the gymnasium twice a week, the older kids get to spend time on the computers twice a week, plenty of outside time in their exceptional playground (that is centered in the middle of the preschool looking out at all -the classrooms) complete with clean well-kept climbing structures, slides, netting for climbing, swings, crawling-through structures, playhouse, etc. The things I didn't like about it was: Parking! They had limited parking spaces so if you caught them during a busy dropoff period you might have to wait 3-5 minutes to get a parking spot (which is directed by their security staff). And if you had to attend a preschool event, parking was sometimes impossible. Inclusion/special needs My kids both were diagnosed with autism this year. Last year when they were in school, they were not yet diagnosed but had obvious social/language issues. While the teachers did their best to work with them, they needed more one-on-one help then they were willing to acknowledge. A month before the END of the school year, my oldest son's teacher suggested talking to their inclusion department for some help. I did but after meeting with her, she did not return my phone call and because the school year was ending I decided to seek help privately which is when I found out my boys were on the Autism Spectrum. So, I was a bit disappointed about that. All in all, it is a WONDERFUL school for typical preschool aged children, but I would caution you if you have concerns about your children especially if they have any developmental delays as they do not specialize in working with developmentally delayed children even if they tell you they are capable of handling your child. Early intervention is IMPORTANT for kids with autism spectrum disorder - don't wait if you suspect any delays and talk with your pediatrician and push for screening so you can get appropriate services right away! read more

I liked the school, very nicely organized in different rooms. However I feel that for the quote requested for the entire year (plus the quote for the gym center that you need to do to have better price) does not reflect the service offered. It could be more accomodating for normal working people. It does not make sense to pay to drop off your kid before 9am, not mentioning the price for extra hours after 1pm where kids are not very much engaged in activities. In addition, I am very disappointed because this year I had to withdraw my child for working reason and they did not refund me the application of 500$ (that you will have to pay every year....), not even the 200 $ that are part of the school fee. They have a huge waiting list and despite that they said that they cannot refund me because they had to let other kids go... In general the school is nice, but I would say works only for rich moms who don't work. Another thing that is very annoying and uncomfortable is the parking, there is always a cue to park that can take you 20 mins sometimes and one guard especially at the main entrance importunes me and other people all the times to tell what speed to go even if you go 1 mile/hour. Believe me it was very stressful. read more

There is nowhere else in San Diego I would even consider sending my children. Not only are my children safe but they are so well cared for by every single staff member. They learn and have fun each and every single day. I love the diversity and the inclusion program to teach my children that all kids (and humans) are equal and are to be treated with the same level of respect. Every teacher is incredibly qualified. The facilities are clean and secure. There's a reason why there's always a waitlist! read more

My daughter just loved going to school when she was attending Nierman preschool! Teachers are so nice, the education level is great but the best thing is the home-oriented atmosphere that let me leave my gril with a smile everyday! She enjoyed so much her time there! I love it and I will send my boy when he reaches 18 months!!!! read more

Nierman Preschool is one of those rare incredible places linked to a community that seems to be an extension of everyone's family. The preschool is run by Alma Hadash Geiger (Director, Early Childhood Education). Alma is an incredibly nice person with a heart of gold. Her can-do attitude and wonderful staff have made Nierman a second home for their children and families. The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Education Program is a nurturing warm environment that both of my daughters have thrived in. We are incredibly grateful for the school's existence and the experiences we continue to have. Nierman undoubtedly gave our older daughter the social skills and intellectual capacity to thrive in her current lower school program while our younger child continues to enjoy the fruits of Nierman's program. All of the friends and families we know at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center have found Nierman equally as invaluable. I am grateful every day that I live in San Diego, my family is healthy and we have access to the greatest place on earth - Nierman Preschool. read more