We love Peppertree! We were so nervous to put our baby in daycare and our friend referred us to the Peppertree Ranch House. As a mother and an educator, she is a highly trusted source. As soon as we toured the facility, we knew it was the right place for our family. Our son started in the infant room, advanced to the toddler room and then twos room. Every room and every teacher has made him and our family feel loved and cared for. Stephanie and Danna do an amazing job with coordinating everything. They go above and beyond to ensure that each child's individual needs are met. They have also provided much needed support with our toddler challenges. I am always so impressed how they are able to help locate missing items. Our son has learned so much since being at Peppertree and enjoys all the different activities. The school also hosts super fun events and activities for families to enjoy together. If you are looking for a great daycare/pre school, look no further! read more

During the transition period, my husband and I began looking for childcare elsewhere. Also, there are many horrific red flags outside the scope of this review that solidified our decision to leave. TLDR; awful transition period, abysmal communication, inaccurate accounting, bare minimum care, 60-90 days notice to leave. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSITION PERIOD: -We were forced to do a "transition period" that required one of us to babysit our daughter at PepperTree everyday for 2 weeks. This was not communicated to us until we were literally about to drop her off. Danna never apologized for failing to communicate. -Danna kept me waiting outside of her office as she texted away. She was "texting parents", but never gave us her number. -At one point during the t.p., Danna insisted I repeat what she said verbatim to comfort my baby. It was a gross overstepping of boundaries; I was already comforting my daughter in my own way. "60" DAY NOTICE AND LAST MONTH'S PAYMENT --The contract has a "60 day" notice policy for withdrawal, and the 60 days begin on the first day of the following month from when you give notice. Not even quitting a job requires so much notice. Other daycares, including our new one, require only 2 weeks notice. So, the "60" day notice is truly a 60-90 day notice. This was a huge headache, especially if one of these events were to ensue: a sudden change in jobs, a family emergency, a move, wanting to leave, or wanting to enroll in a different place for preschool. -You pay for the last month when you sign up. At other daycares, you pay for the first month. The contract, under the guise of customer service, says you can "use as much or little of that payment towards the last month" as you want. They keep your money for so long. It's very unclear how, if at all, considering their disorganization and lack of accounting skills, records are kept. COMMUNICATION: -When we met Danna for our scheduled appointment, she mistook us for another family -Emails go unanswered -Feedback goes in one ear and out the other -I had to ask Danna several times after the t.p. What our balance was. When she did get back to me, the amount was $500 higher than it should have been. If my husband and I weren't organized with these things, we would have paid them $500 extra (and I don't even want to imagine how getting that money back would have been). -It was never clear when Parent's Night would be and how to sign up. It seemed to only have happened once during our time there (and that was advertised via an email literally the night before). - It is not always clear who you are emailing, even if you email Danna since different people manage her inbox. -Danna never seemed concerned about our daughter's laser skin surgery treatments until we said we were leaving -Once Danna argued with me that our daughter's dry skin was HFM. The pediatrician confirmed it was dry skin, but Danna never apologized or refunded me for her mistake even after getting a letter from our doctor. Our daughter had to miss 2 days because as a result. -Calendar was received all but once halfway through the month for which it applied -Danna was diligent to call us when our daughter was sick and had to be picked up; however, when my daughter was injured, we were only called once. No follow up email, nor voicemail. VACCINATIONS: -Pepper Tree was cited by the state in 2023 for failing to furnish proof of immunizations for 8 out of 8 staff. Danna said everyone was vaccinated, but they just didn't have proof (obviously this is logically possible but very suspicious to me as someone who works in infectious diseases). Do better. -We were never asked to submit updated proof of vaccinations for our baby (and other daycares do this as children age) OTHER: -The office's papers are extremely disorganized, with papers scattered all over. -I saw staff were on their phone on more than once when children were right in front of them -We received several emails about contributing to the teacher's staff appreciation week fund. While we had no problem with this, we found that receiving 3 emails within 9 days asking for $100 for lunch (from each family!), a charcuterie board, and something small like a beach towel was distasteful, obnoxious, and avaricious. It was also strange to get an email saying many people "asked" if they could pay via Zelle, and to do so to Jeff (whom we NEVER met, heard from, and know nothing about...) -Staff to child ratio is higher than required, but only twice was circle time or singing done based off the notes we got daily. We expected a little more attention and enrichment for babies (even 2 stories a day, some music, some games, etc). -Technology is extremely outdated here -We never thought our daughter learned anything (despite Danna giving the impression that sign language was taught consistently), nor did we ever receive feedback on her growth. read more

Peppertree Schools - Greed and manipulation (holding onto your $) disguised as customer service. Do not fall for it! - Preschools Near Me - Los Gatos, California

See all

Let me start by saying I've worked in childcare most of my life, started when I was 12 and have continued through adulthood! When it came to finding a school for my children I was beyond critical of every location I've visited. I not only have a check list of things I want for my children but I have to feel a trust and bond with the teachers and staff caring for my children. I have two children, in both of their locations. The teachers are beyond amazing! They have all been at these locations for year. That in itself speaks volumes! The amount of time put into the facility and activities for children is truly incredible. The community, communication and friendliness of these facilities is unmatched! You truly can't go wrong sending your children here! As sad as I am that my oldest is aging out and ready to go to kindergarten, I'm thrilled my youngest will soon be ready to go and enjoy this program! read more

Peppertree Schools - Picnic lunch - Preschools Near Me - Los Gatos, California

We have had a wonderful experience at Peppertree Ranch House. My daughter is 2.5 years and has been there since she was about 6 months. There is a transition period when you first start which I think all daycares should have. Starting daycare is a big change for a baby! We love the long term staff, particularly Miss Stephanie. She is so kind, caring, and communicative. Other fantastic staff members are Alice, Brook, and Marisol among others! read more

My two children went to Peppertree Ranch house and we had a great experience there. This day care center provides a warm and inclusive atmosphere where my children were greatly cared for and supported. The staff was attentive, responsive, and genuinely interested in my children's needs and development. We had one on one meetings with Danna to help navigate our daughter's big feelings and it helped tremendously. Miss Stephanie was also a huge contributor to our children's growth and anything else we had questions or concerns about. She would help calm down my daughter when she would have tantrums and was my son's go to person for comfort- they have a special bond. I would recommend this location to any new family needing care! read more

I really love Peppertree Cottage house! My daughter transitioned from ranch house a few months ago and she is thriving at Cottage! I really love their play based approach and how they encourage the children's curiosity and exploration. Her teacher is amazing my daughter really loves her and she makes learning fun! she holds a BA in early childhood education. The director is doing an amazing job, all the teachers are professional respectful and create bonds with the children and their families which is a great thing! It's reassuring to know your leaving your child in the hands of wonderful teachers who are passionate about what they do and have a genuine care for each child. Thank you Peppertree Cottage house for being a part of my daughter's developmental growth and educational success! read more

Our daughter was at Peppertree's infant program for 4 months. Although we're thankful for some of the daily staff that was kind and caring, we had an overall bad experience because management does not communicate, does not want to work together with parents, and has a contract that contains some ridiculous rules. 1) Peppertree has a two week transition where you bring your child and yourself in for an hour or so each day and then take your child home again rather than leaving them behind. My wife and I both have a full-time job and this was a terrible experience for us. On top of working our jobs, we had to take full-time care of our child as well as spend time at a day care. This may have been somewhat OK if it was actually communicated to us ahead of time, but it was neither mentioned during the tour nor in any emails that we got. Yes, the website does state "New families should plan to spend a few hours in the first two weeks introducing their child..." but it's missing the part where you have to provide full-time care for you child at home in addition to spending those few hours with your child in daycare. We only found out about this transition the actual day we thought was going to be our first day. Half-way through the transition I kindly asked the director, Dana, if there is any way we can accelerate the transition but she told me "no.. it has to be a group decision... see you tomorrow". She did not even consider it at all and I was surprised and confused and I just went home and we ended up continuing the transition even though our daughter had no issues being in a new environment. We also tried to confirm that it will be like this for two weeks to which we got the response: "at least". None of our friends who are with other day cares went through anything like this. 2) Withdrawal from Peppertree takes 60 to 90 days so you're locked in for very long. This because the "60 day notice" only starts on the first day of the following month. Most other day cares require only 14 days notice so we did feel scammed when we learned how unusual this long notice is. Yes, it's all in the contract that signed, but we were also first-time parents who didn't know better back then. 60-90 days notice does not work for anyone who wants to change to another day care or preschool, especially since spots at other schools may open up only last minute. It also does not work for people who unexpectedly have to move house or lose their job and no longer need child care. The contract also mentions "You can utilize the application month as much or as little as needed.". First of all, know that Peppertree takes a one-month deposit when you sign up and will apply it to the very last month rather than the very first. This is unusual and illogical. But the sentence here is also saying that on top of that, you don't have to stay the last month even though you paid for it, since 'you are free to throw as much or as little of your money out of the window as needed'. Ridiculous. The whole business model feels like they lock you in by misrepresenting and overselling themselves via their website and during the tour, and then make it extremely hard to get out. 3) While our baby was enrolled at Peppertree we learned that they just got two citations by the state, one for "8 out of 8 staff files were missing documentation of immunizations" and one for "facility did not complete sleeping logs for infants in care". Whether you think those rules make sense to have or not, they are the law and we expect better from a place that takes care of children. 4). Management seems disorganized from not being able to answer half of the emails or calls, to not being able to keep account of how much we owed them. The office looks messy. They send the monthly calendar when half the month is already over. The clock right above the signing in binders was off by 20 minutes for weeks/months. We did not even attempt to ask for receipts for tax saving purposes (Dependent Care FSA) as we did not believe they would be able to produce them. The only three times they were organized was when our child was sick and had to be picked up yet again. They never really seemed to care about us except when we gave them notice. read more

4-month-old Infant to almost 3-year-old preschooler at Ranch House location. I couldn't be happier with my family's experience at Peppertree. My son has been enrolled since he was 4 months old, and we are now getting ready to transition from the Ranch House to the Cottage House Program. As a teacher I was looking for something very specific in my son's daycare. It's really important to me that caregivers don't label behaviors as "good" or "bad," or say things like "be nice." It is also really important to me to have my kid with people who don't label him as "behind" or "advanced," but who know that each kid develops at their own pace. And I've been so thankful to Peppertree for sharing this same philosophy. My son took his time to start talking, but there was no pressure from anyone to make him be something he wasn't. The first time I picked him up from daycare and he yelled, "Bye Missy," to one of his teachers I wanted to cry because it was such a huge leap for us, and I knew he was allowed to make it in his own time. I also really appreciate that there is 0 pressure to potty train. I was really nervous about making that transition since I know each kid and family is different. There is no requirement for any kid to be potty trained at any level of the program. I absolutely love that the teachers don't mind if I spend a little extra time in the classroom during drop off and pick up. One of my favorite things is getting to play a quick classroom game with my son and see him play with the teacher and the other kids. It is great to come in his room and see him dressed up like a firefighter. I really liked "The Donut Shop" game and we play it at home now. Overall, I am so happy with my experience at Peppertree. I love seeing how happy my baby is when I pick him up in the afternoon. read more

***Infant Room*** This review is for the girls in the infant room Maria, Alice, & Patty. I'm not going to lie when I say I wasn't scared to drop off my four month old to day care. These three are everything you could ever ask for when looking for someone to watch over your baby. I always knew my son was in great care and they would watch him like he was their own. They made going back to work that much easier for me and I am just so grateful for them. You can tell they watch these babies because they enjoy it and love babies. I wish he could stay with them through out all of his daycare years! They deserve a raise :) read more

We were planning on putting our 6month son in the daycare, we paid our deposit plus fee in advance to save his spot, Danna said so we did. Then when we tried to schedule time to do transition period the communication was horrible emails never getting responses several phone calls. We finally just went one day to do the first attempt for transition and it was awful experience. We were unhappy with only 2 people taking care of the 8+babies plus how rude they were to us asking to hide while trying to do a feed and nap. We ultimately decided not to move forward with putting our son here and requested a deposit refund over the phone and email. It took several attempts to get a hold of Danna and once i did she kept trying to tell me the deposit is not refundable and it says on the paper. I then emailed her own paperwork to her showing that is does not say that anywhere only the registration fee is non-refundable. She proceeds to hangup on me. I then send another email stating all the facts of her own paperwork that it's refundable deposit and receipts and a formal request of our deposit back. Still waiting with no replys and wont even answer phone calls. Hopefully we will get our deposit back within the allotted time and not have to go to small claims court. Please be aware and do not send your babies here. read more

We had a great experience with Peppertree school where my son started when he was 12 months old. Danna and her team were very supportive during the transition phase which is the most challenging for little ones. The teachers are incredible, they are all very attentive, nurturing and took great care of my son (special thanks to Miss Rebecca, Rosa, Mary, Giti, Kaitlin, Missy and Hannah) The daily activities were thoughtfully planned, engaging and developmentally appropriate. The outdoor play area is a big plus providing ample space for the kids to explore and play. My son particularly enjoyed playing in the sandpit and riding toy cars and bikes all around the playground. Communication with Danna and the entire staff was great via email and in person during pickup/drop off. The whole team was always ready to help us out in any possible way. Overall, we had a great experience and our son has learned a lot and made wonderful friends along the way. I would definitely recommend Peppertree to any parent looking for a caring, stimulating, and supportive environment for their little one. read more

This is my first review ever on the yelp. The wonderful experience we had at the Peppertree school couldn't stop me to write here. Ms Danna (Director of School) is an awesome personality. Her main purpose of this school is to create a place for our kids where they can blossom, grow and develop. At the time of touring the school, she was so interested to understand the personality/behaviour of our son which then she communicated that to the class teachers. Never had that experience where school puts such an effort on knowing the kids while touring the school. Ms Shruti and Ms. Marisol (from room 5) are awesome teachers. They always look calm and happy with kids.They always welcome questions from the parents. The school ambience itself is so welcoming. They have nice/cute playgrounds with sand play areas, vegetable beds, kids toys. The class rooms are of good size and looks  clean and bright. Today is the last day for our son at their Ranch branch and he is going to join their 'Cottage House' branch from next week. There also we had a wonderful experience while touring with Ms Chitvan. We strongly recommend Peppertree schools. We are looking forward to join the Cottage House branch. read more

I had my daughter at Peppertree and she was always excited to go. All the teachers there are wonderful. Teacher Yolanda always made her feel special. Danna is such a sweetheart, she was always there to listen and do her best to make everyone happy. My daughter was then moved over to the cottage house which I thought was amazing. I really like their setup and playground in the back. Theresa is the best! All teachers there are loving and caring. We still drop by to say hello once in a while. Peppertree is a safe and loving place to keep your children in. read more

My daughter started attending Peppertree Cottage House at three and her time there has been great. She is now five and will start kindergarten soon, but we plan to continue to have her attend Parent's night and have her attend some days when her school is closed. The teachers have always been very loving and kind to her, and have treated her like I imagine they treat their own kids. They have been very supportive of her through her toddler issues and have always encouraged her to have fun while exploring her creative side. I like that there is unstructured playtime, and a big emphasis on being outdoors when possible. This is just as important for kids development as any academic program. I've always loved the facilities, simple and pleasant, with emphasis on creativity and playtime, and with awesome outdoor play areas that are clean and shaded. One of my daughter's favorite things were the weekly music lessons, which she absolutely loved. I do wish that Peppertree offered more offsite activities and also structured physical activities, e.g. more trips to the park or children's museums, and sports like gymnastics or soccer. All in all this is a great school and my daughter will miss coming here everyday!! read more

We could not have been happier with our time at Peppertree. We started our daughter in the infant room when she was ~5 months old in the summer of 2020. Given the pandemic and putting a child in daycare for the first time we were nervous, but it was immediately clear the love and care she received was so much higher than a distracted parent trying to work from home while caring for an infant. She would get so excited at drop off and to see Maria, Patty, Patricia, and Marisol in the infant room. As she transitioned to the toddler room it was the same, so much joy at drop off, clearly so happy at pick-up, so much outdoor play time, always coming home with art, and clearly making friends. There was a period where all our daughter would say is "Danna," the owner/director's name. They take health and safety seriously. They were able to stay open through the entire pandemic, where so many of our friends were one by one saying "yeah daycare is closed for 2 weeks for quarantine. One of the teachers/families of a child got COVID." That never happened at Peppertree and there were no cases at the center. We moved out of the Bay Area and sadly had to leave Peppertree after only a year. We had the option to move several months sooner than we did but we stayed until the last moment so we could stay at Peppertree as long as possible. I would highly recommend Peppertree. read more

I have had two children go through the Cottage house program. My older son, who is now 9, was a bit of a handful and struggled with his age group mainly due to boredom. He ended up getting placed with the older kids and his behavior improved. He was getting challenged (he was 3.5 and did better with the 4/5 year olds because he was very social and really tall) before going into kindergarten and absolutely loved his teacher, Miss Sara. Theresa helped me out when I was in financial need and I'm forever grateful for that. They worked with my budget, since I was a single mom and working full time. My younger son started at Peppertree earlier this year and I was so happy with the facility still having it's cute charm and to see familiar faces from when my older son attended. I like the communication from Theresa, and when my son had a regression they worked with him to pull out of it. He's one of the younger kids in the facility, and does have a hard time here and there but I really like knowing the staff loves my son and he's in good hands. Sadly we are leaving Peppertree only because my husband has childcare at his workplace, and my schedule is changing with school, so the convenience factor is the only thing that has pulled us away. Over the span of 7 years, I'm happy to say the care and curriculum is consistent. We will miss Theresa, Jenny, Farah and the other awesome teachers at the cottage. read more

Where do I begin. My family and I were new to the Bay Area and were hearing mixed reviews about the Los Gatos area. We had some troubles as we began to look for preschools for my 2 grandchildren. It was quite a roller coaster ride. But when we first met Dana at the Ranch house. It was such a blessing . It felt as if everything was starting to fall into place and although is was a bumpy road we finally made it to were out kiddos were meant to be. The reason we chose pepper tree initially was because of Danas (the director) great structure but also her nurturing spirit. She has always been very hand on with both schools. As the kids progressed the main thing that always made me and mom feel safe about leaving my grandchildren is that without telling Dana or staff specific thing about the kids. They noticed o their own and took action. For example. One child is very potty shy and wanted extra privacy. Her teacher at the time always went the extra mile to make sure Calia was compfortable even without Calis being verbal about it. And that means everything to myself , mom and the kids. Thank You peppertree for providing a safe and fun learning enviremont. read more

Well this sucked... I was in dying need of a place for my 1 year old daughter as we would be without a nanny soon. So I called peppertree about their availability. The lady I spoke to was nice and informed me she would look into it and and call me back. I never got called back. I left a bunch of voicemail messages asking for a call but ...nothing...nada...niks...de rien (not sure about that last one) For a place that works with parents a lot, I think they should have been a whole lot more sensitive about the issue. Baaaaaaad peppertree!! Now go and have your time out and think about what you have done. read more

Just wanted to update for any parents who may go through the issues we went through here. I talked to the person for this area with state licensing and he said what they did at Peppertree is not allowed. They can't insist we move him to part time or he is expelled unless they have made an effort to work with him and us on his behavior issues and there have to be previously documented issues. They also can't give you less than 24 hours notice for a mandatory (and our first and only) parent teacher conference AND also insist both parents be there (and threaten with expulsion). I should have reported the school. Too much time has passed now and I didn't know, but I really wish we had. read more

Two years ago when I started looking for a place to call home, I interviewed at many locations. Majority of the time I knew right after walking in that I did not want to work in some of those environments. When I walked into Peppertree, I knew that this was the place for me! I picked them; fortunately for me, they picked me too! I, Jennifer, am now the current director at the Peppertree Ranch House Location and I love my job. I've read the reviews on yelp as well as other sites and some of the parents. I'm not here to talk about them only to say that every parent wants different things for their children and sometimes a school is not a good fit for a family. Most of the time both parties agree and part ways amicably and sometimes schools can't do anything else to make a family happy. I can tell you that as of the last year, every family that I've had come through my doors has been heard. I have encouraged parents to talk to me and expressed my open door policy. I try hard to know each family member that drops off and picks up and make it my business to know how each child is doing so that I can speak knowledgably regarding that child. I strive to admit when I don't know something and then find out an answer. I am not an owner, not everything is in my control, but the parents that I have in my center all know that I'll do my very best to figure out any issues that they see, whether it be part of the physical school, the staffing, another child, a behavior, or changes in the family at home. They also know that I'll do it respectfully of all parties involved, I can be trusted. Additionally, I like to communicate with parents. I'd rather parents have the information and make choices for their family than assume that I know what's best. If we have a particularly nasty flu going around, I'll send out an email to all parents with details, number of children, which rooms, and what we are doing to stop it. I send out a monthly newsletter with input from each classroom and important updates regarding the center. We also host holiday potlucks and occasional weekend outings; we went to the SF Zoo this month, so that parents can meet each other and their children's friends. Additionally, we occasionally host a parent's night out so that parents can have a date night! All of this to bring families and our school closer together, family like. I know my review means less than parent reviews since I have a vested interest, but I hope it reminds people that there are two sides to every story and that people very rarely review things like schools unless they are feeling a very strong emotion. Please schedule a tour today with any school you are interested in, let that first gut feeling be your guide at first then use the reviews to help guide your questions. Any reputable school should have no problem talking about both the good and the bad, none of us are perfect, we are all humans working in a very demanding and sensitive field. Alrighty, stepping of my soapbox now, thanks for listening. BTW: I only gave 4 stars, because I feel like 5 stars means we have no room for improvement, what fun would life be if we had nothing to work towards? I know every program has room for improvement! read more

This review is for the PEPPERTREE COTTAGE HOUSE. The staff at Peppertree are really great to the kids. It ended up being the salvation that my 7 year old son really needed. He was originally enrolled in another after school program but he really hated it. It caused him significant stress and really affected him emotionally. For two consecutive weeks he acted out and we finally figured out that the after school he went to initially was just too intense, and he needed some more individual attention, which Peppertree Cottage House could allow. Less Kids = More Personal Attention. Peppertree Cottage House is unlike the other after school programs. First off, they are much smaller. Not sure on exact number of kids, but for after school, they probably have 10-15 kids at the most? Because of that they end up having pretty good teacher/student ratio. This was what my kid needed most b/c at the other after schools, he was just one kid out of hundreds, and he felt very anonymous at the bigger after school kids. once he came here, he got all the personalized attention he wanted. He also happens to get along well with younger kids (he has a younger brother and lots of younger cousins). Most of the kids there in after school were probably 3-5 years old. There was one other 1st grader there. Facility is a little more Intimate, but still has everything a kid needs for 3 hours after school. The facility of course is much smaller than the other larger after school programs like the one by Stratford (forgot the name), Enlighten, Champions. This helps again make it much more of a personal experience for the kid. They have a sandbox, tricycles, and an older swing set in the back. They also have a room in the back where the kids start off at. They also have a pet Bunny that is fun for the kids to see. Focus on Fun Peppertree also focuses more on letting kids just have fun. They do a lot of crafts there, which my son loved. There is no classroom lecture like Enlighten. So if your not okay with having your kid trying to learn more book smarts, this may not be the place for you. For us, we felt that our kid went to enough school for a 7 year old and didn't need to do more school after school, so this was an ideal place where he could still be interested in activities, but also have fun doing them. Parents Night What a treat! once a month, 2 staff members will host a Parents night on a friday. Essentially they offer a babysitting service and let the parents go out on date night. My kids (incl my 4yo that didn't attend peppertree) loved going to Parents Night. They likely will continue to go even as ex-students! Pickup from Alta Vista My kid goes to Alta Vista and I needed someone to pick him up from school and transport him to after school. There really are very few options for parents who need their kid to be picked up, and this was one of the few that did pickups. Another plus for us. It was also really close to Alta Vista, so double bonus for us. All the teachers there were really great to our son, and the loving environment there really allowed my son to blossom and overcome his initial anxieties (from the other after school), and for that we are forever grateful. Thank you Miss Theresa, Miss Jenny, Miss Barbara, Miss Mallory, Miss Hina, and many more!!! read more

Very grateful to the staff and Ms Theresa at the Cottage House for all they do to stay positive and come from a validating and healthy growth-oriented mind set! My daughter has been going to Peppertree since she was 3 years old and feels very comfortable at this school. I pulled my daughter from a Montessori because they were too rigid and not invested in connecting with the kids. My daughter was acting out and didn't want to go to her old school. At Peppertree, I noticed my daughter growing despite her shyness, developing healthier social skills, exploring her creativity and developing healthy confidence. I was also delighted that they have Parent's night 1x/mo that my daughter looks forward to! The Wed music class is also a favorite! My only feedback would be to have staff promote daily themes to increase enthusiasm and fun factor (i.e. pajama day, sharing day etc). Also would be nice if the kids had cots or other for nap time and new outside play equipment read more

I am years behind in my review of Peppertree cottage house. Soon I will be on my way out as my kids are both entering school age. But I can't leave before I rave about Peppertree cottage house and mostly the director, Theresa. Theresa has literally made my world go round. It takes a village to raise kids these days but an even bigger village to be a single mom, work and raise kids. Theresa is one of the sweetest providers I could ever have asked for in my daycare/preschool experience. Flexible, sweet, understanding, empathetic, funny and down to earth describes Theresa. I don't know how I would have gotten through these years without her, NO ONE in my 15 years of daycare experience have I been so happy with the care and love I and my kids have gotten from Peppertree. I honestly come to tears thinking about the impact she's made in my life. Ok, enough about Theresa:) The teachers at the cottage house have been wonderful in preparing my kids for grade school. They love going to "school", love the activities, social time, music class, the friends they've made that they continue to grow with outside of "school", I have zero complaints about these wonderful women who tend to my kids when I'm not. My youngest is sad to be leaving this summer and "only wants to go to kindergarten if Ms.Barbara comes too". On our off days my girls ask to stop and say hi to their teachers and look forward to buying them Christmas treats as they love their teachers because "they love us". Today my 4 year olds "feet hurt" apparently because her shoes were too small and no joke, the teacher rubbed her feet for her. What more could a mom ask or want for her kids when I can't be there...... I look forward to our upcoming years at Carlton and clubhouse but Peppertree cottage house, Theresa and teachers will all be so missed. I'm with my youngest daughter and wish we could bring them with us. I think it goes without anything further said, they are a 5 stars in my book. And that's a hard get from me:) read more

After enrolling my kid at school several month, several issues came up during the time that forced us to take our kid out of school immediately. First and most important issue was lying about and the cover up of lack of proper attention to kids. When we caught them lying several occasions, Dana lecture us about the school policies in place and how wonderful their school is. Never acknowledgement and proposals for improvements. Teachers simply do not know what the kids are doing during the time spent at school. Teachers seem to be overwhelmed. read more

Our 18-month-old daughter has been going to the toddler room at Peppertree for a few months and I can say that I've been very impressed with the level of care and the overall quality of the facility. We looked at a few different places in the area and were ultimately the most impressed with Peppertree because they always seemed to have a good group of kids at every age group and the teachers are really engaged with them. If you look at their schedule of activities for each month, it's a really fun way of keeping them engaged. We're always surprised when she comes home singing new songs. That said, we had similar experiences with the initial follow-up and other problems getting in touch with the right people. It was a little frustrating but it in no way reflects how the school operates as an organization. When it comes to the day-to-day care, they are extremely diligent and quick to respond. They caught our daughter's Hand Foot and Mouth disease within minutes of us dropping her off and it's something that would've baffled us for a long time if we were just working with a nanny or watching her ourselves. We only really know the toddler room but it's also great to see a lot of the ethnic diversity that makes this neighborhood so great. I love that our daughter's first group of friends isn't completely homogenous. Overall, we really like Peppertree and wouldn't hesitate to send another child to the school. read more

My daughter is in the infant care program and really loves going to the day care center. In the morning when I drop her off she gets excited as soon as we walk in the door and has never had an issue with us leaving her. When I pick her up in the afternoon she is all smiles. I see the care given to her whether it is the gentle touch of the caregivers on her head, giving her choices of toys, pushing her to do tummy time in a way to she doesn't mind (it's not her favorite), talking to her all the time, or carefully cradling and bouncing her to sleep. I have been impressed with the variety of activities provided including art, sensory play, etc. They even brought real bunnies for the Easter egg hunt/activity. It was so hard to even think of leaving her with anyone when it was time for me to return to work but, after only a short time, I don't worry about her. I feel like Peppertree is actually a wonderful and enriching experience for her and helps close the gap of activities I didn't even know she might need. I would recommend Peppertree to anyone who is looking for a kind, warm environment that takes your babies individual needs or personality into account. This is not a cookie cutter, one size fits all program. The staff truly cares for each child and it shows. read more

My two kids have been attending to Pepper Tree/Cottage House since 2015/fall. We love only cottage house location since Mrs Theresa and all other teachers are caring and loving. Theresa is always caring, she listens our concerns and works with us through our difficult phases. read more

It took me a while to write the review. But, I think all parents who are looking for daycare for their young babies should know this: If you care about the number of hours you LO is napping, this will not be a right place. There are many rules for various reasons. If your LO takes forever to sleep, they will take him/her out of the crib, never he/she really needs nap. If your LO finally passed out in the playground due to overtired, they will transfer them, ultimately waking them up from the sleep they much need. I once came in saw a helper laughing at my daughter dozing off sitting on her lap thinking it was funny while what daughter needed was sleep. She came home every day sleep-deprived for 30 min to 1 hr nap the whole day @ 4 months old. When I questioned them, Danna said there was no designated person for your daughter. Uncalled for rudeness when I was asking questions .... Breast milk. For some mums, having enough supplies may be an issues. They don't help you to save them. They some time claimed my daughter only took 2 oz out of 6 oz, threw away the remaining 4 oz. When I asked Melina (?!) about saving the breast milk, she was all annoyed thinking I am creating more work for her. Cleanliness... it was not the cleanest daycare, I saw a soiled diaper right front of the street in the front gate, told one of the ladies, she just said,"Ya, that's disgusting!" She walked away without picking it up. When I gave notice about the withdrawal, Danna took her sweet time, taking as much deposit as possible by starting counting next business day and not returned the deposit till few months later, after promising to send the checks soon, followed by complete ignore of my inquiry of deposits. Then, later claimed enrollment was slow and they had financial difficulty to return my deposit??!!! I was almost ready to go to small court claim, not because of money but by the sheer unprofessionalism of this daycare. I gave two stars as I know some people were nice to my daughter at least. But, avoid the infant care unless quality care was not your concern. read more

My son started at Peppertree at 4 months old when I returned to work from maternity leave. I lucked out in finding them just 2 weeks before I was due to go back to work. I had toured a dozen or so infant programs in the area and many of them just did not feel like a good fit. Quality infant care is so hard to find, but Peppertree has it. They were super flexible and let me bring my son in for a few visits before starting in order to become familiar with the setting and the staff. In no time at all, he was smiling at drop off and so eager to go off and play. I never had a guilty commute to work because I'd had to leave a crying child. Danna and her staff obviously care very much about the babies in their charge, and the interaction between the staff and parents is very friendly and open, with lots of honest communication. My son received so much personal attention and loving care during his time in the infant room and I am so grateful to Danna and the other teachers. Regarding difficulty making initial contact...since I toured a dozen or so local programs, and spoke with many, many more I will say that it's fairly common to experience difficulty reaching someone when you are not yet part of the program. For lots of places, enrolled families take priority, especially if the program is full and not accepting new enrollments. I understand that it makes it tough to find a new place, but I can assure you that once you're enrolled at Peppertree, you won't have any difficulty communicating with the staff. read more

Our 21 month old son has been here starting at 12 months. He really loves it and loves the people there (one of his first words was the name of one of the caregivers). They have a great setup for the toddlers with a large room divided in two by a low shelf and gate. It lets the 12-18 month kids be together on one side, the bigger/faster kids together on the other side, and then some mixed time together as well. There's lots of art projects, stories, and singing to keep them occupied. The other thing I really like about PepperTree is the very large outdoor area for the kids to run around in. The staff really love the kids and the kids love the staff. Things we love: great staff that our son really loves engaging activities throughout the day for the kids clean facilities that strictly adhere to regulations great big outdoor space conveniently located a block off of hwy 85 longer hours (6:30am-6:00pm) prices are competitive for the quality of the school Minor Issues: -not sure if it's common throughout the industry, but it seems like there's a lot of turnover in the staff -our son comes home super messy some days. it's not a bad thing for him, since he's having a blast playing with glitter/glue/pens/etc, but some of his clothes end up permanently stained. (again, he loves it, just more of an annoyance for us). -Napping can be an issue from 12-15 months old, as they only do 1 nap during the day and our son was still transitioning from 2 naps. read more

I'm very pleased with our choice to go with peppertree for my sons first preschool experience. He loves going and never wants to leave. He's learnt so much since he started a month ago! I love the way the teachers interact with the children. They speak to them with respect and kindness. Its structured but very fun at the same time. They really do make learning fun. He comes home each week with a new song to sing for me and loves to show off what he learnt. I've recommended this school to many other parents knowing they'll love it too. read more

Each of our two boys started at Peppertree when they were around 3 months old. By the time we left Peppertree (when we moved) our oldest was 2 1/2, and our youngest was 10 months. So we have a 2+ year baseline to judge the center, especially in the infant room. We were altogether very pleased with the experience that our boys had there, and the experience that we had as parents. Peppertree is really a good size: Not too small (always a lot going on for the kids), and not too big, so things always felt very homey and personal. The teacher and the assistant in the infant room have each been there for many years. The love that they showed for both of our boys was essential to our happiness, as giving your fragile youngster away for 9 hours a day is a big deal. I have nothing but positive feelings for them. Also, they were great with using our various kinds of cloth diapers. The toddler room is for kids age 1-2. Again, to my knowledge the main teacher and assistant have been there for several years. Although my wife and I had less of a personal connection with these teachers, we still very much felt that our son was well cared for and respected every single day. The next room up is 2-3ish, and again we had a very positive experience. The overall feel of that room was perhaps a bit more harried at times, but I'm not sure how it wouldn't be, given the age of the kids. (But definitely NOT a zoo.) We made a strong personal connection with the main teacher in that room as well. Our son got a lot of personal attention, and the teachers knew his personalty and quirks very well. Dana, the owner, seemed very solid, and Jennifer, the director of the Ranch House location, is outstanding. We got to know Jennifer well. She seems to set a great tone for all the teachers and assistants. Our boys really loved to be there. I recommend it to anyone. read more

I have 2 boys at Peppertree. My 2.5 year old started there at 4 months old. I also have a 10 month old boy at Peppertree who has been there since 3 months old. I know the staff very well and can tell you they are all very loving, caring, knowledgeable teachers/staff. With both of my boy,s I spent my lunch hour there every day nursing while they were breastfeeding so I've had a very unique view of the day to day operations. I've always been very impressed (and I am very picky). My sons love to go there every morning and have a blast with the songs, arts and crafts, outdoor play, etc. It is so reassuring to see such happy boys with the stress of being a working mom. Peppertree is also very flexible with schedule changes, part-time schedules, etc and I know many day cares in the valley who do not accommodate this. I can't say enough good things about Peppertree. I have very happy, healthy, thriving, and safe kids while I am away during the day. Doesn't get any better than that! read more

This place is unreal. My daughter Lily (2yrs) kicked an screamed every time we dropped her off there, she hated it; and I know why too, I went to pick her up after about a month of her attending and saw her alone crying in the corner, with no one even near her. The same day, while I was signing out the log, I heard another teacher lecturing the 2 year olds as if they were young children who were caugt stealing grandpa's liquor cabnet. It was unbelievable to hear them scorn the kids as if they were little adults. This is a happy little girl, who pounds on the door to get into her new day care, and is very clear about what a good place is vs. a bad; Pepper Tree is not a safe & fun enviornment for you child I promise you. Good luck getting your deposit back, we followed their rules, 30 day notice, didn't work. They refused to send the deposit when they said they would, wont answer our calls. They have have resorted to childness. My wife and I have sent them a detailed break down of the hours and dates our kids attended cooperated and said they would pay until the time came to actually cut a check. I had to take off work and go there the one day a week that Stephanie Fernandez works to get the check; which was $1000 dollars short. They agreed on certain dates, times, to fit my Police schedule, but have not held up their end of the bargain. Bottom line: Lectures the kids as if they were in grade school, neglects to comfort them. Don't count on getting your deposit back, plus expect to be over charged. The second you tell them you have to pull your kids out (what ever the reason) expect them to become ghosts, will not reply to emails, calls, and will avoid you when you try to meet in person. If your thinking about putting your kids in this place, seriously think again. Really, just do some research and see what the non empoyees have said about this place. read more

To be fair this is not a review of the program itself as my child did not attend the preschool. However, I was interested in the toddler program and contacted them to put my name down for a tour. I was told that they weren't able to schedule at the time because it was pick up time and a busy time for them which is very understandable. However, I never received a call back after months. If I were to choose a school for my child I would choose one that would have good communication and respected the parent's time. I'll look elsewhere for that. read more

I moved my son here after he had been SICK for several miserable months at another daycare. I couldn't be happier with the care he gets here at Peppertree. The teachers are attentive and he loves it there. He comes home singing songs... he is only 18mo mind you. He runs and play and has only been sick once since the move. He actually wants to go in the morning without the tears. They take pride in the school, the cleanliness and I would recommend this daycare to anyone. read more

This review definitely needs an update as my daughter has spent two more years at Peppertree. She just turned 3. This school is amazing. During last 2 years she has spent time in 3 different classes. Our experience has been really great. All the teachers have been amazing to her. She received a lot of love and care from all her teachers. They taught her how to eat, behave, conflict resolution, expressing herself, singing and what not. I am sure I could not raise her so well by myself. She started speaking early for her age. She can better express her feelings than many adults (including me). We love miss rosa, lizette, Yolanda, narisa and other teachers who have left the school now. Dana is doing a great job to keep teachers' aligned to the goal of children physical and emotional nourishment. I am really impressed with Dana's hiring capabilities. She has hired the best possible teachers and oriented them according to school's philosophy which is based on love and creativity. We are having a new baby and looking forward to sending him to Peppertree as well. read more

My son thoroughly enjoyed his days at Cottage house, he was always happy to stop in and see miss Theresa the director before going to his classroom. The teachers were so great at helping with drop off, he had some separation issues after we welcomed his baby brother and they were always so caring and patient with him. Theresa is so down to earth and great at helping with all of life's little obstacles that we all know happen when raising kids. I would highly recommend Peppertree Cottage house my son always surprised me with new things he had learned and friends he'd made. read more

Hi Dana so glad I met you yesterday and got to see the unprofessional and rudeness behavior from you . came in with my 2 year old son to see if you have opening so I can start him immediately since my daughter is in the cottage house for more than a year. First and for most I have to say I'm pleased with the staff at the cottage house especially Ms Theresa, Barbara, susan, Ali, and Farah. They have been amazing to us from the moment I signed up my daughter in 2014 I must say from meeting you yesterday and got to know the nasty side of you I personally feel bad they have to work for you because if you treat parents in such way how are you with your staff. Yes I didn't make appointment for a tour but I wasn't there for a tour I was there to sign him up if was room available. All you could have said to me to come back because you don't deal with walk in. knowing my daughter goes to cottage house for over a year I was shocked to be treated like such. Not only I will not send my son to your school I refuse to give you business any longer you don't deserve it for sure. Learn to be professional not cross the line with people. Oh and I hope you don't call me because I refuse to hear your voice and deal with you. Just so you know no one ever told me " you're not listening to me and hearing me out " while you are the one who's interrupting me making nose cross the playground making googoo gagaaaa to another infant while I'm trying to ask question and get to the point why I'm there to begin with. It's obvious you were the one who was not listening to why I'm there to begin with. I hope you learned a lesson as I learned one too. I bet you with the way you presented your self you have a lot of turn overs. Who wants to work for you. I'm shocked if anyone last a few years working under you :( if it wasn't for miss Theresa and the rest taking good care of my daughter I would have removed her right away. but I will wait till the year is over. read more

They did not pay my deposit back in time. When I asked about the deposit, they lied a couple times. They said that the deposit was mailed but it was not. What made me angry most is they did not pick up my phone and did not respond on my message. It took two and half month to receive it finally when I was about to planning a legal claim. read more