I just wanted to complement and highly recommend this preschool. When searching for a potential pre-school for our oldest, we drove to many facilities, however the one our daughter felt most comfortable when visiting was Running Start. At that time, the director was Hazel, and she was warm, friendly, and you can yell she was really caring of the children. We went with our child's reaction vs to what a parent we thought we should pick and the results was fantastic!!!! All of the teachers there are so caring and friendly. You can see how much the kids look up to them, listen to them, admire them, and just want to be around them. Knowing that warm atmosphere helped make this an awesome experience for us. There are many family events where you see your child grow and see how they interact with other kids. It is a nice feeling to see how well behaved they finally shape up to be The new director is Peggy and she is very nice and is extremely well organized. Our daughter loved bugging her at the end of the day when I picked her up and Peggy always stopped what she was doing and chatted with our daughter and kept her entertained. As our first child went to kindergarten and did her evaluation, she came out to be in the top of her class of knowing the alphabets, writing the letters and numbers, conversing, being well respectable, listening to others, to other audible pronouncing words out. We are more than delighted with the results and are looking forward in bringing our other children here. read more

Loving teachers, thoughtful director, huge play space, very clean. Emphasis on developing self-reliance and independence, but in a warm and supportive environment. My son comes home with art projects every week, and gets a report card with areas he can improve and specific feedback. I'm very glad we found this place. It was the first one I toured when we moved back to San Jose and I signed up on the spot. I have two kids and with moving and other things this is the 6th or 7th preschool I've dealt with, and one of only two I'd give five stars to. The hours are very convenient and the price is quite reasonable. read more

I love running start preschool. My son also just love it. We moved to this area few months back and i was deliberately searching for right school for my 2.5 yrs( that time) old son. He started going to one school ( dont wanna mention the school name) and he just hated that. I took him out from that one . I was so worried for him and started searching again for a school in which my son wud be happy then i got to know about this school. Ms. Peggy is awesome, very patient and soft spoken. Ms. Terry is soooo good with toddlers . My son loves her. I highly recommend this school!! read more

My daughter has been going here since she turned 2 and absolutely loves it! Teachers are great and take good care of kids with so much love, care and attention! They do a lot of fun activities with learning incorporated in them. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

I'm pretty sure it was a great school while ms Peggy was here but since she left, it's a complete disaster. The director changed twice during the two month period we spent here, just like the only nice teacher the school had. Communication is a non-existent thing here. No one said a word about any changes ever, it was just an other person who welcomed us the next morning. For the same reason, children are not listening and the whole place is just chaotic. Don't even mention that children watch cartoon and songs on computer instead of reading/singing them together. Hope the new director can reorganize this place, it really needs someone who actually knows what she is doing. read more

Well, we are almost 2 years at RSP and we still think it is one of the best. I just read Elizabeth K's review and I have to say is she has it spot on. In addition, the staff are kind, warm, understanding, and wonderful. The recent director change has not changed the preschool at all and I couldn't be happier. We recently went to Disneyland and received a VERY sweet letter from Miss V (the school chef and teacher's aide) about what to do in Disneyland and lots of tips! Who does that???? This place is just great. I have met some other great parents who have discovered this diamond tucked into the quiets of Cambrian. I wish they did kindergarten because I KNOW the fall of 2013 will be a rude awakening. Thank you RSP read more

We are getting ready to finish our last couple days at this amazing school. My son started there when he was 4, he is now 8, and my daughter started when she was 2. Now my daughter will be going off to Kinder in a couple short weeks and although I am so grateful for all my kids have learned we are so sad to have to say goodbye. Thank you to all the amazing teachers at Running Start! read more

My son attended preschool here for 2 years and we honestly could not have asked for a better school. My son LOVES his teachers because they are kind and nurturing individuals who truly care about each and every kid. It really shows as soon as you walk in. The director, Ms. Peggy, even texted me pictures of my son loving his days there for the first few weeks he was enrolled because I was so worried about leaving him. We are sad to be saying goodbye Ms. Peggy, Ms. Terri, Ms. Catherine and Ms. Danielle but are headed to kindergarten. Thank you all for everything you do! read more

I am usually not a review writing person, but I would love to share my fondness for my son preschool to any parents that are looking for a safe, loving and nurturing place for your little ones. Running Start Preschool has grown with my son. I am so grateful that he learned so much things from here. They provide a very structured learning environment. It is amazing to see how much his skills have grown in the last 16 months of school. He can count from 1 to 100, write his name, recognize all the alphabet and everyday he always comes home excited with stories about his projects (in accordance with holidays, or seasons) All the teachers in Running Start Preschool are all very loving, patient and caring. Particular Ms Danielle and Kathy are the most kind and patient teachers ever that he has been with. I love Running Start Preschool and sad that my son are growing up and will soon have to part ways. read more

I'm so happy found this preschool for my daughter, she learned so much from here. her teacher Miss Cathy is the best, she learned read spell in just few months! I'm so impressed and appreciated. the entire staff are so good with kids, my daughter excited and looking forward to go school everyday. The Christmas party was really awesome, I'm so happy to see my daughter in the show, it seems like she doesn't listen to me that good at home, but she follow the direction and did awesome in the show, I'm really impressed. And every week she will bring something she made at school to impress me, I love it! I think I'm going to miss this school when my daughter leave here to kindergarten, lol. I'm looking forward to send my son when he's ready. read more

My daughter have been at RSP for the past two years and I couldn't imagine a better place to send her! The teachers genuinely care about the children and exercise patience,love, and respect with every child. My daughter loves going to school in the morning and looks forward to seeing all her friends. Best of all, the school chief ms Victoria is such a sweetheart! She is so creative and has a way of making food that the kids love to eat! My kid is so picky about food and doesn't always eat what we give her but she is quite the eater at school from what I'm told. So thanks Ms. V !! Sadly she will be leaving soon to start TK and I know how much we will miss this school. But I'm so thankful to this place for giving her the "running start" to her education. read more

My niece and nephew attend RSP and I cannot say enough good things about them! The staff is fully committed to every child being loved and learning! The teachers (Ms. Heather and Ms. Rachelle) also go above and beyond with each child. I have seen the teachers study and learn new teaching methods just to accommodate one child! The teachers make learning fun and are quick to work with parents and family members for the child's future. What is so amazing about the teachers is that they make learning so fun--my niece once told me she didn't learn anything in preschool! She didn't realize all the fun and games were teaching her! I asked her where she learned to read (at age 4!!) she said, "Oh, well at school, I guess. But it was a lot of fun." The atmosphere is clean, fun (they have HUGE trees painted on the classroom walls!) and safe. They have a very large open room, two classrooms, a playground, a grassy knoll, and a large sandbox. The parking lot is big so drop off and pick up is a breeze. For each holiday the RSP team goes out of their way to make a special gathering for the family--from Father's Day BBQ's to beautiful Christmas Programs they ALWAYS hit it out of the park! Ms. Victoria makes a wonderful spread not just for parents but aunts, uncles, and grandparents--really ALL are welcome. The parents really get to know one another and even started a running club. The preschool is more than just a care facility it is a tight-nit community of friends! read more

The Running Start Preschool is an excellent place to go as a daycare. My younger son attended this daycare when he was four years old. We visited a few places and decided to go to the Running Start Preschool. The location is excellent. It is located in a quiet neighborhood close to a church. There are many activities here. They have a gym program every week to keep my son doing excesses. There is a large playground, too. My son loves the sand box especially. The out of door activities he had here gave him a good health. In addition, I found my son learned a lot of new things here. He started to recognize letters, words, numbers, basic math from the classes. Now, my son has graduated and entered Kindergarten. I would like to thank all of the teachers in the Running Start Preschool for giving my son such a delightful childhood life experience. read more

I moved to San Jose when my daughter was only one from South Florida and had no idea where to enroll her. I searched and searched for about a year until I came into Running Start and that's when I knew this is the place I want her to be! Being a new mom can be very challenging and it's very hard to trust people with your child. I knew that they only accept potty trained children so we quickly trained her and signed her up a few months later! She started at the age of 2 with two half days a week. After that I noticed she was improving so much, and starting to grow as well as having an incredible time. We switched her to three full days and now that she naps there (I really don't know how they do it!) she comes home happy as can be! I am so Incredibly happy with all of the staff and their amazing principal Ms Peggy. The teachers are all so loving and wonderful I just can't say enough! Every time I speak to moms about where to enroll I always tell them to first go to RSP to just meet the wonderful ladies who run it and to see the children. Running Start has a really nice cozy atmosphere to it and if you're considering enrolling you will be so happy! read more

I love Running Start Preschool! My son has been going here since June and we absolutely love it! The facility is very clean, the teachers are caring/sweet, and the Director, Peggy is wonderful! I feel very safe and secure leaving my son here as well. My son loves going to school daily and I look forward to enrolling my youngest in the next few years as well. I am very thankful we found this school! read more

You know that something is going right when other people tell you your child is blossoming - and your own child is thrilled to be at school. I am writing a detailed review because of two unfortunate experiences, totally unexpected! The first preschool we tried seemed nice, but my child was so unhappy. The second was great but it closed down! Then we got lucky! What does Running Start offer that most other schools don't? a) Hot and tasty breakfast and lunch. A HUGE time saver for stressed out parents. Also, great way for kids to learn social behavior and table manners. b) Mother Goose curriculum: which introduces learning in a fun way and makes the child ready for kindergarten. c) Jump Bunch: structured physical exercise (my 'thinker' son has become very active!). What are the things that most schools offer, but are better at Running Start? a) A dedicated group of teachers who make each child feel loved and valued. In the first school, kids were left to cry for weeks and bad behavior (snatching toys, hitting) was not corrected. Here teachers comfort and reassure the child but also teach good behavior. b) Great social interaction between the kids. On day one, an older kid came up and took my son around the school. The children not only know each other, they also know the parents! c) Systematic and well organized, things run like clockwork. d) Constant communication, both written and face to face (I love their cute and colorful updates!) e) A wonderful group of parents who chip in to help at any school program (in the first school, parents didn't even greet each other, and hardly anyone volunteered!) f) It is a place where kids can have FUN! No wonder they love it so much! Some schools focus only on academics, others only on creative expression and play. But Running Start has the optimal balance of teaching social, creative and academic skills. We found Running Start by accident - and that would be my main complaint : this is Cambrian's best kept secret! We would have avoided the pain if we had found this the first time we searched! read more

Running Start Preschool is as good as it gets! My daughter has grown by leaps and bounds since she started attending. She loves getting up and going to school. Ms. Heather and the rest of staff love the kids like they are their own, and it shows. I highly recommend RSP to anyone looking to start their child on the road to success!! read more

You won't find a better value and nurturing environment than this place. I have sent my 4 and 2 year old here and I am pleased to see how they have grown and enjoy themselves here. The staff are just the sweetest kindest people you will ever want to take care of your young ones. They are truly not in it for the business but just caring people who happen to be great at taking care of little ones. My youngest at 2 years old started and although it was an adjustment, I was surprised to see how much she flourished in her speech and the social environment. Mrs. Hazel is a great administrator and really leads by example, you can tell the staff enjoy working with the kids and with each other. If they happen to have openings, take it because there's a reason it's usually wait-listed!! read more

We absolutely love RSP! The teachers really take the time to get to know the students & they really love their jobs! My daughters will be starting their last year of preschool in September & they have been asking all summer to go back! We can't wait for another year of fun & learning! read more

What a delight to take your grandchildren to preschool and watch them run for the door, excited to be there. RSP has provided a great start for our grandchildren, one who just went on to kindergarten and received a glowing report from her teacher in every area. This is a great preschool with gifted and caring teachers and staff. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to give their kids a great start on their road to learning while in a safe and loving environment. read more

This pre school is great. My daughter loves the teachers, it is clean, well organized and even though the environment is familiar and relaxed kids learn everything theyneed to to be ready for kindergarten. I have moved and I wanted to find a preschool closer to where I live: nothing compares to Running Start and the 20 minutes commute is all worth it. read more

I have nothing but positive things to say about this preschool. My son started attending this school shortly after he turned 2. The teachers are all so loving- it is obvious in the way they interact with the kids and the way the kids respond to them. (My son listed off all his teachers when we were making his list of who to invite to his birthday party) From the delicious meals they serve to the awesome Holiday Parties, this place is top notch. My son has grown so much since attending this school and I am grateful to his teachers for teaching/reinforcing compassion, good manners, and encouraging good old fashion fun. Did I forget to mention he has learned all of his letters and numbers since attending this school?! So he is not only learning but is also having a great time while doing so- what more could you ask for??!! read more

My son and daughter attended Running Start Preschool. When my son entered kindergarten he was well prepared. He had not only the technical skills but the social skills necessary to successful navigate his first year of school. My daughter will start kindergarten next year and will be ready as well. I can't say enough how caring the staff is of each the kids. The environment is fun and organized. They do wonderful work and special events. We also love that they serve a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack. read more

This is one of the best preschool I have had for my two kids. We are extremely lucky and very happy to send my younger son to this super lovely preschool from last summer. The most impressive thing about this preschool is how caring the people working there are! The principle Ms. Green is a very experienced and kind leader, the teachers Ms. Kathy, A is always smiling and caring. Every afternoon, when I go to pick up my son, the Teacher Daniel and Katherine are always smiling and creating fun things for kids to play. Every sunny day, I noticed that the teachers have put suncream on the kids' faces. It is truly lovely and caring environment, which our kids need the most. My son has learned a lot during the school year, the curriculum are fun and creative! Almost everyday I brought home cute projects my son made. I have attended their several activities, such as mother's day lunch, graduation, etc. I feel I am very warmly welcomed and included in this community. My son is graduating this summer, we definitely will miss it and strongly recommend it to all of you wholeheartedly! read more

I almost didn't want to write this review simply because I like keeping RSP the hidden gem that it is, but I can't deny how much we've come to love this preschool for meeting the needs for our daughter and our family. The staff is absolutely wonderful and they care so much for the children. It is apparent in the way they interact and even how much my daughter has taken to them as well. Coming from a preschool that I had many reservations about (see previous review) it was so refreshing to come to RSP and have no qualms about this program. There is a good balance of hands-on learning as well as allowing the children to explore and discover in a safe environment. And the fact that they provide nutritious meals that are both kid-friendly and parent approved is a rarity these days. We have seen our daughter blossom as well as actually enjoy going to school (not the case before), which says something about the way they take care of the children here. I can't say enough good things about RSP. I'm so thankful for programs like RSP where you see a genuine love for your child and the support to foster an environment where they are able to flourish. read more

Our daughter has attended Running Start Preschool for 2 years and we've been very pleased. Running start has embraced our family with care, been very friendly, and a good balance of play and exposing young children to education. Particularly thankful for the friendships and care each teacher has provided. read more

What an outstanding school! They really do care about each and every child and their uniqueness. Such a warm/loving environment and the kids love to come here! Fantastic learning atmosphere as well! read more

Loved this preschool! Both my kids went to Running Start Preschool and were well prepared for kindergarten. Aside from the "academics," I felt my kids were loved and well taken care of by the staff. They always did fun projects and had wonderful special holiday events that included the family. This was more than just a wonderful preschool, this was a wonderful community! read more

This school has truly been the best thing I have discovered. My child's socialization skills have grown tremendously since being here, the kids learn through play. She has been there since age 3 and I can really see the growth and difference in her, she can count, write her name, they teach art, it's a wonderful place. The teachers are all loving and caring and skills needed for the world are taught there, kids learn manners, sharing with others, and how to be a kind person, which is the best quality of all. I feel truly lucky and blessed I found this school, I feel very happy that my daughter attends there and I wish they had Kindergarten. read more

I want to express my extreme gratitude for the wonderful teachers at Running Start Preschool that have cared for my son for the past 2 years. They have prepared him in all capacities for kindergarten; academically, socially and physically. The environment is relaxed and comfortable but the rules are always enforced. I loved attending all of the wonderful programs that were prepared for the families, it was obvious how much love and attention was put into each one. The kids learned songs and made costumes while Miss Victoria put together a lavish feast for us all to enjoy. Another fun experience was receiving random texts throughout the day from Miss Heather (the director/pre-K teacher) of all the funny things my son would do or say. As for Miss Rachelle, she always had a sweet smile and an encouraging word... and did a great job of uploading pictures of the fun our kids were having on the Face Book page. If your child comes home laughing and singing and telling stories of what they learned at school each day, you know that they are happy. We all will miss you but promise to visit Thanks to you all!!! read more