If I could give 6 stars, I would! Like so many Bay Area families we have no family support…read morestructure here, so choosing a preschool became as much an exercise in researching early childhood education philosophies and the quality of the staff and facilities, as finding an environment that aligned to the type of community that we wanted to foster for our family. Who would become our adopted FR-AMILY, if you will. ;) RVNS is unparalleled in this respect imo. There is a true sense of inclusiveness and belonging, of high-touch/low-pressure engagement between the teachers and staff, the children, and the amazing families who enroll. RVNS has that special something that is so hard to put words to so I encourage you to schedule a tour and experience it for yourself. Just be forewarned...if your child is anything like mine you'll have a hard time getting them to leave after that tour! :) Also worth noting that during the Covid-19 era RVNS has masterfully embraced the heightened safety guidelines without losing any of their special sauce. They've made adjustments to their programs to allow for small pods, maximum time outdoors, and implemented new mask and cleaning protocols without in any way alarming the children. The level of thought, care and communication with parents has been top-notch, and we feel safe and comforted in these uncertain times.

We LOVE this school! Our son has spent the last three years there and we feel so lucky to be part…read moreof such a wonderful community. Not only are the teachers exceptional, but so are all the other families that attend. Our son has flourished at RVNS with their play-based approach and we feel confident that RVNS has given him the foundation to thrive next year in Kindergarden.

We are in the middle of our 3rd year at SAPS and we've had a wonderful experience. Our son is…read moreincredibly happy and has grown so much in his confidence and preparedness for Kindergarten. He'a had a breadth of learning experiences and projects over his time at SAPS. His curiosity has been constantly sparked by his teachers. They've been supportive and kind as he's grown up there. SAPS is a large preschool with many teachers. I've genuinely appreciated how many staff members know and care for my son. It's given my son a chance to get to know many children at different ages as well. We chose SAPS because of the relaxed atmosphere and great hours for working parents. They went above and beyond what I expected and I am continually grateful we chose to send our son there.

We probably should have gone elsewhere, but we were desperate…read more For reference, we came in to SAPS at the Pre-K (Mighty Oaks) program, so this review is based off of being a new student in their self-contained pre-K program. First off, we had decided to do a week of summer camp prior to starting the school year so my son could get used to the new environment. Our first day, we were not greeted at all or told where we should go. We were lost and the campus is quite large for being a preschool. They house several different ages and so we didn't know where to go. When I picked him up from camp, nobody said bye. We could have been strangers taking a kid and no one would have known. This should have been a red flag to immediately apply elsewhere. But really, there was no where else accepting at the time, so there we went. I never really felt that magical connection we had with his prior preschool (the Pre-K there had run out of spots). Really, I feel a lot of guilt for not doing more research. Some parents I've read had done a year of Kindergarten (which my son age wise qualified for (barely being 5), but emotionally, he was not ready) at a private school and then re-did kindergarten at the public school at age 6. This is a path I only found out about today. Such is life! My son is chugging along, however, I know it's not the magical place of his old preschool. We'll get through it for the next 8 months, and take it with a grain of salt. It'll build resilience. The other students are nice enough and his two teachers are nice enough, but I don't honestly feel like anyone there LOVES their job. At least they don't convey that. It's not as "bubbly" and warm as our other school. My other son will for sure stay where we are at the other preschool for pre-K. But if I had to do it again, we'd go elsewhere. I hope I can help other parents out there. This just wasn't a great fit. I think you need to spend a day and meet the teachers before you enroll. Meet ALL the teachers as they do cover for other classes sometimes. We have our favorites (science for sure). For the price, it's ok, but the nearby (and I mean it's on the same street) private Kindergarten was actually CHEAPER! So that's on me for not even looking or thinking to do a year there instead. All in all it's a learning lesson. It has taught me to do more diligent research on any program my children do. And sometimes you might be better off just waiting.

The teachers here are amazing! The teachers and staff are always welcoming. I know my child is safe…read morewhen I drop them off. If I can give them 10 stars I would! I highly recommend this center for families.

Although our little one doesn't go here yet, as we only did the tour earlier this month, I wanted…read moreto provide a review of the tour. The preschool has locks on the doors which i though provides an extra sense of security. The entire facility was clean and well maintained. Dawn was polite, friendly and down to earth. She answered all our questions, and you can really tell she has put time and energy and most importantly her love into this place. Excited for new beginning here in August:)

This place is terrific. The teachers are very caring, the kids are nice, the facility is great,…read moreand the activities they do are interesting, varied, creative and fun. We were sending our 4 year old to both this school and a much more expensive and "prestigious" pre-school and he liked this one much more! So now we just go here and are happy with it. Thanks, LMNO!

We love this preschool. My second child attends and I feel very lucky to have found this sweet…read moreschool. The space is great for young children with plenty of room to play indoors and outdoors. The teachers are so genuine and caring and really get to know and understand each child. They are happy working with children and the kids love them. The schedule is accommodating, there is parking, it is off the beaten path and you can hear the Seminary bells daily. I chose the school because the ratios do not exceed 7:1, the kids are engaged, it's super safe, teachers are helpful, transparent, honest, so kind and loving. They have 2,3,4 and some 5 year olds. It really is a gem.

My son has been here for three years now and we are really grateful to have found this wonderful…read moreestablishment. He has learned how to be a more concise and considerate person. The teachers are practical parents themselves and know when to coddle and when not to coddle. I have met many parents who's children are now in high school and college but they still remember there time at Daycaring with fondness. I know this chapter in my son's life will also be revered with Daycaring Preschool as the wonderful backdrop to his experience.

I've put off writing this review for quite a while now, b/c DC'ing is such a beloved institution,…read moreand also, there are so few daycares in Marin, that even if not a good fit, you may not have a choice. I ultimately decided to throw down my two cents, in case it helps a family, with similar ideas and priorities as ours, in deciding where to spend their hard-earned money and time (because this is a co-op you will be expected to dedicate work hours, too). If you commute from SF for work, good luck getting there at 6pm. I think more than a few parents hire nannies to pick up their kids or one parent only works part-time or not at all, which is how they manage it. And don't let the relaxed vibe there fool you. Even being a minute late will cost you $5, plus a few very nasty looks. Do it twice, and they threaten to expel your kid. It's a nonprofit, but they charge nearly as much as any other daycare. They have a fundraiser too that you are expected to contribute to. I raised $500 my first year there (Didn't get so much a thank you note. Makes me sorry that I traded in my "mommy capitol" among my friends and family to get them to donate, when I really could have used that effort and my friends cash for a nonprofit that would have truly appreciate it.) When you tour the place, you will see the rows and rows of diapers in the one small bathroom. Thats because easily 80% of kids are not toilet trained, including the ones who are going to start kindergarten next year. They only take the kids to the bathroom twice a day. The bathroom is hidden off in a side room, very far away from the play area. Trying to potty train your kid in this set up is a losing battle. (My kid was potty trained w/in 4 weeks at a new daycare, without me changing anything else about our routine. The new place takes the kids every hour). Initially, I thought the place had a sort of casual chic. $1300/month later, I wondered where my money was going, with the dirty toys, broken furniture, peeling paint, and all the delayed maintenance, including plumbing / drainage problems that shut the place down for a few days, that left us scrambling for daycare. Once again, they rely on that "relaxed" vibe to be what I would charterize as disorganized. If you have any questions or issues about your kid, you are supposed to write it in this notebook at the front. I don't think anyone reads that though, so I wound up spending a lot of time buttonholing teachers and telling them personally anytime I had info to convey. Meals - as you probably know if you are touring the place, you provide meals. That's fine, however, they are supposed to help your kid find, open, and eat their food. The very small kids, 3 - 5, have trouble with this. Example - my kids lunchbox had front and side compartments. I discovered that no one was bothering to open them up, and get the food out for my toddler. Meals wasted, kid hungry. 3 years old is just too little for kids for to be expected to feed themselves. My son is a picky eater as is - but even for a good eater, expecting them to find and open his own food? Like the potty issue, it comes down to staffing - too little of them. Staff - some are nice, some are less so, most of them seem overwhelmed. The owner only works 3/4 time (not there on Friday). I'm not one of those parents who minds if their kid gets dirty. My son is a very active child and loves a good mud puddle. However, I have my limits. He would come home, absolutely filthy, just about every day, including permanent stains from nonwashable markers and paint. I asked them if they could either switch to washable paint ("no, these are the paints we use") or put a smock on the kids ("no, we don't have time for that"). So, I had to add soaking and treating my son's clothes to my To Do list every day, or else have every picture ever taken of my kid in clothes looking like I dug them out of the trash. Or have an entire other wardrobe for weekends, with all my extra cash. And call me a bad person, but I would have liked to be able to go at least one day without having to give my kid a full bath. Overall, I don't think this place is understanding or responsive to the needs of working parents, particularly moms. It probably started as little coop for mommies to take the kids to a few hours a week, so they could socialize, but not as a real daycare, for working parents. Example - my kid was having a tough week, and kept asking for me. The teacher asked me if I could "spend some time with him. Just 15 minutes a day." She actually believed that I literally never spent more than 14 minutes a day with my kid - probably less! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but I calmly explained to her that despite having a jobs, my husband and I spent breakfast, and 6 pm to bedtime every night with our kid, not to mention of course weekends. She honestly looked flabbergasted. Then said "oh. ok. I guess you do see him." SMH. Like I said at the outset, I know I'm the outlier here.

Both of my kids went to West Marin Montessori before entering elementary school. Our whole family…read morecould not be happier with the choice to attend WMM. The social, emotional and academic education in a fun, engaging environment was just perfect. The school used to be located in Woodacre, but recently moved onto the campus of the Lagunitas School District. The move is ideal since most of the preschool kids will go on to one of the elementary schools of the Lagunitas District and the transition will be almost seamless.

My son is finishing his last year at West Marin Montessori, and we have been so thrilled with…read moreabsolutely everything about this preschool. Both teachers are true pros: attentive, humorous, friendly, firm, creative, always brimming with positivity even on days when I so tired that I can barely speak during drop offs, and devoted to the children. They know how to bring the best out in the kids. The school is beautiful, surrounded by hills and nature, and a hiking trail is right outside that they are able to use often. My son enjoys this school so much that he always asks to stay for aftercare so he will have more time there. The community of other families we have met through the school has also been great and we've heard nothing but positive feedback about other families experiences with this preschool.

We sent our daughter here at 3.5 for the primary program and it's been amazing to watch how much…read moreshe's blossomed here! She's learned to be more independent, focus, and wakes up excited to go to school everyday! Hours are great, teachers are loving, and it really finds the right balance between structure and fun.

Our children went here for two years before we moved to Colorado. It really broke my heart to leave…read morethis sweet, professionally run, inspiring school. Corte Madera Montessori is simply lovely. The school is set within the grounds of the old "Granada" school, which features sixties style geodesic dome architecture (aaack! my tongue feels fuzzy just typing that! like I've been licking macrame!). Don't let the questionable architecture throw you off, however. CMM's facility is set up such that it COULD have four full classes at all times. Instead of maximizing its space for profits, however, the school dedicates an entire classroom space for an Emilio Reggio inspired art room. I've compared many Montessori schools, especially after we moved to Denver, and I have to say that CMM stands out for the excellence of its staff and its warm ambiance. If you have any specific questions about the school, please feel free to private message me. I simply cannot say enough things that reflect how happy we were with this school!

Both our boys attended this school. The Mommy and Me classes are a great way to gently introduce…read morethe little ones to the structure of school. As the kids get older they focus on building confidence and helping them grow into kind humans. The Director, Kate, is so kind and really wonderful with the kids and the teachers are amazing! My older son loved all the sensory play activities and getting to play right at Marinwood Park! He has so many wonderful memories of his time there. In fact occasionally they will put on specialty workshops for slightly older kids (mindfulness, music, etc) and he loves going so he can see Kate and the staff again! We have met tons of kids who feed into the same local elementary school so they start building friendships early. I'm also confident that my boys were prepped well for Kindergarten. The only bummer is that it's only a half day program otherwise this is one of the best programs around!

I'm sorry my kids didn't attend a different preschool, I feel it was quite waste of time and money…read morewhen I compare it with the preschool they are in now. It's true they provide a lot of toys but that's about it. My kids can play with toys at home or when they visit their friends. The school needs some structure, follow some concept, playing with toys won't do it.