I would caution any parent before sending their child to OLA school. The principal and certain…read moreteachers are completely unprofessional and do not have the children's best interest at heart. As a student at the school I have come home muiltiple crying for the major bullying problem. At the school that goes unsloved. We do the same stuff every year With no new activities. I am often called off to altar serve becasue no one else does. With how many times Ive came in to help the school I sometimes think im running it. The school needs major maintenance in its bathrooms. often times the toilets overflow and its disgusting to see.

My kids had a joyous time at OLA! The teachers, the students, and the overall environment at OLA is…read moreso welcoming and bright! When my kids were new to the school, they were welcomed with open arms! OLA is a great school that provides amazing opportunities! I am so glad I put my kids through there, they had a wonderful time and we miss it!

This school is great!…read more This was my daughter's first preschool and her first experience away from family. The staff made sure to help us and make the transition smooth. I love that they make learning fun and they're eco-friendly!

My child started at CSP around age 3, after starting at another preschool in the area, and was here…read moreuntil moving to Kindergarten. My child thrived at CSP, because of the loving, attentive, supportive, well-trained and vetted teachers here. I cannot speak highly enough of the school. I received thoughtful feedback from the teachers and program director during my child's time there. My child was more prepared than others entering Kindergarten, both academically and socially, because of the special environment here. This is also a place that is incredibly accommodating and helpful for working parents - they have great hours and limited closures during the year. I knew my child was always safe and getting the best care!

My daughter attended school here until she started Kindergarten and I am so grateful that she did…read more The teachers here truly care about the well-being of the kids and they truly care about giving these kids a jump-start to education. My daughter would come home from this school wanting to practice the writing/counting/shapes/etc. that she learned at this school pretty much every day. The teachers are very kind but also firm, and it was so sweet to see my daughter give them goodbye hugs every day. This school is really a best kept secret and I would highly recommend this school to any parent looking for a pre-school/T-K school.

We've had a wonderful experience with Ms Dilani and Diamente Montessori. Both our kids went here…read moredespite having to drive quite a bit out, and we wouldn't have had it any other way. We are fortunate that their early educational experiences were guided by the able hands of Ma Dilani. My daughter started at age 3 and recently transitioned to kindergarten. She was very well prepared for school, thanks to the amazing care and foundation she received from her teachers. Our son, who is two years younger, also started at Diamente when he was 2. The teachers have been incredibly caring, supportive, and attentive to both of our children. We're so grateful for Ms. Dilani and highly recommend Diamente Montessori!

Running a pre-school is hard, and Merryhill has it down to a science. I didn't realize how amazing…read morethey were until my 5yr old started public school. They provide lunch to ALL the children, plate it and encourage them to eat it. In public transitional kindergarten my kid has to stand in the lunch line and figure it out herself. Merryhill wipes her nose, applies sunblock and helps her get her jacket on in the cold. The teachers at Merryhill watch the children attentively in the play yard, if it's too hot, I've seen Ms.Sandra and Faye spray water on them and keep them in the shade to stay cool. I am glad my 3 year old is still there. We picked Merryhill because of its proximity to our home, but my hubby like them over Tutor Time, or Little Blossoms, because they are more academically oriented. They follow an early development program and always update parents on your child's progress. They are nurturing to the children, admin staff works hard, the facility is always clean and they have alot of extras to keep the parents involved and happy. The front office staff is always hustling to meet compliance numbers and ratio's so it's nice to know they are sticking with CA's regulations. Christine F. the director, is ALWAYS there. If she isn't in her office, she is usually out doing something FOR the school or getting additional training. She has a sunny attitude and so does Ms. Nicole and Ms Angie at the front desk. They are really on top of it. I am a BUSY working parent (so is my hubby), they accommodated my travel schedule and always gave our kids as much attention and care as they others. My first child attended from 21months on, they really help encourage with the potty training. Of course she cried every day at drop off for a few months, but that's individual to each child. Once she bonded with a teacher she was fine. They do try hard to comfort children with separation anxiety while tending to the other children. I had both my toddlers in there for a year. Their baby care is amazing, you can come by during lunch to nurse your baby or leave your own milk. EXTRAS that we liked: they periodically do a Parent's Night Out where they watch your kids so you can have a date night. Around the holidays they do them more frequently so you can do Christmas shopping. Fall Festival, Spring Carnival, and Waterplay in the summer is always a treat for the kids. Here's a secret, some of the teachers will moonlight as babysitters and that's a huge benefit because you are bringing home someone your child is already familiar with who has CPR and all the important certifications. DOWNSIDE. It's one of the pricier pre-schools in the area, and you only get one week of vacation (waived), but you get what you pay for. And this is top notch. Keep in mind that they have really long hours so if you take advantage of the full day, which is almost 12 hours of child care, you are getting a good value.

Terrible. I still have couch regret and nightmares about what my baby could have been going through…read moreat this school. Don't let the nice building fool you. My child had injury after injury. They were definitely hurting him. So glad I got him up out of there.

I went here for K-8 and it was wonderful. I highly recommend it as many graduates have doctorates…read moreand graduate degrees and are professionals in their career.

If you are looking for a school that has solid and proven academic track record coupled with…read morekindness and inclusion then St. Francis Elementary is the school for you and your family. I have three school aged children (8,8, and 11) attending St. Francis. They have attended this school since TK. I am wholly impressed with St. Francis Elementary's amazing ability to really reach students and bring out the best. I don't even worry with distance learning because St. Francis has proven to providing exceptional instruction in both formats. The school has a waiver in place but allows parents to keep distance learning options. The school community as a whole is very accommodating and nurturing. And now they are in process of obtaining International Baccalaureate (IB) certification. Some have noted that IB in some cases can be more challenging than AP classes. By St. Francis Elementary engaging in IB they are providing my children a solid foundation for continued success into high school and college learning without sacrificing the humanitarian side of education.

The community at AM Winn is kind, welcoming, and open-minded. Every teacher is dedicated and…read morefantastic. This is the underdog of the area Waldorf schools - we are scrappy, diverse, and creative. We have been growing every year. I moved my children here from another Waldorf school, first feeling like it was a risk, but my children and I are so happy we made the move. The low reviews seem to be from people who don't understand what waldorf education is, and are upset their children aren't getting drilled and rigorously tested. Your children will get a good education here, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. And the work may sometimes be disguised in song or helping the earth. Raising kind humans takes all those things.

This is a great school and a real community. It gets back to the heart of teaching and not just…read moretesting, and truly allows kids to be kids while reaching them where they are. Before switching my daughter from a college prep to AM WINN I scheduled a visit, did my research on the curriculum, and checked with some coworkers who grew up in a Waldorf education and found that there were so many beneficial aspects. The curriculum is based on what's appropriate for the age and fully submerges them in a subject. The kids learn actual life skills (think in the sense that most middle/high schools lost home economics, cooking, gardening, sewing, cursive, etc - these kids are learning it from K-8). All of the kids play an instrument each year. They transition through various handwork - finger knitting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc. And after meeting several kids in the neighborhood I noticed they have such amazing temperaments and spirits and are so welcoming and joyful. I am truly glad that we found AM Winn as my daughter is blossoming in the Waldorf community and education approach. At first glance I believed Waldorf was something only "white, hippie people put their kids in" as I read some reviews on Waldorf education, but I was so wrong for going along with that belief, even if only for a moment. Consider that as adults we all learn differently and receive information differently - so why do we expect our kids to learn one way in school? AM Winn and the Waldorf approach reaches kids by incorporating every learning style. It's a holistic approach with a concern for the mind body and spirit of the child. They will not only learn about a culture/era, but they will build shelters, take a field trip to an exhibit, sing about it, write about it, draw it out, etc. Math is taught in a way for the kids to think through it in various methods, not just regurgitate information. It's age appropriate not where the district says they should be for their funding purposes. And I love that the school is VERY culturally diverse. Had I gone based on some of the school rating websites or testing sites I might have steered from the school, But I toured the school and fell in love. Some of the reports show that it's not diverse, the kids are far behind in subject matter, and it received some negative reviews - that I will say from my experience here that info is false. My daughter is multiracial, and she has a diverse group of friends that don't see color, she is just as knowledgeable in subjects as my step kids who attend another public school, thinks on a deeper level than they do, has developed a strong sense of empathy and justice for others, and we love it here. I've watched my daughter recover from some of the damage that her previous school did to her She previously attended a college prep school that I won't name but literally broke her spirit, and I've known many people who reported the same thing. The kids were expected to "slant" and sit perfectly still while others finished their work, she would get in trouble for READING in class or drawing because she wasn't slanting, and wasn't actually taught to work through a math problem only to memorize answers for timed lessons. There wasn't much play involved with only a tiny jungle gym in the parking lot - she didn't even have the coordination to do the monkey bars. Math was drilled in and time tested, without the proper attention for those that didn't understand. I had to make a change because my daughter who once loved school cried every evening and had anxiety with math. The college prep/common core was not actually taught in a way to solve the problem but merely to memorize and test well for funding. After making the change to AM Winn it was a drastic change in her. It took a moment for her to adjust but she loved it. She gets to be creative. She gets to be free. And most importantly she gets to be a kid- something that many children are missing out on in today's society as we push them to grow up quickly and test well. My daughter has become quite the artist, loves playing the guitar and singing, she's a great story teller and writer, an avid reader and reads 3 grades above her level. I say all of that to say this - just as everyone has their own taste in food, so too our children will have their own taste in learning. As a parent you have to allow them to satisfy that taste and not just force the norm on them. AM Winn might not be the best school for everyone, but for many of these kids a traditional public school that drills in information but doesn't address the heart of the child isn't the best for them. AM Winn reaches for their heart when material is presented and these kids WANT to learn because of it. So if you've made it through reading all of this it's because you're interested in the school and wanted a real opinion on it. I would say your next step is to visit and see if it's right for you and your child.

We've had a wonderful experience at this preschool! The play-based approach is exactly what we were…read morelooking for - our child loves the rotating activity centers, dramatic play areas, story time, and art projects. I really appreciate how much choice kids are given throughout the day. The teachers are experienced with long tenures at the school, which speaks volumes about the work environment and quality of the program. Love how communicative and hands-on the director is--my kid is always excited to greet her which I think reflects how she's involved in the day to day classroom experience. The facilities are also fantastic including a big grassy area, kid-sized garden, playground with sandbox, and access to an indoor gymnasium on rainy days. As a working parent, the afternoon extension program (12:00-2:30 pm) has been great. I do wish it ran through the summer, but I imagine this model helps prevent teacher burnout and keeps staff happy and engaged. While the preschool is housed in a church, the program itself is almost completely secular and welcoming to non religious families.

My children loved FNS! The staff is excellent and caring. They went above and beyond to create an…read moreenriching and fun learning environment. I loved the social skills and work habits my kids developed while playing and having fun. Every child is respected and able to grow at their own pace. It is also a wonderful church community with lots of fun activities for kids like VBS and Upward basketball where my kids see their old preschool friends. The other review that complained about the director must be fake. Julie is terrific and professional always. The FNS program is designed to meet the learning needs of children, but is not full time child care for a parent's work day. I think there is a big difference between school and babysitting. This is a developmentally appropriate school for 3 and 4 year olds, hence the limited time frame.

Both of my kids went here from 2 years old until TK. Great teachers and support over the years…read more Grateful for the help with potty training and nice not having to worry about snacks/lunches. Many long term friends made!

Exceptional teachers who nuture intellectual growth and guide kids to be good, independent little…read morehumans. They have good outdoor space for kids to play. And, they let kids explore and be kids, too.