Hilldale is an absolute gem. We've been part of the community for nearly nine years and currently…read morehave children in 8th, 6th, and 4th grade. We're deeply grateful for how the school has supported, nurtured, and challenged each of them. The head of school is outstanding, and the teachers and staff are exceptional. We came for the academics and stayed for the school's commitment to developing thoughtful, self-aware, and engaged citizens. Hilldale's core habits of leadership, respect, and independent lifelong learning are woven into every aspect of the experience. The curriculum is well balanced, with strong emphasis not only on STEM, but also on humanities, arts, music, ethics, and global citizenship. Some of our favorite traditions include the Young Authors Project, the Harvest Feast, the Winter Music Concert, and the International Fair, which celebrates cultures from around the world. We've also appreciated how thoughtfully the school meets each child's individual needs. One of our children received early support and accommodations for a learning difference, even before a formal diagnosis, and is now thriving alongside his peers. Another was moved ahead in a subject to ensure he was adequately challenged. Throughout, communication with us as parents has been clear and collaborative. Our oldest is sad to say goodbye after starting in kindergarten, but she leaves well prepared for the transition to high school. We can't thank the Hilldale team enough for their dedication to our children's growth over the years.

Very unwelcoming school, one of the staff said that my child has dyslexia even though he doesn't,…read moredoes not feel like a school AT ALL.

Great school with great teachers. My kids had attended this school since kindergarten. Most of the…read morestrict teachers have retired. Every one of the teachers here at this school is amazing. They have security cameras in the school and the classroom doors remain locked throughout the day. The afterschool park and rec is on site which is a huge plus and super affordable compared to Ponderosa and other schools. The ratio is 24 students to every 1 teacher. It is a uniform dress code school which helps getting the kids dressed every morning a breeze. The only negative is dropping off the kids every morning. There's a white passenger drop off zone but some of the parents has zero disregards and would park their car there, making it hazardous for kids as parents would double park to drop off the kids. Too many close encounters of kids getting hit by cars. Other than that, it's a great school.

OK... so the previous reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt as many of the aforementioned…read morestaff members have retired/relocated as of the 2017-2018 school year. And besides, a school should not be judged on YELP of all places. So please, before you pass judgement and brush this school aside-- feel the culture of the school by walking around and getting to know the factors that make a school a school: the staff and its children/families. Of course for the safety and best interests of everyone, get clearance from the office first. Bottomline is: you cannot get a feeling for any school from YELP, greatschools.com, or scoring/rating system from a website, etc. --a supportive parent

Our daughter attended Young World Preschool and Daycare from six months old until starting…read morekindergarten, and we had a wonderful experience. The teachers were caring, nurturing, and truly invested in her growth. We loved the sense of community and the variety of experiences offered, including gardening, cooking, crafts, art, special visitors, and exposure to a second language. Communication with the teachers was always easy, and the winter programs and summer graduations were always special. Most importantly, our daughter was exceptionally well prepared for kindergarten, with a strong foundation in letters, sounds, numbers, and counting, as well as confidence and independence. This was a sentiment we often heard from other parents as well, and we appreciated it even more after leaving and seeing just how well prepared she was for the next stage of her life. We always felt she was loved and well cared for, and we are very grateful to Young World for the role they played in her early childhood. We highly recommend them!

My son attended Young World from age 3 to 4. I was very impressed with Young World. The director is…read morecommunicative, and the teachers really focus on the children's needs. My son grew a lot during this time. He learned to write his name, count to 100, and say the days of the week and months of the year. I love that they have language programs as well. Having him learn Mandarin at school was such a joy. The food is nutritious, and the school performances were so fun. We're grateful that he had such a loving experience before going to TK. And the hours (7am to 6pm) are great for working parents. Thank you, Young World!

We love AVS! This gem of a school has been amazing for my two boys. The teachers are top notch -…read morethey are incredibly skilled at providing customized, differentiated instruction that engages students. From the music department to math, our kids have been provided with enriching learning experiences. Teachers meet their students where they're at - my boys have each received some extra guidance in areas where they required practice (spelling! writing) and have also had the opportunity to advance beyond the traditional grade level curriculum in areas where they excelled (e.g., math). We've been super impressed with the school's response to COVID - administration has juggled the priorities and needs of families who wanted their children to return to in-person instruction, and re-opened the campus as soon as the city permitted it - as well as the needs of families who have chosen to keep their kids in virtual instruction.

My son is thriving at Alta Vista School and I can't wait to send my second son there. Moving from…read morea preschool environment where he didn't have clear focus and seemed distracted, my son transformed almost upon entry to Alta Vista. The small class sizes and nurturing attention of his teachers have been invaluable. Even the head of school attends to each child -- he knows them well and they love him. He also teaches science to the children of all grades. It's amazing to have a head of school in the classroom like that! At AVS, my son has learned about the world in an integrated way, using math, science, art, history, reading, music and play in innovative ways that help the children to really understand the projects they work on. The AVS teachers are amazing! They develop their own curriculum, meet in grade level teams for collaboration, attend creative professional development education and spend each day engaged, caring, and earning the much deserved respect of their students who love them. I know AVS is new, but there is no other school in the city where I would rather have my children.

Our daughter attends this preschool, and it's genuinely one of the best decisions we've ever made…read more The staff loves and adores her. They lean into her strengths while thoughtfully partnering with us on areas where she's still growing, from navigating big feelings to potty training. We receive thorough weekly updates about her development, along with gentle, thoughtful guidance that has been incredibly helpful at home, too. The environment is enriching, immersive, and safe. There's a garden, a playground, a huge sandbox, and beautiful, light-filled classrooms with plenty of room to explore. The children make lemonade from the school's lemon tree. They paint outside when it's sunny. They eat nutritious snacks. Sometimes I wish I could attend the school :) And luckily, I can, because the staff welcome (but not mandate) parent participation. We also love the leadership team. They actively ask for feedback and communicate clearly, directly, and thoughtfully. We always know how our daughter is doing and how we can support her. Most importantly, our daughter comes home with a smile--and so do we. We feel incredibly lucky to have found MCC.

We recently toured Montessori Children's Center and came away incredibly impressed. The new…read moreownership is clearly putting in so much thought and energy into creating a warm, nurturing environment for the children. The classrooms felt calm, clean and organized. The school building is specifically built to be a preschool which is really unique in San Francisco! Kids have lots of space to explore both indoors and outdoors and everything is built with children's' needs in mind. I know the school is in a period of transition, and from what we saw, the new leadership is doing an excellent job modernizing and improving the experience for both students and teachers. Definitely worth touring if you're looking for a thoughtful Montessori program in San Francisco.

We have had a wonderful experience at Mills Montessori School. The teachers are caring, dedicated,…read moreand highly professional. The quality of education is excellent, and the staff provides wonderful attention and support to the children. My child has grown so much academically and personally during our time here. We have been at this school for 4 years, and we are very happy with our experience. I highly recommend Mills Montessori School to other families!

Our family has had a wonderful experience with our choice of Mills Montessori for our two-year-old…read more He started very shy and had only been cared for at home, so starting school was a big transition for him. His first two months were with Ms. Cali, who was absolutely amazing--so kind, patient, and nurturing. She took the time to make him feel comfortable, supported him through the transition, and helped him come out of his shell.He is now with Ms. Bella who has been just as excellent of a teacher and caregiver. We are so grateful for the care and attention he received during those first few months. It was clear from the beginning that both teachers truly cared about him and wanted him to feel safe, confident, and happy at school. Watching his growth and seeing how much he now enjoys going to school has been so special for our family. We are very happy with Mills Montessori and feel fortunate to have found such a caring environment for our son.

We are now in our second school year at Stratford with our son in the bilingual preschool program…read more The transition from early preschool to preschool program was seamless despite some bumpiness with potty training, however Mr. Jeff and Ms. Stefany have been endlessly supportive with making sure that our son has minimal accidents throughout the day. Our son loves going to school and is always happy to see his classmates and teachers. I really love seeing all of the activities and photos that we are sent on their Procare app daily, and appreciate the effort that Mr. Jeff and Ms. Stefany, as well as all of the other staff, put into caring for the kids everyday. Our son comes home singing new nursery rhymes every other day, and has also picked up new Chinese vocabulary from school, which is exactly what we had hoped for.

Love Love Love Stratford- San Bruno El Camino!! This was my kids 3rd school (4 year old) and this…read moreone fit just right! First school was too lax, no direction, kid did workpapers all day, but couldn't count to 10, so why is he coloring #17?!! Second school was a complete waste of time, teacher didn't have a handle of the class, loud classroom with just too many kids.. just chaos! Third school (Stratford San Bruno) was perfect! Teachers were so nice and patient, gave my kid great direction and he flourished. My kid will come home to tell us all the things he learned about, Planets, Sharks, he's really excited for school. This place is a well oiled machine, for only being open for a few years. I think the principle is a big reason why, she gets involved in every classroom/kids development. Highly recommend! I even got my neighbor to go there... REFERRAL BONUS!! Con: Parking lot is a little tight

They had Chinese immersion program too, kids in this school learned and happy, teachers try their…read morebest to teach, and staffs support each other.

A great school, provides good monitors and teachers. Good classes, 5th grade teachers help students…read moreget ready for middle school. I suggest your kid to go to West Portal