Alpha Co is a Gem! Helping my 3 boys with tutoring, speech…read more& debate. Accommodating schedule. Low key, small groups, a great little place.

I do not recommend sending your kids here. A lot of immigrant parents who don't know better send…read moretheir kids here through connections. There are two tutors here: Jenny and James. Both were terrible. They spent so much time expecting you to do the problems or write essays while they sat there on their phones for like 60 minutes. The last 15 minutes were spent reviewing and giving me advice. Jenny spent more time being my therapist than teaching me the material and made me watch YouTube videos instead of just drawing it out and explaining it to me. She should've assigned that as homework and then gone over it afterward. I know more about her entire life story moving from a different country and dropping pre-med than I do about AP Biology. I also later found out that the head director there, Jane, scammed my parents for more money. Right before I submitted my college essays, she asked my parents for hundreds of dollars to help pay the tutors since they supposedly weren't doing well economically. My parents couldn't say no because my college essays were on the line. What disgusting behavior to put parents through, especially when they were already paying thousands for tutoring sessions. I'm livid because I only found out two years later. As for James, he probably spent 90% of the time on his phone and 10% helping me write my college essays. I have evidence as well. He was so unwelcoming and would get annoyed with me if I didn't understand the advice he gave me. I would dread going to his sessions and feel extremely uncomfortable the entire time because he would just sit in front of me behind a glass frame, glancing up from his phone from time to time while I typed away on my laptop. I would never be able to ask follow-up questions because I would be met with so much attitude.

My younger child has also now "graduated" from C2. She was always an outstanding student but…read morebenefited from some extra help in a few very challenging high school classes. She also took full advantage of the college admissions guidance and college essay support, and was admitted to all the top UC's and offered some merit scholarships at very competitive private schools. She has proudly accepted an offer from her dream college! I can't say enough great things about Maggie and her team at C2 La Crescenta.

One of the hardest things you will hear from your child is that they don't understand or they are…read morehaving a tough time with a subject or subjects being taught at school. As a parent, your natural reaction is to look over the subject matter as well as trying to remember what was taught when you were going to school at about the same age. You ask your child what and /or how they were taught. You realize that you either don't remember alot or that what you know is not what they are teaching today. You try to contact the teacher and explain your childs situation, but they can't/don't help. This is where C2 can be an asset for you and your child. C2 is not based a program where your child is given a book and timed on how quickly they can answer the questions. Maggie the director, will tailor a study program specifically for your child. It can be in the specific subject matter, multiple subjects, or just general tutoring. With all of the after school events, appointments, and practices, your tutoring schedule can vary day by day and week by week. C2 also has extra materials to not only help your child to be proficient, but to help them be excellent. My kids have stated numerous times about how the C2 tutors have helped them understand the subject matter and wished their teachers at school could have explained it that way to help them understand. Maggie and her staff will get to know your child and match them with the appropriate tutor. She will also help with selecting courses for school, and later, with college selection that is most appropriate based on how well your child has done, and their personality. C2 also offers an extensive ACT/SAT test prep program and has helped my kids with their college applications. So, you will be offered a number of hours to purchase. The more hours you purchase, the lesser the cost per hour. It may seem alot, but if you have looked into getting a good tutor, you will see that the C2 hours are very competitive. Just go talk to Maggie and see what C2 is about and what it has to offer, and I believe you will find value in what is presented. C2 is more than just tutoring. Maggie can be a crucial partner in helping you and your child navigate this complex education journey. My kid's current results: 1) Graduated from a US Military Academy and is attending grad school. 2) Attending a private college and is applying to grad school. 3) Attending a University of California school.

This was the worst experience I have had with a tutoring center!!!!! It's not quality it's…read morequantity. They just have bunch of students in one room and no teacher to help. There is a reason why parents take there kids to tutoring because THEY NEED HELP. When my son came home one day right after tutoring he opened his school work trying to finish his math assignment (in which math was my concern) I saw that he only completed 3 problems during that 1 hr tutoring I flipped!! I hr and 3 problems solved NOT EXPECTABLE!!! So I called the tutoring center after also speaking with my son on why he had only completed 3 problems I got a nasty text back from the owner. That he had checked his assignment 3 times during that hr and that my son was slow. And not to mention he had not answered question #2 how had she checked!! Bottom line horrible place don't waste your time or money the owner tutor NANCY IS VERY RUDE!!!

We are very happy with Sis Enrichment Center. Signed up my eight grader few months back when he…read morestarted to show signs of struggle. He was able to catch up with his grade, and found his confidence back. He has improved his math grade from a C minus to a B plus and still working on to advance more and be ready for 9th grade. Nancy and her team of tutors are very caring. They carefully assessed my son's skills and worked with him where he was struggling the most. I do Absolutely recommend this business to anyone who is looking for help.

Valley vista is an amazing facility! Warm and inviting environment and great teachers that are…read morepatient and kind. One thing that has stuck out to me is the willingness to listen and work with us as parents from the staff about personal issues or behaviors. Our little guy is a bit of a rambunctious one and everyone has accepted him for who he is all while taking the steps to guide him in his educational and social growth! Tyler is a fantastic director and I would recommend this school whole heartedly!

Our family is incredibly disappointed by our experience with Valley Vista Preschool, and after…read moreeverything that has happened, we cannot recommend this school to other parents. The final straw came when our child was expelled on his birthday--the same day we had brought cupcakes to school to celebrate with his classmates. Regardless of the circumstances, there is simply no compassionate or professional way to justify delivering that news to a young child on such a meaningful day. It was heartbreaking and is something no family should have to experience. What makes this even more frustrating is that the school had insisted we complete a comprehensive evaluation through UpLift Therapy. We spent $750 on an assessment, scheduled at the school's request, because we believed we were working collaboratively to support our child. Before that evaluation could even take place, Valley Vista expelled him. Looking back, it feels as though the evaluation was never truly about helping him, but simply about justifying a decision that had already been made. Throughout our time at Valley Vista, we consistently felt that our child was singled out and treated as though something was inherently wrong with him. He is a loving, bright, energetic little boy. Like many preschoolers, he had moments of conflict and frustration. We have never excused biting or any aggressive behavior, but context matters. Preschool-aged children are still learning emotional regulation, impulse control, and conflict resolution. That is precisely why parents enroll them in preschool. The school informed us that teachers witnessed the entire interaction leading up to the incident and were in the process of intervening. If staff observed the conflict escalating before it happened, it raises an important question: why wasn't it prevented? Supervising children and intervening before situations escalate is one of the primary responsibilities of preschool staff. Despite repeatedly asking for objective documentation regarding these incidents, we were never provided with anything beyond verbal descriptions. We also never observed this level of behavior in other environments, making it difficult to understand why our child was consistently portrayed as the problem. Unfortunately, we also found certain staff members to be cold, dismissive, and lacking the warmth, patience, and encouragement that young children deserve. Children are incredibly perceptive, and they know when they are not welcomed or embraced. What became increasingly clear is that Valley Vista seems to have very little tolerance for children who require patience, guidance, or individualized support. It felt as though the expectation was for children to behave like robots--quiet, compliant, and never impulsive--instead of recognizing that preschoolers are still developing emotionally and socially. The purpose of early childhood education is not simply to teach children who are already "easy"; it is to help all children learn, grow, and navigate challenges in a safe and supportive environment. From our experience, our child was treated differently from the beginning. Whether intentional or not, he appeared to be labeled rather than supported. That differential treatment left us questioning whether he was unfairly profiled. A preschool should focus on helping children succeed--not finding reasons to exclude them when they need guidance. We understand that every school has a responsibility to keep children safe, and we respect that. However, safety and compassion are not mutually exclusive. The way this situation was handled lacked empathy, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to helping a child through a developmentally appropriate challenge. For us, this experience revealed a school that seemed more interested in maintaining an image of perfect behavior than in fulfilling the mission of early childhood education. Families deserve to know that if their child experiences behavioral challenges, Valley Vista's response may be exclusion rather than partnership. We sincerely hope the school reflects on how it supports children who need additional patience and guidance. No four-year-old should leave preschool believing they are the problem--especially on their birthday.

The last of our three children recently graduated from LCP. Two of these started at The Learning…read moreCastle, the oldest was a fourth grade transfer. There is almost no way to state how valuable LCP is, both for the education as well as the foundation that is established. This foundation - in both critical thinking and methods of learning - has allowed our children to thrive in high school and now, for two of them, in college. Not just highly recommended but enthusiastically. The Learning Castle & La Cañada Prep are truly the best!

Where do I even begin? I truly wanted to love this school, but it didn't take long for my instincts…read moreto tell me it wasn't the right fit for my child or our family. The academic approach is heavily based on authoritarian teaching, rote memorization, and repetitive worksheets. There is very little emphasis on critical thinking, observation-based learning, or a true classical education. Instead, students spend their days completing worksheets and then bringing home the same material to review again. The workload is repetitive, overwhelming, and leaves little room for children to simply be children. Students also receive very limited outdoor time. I've witnessed children being punished for minor behaviors, such as talking out of turn, by being required to eat lunch in the director's office or by losing physical activity as a consequence. I have also personally observed instances where both the director and head teachers spoke to children in a disrespectful, intimidating, and demeaning manner. That was extremely concerning to me. Another major issue is the constant fundraising and donation requests. Families are regularly encouraged to donate, yet I saw very few tangible improvements to the school. There is no library, the playground has not been meaningfully updated, and it's difficult to see where those funds are being invested. Even more disappointing is the culture surrounding donations, where families who don't contribute can feel judged or excluded, creating unnecessary cliques within the school community. For nearly $2,000 a month in tuition, I expected a nurturing environment that fostered curiosity, independent thinking, and a love of learning. Instead, I found a school focused on compliance, excessive repetition, and fundraising. This experience simply did not align with the educational values that were promised, and unfortunately, I cannot recommend it.

I feel so incredibly lucky to have had my daughter attend Parents and Children. Today is the last…read moreday of the school year, and while I'm sad that she is graduating, I'm also very grateful for the experience she had. I strongly believe in the schools foundational curriculum of play based learning. My daughter truly enjoys learning because of the fun atmosphere they've created around it. Nothing is forced, curiosity is nurtured, and they are free and independent to explore what they want to. The teachers are all so warm and kind, they really make preschool feel like a second home not to just my daughter but myself included. Picking up my daughter with my youngest has become one of our favorite things to do everyday because we feel so welcomed and the environment is always bustling with activities and laughter. The staff is incredible. They've always taken such great care of my daughter even during her toughest moments, she was never scolded or punished, they've always taken a kind and gentle approach which I really appreciate and helped my daughter work through some tough times. Especially miss Conny, she not only kept me updated with what my daughter was working through, but gave me tips, shared personal experiences, and was just there as a friend when I had those tough mornings. This school is an absolute treasure.

Parents and Children's has gone above and beyond in keeping our daughter's experience and…read moreenvironment as healthy as possible during their return from the Covid-19 pandemic. It is of no surprise that they would make this transition so seamless, the teachers have been so nurturing since day one. It speaks volumes when your little one is very excited to go to school Monday morning and shares all the excitement of a school day. We couldn't be more grateful for our daughter's preschool, it's been a big part of her life and we are looking forward to when our 2nd little one could attend in the fall. We know that one day they will look back and remember Parents & Children's fondly just like their father does, as he was fortunate enough to attend Parents and Children's during his pre-K years. The fact that we are a multi-general Parents and Children's family evidences the educational, healthy, and happy experience they will create for your kids. P.S. they make THE best art projects and sensory activities!

Foothill Progressive Montessori is a truly exceptional school that we have had the honor of sending…read moreour daughter to for the last two and a half years. Run by Ms. Kanthi and staffed by a truly excellent array of teachers, including Ms. Chrissy, Ms. Kim, and Ms. Fatema, Progressive has been instrumental in the growth and development of our daughter from age 3 to 5. With the guidance of Progressive, our daughter gained admission to our first choice private school, and one of the most competitive schools in the state. Over the years we have come to deeply value the warm, thoughtful environment of the school. Birthdays are truly special occasions frequented by princesses and superheroes, exceptional art is made with the guidance of teachers, and the educational rigor is unmatched. With the dedicated guidance of Ms. Fatema, our now 5 year old daughter can read, write, and do basic arithmetic at the level of a late Kindergartener, winning the admiration of family, friends, and admissions directors alike. Just as important, Progressive has allowed our daughter to find her voice, speak up and give her opinion, and instill her with a level of confidence that wows everyone around her. While perhaps less well known than other preschools that profess to be "feeders" for the competitive Pasadena private school scene (and who charge accordingly), Foothill Progressive is exceptional in that it stands not on a name, but the merits of its teachers and genuine commitment to the success of its students. Our daughter's success is proof that this is what truly matters. Thank you, Progressive Montessori, for everything you have done for our daughter and family. You deserve nothing less than our highest recommendation and we encourage all parents in La Canada, Pasadena, and Altadena to join your wonderful community.

We absolutely LOVE Foothill Progressive Montessori School. Our kids have been at this school since…read more2022, and I was a student 1997-1999. Ms. Kanthi was my teacher and now she owns the same school and teaches my kids! She is absolutely amazing! All of the staff are incredible. Ms. Fatema, Ms. Chrissy, Ms. Kim, Ms. Sumudu, Ms. Raquel, Ms. Angelica, Ms. Hazmik. Literally every single one of them. All of them treat the kids as if they were their own, so much love and patience with the kids. My kids love going to school and they actually get excited about learning. Ms. Fatema's science class has been amazing in instilling a love for learning for our oldest child. We can't wait for our other kids to take Ms. Fatema's science class and Ms. Kim's science class. My oldest is definitely ready for kindergarten solely because of Ms. Fatema. The school has great hours for working parents from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Hot lunch is available for an additional fee. The school goes all out for all of the holidays and graduation. There are lots of opportunities for parent involvement should you want to be involved. The environment is screen-free and true to the Montessori method.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Sandy Eiges. From our very first conversation, we felt…read moreunderstood, supported, and genuinely cared for. Sandy has a rare combination of deep expertise and heartfelt intuition. She listens closely, asks thoughtful questions, and offers guidance that is both practical and reassuring. What stands out most is how invested she is. We never felt like just another family on her calendar. She gave us her time, her honesty, and her steady presence during moments that felt important and sometimes overwhelming. Her insight helped us see things more clearly and move forward with confidence. We think incredibly highly of Sandy and are tremendously grateful for her guidance. Working with her has been a true gift.

Sandy is calm, collected, and a secret gem in your back pocket! I can't say enough great things…read moreabout her. If you are hoping to get guidance (and acceptance!) to private schools in the LA area, don't hesitate to call Sandy!