Choosing a pre-K school or daycare for your little one is stressful, especially when research has…read moreshown that the years before kindergarten are crucial for learning and development. Parents strive to find the right place where their child can have the best chance of success. Whether or not you adhere to the Montessori principles, Tree Roots Montessori (TRM) is a top-notch environment for any child. Here's why we chose TRM and stayed there for 3 years (ages 2-5): 1. The staff operates under a growth mindset. We experienced a positive relationship with Ms. Hulya and her staff. Ms. Hulya has over 15+ years of experience and demonstrates a desire to stay current and advance her professional development. She attends yearly workshops and maintains a curiosity for learning. When you find an educator with such deep passion for teaching, it makes a night-and-day difference for your child. 2. The setting is ripe for learning. It's obvious that everything at this school is designed to advance and elevate the students' learning experiences. This space is purposefully curated, impeccably organized, and remarkably clean. It continues to pass official health inspections by always adhering to their standards. Think of TRM as a daily retreat or sanctuary for your kids. 3. Intimacy yields social and emotional development. The teacher-child ratio is optimal (including Ms. Hulya, there are 2 additional assistants on-site). The small class size helped our kid develop deeper relationships with other kids and gain a sense of collective responsibility. As younger kids grow and progress, they are encouraged to provide mentorship for incoming kids. It's these relationships that emphasize social and emotional development, making academic achievements possible (i.e. reading, writing, math skills, etc.). 4. Mealtimes cultivate positive experiences with food. We wanted a place that stressed good nutrition and smart eating habits. TRM always has snacks on-hand (from Whole Foods) and follows a strict policy of 'no sugar or junk food' in lunches. Kids participate in setting the table and loading dishwasher, eating their veggies first, and helping with meal prep. These communal eating experiences and regular cooking activities also led to good dining etiquette and meal planning for our family at home. 5. Trust and transparency are key to everyone. Much of TRM successes are attributed to Ms. Hulya and her teaching philosophy. This is why parents must equally invest in developing a transparent working relationship with her. We found Ms. Hulya to be open to our suggestions, honest in addressing our concerns, and willing to provide reasonable solutions for any course correction. Her communication was warm and friendly; mostly done via in-person or phone call (sometimes via text message or email). Overall, we wouldn't trade our experiences at TRM for anything. Our child felt the support of educators who invested in his development within a loving environment. He now has self-confidence and social skills needed to transition to kindergarten. He has an enthusiasm for learning, creating the building blocks for academic success. He also discovered passions (like cooking and painting) that we'll continue to foster. We know it's not always easy to find the right learning environment for your child. Choosing a school can be a trial-and-error process. If TRM is a good fit, you will not be disappointed. Hope this review is helpful --- and good luck!!

My daughter has been with Tree Roots since she was 2 and is now 4. She will be attending until…read moreKindergarten because of how vital Tree Roots is to our lives. Not only has she had one on one education since the day she started, but she has grown so close to her school friends over her time here. Mrs. Hulya and Ms. Patti are two of the most kind, loving, and gentle teachers we could have hoped for. From gardening to swimming to fostering independence... the skills she has learned at her time here are beyond sufficient to build the strongest foundation for her future. I only wish every child had the opportunity to benefit from such an amazing institution.

Maple bear is a great school with a structured curriculum and educated full time staff. They are…read morewonderful. They require all students to wear a maple bear T-shirt which is great, makes getting ready easy and provides extra layer of consistency. They communicate daily and my son binds so well with the teachers. They only employ full time teachers so that students have the same adults all day. They don't shuffle around to maximize ratios. In fact they keep Their ratios below state standards.

My wife and I enrolled our 7 month old daughter at Maple Bear 3 months ago. She has absolutely…read moreloved her time there so far. From her second day, she gets "excited" to go see her teachers (Ms. Darla, Ms, Kelsey, Ms. Bianca and Ms. Betty) and little friends in Bear Care 2. Originally we hesitated sending her to daycare at all as we were worried about missing out on so much of her critical developmental months, but after seeing how much she enjoys it and how much she has improved at things she used to hate (tummy time, floor time, etc), we know we made the right choice. We also love getting photos and updates on the app throughout the day. Thank you, Maple Bear staff!

NEVER give them money before they have a spot available. They repeatedly assured me one would be…read moreavailable, but each time I agreed to enroll, it suddenly disappeared. Unorganized and greedy organization even though the facility looked nice when we toured.

This is a wonderful and beautiful facility filled with gifted staff members. We took our 3 year old…read moregrandson here and we all were so grateful for the wonderful care he received! He loved it too. How could he not? I wanted to stay all day too. Lots of love to these exceptional teachers and staff.

This is hands-down the best preschool in the Tempe area. The director (Sally) is unbelievable...she…read moreis kind, helpful, exceptional at communication, the list goes on. You can tell that the teachers truly love children. It is such a wonderful community. They have also taken the health and safety of children and families seriously during COVID...they have concrete safety plans in place and do everything possible to make sure everyone stays healthy. I can't think of a better place to send my child.

I currently have 2 children at Dayspring Preschool and Kindergarten. My oldest child has attended…read moreDayspring for 4 years and I could not have chosen a better place for him. Due to the amazingly qualified and nurturing teachers, I have watched my son blossom into a confident, independent learner. My daughter is in her 2nd year at Dayspring and is having an equally great experience. The teachers have worked with us and have been so patient with her individual needs and challenges. The communication has been extremely open and has been with all of the teachers over the years. Our family has literally experienced every class offered at Dayspring from Parent-tot to Kindergarten and I have only praises for the school, its educators, and the administration.

We LOVE NHLL. We attribute a lot of our son's milestones to this daycare. The staff is friendly and…read morewelcoming. With the bright wheel app they use, I know exactly what my son is up to and the different activity they do during the day. We loved Mrs. Kelley, but we also love Ms. Megan, Miss Danet, and Ms. Lacie.

My son has been going here for 4 years. He has had some Behavorial issues this year so far where he…read morehas had to be picked up for the day numerous times. 2-3 weeks ago we had a zoom meeting and all agreed to do a video call mid-day with the staff and our son to praise him for doing good and to remind him not to bite or hit. That video call we all agreed on happened ONE time a day or two after our zoom meeting and not once since then. When they talk to you about you child misbehaving they talk to you like you're a kid as well "you know biting and spitting is wrong."We (myself and my wife) already know what Behavior is wrong and don't need it spoon fed to us. They also don't really go over what happens. I understand you can't have eyes on every single kid every second. Is he being picked on? Provoked? Etc? He isn't just randomly going up to someone and hitting them for no reason. They didn't really give him a chance to improve or give us the resources they claimed to have available so that makes me kind of sad. I wonder why they expelled him so fast. He has been going there for 4 years. They also haven't had a "principal" for the past 3-4 months. We were already talking about switching daycares a couple weeks ago (though we didn't want to because everyone is nice and friendly) so I guess it's for the best. If your 4 YEAR OLD child isn't an absolute 100% angel and fluent in logical thinking and comprehension of consequences then maybe look elsewhere.

Amazing place and my daughter has thrived within just the little bit of time she has been there…read more Thank you to the team that's making me feel safe to leave my baby with you! Thank you for taking care of her and teaching her all the fun stuff you do.

I honestly don't know how this place is still open. My child is 5 and still suffers from the abuse…read moreand neglect inflicted upon him while he attended this place. They had VERY poor communication when it came to hand foot mouth outbreak, so we unfortunately had to heal from that. My son was also bitten ON THE FACE by another child, and I also had to take him to the ER after his elbow was dislocated from one of the teachers improperly picking him up. This place needs to be investigated and shut down. We are still suffering.

My daughter came here since she was 6 months. This school really is a second family to me and my…read morelittle girl and will always be! I am so sad I had to enroll my daughter in another preschool bc I switched jobs and started working longer hours Some of the girls have my number and one of the girls that was there babysits my daughter! Miss Alecia is amazing and my daughter absolutely LOVES her! When I would drop off and if Alecia was there she would run up to her so fast and I was non-existent lol! I always recommend this daycare to my friends with little ones. If I ever switch jobs or get a new schedule, I will definitely come back if they have availability bc my little girl made so many relationships and friends, even with the big kids. Thank you Roz for an unforgettable experience for my daughter and I. We will miss everyone so much!

We love pathways! They do a lot day to day with the kids & truly care. I am particular with who I…read moretrust around my little one and they make you feel safe. Huge outdoor area & art room!

My 4 year-old and 2 year-old sons have been going to Yad B'Yad since 2 years old and 4 months old,…read morerespectively. They both made friends quickly. The teachers know all the kids' names. We love all the activities they do with the kids and they display the artwork on the hallway walls. As a Jewish family, we like how they incorporate Jewish activities around the holidays. There is a mixture of Jewish and non-jewish kids that attend the daycare. Occasionally, they do shabbat services with the kids. The kids really enjoy singing shabbat songs. The teachers take pictures and videos and post them to the daycare's private Facebook page with permission of course. It's great to see what my sons are doing during the day. My 2-year old is obsessed with his teachers and is always attached to their hips because he loves them so much. The daycare is like a small community where the parents are friendly and we all get along. I highly recommend sending your little ones to Yad B' Yad for daycare. Your kids will have a great time learning and having fun at the same time.

We've had our toddler (almost 3) at YBY for almost two years, starting around 13 months of age, and…read moreI have been so happy with the school and community in that time. The small class sizes and thoughtful engagement between the various age groups mean the kids are in attentive care with the most adorable learning activities. Music, dance parties, reading, circle time, outdoor play (and water play in the summer, with reapplication of sunscreen!)--the teachers are creative and caring. Our little guy took over 5 weeks to really adjust to daycare after spending his whole first year at home with his own grown-ups, and the staff were patient and understanding as they tried to help him get into the groove. Now when I pick him up, he always has a friend he needs to hug, and usually a handwritten note about the day's activities. I love that this is a Jewish daycare that does NOT indoctrinate; the kids learn about Jewish holidays, but as it's half-Jewish and half-not, no one is made to feel any religious pressure. They also do a really good job of notifying families and containing the spread of illness when inevitable viruses make the rounds. Hygiene and communication are strong, and the teachers seem to know all of the kids, even outside of the classes they supervise. I would recommend YBY to anyone!