We absolutely love Noah's Ark! From day one, it felt like such a warm and caring place for our…read morechild. Heather, the preschool director, is incredible. sShe truly cares about each child and it shows. She's so kind, attentive, and creates such a loving environment where kids feel safe and happy. Our little one comes home every day excited to share what they learned and the fun they had. The teachers are wonderful too -- patient, creative, and always smiling. We're so grateful for this preschool and the amazing team that makes it feel like family!

Update: Noah's Ark has been cited and fined by the State Department. This organization created…read morefalse documentation in our family law custody dispute. Marin Christian has been fined and admonished by the State Department for failing to support parental rights and for false reporting. Marin Christian/Noahs Ark administration got inappropriately involved in our custody case by being a trial witness for dad and made meritless claims. Their school administrator complained to the family law judge that I was a demanding parent by making a ONETIME request for my daughter's student file. All parents under the State Department have a right to request for their child's students file without being penalized. The administration also created false statements and willful misleading reports for our custody case filled with meritless speculations. I'm glad to say, my daughter no longer attends this poorly managed school since I am now the primary caregiver to our child resulting from the school's biased witness statements in our custody trial. Despite providing the administration a copy of our custody order, Marin Christian failed to provide me any information for my daughter for over a year. I had reached out to management and the board for early resolution but was blatantly ignored because the dad was on their PTA and had personal relations with Marin Christian organization. My recommendation is for Marin Christian senior leadership and board members review its policies and procedures to ensure their organization and the school administrators are adhering to State Department policies and guidelines to ensure the school is abiding by the law, not making baseless accusations, not getting inappropriately involved in custody matters and not having parental bias. Very disappointing actions from a Christian-based institution.

We absolutely love this preschool and feel so lucky that our daughter gets to be here…read more What we love most is that it's a co-op. It's not just a preschool where you drop your child off and pick them up later. Parents are actually involved, you get to know the teachers and the other families, and you really become part of the community. My husband and I have both really loved that aspect of it. We also love that the kids are mixed ages instead of being separated strictly by age. The little ones get to learn from the older kids, and the older kids naturally help and look out for the younger ones. It feels much more like a little community than a traditional preschool classroom. And the outdoor play is amazing. Our daughter gets to take her shoes off, play in the sand, get dirty in the mud kitchen, do water play, paint, make art, ride bikes and scooters, play in the gravel pit and playhouses, and help water the garden. They have such a huge, beautiful yard and the kids really get to just PLAY. There is indoor time too, but we love how much time they spend outside exploring and getting messy. The teachers are all so kind and loving, and most importantly, our daughter absolutely loves going. She looks forward to preschool, which says so much to us. The school has also been part of the Novato community for so many years and has such a great reputation, and now that we're here, we completely understand why. There's just something really special about the community they've created. We're so happy with our experience that we'll be sending our second child here next year too. We truly couldn't be happier to have found this place for our family. We would absolutely recommend it to other families looking for a preschool that feels warm, welcoming, and truly centered around letting kids be kids.

I learned about NPNS through my sister and sister in law, they both sent their kids here and had…read morereally positive experiences. I am so happy we started our daughter this year. It is a coop so there is some family involvement like working one day a week in the preschool which is one of the main reasons I joined. I love being able to get a first hand look of my daughter learning through play and how she is interacting with her peers. I also love that it is mainly outdoors, play based, child centered, and Reggio Emilia inspired. The teachers are so supportive, nurturing, and have so much knowledge on child development. If a coop preschool can work for your schedule I highly recommend enrolling your child. I am so happy to have found this special school/community.

We absolutely love this school! After raising two children and starting over again with our…read moreyoungest, finding the right school was very important to us. This is our favorite private school in Marin County. We are so thankful to have found a wonderful Lutheran school that offers a caring environment and an excellent education. We couldn't be happier with our choice, and we're so grateful to be part of this wonderful school community.

We decided to move our son from Kent in order to find a school that valued psychological…read moredevelopment as much as academic. The education at Good Shepherd is very hands-on as the classes are smaller and more personal. Laura the principal, heads a group of committed educators who genuinely care about their students. They strive to educate without creating a stressful environment. The language arts is fantastic. It fosters the type of analytical thinking that creates critical and creative thinking. This is a wonderful school providing a nurturing academic experience. We are very glad we chose to send our son to Good Shepherd Middle School.

This is a great place! The teachers are like family to us. All my 3 kids are here. One just…read moregraduated from here and i feel she really blossomed when she went to Alpha Kids. They emphasized how to play with other kids. I love how supportive the teachers are. They're overall great people.

This is a wonderful place! We placed our 2 year old here in Feb 2018, having transferred from a…read moredifferent school. He transitioned very quickly and was always positive about going to school. At his time at Alpha Kids his language skills exploded and his social interactions became much more courteous and empathetic. The teacher to child ratio is awesome - giving all these young kids the time and attention they need to get the most out of an early education. The teachers and administrators are all very caring, attentive and organized--they've put an engaging, well run program together. Alpha Kids is new to Novato so they're still relatively unknown - so we feel lucky to have found it!

We started Jan 2024. I had a kindergarten boy and a 8th grade girl that started at Marin Christian…read moreAcademy. I see a huge changes in both of my children for the better. My son is now in 1st grade: He loves his school and looks forward to hearing about God and reading his bible. His reading and math skills have caught up as last year he was behind when we started at Marin Christian. We are so grateful to see how great he is doing and my son is so proud of his achievements here. My daughter was only at Marin Christian for Jan 2024 to June 2024, then transitioned to high school. She says what she learned in those few months have stayed with her and that she is much closer to God and this has helped her find her way at high school. She also was behind as she was home schooled over covid. In these few months this school was able to help with confidences and taught her what she was missing to do great in high school. She loved the middle school and we wished that we find this school sooner. Thank you Brenda

Fantastic local school that offers an alternative to public school. Great teachers and the school…read moreadministration is top notch. My children are very happy here and I feel they are receiving quality academia and being well-cared for. The MCA parents association offers ample opportunity to meet other parents and support the school.

Loving teachers and a wholesome environment. The kids are outside as much as possible. My daughter…read moreis in the preschool (sage) class. We transferred after having a not so great experience at a different school where the teachers were cold and burnt out... this is the complete opposite. The teachers are amazing. In particular, Ms.Carrie, is a gem... greets my daughter every time we do drop off, holding her hand and telling her how happy she is to see her! This is a nature based school and the have an amazing lunch program with organic healthy food. My daughter went from being a picky eater to now loving her veggies thanks to the lunch program. The director, Melinda, is fantastic, super smart and passionate about the school and loves every single kiddo. This is the best preschool in Novato!

We love Hummingbirds Nest. This is our first preschool experience where our dude loves being…read moredropped off, and tells us to pick him up from school as late as possible. The teachers are caring and supportive. He comes home singing songs about nature. They play outside a ton, even in the rain, which is perfect for us. He loves his friends there. His imaginative play is fully supported. He helps around our house more now because that is just normal, part of school too: chop veggies for soup (with safety knife), help sweep, etc. We've seen such a complete turn around in our son after a really tough school right before this (teachers there were cold, our dude said he didn't feel loved there, he revolted) and when another school closed suddenly. Melinda and team communicate openly with parents, which is so refreshing. (Note: ignore the for sale sign; that is for the property. The school stays). My mom taught kindergarten for years and knows a good school when she sees one; she also loves this place. Thank you to all the teachers and staff at Hummingbird Nest!

St. Francis is a very special preschool. It is play-based and lovingly teaches kids competence and…read moreproblem-solving through outdoor play, art, and cooperation. The teachers are of the highest caliber: highly educated and well-qualified and are so invested in each child's development and unique personality. It has always been one of Novato's most reputable and beloved preschools. Our 2 children attend/attended and were set up for kindergarten success with the best memories of St. Francis engrained in them. There is a 2-year-olds program with parent attendance and then different options with add-on hours for the older preschoolers. St. Francis sees families coming from all over Marin to attend. We couldn't recommend St. Francis more.

Teachers were always good. Just a really liberal school. Lots of the kids end up going to…read morealternative schools afterwards. Or those outdoor learning schools.

I can't begin to thank Marci and her team enough for the amount of affection, time and attention…read morethey gave my son. We moved here from SoCal where he had a full time nanny so there was a definitely adjustment period, but the staff was super patient and kind and helped my son transition at his own pace. Now he looks forward to going in every morning and barely acknowledges us when we come to pick him up cause he's having so much fun!! The place feels like home, the kids all get along and are supported in whatever they want to do, and the staff is patient and kind...you can't ask for anything better!!

My daughters love coming here! The teachers are great and my girls come home and are excited to go…read moreback to school the next! Can't thank Marcie, Katie, Jennifer, and Rosa enough for caring for my 2 girls!! I'm so glad I found this place!

My daughter was under Magali's care for 2 years, and I can't believe the way she has blossomed!…read moreIt's been beautiful to watch. She has gained an understanding of what it means to be a good friend. I see her acting with patience and kindness. She can work independently with focus and care, and I see the pride she takes in her work. And for me, San Marin Montessori was the perfect situation. The hours are convenient, drop-off and pick-up were super easy, and I loved the way Magali would personally greet each student as they came in the door with conversation and attention. When I had parenting difficulties that I wanted help with (Ex. my daughter not wanting to get dressed in the morning), Magali was always available to talk about the specifics of the situation and she gave me great advice. Magali and her assistant Jesse won my complete trust. I studied Maria Montessori's work when I was pregnant, and I can see that Magali is truly using the philosophy and the tools. Most schools only use the name. I feel very lucky that I found this small school. My daughter benefited from so much love and personal attention!

My husband and I couldn't be happier with our choice of having our son in the care of Magali and…read moreJesse. We looked into many schools in the area and fell head over heels in love with the atmosphere provided. A very clean, organized, happy place my son looks forward to going everyday. They have routines that make the children feel comfortable and classroom changes monthly to keep the children from getting bored. Our son comes home daily with art projects and a smile. All of the children respect each other and love one another. The teachings of Magali are one in a million. I never thought we would start our school experiences with such an exquisite person, we are lucky and grateful. It will be hard to move on next year. Luckily our daughter will get a chance to spend her preschool days at San Marin Montessori.