We love the Model School! All three of our kids attended and our youngest son is currently in the Toddler 1 room. The school is incredibly convenient for working parents, with a flexible schedule between 7-6pm and you have flexibility to pay by the hour, starting at 20 hours and up. Our boys were very ready for kindergarten with the solid PK curriculum and learned wonderful social emotional skills as well as got potty trained. Our youngest started in the infant room and is now in the one year old room. The teachers are incredibly warm and caring and the parents group is very active and strong and supports the school through facilities upgrades as well as by supplementing enrichment's like Music and dance. Come visit and check it out! read more

We were thrilled to find the Model School! The waitlist was pretty long ... took about 3-4 months to get into the Toddler Room for kids that were over 1 year old and can walk. But once we got in, we soon found why this place is so popular! The teachers/caregivers are absolutely amazing! My son, who was 14 months at the time had only been taken care of by family (parents and grandparents) so adjusting was really hard on him! We had tried another daycare facility and they refused to deal with my son. (They would call us to pick him up within 5 minutes of him crying). The Dr Mante (the director) and the teachers at the Model School (numerous of them, not just the one's assigned to my son's room) did everything they could to get my son comfortable. They would hold him, walk him around, talk and sing to him, play with him, try out other classrooms and teachers (because he connected faster with some) ... etc. Though it took some time my son eventually got comfortable with drop offs, started eating well (sometimes too well) and his naps went from no naps to 30 mins, to over an hour, to sometimes over 2 hours! Other things I love about this place: - The daily routine and schedule which my son thrives on - Play based but with structure and variety. - Ability to socialize with other kids of varying ages and other adults. - Art, music, books, dancing, playing sessions - Very active parent group that's always working towards making the school a better place. read more

The Model School Comprehensive - Preschools Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is a very inconsiderate neighbor. They blast music that can be heard for blocks, and when called to ask if they turn it down (not off) I was told "they are having a party" which is not an answer. And they did nothing. read more

My son has been here for a little under a year, starting in the 2 year old room (T2) and moving up to the 3-5 year old Pre-K ("Montessori-inspired"). We are extremely happy with the care that he has received here. The teachers could not be any more loving and really respect the varied needs and personalities of the kids there. They are also open to babies and 1 year olds. We didn't experience those rooms, but I've only heard glowing reviews from the other parents. Though he's barely 3, he knows all his letters and is making early signs of reading (letter sounds, etc), his numbers, the life cycle of a butterfly, and can build towers and towers of magnatiles. There is a large playground with a garden the kids care for, weekly music and spanish classes, and weekly field trips during the summer (local playground, Crab Cove, Whole Foods, library, visits by firefighters). Oh, and they potty trained my kid who can't sit still for one second, a task that I seriously had no idea how to even begin. The facilities are somewhat older, but the kids there are all super happy, so though it doesn't look fancy, who really needs that at age 3? Logistically this place is a dream for working parents- flexible hours between 7:30AM-6PM, and unlike many schools in the area that take off 4-5 weeks throughout the year and every holiday ever heard of, the Model School only takes off 1 week from xmas-new years and the "standard" holidays (labor day, memorial day, july 4th, etc). This has been a huge stress relief for our family, to not have to take off work or find backup care for excessive time off. Overall we are so happy there and can't thank the loving staff enough. read more

The staff are extraordinary, the Montessori instruction is wonderfully implemented, and the vibe is one of both true learning and genuine fun. We have two daughters who attend, and we have been thrilled with their academic progress, artistic expression, and growth as people. There is one, and only one, negative review, and I had a first hand experience with this parent. She seems to have some sort of pathology of embellishment, relaying stories of her son being stung and mistreated that we're beyond the pale without any corroboration from other parents, teachers, students or administrators. Please pay no attention to this review and look to every other review for guidance. Or come visit! The Model School is a truly special place for kids, a brilliantly diverse group of families, and a leader in the east bay preschool community. read more

We love the Model School! Yes, its in the basement of a church. Yes, the facilities are not sparkling like some of the other day cares we looked at. But honestly, the staff at the school left us with such a positive impression that we were on wait lists for each of our kids to make sure they got into this school. First, its not just a day care. Its a school -- and the focus is education. The teachers are skilled at engaging even the littlest of kids in active, educational play. They learn their numbers and letters, colors and shapes, and they have the best time doing it. The older kids are taught a Montessor-hybrid -- its Montessori in concept, but not in strictness. My older son was so well prepared for kindergarten, and I am sure he loves to read and learn so much because of his experience at the Model School. Our youngest is a current student and he wakes up on weekends asking when he is going to school, and cries when we tell him its not a school day. We often cant get him to leave. If that's not a sign of an amazing institution, then I dont know what is. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this school. Our two daughters currently attend (PreK and Toddler class) and my oldest has been at the school since she was 15 months. The teaching staff is absolutely wonderful and loving. They do an excellent job following the principle set by the director that each child deserves respect and the individual attention to develop their own interests, skills and individuality. The space is open and light with everything the children need to express themselves and learn. And they are definitely learning! Our 3 1/2 year old can already write her name! Most importantly, our girls LOVE this school and we, as parents, love being a part of the incredible community it provides. This is truly a special place. Highly highly recommended. (And for what it's worth, the story within the one star review is completely unfounded. All steps were taken to investigate the claims of the 2 year old and not one was found to hold any weight. The teachers in that Toddler classroom are exceptional. I have trusted them with both my daughters and would again and again in a heartbeat. They do not deserve this. Everything about that story is off.) read more

My wife and I have been taking our kids to the Model School since 2006. Both started in the Infant room (one in 2006 and the other in 2010) and have moved through all the school's classes. We have all loved the Model School. The philosophy of the school as articulated and implemented by the founder and director (Dr. Mante) is wonderful, and the teachers are truly special. In every classroom our children loved the teachers and always found at least one with whom they formed a special bond. The Model School community is truly remarkable. My older daughter (now 8) still attends birthday parties of kids she went to the Model School with and we are good friends with many of the parents. When our younger daughter finishes next summer, we will be sorry that our time at the school will come to a close. Simply put, sending our kids to the Model School is one of the best parenting decisions we've made. read more

The teachers connect with he children and really do care about them. All teachers and kids know each other. It's more than a "day care". It's truly a learning environment that is play based. My daughter started in the Toddler 2 class room at age 2 years and 4 months. They supported her and us through potty training. The kids in Toddler 2 and PrK receive evaluations for parents to understand where their kids are from a development standpoint for things like gross motor skills, fine motor skills, emotional, self care. An example of self care is able to zip their jacket. Example of motor skills is hoping on one foot. The evaluation is by no means a rating type of thing. I found it helpful. My daughter is now PreK classroom (ages 3-5). Although the school is Montessori inspired, it's not a strictly Montesorri. The kids learn by exploring and doing. They have plenty of outdoor time. I've often seen the kids playing games together in the play yard that either the kids or teachers have organized and it's so much fun. They are just playing on the play structure but also making up games with balls or riding their school tricycles. There is so much play space. My daughter does not want to leave when it's time to go home. The school focuses on respect for each other, the community, the world and the earth. The community is very diverse both socially and economically and that includes the teachers. My child has many friends whom she sees for playdates and I have developed friendships with the parents. From a logistical standpoint, the school hours, year round offering and cost are a huge plus for working parents. They also offer a monthly parents night out where kids do science project, dinner, dancing and movie night. We look forward to the Kids PJ party! They offer Spanish and music classes weekly. Organic snacks. Summer weekly walking field trips to the park, exploring the neighborhood and other summer field trips like Amtrak train ride, bus ride to the library, Crab Cove, Ferry to SF, The Little Farm, Steam Trains etc. In the after care time for the PreK kids, you might see a teacher playing an Uno card game with 6 kids at a table. Another teacher reading books to kids on the sofa. Other kids playing with puzzles or blocks. The kids are not just sitting by themselves coloring paper or playing a game on the computer as I've seen at other school after hour care. I encourage parents to meet the teachers and the director, Dr Mante. The school building is a bit old but the love the kids receive is worth it! My daughter is confident, wants to try things, loves to learn and loves going to The Model School. read more

Our son just graduated from the infant room to toddler 1. After having our first daycare end up closing after 5 months, I was so excited that a spot in the infant room had opened up. I had a hard time finding a place that I felt comfortable leaving my only baby and spent a few days observing multiple classrooms here. The teachers and the parents are wonderful and very involved. Every teacher seems to know every child's name and it feels like an extended family. They all watch out for all the children. Our son is so happy to go to school every morning. I personally love that the children (all ages) go outside 2x a day to play. The hours for 2 working parents can't be beat and it's not like most of the daycares we looked at that would close for 4 weeks (2 in summer and 2 for the holidays). They are also opening up new larger space for the infants and toddlers later this month. read more

I have had two kids go through the Model School, and it is a wonderful, nurturing place that is neither too fussy nor too loose. The director is a as experienced an educator you will find, and all of the teachers are both knowledgable and very approachable. As the previous reviewer said, the facilities are older, but what it lacks in preciousness it makes up for in pure warmth and in a very reasonable Montesorri-hybrid program. The teachers have been very responsive to kids' individual needs, and never blame kids for the daily indignities and joys involved in growing up. We love the Model School. read more

Strongly advise you not to send your child here. I have a lovely very smart 2 1/2 year old boy who attended here for about 1 1/2 months. While most teacher at the school seemed wonderful and the activities were great, my son made 2 serious complaints about one of his teachers about a week apart - one for striking him on the face and the other for grabbing his penis because he was playing with himself. He also had pain in that area after preschool that evening. Yes he is 2, but I have no reason to believe he is lying. He has never said anything like this before, and is a friendly and outgoing kid who gets along with everyone. Re the first incident, I went it and talked to his teachers and the school head, Dr. Mante, about it. After about an hour of talking, it came out that my son had injured himself on a toy that morning, and ice had been applied to his face (which no one had told me about previously) by the person my son complained about. At the time it was thought that perhaps my son was confused, because he did not like the ice and though that was "hitting" his face. I thought this may be possible, and was going to - with caution - allow my son to continue attending there. However, when I spoke with my son later and tried to address that the teacher was trying to help him with the ice, not hurt him, he did continue to insist he had been hit, and on purpose, with the same details he'd relayed to me previously. As to the grabbing incident, regardless of whether or not what my son said is true, Dr. Mante handled this in an unacceptable manner. When I sat down to discuss with her what my son had told me, she assured me that she knew it had not happened - even though there had been no investigation. She also suggested I must have somehow encouraged/led him to make the complaint (totally not true, my son raised this issue to me on his own), and that he must have some problems at home which led to this. She also asked me why I didn't like the person my son made the complaint about (not true, I had a good impression of her other than these complaints but didn't know her very well, my son seemed to interact more with the other teachers and I talked to the other teachers more than her, probably due to timing of drop off/pickups) Dr. Mante also made a weird comment about my son being really good-looking (what does that have to do with the dead serious discussion we are having???????) Dr Mante asked me what I wanted her to do, and I asked her to investigate. She literally laughed at the suggestion, saying that the employee had worked there a long time and she knew the allegations were not true. However, after further talking, she did agree to investigate. Dr. Mante also told me that my son would not be able to attend the school any further (he was in other care pending resolution of this anyhow) because he had already made two allegations and might make others and she had to protect her staff and the reputation of her school. I straight out asked her whether she any concerns for the well being of my son, and she said she did, but that that my son did well and had no issues at preschool, and that this was a home/non pre-school issue. She then had me gather my son's things and literally escorted me out of the building. The whole interaction was unprofessional and shocking. Kicking my son out on the spot also seems kind of extreme and retaliatory, even though likely we would never have returned there anyhow. Apart from my grave concerns because of my son's serious and credible (to me, although this just happened and has not been officially looked into by anyone yet) allegations against the teachers, the facilities are too run down.There is a big tree which partially fell hanging over the play area that could fall at anytime, held up by only a flimsy net, and this unsafe condition has been there for quite a while, definitely more than just a few weeks. The metal climbing thing under it is roped off and off-limits to kids, but still it seems unsafe to me. My son also got three bee stings while there, and I could not get solid information from anyone about how/where he was stung. Dr Mante had previously agreed to look into this and get back to me but she never did so. Three is not a huge deal, but what if had been 5? 10? It could have been more serious. Some other kids got multiple bee stings as well. About 1 1/2 weeks ago I also observed a teacher from another class level looking at text messages or the like on her cell phone for a really long time (I watched her for at least 3-4 minutes, to me this is a long time with kids, at least mine - who runs and climbs very fast) and not paying any attention whatsoever to the kids. While there was another teacher there, it was a large group of kids and seemed inappropriate. read more

My son attended this school and I always found the program to be excellent and the staff to be knowledgeable with incredible expertise in Early Childhood Education. Dr. Mante is a committed, well respected leader in the field and we are lucky to have her willingness to continue to serve the early childhood community. Anyone interested in having their child in a well run program where their child will be happy and receive excellent care should come to observe the program. This school is fantastic. read more

My daughter attended this school from the age of 13 months to 5 years (T1 classroom through PK!), and my 2 year old is currently enrolled in the T2 classroom. We have loved the Model School and Dr. Mante's mission for many years. We initially chose the school for their location, affordability, and very flexible hours (you buy a set of hours every month and then distribute them as necessary.) Since our schedules were so unpredictable, it was a relief to know that the teachers and school understood and always welcomed our children whenever pickup or drop off happened. We adore the teachers and caretakers--they are invested in the children as little developing humans and imbuing them with a sense of fun, imagination, community and social responsibility. The Model School family also extends beyond graduation from preschool: my daughter's dearest friends are Model School alumni and we still hang out with many of the families we met there. It truly helped us find a community we love, support and depend on. read more