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    The Native School

    3.8 (67 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:30 pm

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    My last out of many attempts to receive a refund. I've censored my and the schools personal data such as email and amounts.
    Amber G.

    I had moved on from this situation. It has been five months since I put this behind me and I did not plan to comment further. However, today I received another email addressed to current and past families describing ongoing issues within the program. The concerns raised were similar to what I personally experienced during my time there. At that point, I no longer felt comfortable staying silent, especially because young children attend this school. Our interaction and resolution were not amicable whatsoever. I made sure to communicate in writing so that everything was documented. The issue of my refund did not end peacefully or professionally. After months of following up regarding money that was owed to me, the director stated that I was "harassing" and "bullying" her by requesting updates. I strongly disagree with that characterization. As a paying customer whose child was enrolled in the program, I believe I had every right to request updates on a refund and to ask questions about how the company was being run while my child was in their care. Following up on a financial matter over several months is not harassment, it is accountability. Because the refund was not resolved despite repeated requests, I ultimately had to pursue the matter in small claims court in order to recover what I was owed. I would not describe that outcome as amicable. Today's email stated that the school is again experiencing internal issues related to teachers and parent complaints... iissues very similar to those raised during the 2025 school year. Last year, when concerns were raised, responsibility was attributed to certain teachers. Those teachers are no longer employed by the school. However, similar concerns are being raised again this year with an entirely new group of teachers. As a parent observing this, that raises reasonable questions for me. If the original issues were solely tied to specific staff members, one might expect those concerns to resolve once those individuals were no longer part of the program. Instead, similar complaints appear to be continuing into a new school year with whole new staff. I am not speculating about motives. I am pointing out that the pattern of concerns has remained consistent despite a complete change in teaching staff. During my time there, when parents raised concerns, the responses often felt dismissive or minimized. Responsibility was frequently shifted elsewhere. That pattern was deeply concerning to me. One issue that continues to be referenced (including in the recent email)  is CDSS licensing. I want to state this carefully and factually: Based on written confirmation I received directly from CDSS, The Native School does not hold an active CDSS childcare license. Outdoor programs of this type may not be required to hold one because such licensing does not exist for outdoor schools yet.  That distinction matters because it affects what oversight applies and what formal complaint channels exist. My concern was not whether a license was required. My concern was that the messaging around oversight created an impression that did not align with what I later verified in writing with CDSS. Parents deserve clarity about regulatory oversight, especially when children are involved. I am sharing this because families deserve to make informed decisions. I am speaking only about my documented experience and information I verified through official sources. Our teachers were wonderful during our time there. My concerns are centered around administrative communication and transparency.

    Reading and playing on the meet and greet day before school started
    Shari C.

    I enrolled my 3 year old son in the piccola program at the Native School this fall, and I'm so glad I did! The teachers are warm and loving (and went above and beyond to help with his difficult drop offs... I was never forced to leave him crying and instead they catered to his individual needs, which is rare and amazing for both of us). Aside from that, he is just thriving. He loves his friends, sings new songs he's learned in school, and returns to me each day with a backpack full of leaves and pine cones, telling me all about the new things he's encountered. Given the recent reviews, I did my own due diligence before enrolling him. That said, after talking with the founder Shannon, other parents and TNS staff, it was VERY apparent that the negative feedback on the Native School was an intentional sabotaging by former employees (sounds wildly dramatic and conspiracy-ish, but actually true). Shannon was super responsive and went above and beyond to answer questions while also letting me come to my own conclusions. I am so glad that I did my own research and listened to my intuition... now my son is outside in the most beautiful park 3 days a week, playing with friends and learning about the actual world around him. Thank you Shannon and TNS!

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Shannon O.

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Shannon O.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    Shannon O.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    My daughter had the best time here! Would highly recommend! I loved the daily updates with photos and it was great that it was all outdoors!

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Shannon O.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Been with this school for two years and love it. It's amazing how much they learn just being in nature.

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    7 years ago

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    Shannon O.

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    8 years ago

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    Shannon O.

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    6 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    The Native School Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Native School

    Hello, Are you licensed in California?

    Hi Ellen, We hold multiple licenses. You’re welcome to contact our administrative team at admin@thenativeschool.com to learn more about the various cities, counties, and California state requirements we legally fall under jurisdiction for.

    Hello, Does the school offers a special education program?

    Hi Susan, We are an all-inclusive program for students who benefit from our type of programming.… Read more

    Anyone know what the tuition costs?

    Hello! Thanks for reaching out. We provide all tuition information once we receive an online application or inquiry by email to admin@thenativeschool.com. Please reach out and we would love to share that information with you. Warmly, Amber

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Native School

    The fact that she gets to explore each day in nature and learn by doing is exactly what we are looking for.

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

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    Paid them $500 then they called to cancel my appointment with less than 24 hours' notice. They…read moreoffered to reschedule in TWO MONTHS and refused to make any effort to reschedule sooner. I told them this was unacceptable and that I would be contacting the BBB. About 5 minutes later "the owner" who refused to provide his name, called me and cussed me out, called me a "little b***h" and told me to "go f*** myself 5 or 6 times" I would never trust these people to drive your kids around. Absolutely disgusting excuse of a business. Edit - So apparently the owner's name is Frank. @Frank, regarding your response, no one was nasty to your staff, nor did I curse at you once. You have a screw loose, but you do you. If you think that publicly acknowledging that you took the time to pick up the phone and call one of your customers to cuss them out is a good look for your company then more power to you. It is not hard for me to imagine why it would be hard for someone like you to retain your staff - I feel sorry for the people in your charge. Edit #2 - LOL at the owner editing his first response. Buddy needs to learn some self-control. Glad my kid did not wind up in one of his cars!

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    The Native School - preschools - Updated May 2026

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