The best pre-school ever! The teachers are incredible Cannot recommend Kirk House enough.read more

There aren't enough descriptive words to say how incredible this preschool is. My youngest of 5 was…read morethe only one that got to go here and I'm sad that my other kids missed out, if only I had known how amazing this school was sooner. My son met his best friend the first day, 4 years ago, and they still hang out together! Every week they have a theme and discover so many cool aspects of life. For Christmas, the class adopted a preschool class in Peru and we were able to buy them a farm that would sustain their families for years. We got updates on how many animals, eggs, babies, and it was such a wonderful learning experience. I truly believe this preschool impacted my sons life and how he learns Thank you to all the teachers(Ms. Ruth was his fav)!

This is the BEST pre-school in the whole bay area ... When…read moreAmanda started going to RCC she was in the "terrible two" age: having a lot of tantrums, easily frustrating and being very shy. After a while she flourished and now she is confident, independent, know how to solve problems and has lot of friends. Teachers are wise,kind,resourceful and they work as a team.Even they have classes separated by age, I could asked each of the teachers how was Amanda's day and they could give me a brief summary. My daughter loved going to RCC and she even wanted to go on weekends! We left RCC because we moved to the South, and after checking more than fifty places, I can tell you RCC is unique. Thank you Susan, Veronica,Vashti and Jackie You are doing a great job!

My experience at RCC has inspired me to give a glowing review on Yelp…read more One of the best decisions we've made has been to send both my toddlers to RCC. My kiddos are happy, feel loved, are learning a lot and progressing well. RCC Teachers are nurturing as they clearly love the kids. The are joyous and excited when we open the door and are greeted with a big 'Good Morning' as we put away our bags. The kids rush to one of the activity tables (eg, playdough, puzzles, building blocks) and settle in to play. They have a full day of activities - free play, dancing/singing, arts/crafts, numbers/letters/words, outdoor time, snack, nap, etc. They also work on age appropriate activities (eg, my 2 y/o is working on counting, learning shapes and colors). Both are always bringing home new school work and art. It's actually inspired me to make an art wall at home to display everything. There are lots of things for the kids to do, multiple play areas, the outside space is both my kids favorite part. They both love riding bikes, playing in the sandbox and of course the big purple dinosaur! The teachers are disciplined around schedule, activities, behavior. The kids learn to socialize, share, play together, clean up, resolve conflicts, behavior and consequences, etc. Both kiddos actually like to clean up (while at RCC only)! They resolve issues fully and quickly so that we can be comfortable that our kids are in the very best place they could be. All the teachers are lovable, with lots of energy and very patient for those around them. We are grateful for their service everyday!

We love Open Gate! When we began touring preschools with our first child, I was very hesitant and…read moredidn't feel comfortable with the thought of leaving him somewhere with strangers. From the moment we toured Open Gate though, it felt like home. Teacher Kristi knows just how to meet the needs of each child (and parent) that walk through the door. The other parents quickly become friends and valued sources of support. We're now back at Open Gate with our second child and we are so happy to be back in the Open Gate community again. My oldest son wishes he could go back too and often talks about "the good old days when I got to play at Open Gate". We are so thankful that we found such a fun and supportive preschool for our kids!

Absolutely LOVE Open Gate! We have been attending since last school year and my son and I just love…read morethe time we spend here. We both have so many new friends and have truly created a community for ourselves. The Teachers are creative, kind and intentional with the way they are educating my son. I also really enjoy volunteering in his class, feeling included in his day and getting to know the other parents. If you have the chance to come and take a tour contact the School ASAP!

We cannot say enough good things about the community at Woodland School. From the moment we began…read morethe admissions process, we felt like more than just another application. The Admissions Director, Melanie, is truly exceptional. She went above and beyond to support our family, showing incredible flexibility and genuine care throughout the process. Beyond the administration, the school itself is impressive. We fell in love with the beautiful, sprawling outdoor campus--it's such a rare and refreshing environment for kids to learn in. One of the most striking things we noticed was how confident and articulate the students are; their comfort with public speaking is clearly a testament to the school's curriculum. We also spent a lot of time admiring the Maker Lab, which is easily one of the best we've seen. While our family's personal circumstances shifted and we couldn't enroll this year, Woodland remains at the top of our list for any family looking for a balanced, high-achieving, and supportive environment

Absolutely terrible terrible school. If I could give it 0 I would. The years I spent here were the…read moreworst in my entire life. None of the teachers want to be here they are all underpaid and regularly complain about their salary. While I was there I would consistently hear teachers say "I can't answer that that's above my pay grade" or joke about how they can't afford to pay for anything. Many of them were just bullies and put no effort into teaching us. The teachers also have no control over the students with classes being so hectic that lesson plans would get put on pause. If you are a smart student you won't be challenged here, if your a student with learning disabilities you will get NO support. The campus is laughably small and unclean. The buildings are in horrible condition with middle schoolers learning in portable classrooms. In my opinion it kind of feels like they just added the middle school on in the 80's to make more money. The food is horrible but the kids are even worse.

I cannot give PNS enough praise. I simply love this place, what it stands for, and the people that…read moreare a part of it. I'll start by saying that I didn't consider myself a co-op person before I started PNS. I was skeptical about the jobs and participation, but very quickly I realized that, like most things in life, the time and effort I put in I got back tenfold. I sent both of my daughters here, so I have experience with both teachers in both classes, and can honestly say that PNS gave them the permission to be curious, it taught them to be creative, and that it's okay to get messy. PNS helped my girls become emotionally equipped to handle the next phases of life, and most importantly, it taught them to be kind and to treat people (and their ideas!) with respect. Logistics: Every day there are 2 story times. At each storytime the teachers sing songs, ask questions, and read 1-2 books. Once a week instead of a story time there is a music class that the kids all thoroughly enjoy. Snack is made by one of the parent volunteers, is (usually) organic, healthy, and always has a fruit or vegetable component. There is 1 work day a week, although there is a new program being piloted that is geared more toward working parents who still want the co-op/PNS style of nursery school - look on their website! **The hybrid program has less parent involvement to help reach a wider community of kids and parents - so if you love the idea of this place but didn't feel like it was in the cards for you because of your work situation - think again! ** Philosophy: PNS is completely play based and gives kids a magical place where they can simply be children. They can play in the dirt and mud and sand. They can get messy. My kid once (ha - everyday) ran around in her underwear during a rainstorm with just boots on (the working parents happily changed her into her dry clothes when it was time), and she LOVED it. I once got a photo of her where she had painted her arms bright pink with the biggest smile on her face. I got another photo playing dress up with a play ice cream cone stacked 8 high (with another giant smile). Videos of them singing their hearts out on the tire swing with their friends, creating entire worlds and games, etc. The only real rules are "keep it safe and keep it friendly" and it allowed my babies to try so many fun things and to be so creative. At home this translates to playing together and being super imaginative and creative as well, which is fun to see. They are never bored for long, and their little brains are always creating and imagining the next thing. In Teacher Theresa's mixed age class my little one learned how to use scissors, practiced writing her name/using a pencil every day, and there were always stations that worked on drawing/cutting/stacking and counting/etc. In teacher Amy's class, we learned fun songs (favorites include Mr. Alligator, Twinkle Twinkle Little Spaghetti, and 3 Little Hotdogs Frying in a Pan), did fun art projects daily/weekly. The mixed age class is taught by both Theresa and Amy, so they got to experience both teachers as well as our amazing assistant teachers, all of whom my children are obsessed with. I could talk about this place for eight pages. It's so incredible. But mostly, I feel like my children were loved here. Not only did I gain an incredible community of moms in the same stage of life as me, but my kids got an awesome nursery school time and got to experience what it is like to be loved on by every single adult in the space. My kids have special bonds with not only their teachers, but with other parents who know and love them. It is the most incredible, joyful experience to see others love your children, and I cannot recommend PNS enough. You will never regret sending your kids here, and you will gain friendships that will last a lifetime - I know mine will!

We just finished my son's first year at Parents Nursery School, and we truly couldn't be happier…read morewith our experience. From the very beginning, we felt welcomed, supported, and genuinely cared for. The teachers are experienced, thoughtful, and deeply invested in the children. My son loves all of them, especially Teacher Chris! I especially appreciated their healthy and respectful approach to conflict resolution. The play-based philosophy was absolutely the right fit for our son and gave him space to grow, explore, and feel confident. As a family new to the area without relatives nearby, this community meant so much to us. One of the most special parts of PNS is how deeply people know and care about your child. It never felt like a school where people barely know each other's names. It truly is a connected, supportive village. And the play yard is incredible. It's such a magical space for kids to explore, imagine, and just be children. We are so grateful for our first year at PNS and highly recommend it to any family looking for a warm, connected, play-based preschool community.

Redwood Parents Nursery School has been an absolute treasure for our family! The moment you walk…read moreonto the property, you're greeted by the most adorable, thoughtfully designed grounds--it feels like a warm, inviting environment where kids can truly play, explore, and let their imaginations run free. What truly sets the school apart, though, is the incredible staff. The teachers are nothing short of exceptional. They bring so much heart, patience, and creativity to the classroom every single day, making sure each child feels seen, valued, and encouraged. I have learned countless things from them and I am a better parent because of knowing them. Beyond the fantastic dynamic in the classroom, the sense of community here is unmatched. It's rare to find a place where parents, teachers, and staff come together so seamlessly to support one another and build lasting connections. We couldn't ask for a more nurturing, wonderful place for our children grow.

Such a warm nurturing place to be a part of and see your little one flourish. Definitely couldn't…read morebe happier to be part of the RPNS community.

I told my 6-year-old I was going to write a review about her school. She said, "mom, I love…read moreeverything about Tru." We transferred in for 1st & 3rd. Within days of joining both kids felt safe, comfortable, and included. All of the kids are friends, it is a small school in the best way, like a big uninhibited family. The teachers help to support and ensure this by designing community rituals that often involve singing and mindfulness and by masterfully coaching them through conflicts and differences. The teachers are exceptional, they meet the kids at eye level in such a calm, clear, and respectful way. The K/1 teacher is rarely standing, she's sitting with them, next to them, leaning in and listening. They feel it. It is a teacher-owned and teacher-led school. The philosophy is so aligned. All of the teachers believe in integrated learning, seeing educational opportunities in the interests of the kids by encouraging and observing their everyday play. My daughter's interest in gardening manifested in the creation of a new work job for which her teacher procured new equipment and thoughtfully developed tasks. The collective class interest in grass turned into a scientific exploration of grass structures with microscopes, diagrams, and artistic renderings. The curriculum is ever-changing and thus incredibly adaptive and relevant. The teachers re-write the whole thing every year. Twice a year they produce new plays with original lines, songs, choreography, costumes, and hand-made props. They introduce new themes, new projects, and new units. They make almost everything by hand with the kids. The kids cook feasts, weave tapestries, cobble together inventions, set up experiments, and test out their ideas. No iPad apps. They learn to type so that they can write and create. The vibe of the school is inspired and focused. The class sizes are small and distractions are brilliantly managed. The kids work incredibly hard. They have long blocks of time to get into deep work during the day. No homework. And yet, they're academically thriving.

My son attended the school from last year as a kindergartner. He loves the school, had lots of fun,…read moremade many friends, and made lots of improvements in many areas. Now it is the summer holiday, and he can't wait to go back to school. The school is very small and teacher/student ratio is good, so the students can get enough attention and personalized education plan. Everyone knows and plays each other, just like a big family. The teachers are very decent, patient and really caring about the kids. They have lots of field trips that the whole school will attend together, there is a small garden in the campus, so the kids are pretty close to the nature. There are two big drama plays every year and everyone will participate. They do mindfulness meditation every morning. They make some stories together (such as everyone plays a role in a tribe). They practice public speech even from kindergarten. There is a lot of fun and plays there, and kids can learn and grow from those activities. Tru is not like a traditional school. It provides a versatile experience for students, and integrates the learning from projects and plays. It is great for child's development.

I truly loved my experience at the JCC Preschool. I'm the mom that tours every single school prior…read moreto making a choice. I'm extremely picky when it comes to the care of my children. I'm taking the time to write this review because we've recently moved around in the area and have experienced other schools. Solidifying even more what a magical experience being at the JCC was for us. We were at the JCC for a total of 4 years with both my son and my daughter from the time they were 12 months old (in the mommy and me program they call the Yad-B-Yad with teacher Shuly). In our experience, the teachers are loving, caring and they were truly invested in the development of our kids. The Director Lauren Berman is amazing. The amount of care she leads the school with is incredible. I was part of the school parent committee where we worked first hand with Lauren to help make key decisions about the school, so I saw first hand the amount of strategy, planning, and thoughtfulness that went into running the school. We were also at the JCC during Covid. And I truly believe our kids excelled during this time because of the strategy and execution of how they handled the school. Lauren would call her strategy (the Swiss cheese effect). Creating multiple layers of protection for the kids safety while ensuring and maintaining a loving environment. I know first hand, other schools did not handle this time nearly as well. Our son was at Phillips Brooks (when he aged out of JCC) while our daughter was still at the JCC. And our experience was sub-par there compared to the JCC. I would do it all over again. Sending my kids here. I miss the warm staff, the community of parents, and being in the classroom for Shabbat singing songs with my kids and their classmates. I miss seeing my kids garden, picking tomatoes and kale with teacher Debbie. I miss seeing my kids run around on the giant grassy field playing games in the sun. I miss seeing them dance and sing during their music class. I miss the care that went into planning activities for the day. I am truly grateful to all their teachers who planned a day packed full of activities to instill ability of freedom of choice and asked thought provoking questions to instill a curious and creative mindset in my children. I love our memories from the JCC, they have a very special place in my heart. I often look back fondly at our school year book filled with images of celebration, warmth and smiles. The thing I know from being at other schools is this, in my experience the JCC is a special place, special place, being led by amazing leadership that truly love and care for their families and students. This combination is hard to come by.

Hi, fellow parents! You're trying to pick the best preschool for your kid in an area with so many…read moreexcellent options. Other parents you know have impossibly high standards and even if, when you started your search, you weren't feeling so opinionated on the color of the sheets used during nap time, here you are - at 11:55 PM on Yelp - trying to find some breadcrumb clues to help you make THE BIGGEST DECISION OF YOUR LIVES!!! AHHH! Well. First of all, there are some funky reviews on here. *Note the date.* If they are from pre-2019, there is a new director who is going to set the bar so high that you're going to hate the head of the Ivy League university your child will surely one day attend because Lauren Berman is the most personable, accountable, reliable, responsible, and forward thinking preschool director in town. Whomever was here before, fuggedaboutit. This legend of a director just pulled the school through COVID and fires and mass exodus of educators from the Bay Area and the preschool, which my oldest son just graduated from, is sparkling in the Palo Alto sun. Secondly, parents are busy. SO MANY PARENTS LOVE THIS SCHOOL and will never have the time to write a Yelp review because they should be making lunches instead. So, know that a glowing review like mine is backed up by about 100 more that will simply never get written. Why is this school so great? Your kids will be enveloped in love, in the cutest little classrooms - YES THE TOYS ARE WOODEN AND YES THEY USE LOOSE PARTS, I promise - with an edible schoolyard garden - YES YOUR KIDS WILL EAT KALE AND HOLD WORMS AND YOU WILL SEE PICTURES OF THIS THROUGHOUT THE DAY - and a dynamic duo of music teachers to bless their days. Bless. Loaded word? They learn songs and blessings and it's not going to turn your kid into a bible thumper but instead is just going to give them a routine, which kids and religions both love, so chill. ;) [respectfully, chill] - In a non-COVID year, your kids get to take swim lessons while at school because you are on the JCC campus and there is a full service pool steps away from the preschool gates! And because according to Jewish texts, it is more important for a child to learn to swim than to study the Torah. So you get to have your kid learn to swim while they're at school anyway. Amazing. - Your kids will run on a track field or play with hula hoops in the basketball gym for their PE class, passing by senior citizens who live in the apartments overlooking the plaza and are part of our community! Yes, children still see old people and haven't yet learned to ignore them! This is educational, my people. - Your kids will celebrate double the holidays they would if they weren't at a Jewish school because there is a Jewish holiday for everything, and every month practically. AND let's not underestimate the weekly holiday of Shabbat which means baking and breaking fresh bread together, offering our little humans the opportunity to sing together, to have their weekly turn in the spotlight as the Shabbat Helper and to be part of a Friday ritual that reminds us how important it is to rest and be in a community. This year, the school started doing zoom shabbats on Friday evenings and your relatives from far away can sign in and forget to mute themselves and gush over your cute child on the screen. - Your kids will be exposed to different cultures, most notably Israeli culture and, with that, Hebrew because that is interwoven in the curriculum, but also be in an environment that embraces different languages and cultures: students and staff alike come from many different backgrounds, and are not exclusively Jewish. Like Hebrew a lot? The Ulpanon immersion program is like a year abroad program but without the travel. Highly recommended (and Lital the director there is also phenomenal). - Now that I've done some name dropping, there are some legendary teachers who have been teaching for more than 9 years (some more than 20 years) so put a pause on those rumors about teacher turnover: this staff is educated, dedicated, and for the most part sticks around. New educators in the area also get a chance to work here, paired with veteran team teachers and my impression is that the administration is very supportive of staff. How do I have the credentials to even write this review? Between my two sons who are both under 5, we have been to 6 different preschools. Lemme tell you: The JCC preschool is outstanding. OUTSTANDING.