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Review content:
I did not enroll in this school, but recently toured it. I was concerned with what I observed and experienced, so I wanted to share with others. If the owners read this, perhaps they can be sure to address it as well - perhaps even respond here with a plan for addressing it.\r
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1. I had a tour time that was not honored. Ms Jackie was running behind. This is normal and just happens sometimes, but to not notify me, or to fail to arrange for someone to meet me at our assigned meeting time & place, felt disrespectful of my time (I had my toddler with me, and a baby at home with a sitter). I had rearranged my schedule for this tour. (I ended up being invited to either wait (no) or join in the tour already happening (less convenient, as that tour was infant-focused, but the option I went with).\r
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2. THIS ALARMS ME THE MOST - I entered the facility without any staff seeing me or knowing. A well-meaning nanny held the door for me to let me in to the front lobby. I buzzed the door, but no staff member was sitting in the front office. I entered, knowing I might otherwise be waiting a while outside. A firm policy should be in place to prevent this happening. \r
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I even waited in the front lobby for 5 minutes waiting for my pre-arranged tour (again, I was on a schedule and with a toddler, with a young baby at home)\r
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3. We spent time in the playground area, observing and talking. Here's what I observed: a toddler (cute, asian boy, 2-3 yrs old in case his mother is reading) just crying, standing there, looking abandoned. No caregiver was coming to him. In fact, the 3 caregivers (younger, latino women - detail provided for benefit of the managers) were busy talking to each other. I noticed this 3 different times during the tour - the playground caregivers deeply engaged in chit chat amongst themselves - ignoring the children. \r
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The overall feel was loud, a bit out of control energy-wise (other moms looking for preschools will get what I mean), and the feeling that there were some children who ruled the roost (read: bullies). Children are not at fault here; caregivers are clearly tuned out.\r
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My bottom line assessment is that this is a business, and run as a business. The owners apparently run about 12 montessori schools: set up in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, etc. Clearly, their model is to open up a preschool, add ""montessori"" to the name to charge more for tuition, and place it in a wealthy neighborhood to ensure non-informed or desperate parents have a convenient place to go.\r
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I'd look at Montessori House of Children or Encino Presbyterian (non-religious) as alternatives (for less tuition, also). The tuition here is laughably outrageous.
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