Preschool not to far from Woodbury?

I guess it depends on your definition of close.

There are a few preschool near Woodbridge...Jenny Hart is probably the most sought after (waitlist).

There is Montessori opening up in the Zion Market mall on Irvine/Yale.

 
Northwood Montessory (also a waitlist) is off of Portola and Yale. This is the newer location of 4 in Irvine (the other 3 are Westpark, University, and Village).

There used to be a Christian Montessori very close to Woodbury on the El Toro Base land but I think they closed and have not found a new location.

There is a KinderCare off of Jeffrey and Walnut. We've used the KinderCare in WestPark and it was pretty good.
 
We did Good Shepherd Preschool at Irvine Center Dr. & Yale. I was driving from Portola Springs at the time. They got busy after that school at the base closed but there was still no waiting list which was a bonus. It depends what else your needs are for a school besides location. Welcome to the site.
 
Hehe... we've toured:

KinderCare
ChildTime
Good Shepherd
Jenny Hart
Christian Montessori (when it was open)
Northwood/Westpark/University Montessori
Irvine Valley College Preschool
City of Irvine Preschool (next to City Hall)
... and even an Episcopal Preschool in South County

They are all good... you just have to visit them yourself to see what fits you.
 
We visited many as well,  Norhtwood Montessori was the most impressive (reminds me of the Modern Family episode when Cam and Mitchell were looking for a preschool for Lily, hilarious because it's kinda true),  also got a Leport flyer that listed their graduates (amazon CEO, Microsoft, etc.). Wife didn't like jenny hart because there was no security door at the entrance and anyone can just walk in. I would look carefully at the school near college campuses because they tend to use Part time college students and to me they should NOT be watching after little kids.  We visited a program at UCI and were not impressed by the college staff.
 
ps99472 said:
(reminds me of the Modern Family episode when Cam and Mitchell were looking for a preschool for Lily, hilarious because it's kinda true)
Click to expand...
That episode was so funny. Too bad most of the material is adult-oriented because some of those things my kids should watch to see what we had to go through in their early years.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions!  I have a 14 month old and was shocked when someone at work told me there is usually a wait list for preschool.  Some over two years.  I realized I need to start looking around. 
 
iacrenter said:
You can also check out the new Montessori near Irvine Blvd & Yale--Great Foundations Montessori. I heard from some other parents some of their classes have wait lists already.
http://greatfoundations.com/GreatFoundations/Home.html
http://articles.ocregister.com/2011...essori-schools-new-montessori-portola-springs

Also heard a rumor of another Montessori starting in the Orchard Hills area.
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I don't like where the Northpark Montessori is located...it in a strip mall and no green space. 

I think LePort is opening up a campus in Orchard Hills...I believe they're Montessori.
 
I send my 2 kids to TutorTime (behind Albertson's on Culver and Irvine Blvd) off Central Park and will continue to send them there after we finish our move to Portola Springs next month. We are very happy sending the kids there. Its not too far from Woodbury either.
 
Hi,
My child attends school at Great Foundations Montessori in Irvine, CA. since they opened in September and was bullied both physically (bloody noses, black and blue marks on face, scratches on face, snot wiped on him, being bitten, pushed) and verbally. I would constantly inform the teacher and directors of the situation. They did nothing but cash my tuition checks; moreso, they refused to call the parents of the child that was picking on my child. In their own rules handbook it states that a meeting with parents would be called if a childs behavior gets too aggressive. Why would they not follow their own rules? They got fed up with my complaints and expelled my child effective immediately, no notice to find alternate child care. The reason? The school was not safe enough and he would be better off elsewhere where he is safer. I feel my son was victimized twice, once by the child and once by the school for failing to protect him when called upon.
I really would like to get my story out there so parents are warned that this place is not all its cracked up to be.
Thanks
Laura
 
LauraIrvine said:
Hi,
My child attends school at Great Foundations Montessori in Irvine, CA. since they opened in September and was bullied both physically (bloody noses, black and blue marks on face, scratches on face, snot wiped on him, being bitten, pushed) and verbally. I would constantly inform the teacher and directors of the situation. They did nothing but cash my tuition checks; moreso, they refused to call the parents of the child that was picking on my child. In their own rules handbook it states that a meeting with parents would be called if a childs behavior gets too aggressive. Why would they not follow their own rules? They got fed up with my complaints and expelled my child effective immediately, no notice to find alternate child care. The reason? The school was not safe enough and he would be better off elsewhere where he is safer. I feel my son was victimized twice, once by the child and once by the school for failing to protect him when called upon.
I really would like to get my story out there so parents are warned that this place is not all its cracked up to be.
Thanks
Laura
Click to expand...

So sorry to hear that Laura, as one parent to another, nothing is more important then ur child's safety, especially when you leave them in the care of others.  Unfortunately when a child care center is being run as a business, your child is viewed as dollars instead of the most precious thing in your life.  We had similar but not as severe issues with our preschool..  we quickly switched and now my daughter seems happier with her new environment.  Finding good care with two working parents is one of the most challenging task I have ever done.  I'm not looking for a preschool that graduated CEO's and millionaires, just one with responsible and caring teachers. 

That Montessori is new right?  My wife visited the school and wasn't that impressed with it..  The director didn't seem to know what she is doing (had trouble turning on her computer).. that's not a good sign..



 
LauraIrvine said:
Hi,
My child attends school at Great Foundations Montessori in Irvine, CA. since they opened in September and was bullied both physically (bloody noses, black and blue marks on face, scratches on face, snot wiped on him, being bitten, pushed) and verbally. I would constantly inform the teacher and directors of the situation. They did nothing but cash my tuition checks; moreso, they refused to call the parents of the child that was picking on my child. In their own rules handbook it states that a meeting with parents would be called if a childs behavior gets too aggressive. Why would they not follow their own rules? They got fed up with my complaints and expelled my child effective immediately, no notice to find alternate child care. The reason? The school was not safe enough and he would be better off elsewhere where he is safer. I feel my son was victimized twice, once by the child and once by the school for failing to protect him when called upon.
I really would like to get my story out there so parents are warned that this place is not all its cracked up to be.
Thanks
Laura
Click to expand...
Laura,

Sorry to hear about your horror experience at Great Foundations. I know a couple other parents who send their toddlers there and seem pretty happy so far.

It does sound unfair what happened in your particular case but it is probably for the better. You will find a new and better school. There are many other choices in Irvine and I am sure you can find the right one.
 
Follow up---- THIS IS A MUST READ!!! This story gets even more outrageous by the minute.  So as my previous review goes, my 4 year old son was kicked out for being picked on--more or less. I "complained" about his injuries too much, as well as called Community Care licensing on this facility. Its hard to prove since I wasn't taking pictures of each time he came home with a bruise. Before being expelled, I signed up for another school. I wasnt comfortable with the behavior at this school any longer. It was only a matter of time before I left or she got tired of the endless "complaints". When I put my son in another preschool that he's in now, interestingly all the injuries he once endured at Great Foundations are now gone. The supervision at Great Foundations is sub par. I thought I was rid of this school. I was relieved. I was WRONG. Moving forward to the outrageous part. When my husband found out that our son was expelled, he was livid. Mainly because I would need him to assist me with our 2 children more than he was accustomed to. (He LOVES to be at his business 7 days/week) He said things about Great Foundations I rather not say online, but its fair to say he was extremely angry. It got to be too much work for my husband (helping with the 2 kids) and he wound up wanting a divorce. Now thats fine and his right, BUT what shocked me is the director of the school showed up at our DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS!!!! I was shocked and laughing at the same time. Shirley (the director/owner of Great Foundations) was in court to help my husband bad mouth me!!! *She only met my husband once--he has always been a constant worker and not too involved in our kids lives*. Perhaps she was paid to come? It was clearly retaliatory for voicing my concerns about our son back when he used to attend school there. She is angry I told licensing as well as my Yelp review. So the moral of this story is not only will you send your child to a place where supervision is minimal at best, if you dare mention it--- not only will you be kicked out BUT she will help your ex husband who is an absentee father who sends no child support. I am shocked how personal Shirley has taken an honest complaint about her business. Apparently there is no "code of ethics" as far as her business goes. Since my husband left months ago, I have been supporting myself and the kids alone. He has not even so much as called them. Yet she wants to help him? Hmmm..She made the honest complaint too personal. BEWARE BEWARE. I cannot say that enough.
 
That?s a terrible situation.
It sounds like your husband at the time was looking for leverage to use against you (or to justify his wanting a divorce).
The incident with the school, not to minimize it, seemed to serve his purpose. 
 
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