West Hills Montessori

worst daycare experience of my life. May be fine for older kids but I do NOT recommend putting babies here… wait til they can talk and mostly take care of themselves bc they will not be getting the attention they need here.

It pains me to have to give such a bad review… I really wanted this place to work out.
I took time to fill out all of the paperwork they give you, ignorantly thinking it would make a difference. So many questions, like they were trying to get to know him…
But it’s obvious they are so under staffed, the teacher had no time to read anything. Or even spend time with the babies under her care.
My son is 3 months old, breast fed & cloth diapered. I specifically wrote multiple different places that he needs to be pace fed. I also wrote that we do not use rash cream on him — he doesn’t get rashes with cloth, so we only put a tiny bit on his booty if he sleeps through the night and wakes up with a little redness (which has happened exactly two times).
I spent some time there feeding him both before work and on my lunch. During that time I saw them feeding babies by laying them down in a swing and holding their bottle straight up — never stopping to burp and letting them chug it down. I stupidly assumed they were doing what the parents asked. I just couldn’t imagine anyone feeding a baby like that unless they were instructed to.
Between drop off and lunch I was there for about 1.5 hours. During that time, there wasn’t a moment where there wasn’t at least one baby crying that the teacher simply couldn’t get to. In the morning I blamed it on the babies missing their parents… In the afternoon I sat there and counted and realized it was because there were FIVE babies per caregiver! We had been told it was three to one, which is why we chose this place. Having more than three babies per person means they have to neglect needs.
There was one adorable baby girl — couldn’t have been older than 4 months — who was set in a swing and left to cry. About ten minutes later, she gave up.
It was almost impossible for me to leave him again after seeing that…
When I told my boss what was going on he immediately sent me home. When I got there to pick him up, he was in the swing and being allowed to chug his bottle. I took him from the caregiver and he had the biggest burps of his life. He normally doesn’t need much burping… But with how he was fed, his tummy was full of painful air.
When I went to change him, I noticed he’d been lathered in butt cream (which, like I said, we NEVER use). His diaper was fuller than it is after sleeping all night. He still had the same bib (so wet it soaked his shirt), even though I brought 2 others and told them he drools a lot and would need it changed.
Worst of all, my happy little baby just wasn’t himself. I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling he was just left in his crib on his own all day, except when he was being changed or fed.
When we got home, he became very fussy. I sat there burping him for 20 minutes getting out burp after burp. Maybe formula fed babies can handle chugging a bottle bc they learn how… But breastfed babies should always be paced!
My poor little man finally got rid of his tummy ache, and finally was able to fall asleep.
I don’t blame the teacher. She was wonderful and loving and doing the best she could. I blame the director… First, for lying about the conditions my son would be in. Second, for being too cheap to call in a sub when a teacher is sick.
You’re running a business. People depend on you to take care of their precious babies. People get sick all of the time. You should have a plan in place, instead of forcing helpless infants to suffer.
The director lied and told me I was there at naptime and that’s why there was such a high ratio of infants to teachers… But there were no napping babies. Only crying babies.
Again… I don’t blame the teachers.
I blame you, the director, for lying and trying to save a buck at the expense of our children.
Parents, don’t get swindled by her promises of baby yoga and Friday musicians. They won’t be doing any of those things, because the teachers are too busy trying to feed and diaper 5 different kids.

We’ve been very happy with West Hills. Our son loves the teachers and his friends at West Hills.

My two years old son has been attending preschool here at West Hills Montessori for the past 5 months and both he and I love it. His teacher, Ms. Geeti is truly wonderful with all her kids and my son adores her. It is blatantly obvious she loves her job and most of all, her kids. She made the transition to going to school much easier for both he and I. Now, he looks forward to and talks about going to school.
The school provides enrichment classes such as music and Spanish, plus additional classes such as Gymnastics, Dance and Soccer for an additional fee. I love that my son gets to experience so many new opportunities at school.
The social interaction my two year old is getting is priceless. He talks about his friends at school and comes home singing songs about the days of the week and the months in the year.
Ms. Samantha, the director is fantastic. She’s always available and completely involved in everything. I can call or stop by anytime and she always makes time to give me updates or answer my questions. She provides the parents with monthly Newsletters and Calendars to keep us in the loop of what’s going on or what to expect. Last week was career week. They had police officers and a dentist come in to speak with the kids. The week before was Culture week. The kids learned about each other’s heritage and sampled some of their cultures food. There’s always something going on, and the kids are always learning from it.
Sending my son to school at a young age was a difficult decision for me, and it was hard to let go of his little hand that first day. Ms. Geeti and all the teachers and staff made it so much easier for both my son and I, and I’m very pleased with my decision to enroll him at West Hills Montessori.

LOVE THIS SCHOOL!. The director and teachers are the sweetest and most caring I have ever met. We interviewed about 10 schools before we found this one. The second we walked in, we knew it was the right fit for our little ones. Our children are so happy and excited to go to school in the morning. They are so advanced for their ages now and love every second of school. It’s clean, light and bright, the school yard equipment is age appropriate and the Montessori method is perfect to give our children the educational advantage. 10+ stars.

This place has really gone down the drain. I had my first child in this school 5 years ago and loved it. The teachers were really good and they knew their Montessori. Now there is a whole different staff and owner and I don’t think they know how to teach Montessori. The teachers don’t look professional (tattoos and the way they dress very causal. Don’t get me wrong I myself have tattoos but as a professional I cover them up) Also they are constantly on their cell phones. How are you teacher my kid with your nose buried on your cellphone. If you do put your child in this school I would suggested that you find a new school when your child is ready to go «down stairs» that’s I believe ones they are potty trained and three. The teachers down there are horrible. They used to have a staff of Sri Lankan ladies that were older but WOW they knew their stuff. Ones my oldest was ready for school he had no issues. Now the school has teachers I doubt that even know anything about Montessori. I’m not racist against anybody please don’t get me wrong, even though I’m Caucasian myself my mother in law who is Sri Lankan and was a Montessori teacher told me that what they are teaching my daughter isn’t correct Montessori. The teachers go through a less time consuming version of Montessori and stamp themselves as Montessori.
Bottom line. If you just want a school to baby sit your child for a few hours you can enroll them here and save some dough. But if you want your child to learn Montessori and be a head of its class keep looking. Do your research on the program and you will see the difference.
This place used to be called Stepping Stones Montessori.

We enrolled our child at this school a year and a half ago. Jeff Seretan and Joanne Seretan sold the school to new owners in December of 2013. Our Special thanks go out to our child’s teacher Miss Lalitha. We are so grateful and thankful for all she has done for our son. She believes in him when other former teachers didn’t. They just did not Know How to Teach. Miss Lalitha does! She knows how to hone in on the temperament of each individual child. She nurtures their knowledge. She is meant to be in this profession. Thanks to her, our child is more than ready to move on and upward to the higher grade level at another school. This school will no longer have the upper grades, but will go up to Kinder (age 6) Good Staff too.

My daughter had been attending an in home daycare since she was 2 months old. She loved it there. It was like going to a family member’s for the day. She received home cooked meals, did arts and crafts, and was always clean and smelled good when I picked her up. Then, she turned 4 and had a strong desire to go to a «big kid» school like her big sister. I did not want to remove her from the school she was attending because I knew she was safe and well taken care of. However, she was very vocal and persistent about it. My husband and I searched and searched and no school seemed to give me the vibe I was looking for until I found West Hills Montessori. It was perfect!!! The teachers were friendly, loving, and patient. The school provides the perfect balance of learning, play, and structure. They have a full curriculum and parent /​teacher conferences. My daughter was writing her name and her sisters in no time. She was developing great social skills and most importantly, she was learning while having fun. My daughter was so happy there and stayed until she started kindergarten. She is now in 1^st grade and we are searching for a place to send our almost 18 month old son while I work part time. More than likely, this will be the place. As for negative vibes, the only negative vibes that I felt were with the parents. Some of the parents are way out of control. And … that is pretty much at any school. They were harsh with teachers and the owners in front of the other parents with concern that the children had too much play time. (which is actually a very normal and balanced amount) They were so harsh and unrealistic with the pace of their children’s learning abilities. They wanted the teachers to make them learn faster and better than everyone else. Wake up people … they are only kids and they will all catch up in grade school. These type of parents even made the school holiday programs un-​enjoyable at times … pushing and shoving and being disrespectful to every other body there to see there children perform. Have a seat people. Enjoy the show. It’s ok if your kids mess up. It’s what makes it fun. So, the only feedback I have for Jeff is to let less of these people in your school. They ruin the great experience for others. You guys have a great thing going on there. Keep it up!

I just wanted to add an update; my daughter has moved up to the preschool class and she is thriving there, making lots of new friends along the way. She had a lot of fun during the summer session, where there was a weekly water play day. The teachers continue to be great and dedicated, and it’s very easy to address any issues that come up, as the director is available by email or phone to communicate. We are immediately notified if our daughter has an accident, gets sick, or if there is an altercation between our kid and another student.
Another great thing about the school is that there are a lot of extracurriculars incorporated into the curriculum, such as Spanish class, dance class, and music classes once a week. There are also additional extracurriculars, such as ballet, that are featured as afternoon activities that you pay for (we haven’t done this yet), which are very convenient if you do not have the time for those classes on the weekends.

I have a three-​yr-​old daughter and was looking for a great environment for her not just Montessori training. I dropped by the school without an appointment and was immediately aware this was not the school for us. It seemed very rundown and though the teachers were nice the vibe was really bad. I couldn’t imagine sending my child there. And from what I am reading here, I made the right decision.

Jeff my never work for you and you have memixed up with your teacher. How dare you open your mouth and attack someone. Read before you speak it makes you look incompetent. My daughter was a student and I would never work for you after everything you have done. Learn how to be professional. If you want to attack a parent for the 3^rd time and call me a lair I will be more than happy to call you have have a conversation with you.
Jeff attack parents like he has attacked me once again. I DON’T RECOMMEND THIS SCHOOL TO ANYONE!

As a new mom, I was very particular about where I could send my son for his first school experience. He was at home until 18 months, at which point I wanted to enroll him in school. One thing I must mention is that WHM is not a daycare, it is a school. I like the fact that students must be at least 18 months before they are permitted into the school as opposed to daycare/​school. The age minimum creates much more of a «school» atmosphere. Students explore music, art, and even Spanish classes. Ms. Geeti, the toddler class teacher is AMAZING. She is kind, nurturing, and very understanding. She’s always made me feel very comfortable, and my entire family loves her, especially my toddler! It is now time for him to transition into an older class, and again, the new teachers seem very welcoming and kind. My son is not the most receptive to change, so the teachers have agreed to allow him to visit one hour every other day to help him get acclimated into his new classroom. I can imagine how disruptive this can be for both teachers, but each is willing to accommodate him gladly. I had an opportunity to observe Ms. Jackie, his new teacher, and she was the perfect blend of nurturing and authoritative. The children had order, yet she was not too rigid. Ms. Mary, the other older class teacher, also seems great. It is nice to see that the teachers very much respect one another. Lastly, Ms. Brittany, the coordinator, is the best. She has always, always been welcoming and flexible. She’s often in and out of classrooms, assisting whenever needed. She keeps parents very well informed of the school’s events. Since this was my son’s first experience as a school, I often had new mom concerns. Brittany (and Ms. Geeti) always were receptive and helpful. I’ve seen my son thrive in this school, and I’m so happy we enrolled him here!

Over the past 6 years I have sent my 2 children to West Hills Montessori. Both have thrived here, gaining more than enough academic skills and knowledge to prepare them for elementary school (my oldest is now in a magnet and has been doing great!) The teachers at this school have been wonderful! They helped develop and support both my children’s academic and social confidence. My kids always attended the summer program too. They loved the fun activities geared towards learning (i.e. mad science laboratory) and the water play days. The school also puts on seasonal shows that the students perform in, which has been such a highlight for me as a parent! The owners, Jeff and JoAnne, have put an incredible amount of time and effort into making many improvements around the school. They both are very involved, and really care about each and every student. I would recommend to any parent that they check out West Hills Montessori. Over the years, my children have been so happy at this school. We will be sad when it is time to move on!

We love all of th staff at West Hills Montessori! Jr. Pre-​K teachers, Ms. Mary and Ms. Bernie are superstars (along with all of the other teachers). The director Brittany is awesome and informative.
The owners are welcoming and treat our daughter like family.
It’s a secure environment.
They are consistant with the Montessori curriculum!!!
The facility is very cute and the kids get lots of play time outside. There are 3 different play areas that offer different environements. We LOVE that!
Science, dance and music are offered.
It’s a DIVERSE staff and Diverse students. Many of the kids come from different countries. We love that too!