Rising Star Montessori Children's Cottage

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Feb 2013

Re: Need help planning for 2-year old daughter
Hello, I don't know if you are near Alameda, but Rising Star Montessori there would be a great option for you. They have 2 campuses-- the Cottage for the younger ones and the main campus on High St. for the older ones. Rising star has different ''levels'' if you will of preschool, and also the Montessori method allows for kids to do a lot of work at their own level. They work on ''jobs'' independently for various skills and move on to the next levels when they are ready. Rising Star is also very reasonably priced, plus has full-time before and after care. Preschool Parent

Feb 2012

Re: Montessori for active, high energy boy?
Our high-energy/spirited and imaginative 4-year-old has been going to Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda (Cottage Campus) since he was two. Although we were worried about the structure and emphasis on independent/quiet focus, we've been happy to see how much he's grown and thrived under such warm and kind teachers. The preschool has been around for almost 30 years, and we appreciate the cozy feeling at their Cottage Campus and the diversity of families and staff. Check them out... www.risingstarschool.org - A teacher and mama

Feb 2011

Re: Montessori preschool for 2 years old
Check out Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda. At their Cottage Campus, the children can begin at 2 years, 4 months of age. The teachers are all very warm and kind. :)

Jan 2011

Re: Part-time Montessori in Oakland or Berkeley?
Check out Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda. Their Cottage Campus is close to downtown Oakland, and the High Street Campus is on the East End of the island. www.risingstarschool.org - A happy parent

June 2009

Re: Full-time preschools for less than $1000/month?
Check out Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda - http://www.risingstarschool.org/. We are also expecting our second child in the fall and will probably send our 2-year-old to the Cottage Campus, closer to the Webster Street end of Alameda. The full-time (7am-6pm) cost is around $1,000. Jean

Sept 2005

Re: Alameda Montessori Schools?
Our daughter started at the Children's Cottage in June and really loves it there. We're very happy with the facility and the teachers.

March 2002

Re: Preschool that takes 2-year-olds

My son was at Our Children's Cottage from 9/98 - 6/00. He was in the younger class and later the pre-K class with Miss Suzanne. It was a wonderful experience and he still remembers quite a bit about units they taught on the rainforest, Alameda architecture and some of the astronomy. They teach in such a creative way, always respectful of the individual's pace and strengths. What also impressed me was that whenever I went for a parent conference, Suzanne and I had exactly the same goals and concerns for my son. This was prior to ANY discussion about his progress. Her instinct is incredible.

My son loved school and most of the other children. He didn't like the naps as he got older and they didn't want him to skip. The afterschool care quality depended on who the afterschool coordinator was. This was at times great and at times not so great. But, it was always safe.

The younger children's program has had turnover since I was there, but if Miss Eva is still there, she's great. Lastly, I was very impressed with the Director, Miss Regina and the owner(I forgot her name). Their love of children and passion for preschool, particularly Montessori is evident in everything they do. They took the time to really know my child. He felt safe, secure and appreciated by all of the adults there. Good Luck.