Big City was a dream come true for our family. Our daughter thrived and blossomed into a curious, social, respectful Kindergartener. The school also makes life easier for working parents: they prepare meals and snack, have normal hours throughout the summer, and provide top notch communication. The only real downsides are the price (it’s pricey) and the street isn’t the prettiest. But the staff and facility is amazing and it’s worth every penny. I can’t say enough good things about this school!

My five year old son is in his third year at Big City, and my two year old daughter started this summer. We were attracted to the school because of their parent-friendly policies (lunch provided, amazing playground onsite) and hours but we've stayed because of the profound impact the school and staff have had on our family. Let me explain. Two months after enrolling our son at BCMS in 2018, we found out my son has a serious, life-threatening health condition. The administration immediately jumped in to learn more about his health needs, understand any warning signs of trouble, and promptly ensure he had the right classroom fit. Their close monitoring of his health issues has continued to this day, and I have never felt so confident in a team of caregivers than these men and women. When my son struggled with writing because of his condition, they used hands-on tactics to ensure he would develop the strength to properly hold a pencil. It took a long time, but they kept at him. This far exceeded my expectations. Furthermore, they always ensure that my son never feels left out or that he's never treated any worse or better (or differently) than any other kid, and this is absolutely huge for a kid navigating a chronic illness. Despite typical preschooler challenges and some social issues he's grappled with, my son absolutely blossomed. I was always quite skeptical about how much a three or four year old could learn academically; my how wrong I was. He was site reading books at four and now at five has learned most of his multiplication tables. But that's really not the best lessons he gets at school--the grace, manners, confidence, and social skills are far more valuable. He's struggled getting along with different kid personalities and BCMS has given him the tools to be confident in any environment. He also has a strong sense of justice, kindness, and compassion, enforced by BCMS. Whenever my partner and I have had a behavioral issue at home, BCMS was always there to support us and help us strategize. Whenever issues have come up at school, the staff has given me some excellent guidance to jumpstart difficult conversations at home. I feel like a much more competent mother because of BCMS. I love and deeply appreciate the staff. They feel like extended family. Amanda has been an educator for 30 years, and the woman is an encyclopedia of Montessori principles and positive discipline tactics. Her calm vibe with kids has my two completely entranced. During COVID, she has been my children's teacher, but before COVID we had a wonderful educator who was the apple of my son's eye. He loved and trusted her so much. The competency with which Jill and Emma run the school is matched by no preschool I've heard of in SF, not to mention other cities. The staff is very diverse across race, ethnicity, and sex. I feel like my son and daughter have such fantastic role models there. Lastly, the community of families is what keeps us engaged. There is a separate nonprofit parent's organization whose charter is to fund scholarships for families in need. Last year, we raised $60,000 to give kids access to high-quality early education. Beyond fundraising, the parents and families who attend this school are lovely people. Everyone looks out for one another, and is always eager to pitch in and roll up their sleeves. I am so thrilled that my family has another three years at BCMS.

Big City has been an amazing place for our child! She started at 2.5 and is now a curious, independent, and empathetic 4 year old. The teachers are incredibly loving to all the children and the education is top-notch! The hours are great and we love that the pricing is simple and all-inclusive (especially all the meals!)—that makes it a parent-friendly school, too. They send home weekly photo collections of the kids, folders of art and schoolwork, and (pre-COVID) lots of other opportunities to peek into their worlds at school. Their response to COVID has been diligent, transparent, and community-oriented. We really couldn't have asked for a better preschool for our child!

If you're looking for a true Montessori education for your child, then Big City Montessori School is it. My son started at the school at the age of 2.5 and has grown into a kind, curious, and ambitious young child. The school is thoughtful about their focus on new and exciting educational topics and extra circular activities. I'm so glad we found Big City when we did. We are very fortunate to have all of the great educators for instilling a love for education in my son.

We love Big City! Great teachers and staff, beautiful newly remodeled outdoor space. Relatively long hours of care available, includes lunch, flexible and communicative. From learning reading and match, to music, yoga, and jump bunch classes - it's been super fun! Plus a very strong parents org raises money for scholarships. Response to Covid has been strong and responsible, with reduced pod sizes. Very happy to have them during this time and my children have thrived here :)

Big City is a dream-come-true of a school. I'd gone to Montessori as a child and I wanted to send my kid to Montessori as well. Many schools in SF say they're "Montessori inspired", but they were missing the thing that was most important to me: a mixed age classroom. When 3 year olds are in a class with 5 year olds, the little kids learn from the big kids, and the big kids teach the little kids. Our friends who had sent 2 kids to Big City highly recommended it, so we took a look. We chose it based on how thoughtful the director Miss Amanda is about early childhood education, and how excellent the teacher tenure is. Many teachers have been there 9+ years, which speaks to how well run the school is. What I didn't fully expect before we started is how parent-friendly the school is: they provide lunch, diapers, blankets for naps, and have excellent hours. The one day we couldn't make pick-up in time we were able to arrange for one of the teachers to baby-sit. And every week we get an email with pictures of the kids and a little info about what they learned and did. I forward the email to the grandparents and they love it. Our son loves the school and is thriving there. After his first few months there he came home eager to help set the table and brush his teeth twice a day. He learned how to mediate in yoga class, and it's a delight to watch him walk calmly in the classroom, since he's a very active kid. When I come to pick him up he doesn't want to leave.