I initially planned to keep my son home with me until he turned two. However, once he started crawling, I quickly realized that plan likely wouldn’t be feasible once I returned to work. He was on the waitlist for a school in Berkeley, but he couldn’t start until he was 18 months old, and there was no guarantee he would be accepted. So, when he was 9 months old, I began researching and compiling a list of nannies and local daycare providers in Hercules. I also received several referrals from neighbors and friends. From the very first day I met Ms. Myra while interviewing providers, I felt welcomed and confident that my son would be in the best hands with her and her staff. I could also tell that my son felt comfortable with her. When he turned one, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life, entrusting Ms. Myra with my angel. I thought it would be a difficult transition for him, but by day two, he was excited to be at school, and I was the one walking to my car in tears. Thankfully, those tears quickly faded as Ms. Myra shared pictures of him throughout the day. Seeing his laughter and smiles warmed my heart and confirmed that I had made the best choice. The environment is warm, safe, and nurturing—it truly feels like a second home for him. The daily activities are thoughtfully planned and age-appropriate, blending learning, exercise, and play in such a natural way. Since starting, I have seen incredible growth in my son’s social skills, communication, independence, confidence, and love for learning. I treasure the crafts he brings home, the diversity of his friends, and his excitement when he sings a new song, shares a new word, counts to 20, or recites the alphabet and months of the year. He exudes pure happiness when he arrives each morning and when I pick him up in the afternoon. As an educator, Ms. Myra stays current on child development best practices and consistently keeps me informed about my son’s progress. When my son is at the park or speaking with my family and colleagues, they are amazed that he just turned two because he is so verbal. That is a true testament to the structure and learning environment she provides—I truly feel I have a partner in his development. I am beyond grateful to have found such an amazing daycare/preschool. It gives me tremendous peace of mind knowing my son is happy, safe, and thriving. Ms. Myra and her team are (in my son’s voice) AMAZING! If you are looking for a wonderful school that is structured, focused on educational development, and treats your child with kindness, love, and respect, I highly recommend contacting Ms. Myra.

Ms. Myra has been an incredible teacher for my son. My son was with her at a young age, from 2 until kindergarten. By the time my son was there, I also had my daughter, who is 4 years older than my son, with her in Summers. She didn’t just focus on academics but also taught the children important life skills and values. My son learned how to be kind, respectful, and considerate toward others under her guidance. She also helped him become more independent. He learned how to use the bathroom on his own and clean up after himself, which was a huge milestone for us as parents. Ms. Myra is patient, consistent, and truly understands how to teach young children in a way that helps them grow both academically and personally. We are very grateful for everything she has taught our son and highly recommend her to any family looking for a caring and dedicated daycare teacher.

We are so grateful for Ms. Myra and the amazing care she provides at Great Start Daycare. Our daughter spent almost two fantastic years at Great Start Daycare, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Both, Ms. Myra and Ms. Mary, were incredible—warm, nurturing, and truly dedicated to her development. As a family-owned daycare, Great Start offers a loving, supportive environment where kids thrive academically and emotionally. Since my daughter started, her academic growth has been incredible. Ms. Myra has a true gift for nurturing each child’s potential—my daughter’s reading, writing, and problem-solving skills have soared under her guidance. It’s amazing how often the teachers in her TK class ask me where she learned so much! Ms. Myra has a special way of nurturing each child’s potential, and it shows in how confident and eager my daughter is to learn academics. Ms. Myra fosters a warm, loving environment where kids thrive socially and emotionally. We feel so lucky to have found such a dedicated and caring teacher. Please do visit her daycare—you will not regret it! Highly recommended for anyone looking for a dedicated, clean and caring environment for their child. Thank you, Ms. Myra for all you do!

If only I can give more than 5 stars! I highly recommend Ms Myra, she was the very first teacher of my children who are now in 6th & 9th grade, who both excell! My childrens daycare journey with Ms. Myra made a big impact on their academic achievements. Ms Myra demonstrates a positive, nurturing attitude, dependable, dedicated in promoting early childhood learning and development. Ms Myra provides a clean, safe and organized environment for the children, she proactively communicates with us parents. I have peace of mind when i leave my children with her, Ms Myra is the best!

My little one had the chance to go to Ms. Myra Daycare. He loved it; every day, he learned new things. Ms. Myra helped my kids in every aspect from talking to improving his fine motor skills. Now he is in School but still constantly talks about Ms.Myra and keeps talking about what Ms.Myra taught him, and if we cross the road to Ms. Myra's school, he never forgets to say, “This way goes to my favorite Ms.Myra school. We, as parents, are always grateful for what Ms. Myra contributes to our kids. I highly recommend this place to all parents.

Our daughter was there for 5 years and she was always happy to go and see her best teacher, Ms. Myra. Ms. Myra is so kind, caring, patient and generous of her time with the children. Our daughter learned how to read, count and write at a very early age. The place is always clean and orderly. My daughter never got sick going there and our family always felt at ease knowing that our daughter is safe and happy in Ms. Myra's care. Our family will always be grateful to her.

We are incredibly grateful for the care and dedication Ms. Myra has shown our child. She is kind, patient, and genuinely attentive to her students’ individual needs. She always took the time to make each child feel seen, supported, and safe, and her patience truly stood out in every interaction. Miss Mary, the teaching assistant, brought so much joy and warmth to the classroom. My son also developed a love for reading at an early age, building confidence and skills that set him up for continued success in Kindergarten.

Our two boys attended Ms. Myra’s daycare from 2 to 5 years of age. It is amazing that all kids who graduate from her daycare learn how to read and write at very young ages. Ms. Myra is smart, kind and compassionate. The kids see kindness everyday. They spend their days in a nurturing yet well structured environment. We could not ask for more. We always say how we are so grateful that we met Ms. Myra! Our family love her!

I cannot thank Ms. Myra enough. She was highly recommended by our friends and I feel blessed to have her in our lives. Ms Myra provides a structured program that prepares the children for not only school, but for life. She runs an excellent program with an emphasis on academic preparation. If you want a provider who genuinely cares about your child, their education, well-being, while being very clean- look no further. Our oldest was so shy and terrified of new environments when she first started. Ms Myra was able to get her to open up and thrive as a student. She works with each child and builds on their individual strengths. Our child was very well prepared for school in both reading and math. Of course each child is different and that is the key to our success with Ms. Myra. She tailors her care of each child. Our second is currently attending with Ms Myra and she is more than prepared to enter Kinder, with another year to go. Our family moved out of the area over two years ago, but continue to make the commute of 20+miles each way (~2.5hr of drive time each day) because Ms.Myra’s care is unmatched. We love MsMyra, but more importantly, our kids love her.

Our little one attended Myra’s day care for 2 years prior to kindergarten and also the the summer before first grade. We felt our child was more than prepared for elementary school when she left. Myra worked with her on structure, routine, manners and academics. Currently, our child is advanced when it comes to reading and math skills, and we credit her day care prep. We also were thankful when Myra was very patient with us when we had a newborn and had some sudden schedule changes. Myra cares deeply for her students and their families, and that is demonstrated by her end of summer party, holiday celebrations and updates. Finally, I was always so impressed by the clean environment that she maintained, which she set as a priority to combat COVID.