Growing Garden Preschool | Manhattan Beach

"Our daughter has been in Growing Gardens Preschool for over two years. We are extremely pleased with everything about the school. It is an amazing community of adults and children. The teachers are talented and genuine, and the director, administrators and staff are engaged, helpful and passionate about the school. The school director is very friendly, involved and accessible, usually seen in or around the classes and yard greeting parents and children. She is constantly striving to improve the school. She has built a very open, positive and inclusive environment and has done an excellent job of selecting quality teachers. The curriculum is designed and executed so the children receive the best opportunities for high quality developmental and academic excellence. Their philosophy is that children learn best by doing and playing, and being inspired by developmental and academic opportunities. The children are given opportunities to explore, use their senses and have fun. The teachers encourage active thinking and experimenting, and they employ a good balance of discipline, nurturing, kindness and love. There are many different, varied and fun activities at the school. They have many special play days that are fun for the children and the entire family. We have been to movie nights, snow days, special days for parents and grandparents, and many others. The grounds are always net and clean, as are the classrooms. The classroom space is open and well-structured. Safety is their first priority. They are alert to ensure that every child and the entire facility are safe and secure at all times. The entire facility is gated and monitored by a camera security system. They periodically hire consultants to assess and make recommendations for security changes and enhancements. Subsequently, they take timely and appropriate corrective or improvement actions. As with any school, there were times when we had things on our mind. When we raised the issues with the teachers or staff, they would resolve them without frustrating bureaucracy. These are caring and dedicated people working together to resolve issues that are bound to arise. The school and administrators have a positive attitude about discussing and embracing the children’s needs and the parents' concerns. The school and curriculum creates an environment where the children are surrounded by positive Jewish morals, values and experiences, discovering and celebrating holidays and Shabbat together to build a strong Jewish foundation and identity. The children experience the joys of Judaism through music, story-telling, art, cooking, drama, dance, and family get-togethers. My wife and I are very impressed with the quality of the school, program and community. We feel extremely fortunate to have established friendships at Growing Gardens that are certain to last a lifetime. We will always be grateful for and cherish our relationship to the Growing Gardens community and for the foundation it continues to provide for our daughter."

"We love everything about Growing Garden and our kids absolutely LOVE going to school every day! We were very picky and shopped a lot of schools before selecting Growing Garden for our twins’ preschool. They are now in the Kindergarten class and we could not be happier with our choice. The teachers at Growing Garden are smart, kind and caring, creative, playful and patient. They are wonderful at nurturing independence, helping the kids solve their own problems and giving hugs when needed. The classrooms are beautiful and stimulating, with tons of natural light, a variety of open areas and play stations, arts and crafts, family photos, artwork, and reading nooks. The outdoor play areas offer something fun for all ages ranging from sand and play structures, to a bike yard with a ball court. The curriculum is Reggio Emilia based which encourages the kids to explore, ask questions, and create their own hypotheses. My kids are always coming home telling me about a new experiment they did in class and what they learned from it. They also rave about the enrichment classes including Spanish, Legos, dance, music, cooking, karate and more. On top of all that, the school features special events such as Snow Day, Farm Day, Election Day and numerous holiday celebrations. They welcome parents into the classroom any time and regularly send us photos of the kids in action. As parents, we especially appreciate the community. Sara Mintz, the Director, is around almost every day, catching up with parents and greeting the kids, and she is continually looking for ways to make the school better. The staff is equally welcoming and available to help. The school embraces families of all kinds, non-Jewish, interfaith and observant; and we have been welcomed into our teachers’ and school leader’s homes for dinners on several occasions. As an added bonus, Growing Garden parents rock! They are friendly, supportive and inclusive, always helping one another and keeping each other informed. Suffice it to say, we have had an amazing experience at Growing Garden and we feel that our children are well prepared for their next step. We cannot recommend this school highly enough!"

"We moved almost a year ago from New York City to Manhattan Beach. One of our greatest concerns was taking our son out of his beloved preschool in NYC and not being able to find an equally wonderful educational and social experience for him. Fast forward a year and our son is thriving and happy. The school is warm and welcoming with fantastic teachers/administration and a level of creativity, academic excellence and fun that all schools should aspire to. We are very happy with our choice and our second child will start there next year as well!"

"Growing Garden is a tremendous place to send your children. The nurture and care that each child receives is unlike any other school I have seen. The campus is manicured and the classrooms are clean, bright and welcoming. Exploration and self discovery are the key to any child's development and this school has mastered allowing children to do both. My child loves it here, and we wish the school would go all the way through high school. Well done and keep up the great work."

"I have had two kids at the school over the last 4 years and the kids and us could not be happier. We had a bad experience at our first school, so the second time around we took a lot of time to find the right school. We selected this school despite the 25 min commute each way. The teachers are very caring, knowledgeable and take time with kids. There is a happy feeling about the school!. GG is very educational, but not forceful. Kids learn a lot, but it is all done in a fun and nurturing environment. My eldest child entered public kindergarten in Palos Verdes last year and we feel that she was very well prepared. The recent renovations and addition of the baby class have been excellent and is another example of continuous investment in the school. The school director is very involved, open to suggestions and constantly striving to improve the school. She has built a very open, positive and inclusive environment for kids and parents. She also has done an excellent job of selecting first rate teachers. Children have a multitude of enrichment activities available to them. There is also an effort to bring inside outside by developing educational facilities outside."