Die Rasselbande Preschool 1090 South Anza Street, El Cajon, CA 92020

"We're so happy to have found Die Rasselbande! Our daughter started here when she was 2 years old and attended for 4 years – she is now at Albert Einstein Academy. Our son is currently in his 3rd year and loves school. I can't say enough about what a nurturing environment the director, Martina, and the teachers create. The director and all the teachers are native German speakers and it is an immersion school, but they also are fluent in English and it's easy for parents and non-German-speaking kids first starting out to communicate with them. German is my second language and I've been trying to teach our kids the language at home so I'm grateful that they can hear native speakers, and bonus, I also get to practice my German in this new community. The teachers constantly amaze us with their endless energy, enthusiasm, and how much they cared about their students. The teaching philosophy at the school is play-based, as is common in Germany/Europe and becoming popular here. Our son is the happiest when he comes home with grass stains or Matsch from playing all day in the mud kitchen. The teachers really treat all children with respect and interact with them at their developmental stage. We receive weekly emails with updates on what they're teaching the kids, what songs they are learning, and pictures. Parent involvement is welcomed, and this school truly creates a community, from playdates, carpooling, last-minute child care, camping, and continued friendships at Albert Einstein Academy. Our daughter often says she misses Die Rasselbande and the nice thing is that alumni are always invited to school events and kept in the loop. Martina runs an efficient school and facilitates Parent Teas after drop-off, Parent Nights to get to know the school, and educational evening sessions for parents. She is often seen in the classrooms helping out and getting to know all the students. Some of the things that I love the most are the fun cultural events like St. Martin’s Day/Lantern Walk, Halloween/Trunk or Treat, St. Nikolaus Day, Karneval, and Maifest. Die Rasselbande is everything we could have hoped for from an engaging and educational preschool!"

"My child attended Die Rasselbande for nearly 4 years and it was such an amazing experience, both for him and for us. The love, care and commitment to the children was always exceptional. The level of attention towards development and educating the children is also top notch. And the community fostered through the staff, as well as the other families, current, past and upcoming, is nothing like I've ever experienced. We've moved onto Kindergarten now, but the time we had the Rasselbande will stay with us for a long, long time. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a great community, a great learning environment and a rich, German language experience."