Parents Talk About the Growing Garden

As every parent knows, sending your child off to school is a very emotional experience.  I have done this twice with my children at Growing Garden Preschool, and it has been an amazing experience both times – I was the one who left crying on the first day as I left them!!  The nurturing environment at Growing Garden starts on day 1 and does not end.  I have now had 2 children at Growing Garden for 3 years, and there is not a day when they wake up and say they do not want to go to school.

Each day is a new adventure, a new learning experience and, because the children feel very safe and secure in the GG environment, this never presents a problem for them.  The teachers nurture the children without mollycoddling them – all the while they are learning to be independent little people.

The school director – Sara Mintz – is an amazing person who has her finger on the pulse of all that is going on.  She makes sure parents are always in the know with whatever is happening in the school and always has time to listen to and address any concerns you may have with anything.

As a parent these first years of my children’s’ life are very precious and important.  I could not think of another place I would be happy for them to be while they are not with me.

– Tracey Benoliel.

I have lost track of time but believe we have been there 5 years now and the greatest thing about Growing Garden is that they have created a nurturing creative environement that has instilled in my kids a love of learning.  My 7 year old cries if she has to miss school.  She got her foundation at Growing Garden, has skipped a grade and just completed 2nd grade at the top of her class and as a member of the GATE program.  I credit Growing Garden for that.  My son, who is about to start Kindergarden at GG is already reading at a level 2 reading stage and my youngest is creative and looking forward to school starting.

My mom is a retired primary school teacher and was opposed to my kids going to GG when we first found it.  She went there and sat in on classes and came home raving about what a great school it is from a nurturing and educational standpoint.

I encourage anyone looking for preschool-through kindergarden experience to take a serious look at Growing Garden, it is an unbelievable experience for the entire family!

– Ken Calof.

My son has been going to this preschool for over two years and we love it!

As an ex-education-researcher myself, I always think what makes a school stand out is the teachers. At GG, the teachers are amazingly caring and professional. It is the kind of environment that you know you can always trust and that your child will have fun and learn at the same time.

I love the philosophy of the school and the positive reinforcement the teachers practice here. There is no punishment when a child does something inappropriate, but only explanation of consequences. It is a very positive growing environment.

All the other things are great too! The classroom is nice; the space is open and well-structured; the curriculum is academic-focused.

– Jinghuan Liu.

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 this 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.

– Lana Oshea.

Before sending our 2 1/2 year old to Growing Garden we had concerns like all parents sending their children to pre-school. However we found there were simply no negative reports about the school and took the plunge. 2 1/2 years later we can safely say it has turned out to be the best decision we have made in our lives so far. What could be more important than feeling the place you leave you child at everyday is where she/he should be without question. Growing Garden and their gifted teachers truly set the bar for what all parents are looking for in a school. You can call me anytime at 310-968-1730 directly to talk about our wonderful experience with this wonderful school.

– Stewart Fournier.