Pinecrest Schools

We became part of the Pinecrest Family in April of 2011. I looked at several preschools in the area, but there were so many things about Pinecrest that just felt so right! It was «THE ONE» Our initial plan was to keep our children here for Preschool, part time, which quickly turned into full time, as they LOVE it there, and move to Public School for Kinder– 12. Well, that didn’t happen. From room 1 (the toddler program) until now (elementary) we are continuously amazed at the programs, and curriculum that Pinecrest offers. Our expectations are always being exceeded! My children both ask to stay at Pinecrest «forever». Our children have learned so much, have so much FUN learning, and really feel like part of the Pinecrest Family. The administration is OUTSTANDING, for both Pre-​School & The Main office, and the Staff… I cant say enough wonderful things about each of the teachers, regular & specialty alike. Im beyond thankful that Im able to give my children the beautiful gift of getting their education at Pinecrest!

Where do I even begin to review a school that has done so much for my son and my family? Pinecrest is more than a preschool; Pinecrest is a community and an extension of our family. As a fulltime working mother, with a background in teaching, I was looking for a school that met a lot of different needs for my energetic, shall we say «spirited» toddler. We started at Pinecrest (after touring at least 5 other preschools in Simi) in March of 2014 when my son was 29 months old (Room 2). He LOVED Miss Amanda and still talks about her often and runs to the toddler gate daily to hug her when he sees her. There was always great communication in this class as well, including daily reports and always time to share about his day with us. He continued on to Room 3 with Miss Dorothy and Miss Caryn… where do I even begin? These women have hearts of GOLD and their patience is out of this world and I truly felt as though they cared for my son as they would their own. He was never the boy to sit still, line up, or participate freely in activities, however with his teacher’s patience and guidance he has tremendously improved and developing at the social, emotional, developmental, and academic levels needed to be successful. Now he has moved up to Room 4 and how blessed we are once again to have two amazing women care for our son. Miss Nancy and Miss Maria are so patient, loving, and understanding and he talks about them often and can’t wait to get to school on Mondays to share what his weekend was filled with. Did I mention the office staff??? Miss Claire and Miss Leah go above and beyond every single day to help in every single classroom; they are not an «office staff». They are always on the playground, serving lunches, changing diapers, teaching lessons, and always a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen– and I mean that for the parents too! Their door is always open, and they are always available on phone or email and really make every possible effort to help you and more importantly your child. Oh and lets get to the fun! My son participates in soccer, on site field trips, joy house, gymnastics, and swim! Yes, swimming on site in the summertime! How cool is that? There was even snow last winter and the preschoolers were allowed to play in it and even sled. Bottom line, if you are looking for a preschool that demonstrates kindness, embraces individuality, and truly cares for children; look no further, Pinecrest is it.

I currently have three children that are enrolled in Pinecrest, two are in the preschool fulltime and one is in the elementary school. This school has continued to amaze me on how compassionate and caring they are for my kids. My daughter is 8 going on 9 and has been at Pinecrest since age 3. My other two started at 18 months and are now 3 and 4 years of age. Each child has a completely different personality then the other and some can be more challenging then the other, however in each class that they have been in and the different teachers I have had the privilege of coming across, all have shown the same thing, that they care a great deal about each child and conform to their own needs individually.
My daughter, who is in elementary, has grown up at Pinecrest. I saw her turn from a shy little girl to the most amazing confident girl who walks with her head up high. This to me is priceless. I am now in the process of viewing my four year old and his transition to turning into a confident little man. They take the time and have a great deal of patience in figuring out what works best for each child, for they are all so different. The amount of things that the children get to do and participate in is amazing. Along with you, the teachers as well as the directors work very hard at helping the child in the best most productive way possible. I am always informed of what is going on with each child at great lengths and really enjoy the input that I receive and the constant communication that I get. Pinecrest is very family oriented and has always been really great to me and most importantly my children. The school is always warm, welcoming and very clean. From the structure of the curriculum to the amazing directors and staff, Pinecrest is the one and only school that I would highly recommend.

In 2009 we moved to the area and discovered Pinecrest School. Our first born was 19m old at the time and started in room 1. From the very first day to now, she has had the best experience. She is well rounded and well educated. Relatives comment on what she has learned at Pinecrest vs a regular school. She has electives such as music, art, computers and spanish. Where else can you get all of that in elementary school? We have a child in Pre K and the toddler rooms as well. All the teachers we have experienced in the 6 + years have been amazing. Not a bad one in the bunch.
We were planning on switching to public school when our kids hit kinder, but the school/​staff MAKE you want to stay. There is such a feeling of family and community within the walls of Pinecrest. The staff all know the kids by first name and make them feel special every day.
Out and about in the community, we run into the teachers/​staff and they are always so kind and genuine.
The preschool directors are the most genuine and sincere people. Always there to listen to any concerns and help out in any way.
The principal really puts the PAL in principal! She goes above and beyond to help the kids deal with day to day situations and puts them at ease during nervous situations.
If you are looking for a campus that is a one stop place for safety, education and feeling of family… then Pincecrest Simi Valley is THE PLACE. You will not be disappointed.

We are also a young family so as the other reviewer stated the school is very good at treating every family equally. They are however awful with infants and toddlers and if you ask me the way my children are treated is more important than the way I am treated.
We started our daughter at Pincrest when she was 21 months old which is practically still a baby. When we toured the school we warned the teachers that she doesn’t nap to which they responded «you would be surprised». So we signed her up and she started in Room #1. From the first day we were getting phone calls from the Director because she had been sent to the office for not napping. The teachers informed us that they «don’t have time» to sit with her and help her calm down to rest. Even when they discovered that if they read her a book after the other kids got settled she would often fall asleep, they refused to continue doing it. They said «if we do it for her we have to do it for all the kids». Our daughter was eventually moved into Room #2, became potty trained, and learned her colors, shapes, and ABC’s but her spirit and spunk was disappearing. She was starting to act out at home and even would we would drive past the school on the weekends she would cry and say «no school mama, no school». You would think she was being abused! I know she wasn’t being abused physically but I NOW know she was being abused emotionally. The Director called us in for a meeting one day and gave us a pamphlet to refer her to a «behavioral expert» because they said something was wrong with her. We took their awful judgmental as first time parents and took her. After being evaluated we were told her was VERY independent and had an above average intellect but was perfectly healthy and normal. We told the school this but they still continued to insist something was «wrong» with our little angel. It got to the point that every morning when we would take her the teacher would say «is today going to be a good day or a bad day?» then my daughter would start to cry. What an AWFUL thing to say to a toddler. If my boss told me that as an adult it would make me feel self-​conscious and defective so how do they think it makes a 2yr old feel? We met with the director to express our concerns and were assured that they would all be addressed and they would work with us & with her so we paid the registration and registered her for 2016. They did NOT, the teachers got worse, and within a week of paying the registration our daughter wouldn’t go at all, she would get in such distress even passing by that we just couldn’t put her through that, Its our jobs as parents to protect our children and this is what we did. The school refused to refund the registration and sent us on your way saying «good luck».
She has been in her new school for 4 weeks now and LOVES it! she runs to the front door every morning and can’t wait to go. No more «sent to the office» punishments and they even allow her to sit and read books while they eat their lunch and the other kids nap. No more acting out at home and no more screaming when we drop her off. This tells us that despite the school insisting something was «wrong» with our 2 year old the problem was really with Pinecrest and their teachers.
Her new school is around the corner from Pinecrest so we pass by it in the mornings and even a month later she still gets upset when she sees it. I can only imagine how awful they must have made her feel to hurt her so badly. In my opinion their pre school should be shut down since they «don’t have time» to address every child’s individual needs. All children deserve to be able to learn and grow in a non judgmental loving, caring, environment and Pinecrest is none of these things. If your child is mellow and quite (like my own nephew) this school is great! If your child is a free lively independent spirit who is too busy learning to stop and nap then do yourself a favor and choose a Montessori school that prides themselves in allowing kids to be different and creative.

Each day I am more and more amazed at how amazing Pinecrest is. Being a young family, it is surprisingly challenging to find caregivers who treat us with the same respect as older families. However, since our first visit to tour Pinecrest, the staff has gone above and beyond to make us feel more than welcome and at home. We are also military family, and they have done so much to make special accommodations so that the transition from our old provider has gone smoothly.
I know how difficult it can be selecting people to watch over your children, but at Pinecrest you will always feel confident that they are in a safe and nurturing environment. My son now LOVES going to school every morning and his teachers are so helpful, especially with potty training. There is also A LOT of communication between staff and parents, so you’ll always known how your children have been throughout the day. There are lunch schedules so you know what your children are eating, structured curriculum at all age levels, swim/​activity day, and lots of outdoor playtime on their awesome playground equipment. The toddler/​preschool programs are excellent for preparing children to transition over to grade school.
I’m not sure why there aren’t more reviews, but please tour Pinecrest when you are searching for child care/​preschool. The staff, teachers, and programs are all so wonderful and you will be highly impressed by how well maintained and clean the facility is. :)