Help finding an Oakland/Montclair preschool

I have a 1 year old and am having trouble finding enough info about when to apply and most importantly, which preschools in my area are good. I live near Montclair Village in Oakland - any recommendations? Should I be applying now for next fall? Thanks! 

Parent Replies

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We recently went through this process - here are a few tips:

- We searched for schools using a variety of different sources, since no single source had a comprehensive list. We used Winnie.com (good for seeing schools on a map), Yelp (good for reviews), Berkeley Parent's network (good for finding out about open houses), and 510 Families (lists schools across the broader east bay)

- You're close to a few different neighborhoods, so I'd search them all like Montclair, Piedmont, Glenview

-I would recommend looking now for your one year old, as the best schools that meet your needs may book up quickly. The best ones we found were already booked a year old.

-Tours, especially when school is in session, give you the best sense of what the day to day will be like. We got way less out of touring the school when it wasn't in session.

- We ended up at Storybrook Oakland, which we love, but have also heard good things about Growing Light and Smiles

Good luck!