Casa de Mateo

Casa de Mateo has been the best experience for my family for the last 5 years. 
Our son Asher started there after he turned one. The amount of attention and care he received from Zuleyka and the Casa de Mateo staff gave us confidence that he was in the right place. Then, two years later we enrolled my daughter, Arrow when she was old enough as well. I can't think of a better place to have my children get their first education experience. The team at Casa de Mateo created great schedules where they make a lot of creative projects, have story time, circle time, lots of outside free & structured play. Zuleyka and her team here send photos of our kids doing projects and playing every day which is really my highlight that gets me through my busy work day. The themes every month are structured and fun and keep both kids and parents engaged and learning together. When it came to parent-teacher conferences, Zuleyka and her team are the ultimate professionals in recognizing the child's development stages at every age.
The Spanish immersion program here has been so valuable for both of my children's development, and the relationships they've built are priceless. Zuleyka and the Casa de Mateo team, as well as the other families enrolled here have become such a great community, like an extension of our family. My Son is now 6 and attending Melrose Leadership Academy, and my daughter 4(still attending Casa de Mateo). We trust the staff here without a doubt, they are always on top of any need my kids have had. This team is filled with empathy, care, and a passion for education. We love Casa De Mateo!

This review covers our now 5-year-old who went to CdM for about a year and our 1.5-year-old who has been going there for the past 4 months. Casa de Mateo is everything we could have ever hoped for, not only in terms of childcare but also in terms of community. The learning and play environment that Zuleyka and her team have created out of their home is super fun, warm, creative, safe, clean, nourishing, all the things! We have never had to worry about whether our daughters are being properly looked after or, on the other hand, being over-regulated. We love how they get to explore a variety of monthly learning themes in creative ways (eg marine life, the solar system, dinosaurs!). They approach children's learning with a growth mindset and engage parents in the process.

We also feel like one of the key criteria for being accepted to Casa de Mateo is "good vibes only." We really feel like we've become part of the familia, we clearly care about each other's kids, and we actually *want* to meet and talk to the other parents. That sense of community is cultivated through special events they hold throughout the year, including a "Casa de Mateo Day" potluck with live music and an animal show and a "Graduation Day" for all the kids getting ready to move on to Kindergarten.

And of course, if your kids' learning or improving their Spanish is important to you, you're in the right place! It's clear from drop off to pick up that the CdM team truly loves every child and wants them to flourish. We're so grateful to have found them.

Our kiddos have been here for almost two years (4 year old, 2 year old) and I haven't once doubted the love, care, friendships, enrichment and education our kiddos get everyday. Zuleyka runs her school with deep understanding of both child development and language development, she is kind, patient, and incredibly professional. My kiddos are both fluent in Spanish, but most importantly they come home with so much joy and love for school and their friends there. The school runs like a montessori/play based model. Kids spend some time in circle getting direct support with Spanish, but most of the day they get to choose what they do - with Zuleyka and her team rotating out fun toys and stations everyday. Everyday they do art - painting, cutting, pasting. And each month there is a different theme. The kiddos are also outside playing in her phenomenal back yard, that is like a kids wonderland - where she rotates out whole play structures and does lots of outside activities and dancing (I'm jealous most days I don't get to spend time there). To top it all off, every couple months Zuleyka hosts either weekend field trips for the school or backyard bbq's with music and fun ways to get the families connected. As a result - I know all the parents, and love their kids. It's an incredible small family oriented atmosphere and a tight community. We feel so blessed that our kids are part of this community.

Also, Zuleyka really knows our kids - like deeply who they are as humans. Our oldest has had a tough year - with some losses in our family - and she has been right along side him and making sure he has space to work through and develop into who he's going to be. She is responsive to them and that deep knowledge mean she sees them and honors who they are as little people. It's pretty rare - and feels like an incredible priveledge to have someone who knows my kids so well. 

Our son has been at Casa De Mateo for about 9 months and we feel it’s time to share the incredible experience we have had so far.  The school rooms and outside areas are impeccable.  We receive monthly emails with the lessons, songs and Spanish and English vocabulary they are focusing on each month as well as daily photos of activities, crafts and mealtimes.  My son is always smiling and fully engaged.  At his two year appointment his pediatrician was in disbelief at his speaking in full sentences in English and Spanish!  Most importantly, Zuleyka is a caring teacher with and ever-calm and loving presence.   We travel gladly a little out of the way, to a school we may have dismissed because of the less fancy neighborhood it is in.  We are thankful everyday that we found this gem of a school.

Casa de Mateo is a wonderful Spanish immersion in-home childcare/preschool - the provider speaks English if parents don't speak Spanish, but program is in Spanish.

Zuleyka Alvarado is a kind, fun, very experienced, and wonderful teacher. She has a very clean/neat and stimulating space for the kids - my daughter loves her backyard. With new regulations in place, she takes the kids' temperatures every day and we keep a dedicated set of shoes at her house. I feel completely safe sending my daughter there.

She also offers affordable prices compared to most daycares/preschools.

Feel free to contact me with any additional questions.