CHALK Preschool

I was referred here through friends of a friend I met at a baby shower. Their son transitioned really well to Kindergarten and so I figured I check it out. Great facility and the staff is just extraordinary. We did see some faculty changes happen but everything went smoothly.

I absolutely love this school. Currently, we have our 2 year old in afternoon sessions, so I’ve had the opportunity to watch several teachers interact with the kids. I like to hang out for 5 – 10 minutes during pick up and/​or drop off. The teachers are all so gentle and patient. I’ve actually learned some positive reinforcement techniques from watching them and have never once witnessed inappropriate, negative interactions. I’m in the teaching profession with older kids and you can tell when interactions are staged or genuine. These teachers are absolutely genuine. My son doesn’t transition well, and they just kindly comfort him until he is calmed down. The few bad days my son has had they handle it in a way that lets me know my son is normal and all kids have bad days and have to work on growing and developing. I appreciate not being made to feel like there is a big problem. I was also pleased with how well they understood my son during conferences. I have also seen them work so patiently and joyfully with special needs kids, which is wonderful. I will be sad the day my son has to leave such a nurturing environment.

I write this review with a heavy heart. We attended the CHALKlets program with Ms. Grace and fell in love with her. When I phoned to put my son on the wait list for CHALK in June of 2013, I was told that there should be a spot in the January session, particularly since CHALKlets participation allowed for preferential admission to CHALK. I called to check in with the director in the Fall of 2013, and was told it was not clear when my son would start. In the Spring of 2014, after many calls, he son was scheduled to start in June of 2014, Lesson in Corporate Preschool #1: you cannot trust the wait list and you cannot trust what you are told.
Once my son started, every morning before CHALK, he would cry, tantrum, and plead. Month after month, he fought. I then enrolled him in another smaller program for the other 2 days a week (the CHALK director said she did not have space for us to be 5 days a week — I now suspect they filled the 2 days with someone who would pay more for the 2 days than we would as 5-​dayers). He ended up loving the other program which was a great surprise. Yet after another grueling morning taking him to CHALK, I was in tears at the front desk and desperate for insights. The director suggested a reinforcement chart to reward him for good mornings. She created the chart and we had a brief period of improvement, but every night at bedtime when we talked about our day and the next, he would say he did not want to go to CHALK.
Then the teachers told our nanny that our son was misbehaving. No one had contacted me, so I emailed the director to ask about it. She told me that the teachers thought his behavior was «attention-​seeking» so I should encourage him to ask for «more hugs» during the day. Anyone who knows my son knows that he would not want his teachers hugging him. He wants to be played with, read to, spoken to, but not hugged. It was an empty suggestion and bothered me because it revealed that they did not know him. I replied that this did not seem the right solution for our son, so perhaps the teachers could instead play with him on the floor more, or offer to read him books to connect with him. Meanwhile, we had received his «Evaluation» which was grossly inaccurate — the ways they «rated» him were entirely inconsistent with the boy I knew. In retrospect, I saw the teachers interacting with the kids who would approach them, and over time, it became clear to us that they favored the children who were «easy,» making little time for children who were shy. As we observed the classroom more, we saw that it wasn’t that the teachers were heartless or cold, but they had too many kids to tend to and were forced to tend more to the «easy» kids over taking the extra time to reach out to shyer children. It also helped us understand why we never heard a willingness from CHALK to investigate the interaction between our child and the teachers or the school environment. Lesson in Corporate Preschool #2: the financial bottom line is healthier if there are more kids in the classroom. Lesson in Corporate Preschool #3: the school environment is what it is at CHALK. Your child will either sink or swim, and if he or she sinks, they’ll just admit someone else off the wait list.
At that time, we decided we were moving out of state, so I gave 60-​day notice. No one mentioned any sadness about losing our son. The following month, I enrolled him 4-​days a week in the 2^nd program he had been attending. I let the CHALK director know we would have to pull him out of CHALK a month earlier than expected, and she said she wouldn’t be able to fill the space with short notice, so I was on the hook for the 2 months of tuition ($ 860 for 3 mornings a week). This was nonsense since I was on the waiting list for a year before getting in, so I was sure they wouldn’t have any trouble filling our slot. Instead, they were more than happy to have us pay tuition while simultaneously refilling the slot. I didn’t reply to her email. I couldn’t muster a kind response. I didn’t send my son back to CHALK, and they never followed up to ask if he was ok, or if they could say goodbye. I asked my son if he wanted to visit to say goodbye, and he said no. It was a very sad way to prematurely end our first preschool relationship, and I am disappointed that my son had such a bad first school experience.
Here’s the good news: we started him at a Montessori in our new town, and he loves it. Not a single tear was shed in the first week. He is still shy and introverted, but his teachers love him and reach out to him to invite him to participate. Sometimes he agrees, and other times he hangs back. There’s no «attention-​seeking behavior.» He is happy and so are we!

Our daughter has start her 1 month at Chalk preschool and she loves it! We had search several school until we found Chalk. We love how much love and care they do for each kid. The staffs are super friendly, healthy snack menu, and very clean!
There is a beautiful saltwater fish tank in the front that make my daughter stop every time to enjoy them! The teacher are young, high energy and very experience on their field. My daughter wants to go to Chalk everyday now, even on the weekend! we glad we found Chalk!

Chalk seems like a corporation and is more about operations then focusing on family and community. The wait list is terrible and they take advantage of it.

We adore Chalk Preschool. The teachers are warm and loving, and our 3 year old loves it there. I’m always impressed with the way the teachers handle disagreements between kids, or the normal ups and downs of toddlers. They helped us with a difficult transition cross country, and were kind and loving with my little guy. Couldn’t be more pleased.

What can i say was so excited for my son to start here so i gave my deposit to reserve my spot. They never called me or sent me a letter so a month later I found a better place Building blocks chrisitan academy in LA. When I called to get a refund, they refused to give it to me claiming that they left me a voicemail and sent me a letter offering a spot and that at that point deposit was non refundable. I never got a letter nor was there a voicemail.
Not only are they crooks, but the staff is so young and immature that they had no idea how to handle this and were very rude. They didnt even try to work it out with me. Im a single mom and needed that money. A fact that they didnt care about.
Dont fall for their smiles. I thank God that I didnt leave them my child. i can only imagine how they would of treated him behind my back,
Stay away. Far away.

My son spent almost 2 years at Chalk and I’m not sure who was sadder to leave, him or me! It was a wonderful experience from start to finish and I’m so grateful that his teachers helped further his love for learning. I was constantly impressed with the way his teachers approached learning from different angles, making sure the children experienced learning a topic with all their senses. The school provides twice-​yearly assessments to see how your child is progressing and ours were always well-​reflective of our child as an individual. In my experience, the school is competitively priced with other top LA preschools and I don’t regret a penny of the money we spent there. We love Chalk!

This is just fantastic school top to bottom.
When we were looking for preschools most of them you had to make appointments to go see and get a tour. however, we happened to be across the street and decided to just «pop on in» to chalk and find out more about it (figured we would just get a brochure)… however, we got the full tour right on the spot and could quickly see that our son would be happy here.
Well… over a year later and he LOVES IT! He looks forward to going to school everyday and I can see why. they really pay attention to the kids and what they want/​need. The teachers have always been super nice and helpful and give us full reports on our son’s days… everyone just really does care about the kids.
Over the last year + there have been a couple of times where our son has been hurt (falling down on a playground, etc.) and I asked the teachers to keep an eye on him and make sure he wasn’t being too rambunctious and they have always done so without me ever getting the sense that I am asking for special attention.
Here are the two negatives, neither of which will I remove a star for. It is more expensive than some of the other preschools in the area. For me, it is worth every penny to feel good about my son going to a place he enjoys. The parking lot is small, which sometimes makes picking him up at the end of the day a pain, as there are more kids being picked up than there are spots. this is a minor annoyance and I would rather have a quality school with teachers who care, then a big cushy parking lot with lots of space!

I am so glad to have our son at this school! He started in the Blue Room in Sept. 2011 and he has learned so much! He has adored all his teachers (Miss Grace, Miss Kate, Miss Nana, Miss Megan and Miss Vida). Now my son (Sammy) is in the Yellow room and they are super patient with his high energy level.
Some changes have happened with Staff lately, with a new teacher, that I love in Yellow room and a new Director, Lacie, who came from Chalk in Chicago. The warm loving, welcoming feeling has remained.
On the unfortunate side, they have joined the practices of all the other preschools, and they no longer warm up lunches. I got to have that privilege for a few months, but my son hardly misses it, since he prefers his Almond Butter sandwiches with a variety of side snacks (mostly fruit).
The parking lot can get a little over-​burdened at peak times, especially at pick-​up, since there is no street parking in the evening, and the restaurant parking lot (next door) is only available in the morning.
I am so happy to take Sammy to school everyday, and he is always happy to go, and that is the best part!

Beautiful, bright facilities, warm and caring staff, smiles everywhere! My 2-​year-​old loves the Green Room with Miss Lana and Miss Katie. Creative, fun, happy with great activities — just the kind of place I wanted for my little guy. Lots of hugs, manners, boundaries, singing, dancing, art projects, firm but gentle discipline, reading, excitement and naps on cots. In the beginning I called a LOT to check up on him and his separation anxiety and never picked up a single negative annoyed vibe. Monica and his teachers assured me that he’d probably be fine after the first week — and he was!
The outdoor play area is shady, clean and secure… (Buzzer at front door, plus I once bumped into the play yard gate and an alarm sounded!) Convenient private parking lot for easy pick-​ups and drop-​offs, parents and grandparents are welcome anytime, they’ll heat up yourlunch for your child…
What else? My son sings songs he learned and talks about his teachers and friends all weekend long. So sweet! Would recommend this school without hesitation, it feels like our extended family.

Chalk is an exceptional preschool. The facility is the nicest I have seen with a beautiful fish tank at the entrance, brightly colored classrooms and a small garden and jungle gym outside. The tuition is high but very much in the ballpark of neighboring schools. My son has gone there for two years since they opened and there have been a lot of staff changes and transitions but they have all been managed gracefully and have been more stressful to me then to my son.
In regards to the negative comments posted, Chalk’s drop off policy is very lenient but they try to help rid your child of separation anxiety by keeping drop off short and sweet. My son still has a hard time when I leave but doesn’t want to leave when I pick him up. The teachers have always given me sound advice on dealing with leaving and allowed me to do whatever I was comfortable with.
The staff is young but is made up of women who have massive experience with children. I can’t imagine anyone finding the teachers or staff inexperienced. Youth does not equate to a lack of expertise. And as to art yes it’s cookie cutter but there is free art time too and the art goes with the theme of the week. Chalk is wonderful preparation for real school as it is more structured and less play based then Montessori type environments. There is a lot of circle time which has not always been easy for my son but the skills he has garnered from this preschool including manners, letter recognition and making friends are priceless.

My son, Myles, is 4 years old and is just finishing up a year in the Orange Room. He has had an outstanding experience at Chalk. He has learned a ton and, most importantly, he has learned to love school. His teachers — Miss Lauren and Miss Reyna are warm, smart, and kind. They are wonderful role models for him. They make every child feel special and are affectionate in their care. They also do a wonderful job of keeping a sense of order in their class and tending to each child’s personal development. They discipline in a positive and constructive way that sets a good bar for what is acceptable behavior while at school. They get to know every child and stay in close touch every day on how my son is doing so I can support the work they do in the classroom with him at home. It’s been a wonderful place to send him and I am thankful to all of the people at Chalk for creating such a welcoming, nurturing environment every day.
We have loved our time at Chalk and highly recommend it!

My daughter has been at Chalk Preschool since March and loves this place. Chalk Preschool is not just a school, it’s an experience. From the minute you walk in, you are greeted by either April (Director) or Monica (Asst. Director) with a warm smile. From there you move on to your class room which in my case is the purple room with Miss Katie and Miss Maggie. Leah is greeted with a huge hug and room full of different activities for her to chose from. My daughter had the worse case of separation anxiety and because of the love she was given, she had a fast and steady transition. I knew this was the place for us when I saw how other children were taken care of when their parents left. During the transition the children who cry are reassured that #1 it’s okay to cry but mommy and daddy always come back, and lots of «do you want to sit next to me till you feel comfortable to join the group» or just the fact that they will pick your child up and hold them till they settle down is amazing. I love how young this staff is, and how they sit on the floor and play with the kids. I love the daily progress reports and the fact that the teachers make sure to talk to every single parent when their child gets picked up. I always get greeted with a genuine smile, and everyone looks like they love to be there. Places like this are hard to find. I am currently in the afternoon program waiting for a full-​time spot to be available. I live in West Hollywood, all I can say is that even if it takes me 20 min to get there I toured over 10 places from West Hollywood to Westwood and didn’t find anything comparable. I love Chalk Preschool, not only are the people wonderful but the place is gorgeous, everything is clean, new, and sanitary. They have a policy that you must wash your child’s hands at the start of every day. I love this, my daughter has not gotten sick even once in the time she’s been there, NOT KIDDING! my friends kids always have something, pink eye, cold, stomach flu, but not here at Chalk, I’m telling you, this place has raised my standards and it’s really going to be hard to find something like this after she grown out of this place.

This is a great school! My son has been here for one year and he is very happy. The pros:
1. Great, loving, nurturing teachers who go above and beyond to care for each individual child.
2. The teachers and myself have a very open dialog about every aspect of my sons day. They are very accommodating to special requests I have about anything and give me specific information about what he did during each school each day.
4. Everyone knows MY name, in addition to my sons name of course. It is not a huge deal, but to me it shows that they make the effort to connect with the parents and it shows respect. At my sons previous school, I was always called «_​_​_​_​mom» even by his teachers. So, this is not terribly important in the whole scheme of things, but I like it.
3. The administration is very open and friendly and will talk to you anytime, about specifics or just to chat.
4. It is always very clean and it has a friendly atmosphere and a bright cheery feeling.
5. I genuinely feel that they want the best for my son, as I do, and they will make every effort to help him develop to his best ability.
6. My son is learning a lot there. They have great learning through play activities and he loves their developmentally based curriculum.
Cons:
I don’t have any. On a really small note, I wish there were more parent and child events/​activities/​gatherings outside of school. They do have a couple events each year, but I wish they were more frequent. I do see the same parents most days because we drop off at the same time, so I have gotten to know those people better.
Overall, we are very happy here and I would recommend this school highly.

The school is very new, both a positive and negative. All the teachers & the Directors are super young too. They lack the experience to deal with separation anxiety, and their policy on drop off is very strict.
Every day the teacher fills about what took place during the child’s day,
sounds good, problem is, all the cards say the exact same thing! Also, all the art looks exactly the same, so I guess the teachers are doing the cutting and pasting.
At the end of the day, it’s way too expensive for what’s worth and I don’t plan to re-​enroll my child.

Superb facility, teachers, Director. Everyone is organized, and communicative and warm to both my son and myself.
My son asks for «more Chalk!» every day. (we currently only go 2x a week)
We are very happy here.