Mentor Preschool On Lake

As a parent with a child who has autism, it has been a hell of a journey to find a community and school that accepts and cares for my son. The owners, the managers, the teachers all have been amazing advocates for my son and have helped coordinate with our state IEP for extra care and support and therapy. We couldn't have survived these last 2 years without Mentor School and we are proud to have sent our son here. Highly recommend for all parents and kids.
Mar 13th, 2024

I get teary eyes and really sad whenever I think about leaving Mentor. They set the bar really high for me. I toured at least 20 schools before enrolling them here. On top of that, we would drive 20m each way to go there. That shows how much I like to have my kids there. One of the best things that you cannot find anywhere else is their daily food menu. It's different every day and delicious. Your kids won't have to eat burgers and all that unhealthy food every week like other daycares. The teachers are so caring and loving toward my sons. My older son has grown up with the same friends for 2 years and they all care for him. It shows the teachers did a great job teaching them. The owner is very cooperative and willing to do anything to help you with whatever requests you have. The facility is great and open so you don't have to worry about the kids being mistreated by the teachers without anyone knowing like a separate private classroom. We're moving to Colorado and I'm having the hardest time finding any daycare/school that matches Mentor quality. Letting your kids go here will be one of the best decisions you can make for them.
Sep 29th, 2021

I will be grateful to Mentor Avenue preschool for the rest of my life. After the pandemic, I was told that my high functioning autistic son would not have a spot in the private Christian preschool he had been attending. My son's primary challenge with ASD is social interactions and he is an only child so him being in preschool was extremely important for his growth and development. I met with GJ on a Tuesday afternoon in June 2020 and informed him of my son's situation.  He assured me that their mission is to support and nurture every child's special needs and whether or not on the spectrum, that they see every child as unique and they do their best to focus on and develop their strengths and support and encourage them in the areas they lacked. He assured that every teacher hired is done so with this mission in mind and that he is 100% confident that all of his teachers genuinely care and are committed to the wellbeing and growth of their students. I can tell you that my experience was that this was 100% true. I can go on forever, but suffice it to say, my son is playing, talking and interacting with other kids like he never has. His psychologist recently saw him and has actually recommended we wean off of therapy. I have seen and felt the love that my son received at this school and I believe it's this love that gave him the courage to move through some of his fears. To this day he has a hard time entering the school and to this day, either his teacher, Ms Denisha, the director Ms Jazmin, or anyone that is there will gently and patiently guide him to his class. Thank you to ALL the staff because I am certain that every one of you helped my little boy in some way.
Jul 1st, 2021

Mentor is THE BEST!!! GJ, Peggy, staff and teachers are all so amazing and most of all incredibly loving! More and more each day I am astounded by GJ's kindness and hospitality. Back in the summer of 2019 I was hesitant to take my younger son out from his beloved, small in-home daycare where the director and staff were like family to us. But it was time to move on to a preschool setting since we were looking to get comprehensive childcare that included a bit more academic focus and structure in the daily schedule.I called and toured a few other preschools in the Pasadena/Altadena area but ended up having pretty horrible experiences. As a mother to two high-energy, intelligent, rambunctious boys, I am all too familiar with constant noise and frequently challenging meltdowns/tantrums. My son was nearly 3.5 years old at the time we were searching for a preschool. He had no problems at the small in-home daycare because he was able to receive hands-on attention and care. But when I toured these other preschools I was told that he wouldn't be able to receive the same kind of attention simply because children of his age are expected to be able to sit and listen during academic instruction. Essentially, it felt like I was made to feel that my son didn't quite fit the mold. He also wasn't fully potty-trained and I think because of that he was discriminated against because he didn't fit into certain age groups due to not being potty-trained.Upon making a call to Mentor Preschool on Lake I was struck by GJ's sincerity and kindness. I will never forget his words to me when I inquired if I should bring my son to tour the school...he told me "We are here for you to find out if you like us, not the other way around." I instantly felt the love and to this day I am immensely thankful for Mentor Preschool on Lake and the awesome people there.
Jun 14th, 2021

Our daughter has been coming to Mentor preschool since she was 3 (she's about to be 5) We came here after moving her from another preschool program since we moved for work. I was very nervous to transfer her as she was already acclimated to her other school. We did two tours here before deciding to enroll her. We looked at so many places in Pasadena and Arcadia and no one was comparable to Mentor. They make homemade meals for all the kids and learn your child's names, likes, dislikes ect very quickly. My daughter loves her classmates and all her teachers. They also have many potlucks and events so all the parents also get to know each other. If you're looking for more than just a place to drop of your child and go to work... this is it! They make you and your child feel very welcomed and like extended family ! Side note: they sent the children and parents a video of all the teachers saying how much they miss the kids (during covid shut down) and my daughter watched this video on repeat naming all her teachers with such joy! Thank you Mentor for always making Adeline feel like she's home
May 2nd, 2020