Challenge School (Ps)

My daughter attended Challenge School for one year from 2 to 3 yrs old (from Caterpillar to Ladybug class). From the very first day, the teachers and staff have shown incredible love, patience, and dedication to the kids. My daughter looked forward to going to school every day, and we can see how happy she is and how much she has developed both academically and socially. The curriculum with the mandarin immersion and a variety of cultural celebrations are another highlight. We are incredibly grateful to all the teachers for making her such a positive and meaningful pre-school experience. We highly recommend Challenge school San Mateo Campus to any parent looking for a place where their child will be loved, supported, and inspired to learn. We have to say goodbye due to the relocation, but will always remember the warmth and love at Challenge. Thank you for making the preschool feel like a second home. :)

We can’t say enough good things about Challenge School’s preschool program at San Mateo campus. It has been one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences our family has had. Our children have been part of the Challenge School community from toddlerhood through the end of the pre-K years—one starting at 18 months and staying until 3, another from age 2 all the way to just before kindergarten graduation. The only reason we’re leaving is because we’re relocating out of the area. If we could, we’d keep our kids at Challenge for years to come. The school strikes a rare and thoughtful balance between academic structure and play-based learning. Every day is engaging, and our kids genuinely look forward to going to school. They come home full of stories, creativity, and noticeably stronger Mandarin skills. The teachers are simply exceptional—deeply caring, passionate, and incredibly dedicated to each child’s growth. A few we want to call out by name (though we’ve truly loved every teacher we've encountered): Teacher MeiMei, Nicole, Shanshan, Hazel, Francis, Hanan, Vivian (music), Leslie, Michelle, Emily, Cathy, Anna, Ting Ting… and so many more who have shaped our children’s early years with warmth and heart. Challenge School also fosters a real sense of community among parents, teachers, and students. There’s a strong culture of collaboration, kindness, and inclusion. Weekly show-and-tell sessions, festive cultural celebrations (such as mid-autumn festival, Chinese New Year as well as local traditions like Halloween and Christmas), and regular family events make the experience joyful and memorable—not just for the kids, but for the whole family. We feel incredibly grateful to have found Challenge School. It’s truly a gem, and we recommend it wholeheartedly to any family looking for an exceptional pre-school experience for their kids.

My son attended Challenge School for a year between the age of 2.5 and 3.5 and we had the most wonderful experience. I highly recommend it without qualification to anyone looking for care for their child, and particularly if you're looking for a Mandarin-immersion environment. The school provides a balance of structure and play, while having care and warmth be at the center of everything they do. As a result, our son flourished in the time he had at Challenge. If it weren't for the lottery system for public schools in San Mateo, we would have had him stay another year. We are sad to be leaving in August but leave with gratitude to all of the teachers and staff.

Our two girls completed all 3 years at Challenge School and we couldn't have found a better place for our family. The teachers have been supportive, loving, understanding and patient with our kids as they each went through some transitions from one year to the next. They have been incredibly understanding and flexible with helping our family adjust through the early days of the pandemic. We originally chose the San Mateo location because of the facility and curriculum with the mandarin immersion and despite living a little farther away we continued to stay at this location because of the relationships we have formed with the teachers and knowing that our girls are in safe, loving and caring environment.

My daughter spent two wonderful years at Challenge Preschool in San Mateo, and it has been an incredibly positive experience for her. She felt genuinely happy there—the teachers are warm, attentive, skilled, and full of creativity. She frequently shares how much she adores them and wishes she didn’t have to leave. During her time at Challenge, she has blossomed into a more confident, social, and expressive child. She’s made meaningful friendships and is well-prepared in every way for the next step in her education. I’m deeply appreciative of the care and support the school has given us, and I wholeheartedly recommend Challenge Preschool to any family seeking a loving and enriching place for their child to grow.