North Huntington Beach Community Nursery School

Unfortunately, many of the concerns mentioned in other reviews align with our family’s experience. What makes this so disappointing is that the school has a strong foundation and the potential to become what it once was: a nurturing and community-focused environment. Over the past school year, we witnessed significant turnover, including the departure of trusted teachers and several families. In my child’s class alone, about half of the children we started the year with had left by spring or chose not to return. Each of these decisions appeared to be connected to ongoing concerns with school leadership. The campus, especially the outdoor areas, has declined significantly. A former teacher who visited was visibly emotional after seeing how much had changed. Communication from the administration was inconsistent throughout the year. For several months, it was extremely difficult to reach anyone in the office or get timely responses. We enrolled our child because of two incredible teachers we believed in. While their replacements were warm and capable, the unexpected change affected the continuity and overall experience we hoped for. We also recently learned that an outside group had been allowed on campus without prior communication to families. Discovering this was a turning point and confirmed our decision not to return. Trust and transparency are essential in an early education setting, and unfortunately, those were missing in our experience. We sincerely hope the school can return to a place where families feel involved and heard, where teachers are supported, and where children thrive in a safe and well-cared-for environment. The potential is still there, but it will require meaningful changes in leadership and approach.

As a mom who had her heart set on Monarch Preschool since I was pregnant with my first son, writing this review is deeply disappointing. I had heard such amazing things from local families especially about the outdoor play space, the wonderful teachers, and the warm, connected community. For years, it was the preschool I was most excited about. We were thrilled when our son finally got in. But almost immediately, things started to unravel. In just the first week, the beloved teachers we’d heard so much about were suddenly let go overnight without warning. What followed was a wave of concerning information that started surfacing about the mom and daughter who run the school, details that completely changed our experience and view of the school. There were things mentioned like forgery of legal documents, questions about funds, things that are illegal and not in line with my moral compass. When the parents asked for clarity on all the issues they expelled kids (these are 3-4 year olds), and would take weeks to respond with statements that never actually answered any questions and just provided fluff that said nothing and refused to talk to any parents in person about it. For me, as a new parent at this school that was a major red flag and while I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt I had to become skeptical and start asking questions and decide what was best for our family with the information we were presented with. While I want to believe in the original vision of Monarch, I can no longer recommend this preschool to other families in good conscience. The community that once made it special is not what it used to be. Almost every family in my son’s class (which was a full classroom) has chosen not to return next year, and it’s all for the same reasons. That says a lot. If you’re considering Monarch, I strongly encourage you to do your research. Talk to current and former families. Ask questions. The only reason I gave them two stars instead of one is for the lovely two teachers in my son’s class who had to step up during this time and who deserve better. I truly wish them the best and hope they are treated with respect. Thank you Ms. Bekah and Ms. Marilyn for being the reason we finished our few months there. We appreciate you both. This isn’t easy to write, but I feel a responsibility to be honest with fellow moms in the Huntington Beach and wider Orange County community. We all want the best for our kids, and I hope this helps someone make a more informed decision.

Monarch has a cheerful and bright staff. The children are laughing, learning and having a great time. My child loves coming here and doesn’t want to leave. Thank you Monarch!

What once seemed like a dream preschool for our family turned into a nightmare. Under the current Director and Administrator this school has seen a steep decline. The yard is a mess, the snacks are sub-par and the admin rarely ever answers email nor is she in the office to answer questions. Our big issue came when they let go two adored teachers mid year. These were our son’s teachers, who he loves! They ripped them away from the school for no good reason and without even a goodbye. How do I explain that to my 2 year old? That he won’t ever see these two people who he trusted and loved, the first outside of our family, again? How is this putting the children first? After speaking to both sides, it is confirmed that this was a decision made purely from pettiness and jealousy. Once my husband and I talked to some other parents we realized that this school is a nonprofit and therefore has public bylaws. We wanted to dig a little deeper to make sure we fully understand how the school is supposed to run. We couldn’t emotionally afford another incident like this to happen to either of our sons who attended the school. After asking the administrator for the bylaws, she lied and said she didn’t know where they were and that she would send us a digital copy. She also repeatedly told us to trust her and if we didn’t trust her then maybe this wasn’t the school for us. She would rather lose families than be upfront and honest. She also scoffed and rolled her eyes at us multiple times. After this conversation, involving multiple families, we went home to receive an email a few hours later saying they are choosing to expel our sons from Monarch. They also sent the same email to another family. The only two families who had dads there… The amount of lies and deceit, as well as, the neglect for the school are staggering. They have more than proven to us that they do not put the children first and don’t dare ask any questions or your children will also be ripped from their beloved teachers and friends.

Our family began our journey at Monarch preschool back in 2019 when our middle daughter was a Caterpillar. It was our home away from home, the spot where our girls found so much joy in visiting during various bbqs and festivals, and the place where we truly felt a sense of community. Our daughter was a late walker and struggled with many physical tasks, but the teachers provided her a safe space to gain the confidence she needed. This support helped her in so many areas, but also allowed us as parents to learn more than we ever imagined. The former director Vanessa co-led parenting classes and would always give us feedback on ways we could help our children thrive. We always left feeling- these are our people, and this is our tribe. Monarch Preschool *was* magic. In Fall 2024, our youngest daughter was old enough to join Caterpillar class. Our whole family was elated to go back to our favorite place and see all of our old climbing trees, the fabulous garden, and the blooming milkweed. At that time, we noticed many things had changed. The grass was very sparse and the garden was dead and filled with weeds, yet tuition was much higher. It felt a lot less magical. But our favorite teachers, Vanessa and Haley, were still there so we remained confident that our daughter would have a wonderful experience despite what we saw. Fast forward to January 2025, our daughter was having a great experience at Monarch. We weren’t thrilled about the garbage snacks they were being fed (Saltines) but we were able to bring our own so we made do. A few weeks into January, parents received an email at 11pm on a Thursday night saying our beloved teachers, Vanessa and Haley, were no longer going to be there due to restructuring. These teachers were ripped away from their tiny Caterpillar class- no warning, no goodbye, zero closure. We were gutted. How do you explain this to 2 and 3 year olds who absolutely adore their teachers and how do you help them understand these amazing teachers didn’t abandon them? There was a lot of confusion amongst parents and we all wanted to know why. We are believers in critical thinking in our family so we began to ask some big questions. We talked with other parents and realized we all had the same concerns. The more we asked, the more we knew they were hiding things. Parents were pacified with cold, heartless emails from the board and still not given specific answers as to particular bylaws that had been violated. I was present on the day that a few parents approached the board about the bylaws, which was also the same time that 2 families were expelled from the preschool. 3 children were torn away from their friends and teachers, simply because their parents asked for transparency. Something that every single preschool—more specifically a community non-profit preschool— should openly provide to those asking. So please please be aware what you are getting into prior to enrolling. Even though we are no longer enrolled, we still have growing concerns on how the school is currently being managed and how the board is continuing to be divisive and nepotistic in their leadership policies. And don’t be fooled by a rebrand because they will still remain dishonorable in every way they can.