Guidepost
Montessori

at Foothill Ranch
.

Tours & Events
Foothill Ranch.
Monday-Friday | 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Nido - 3 months to 18 months
Toddler - 18 months to 3 years
Children's House - 3 to 6 years
Elementary - 6 to 12 years

26462 Towne Centre Dr, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 US
Jaimee Roush
Looking for a reliable Montessori school in Orange County, California? Guidepost Montessori in Foothill Ranch is your answer. As one of the most trusted Montessori schools in the area, we provide exceptional education and a nurturing environment for children to thrive.
Jaimee Roush . Head of School
Tours & Events
Child crawling with toy

Learn more about Guidepost from the comfort of your own home!

Just starting your childcare search? Not ready to tour in person?

You’re invited to Making the Most of Childhood: A Virtual Tour of Guidepost!

Get your questions answered and learn more about our:

  • curriculum and approach
  • schedule and a typical day
  • communication & collaboration

what makes us stand out.

How is the Guidepost Montessori approach different from conventional education?

At Guidepost, we join with parents on their mission to help their child grow and live well. Together, we design an education to empower each child to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence she needs to craft an independent, flourishing life.

Though there are many differences between the conventional approach and Guidepost, here are some of the most important:

Conventional Education vs Guidepost Montessori
What is the Guidepost Mission?

At Guidepost, our mission is to support each child in achieving her own independence. To do this, we help her gain the knowledge, build the skills, and craft the personal character she needs to flourish. Above all, our goal is to cultivate joy—in the pursuit of knowledge, in effort applied to work worth doing, in the achievements of herself and others, and in taking the steps to author her own life.

Read more about the Guidepost Mission.

Learn about the key milestones we support—from infancy through high school.

Read more about why we educate for independence, and how we support independence for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age children.

What are the outcomes of your programs?

Montessori education is known world-wide for having positive impacts on both academics and social and emotional skills.

At Guidepost Montessori, when we design an environment to meet the developmental needs and interests of children alongside personalized care and support, the child can learn advanced skills at an accelerated pace.

Our students, for example, regularly learn to read by the time they’re 4-years-old and can perform all four math operations with 4-digit numbers by the end of their Kindergarten year.

The language and math skills of our kindergartners are on a par with what children in conventional programs learn in 3rd grade or beyond! What’s more, our students learn advanced academics joyfully—while simultaneously developing deep focus, self-discipline, and positive social skills.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Language Curriculum in Children’s House.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Math Curriculum in Children’s House.


Do your programs include Kindergarten?

Yes! The third year of our Children’s House program, designed for 3- to 6-year-olds, is the capstone kindergarten year. In this year, the child has been well-prepared to experience an explosion of literacy, learn advanced math concepts, and use her hard-won ability to focus, problem-solve, and persist through challenges to then make advanced gains across the curriculum. Children who continue with Guidepost through Kindergarten are often well-ahead of their peers when they enter 1st grade.

Learn more about the capstone Kindergarten year at Guidepost.

Learn more about the next exciting stage: the Guidepost elementary program.

Following elementary, students continue on to our Montessori middle and high school, the Academy of Thought & Industry: a school that combines a classical liberal arts emphasis on history and great books, and a Montessori emphasis on independence and agency.

How does Guidepost partner with parents?

At Guidepost, we want to make the best education the best for children and parents. This is why we provide year-round, extended-day programming at no extra cost, enabling consistent and uninterrupted access to the care and developmental support parents expect. We invite you into your child’s world—with daily photo and video updates, regular milestone meetings, and parent-child events that showcase your child’s progress. We work to understand your unique context and needs, so that we can provide support for milestones at home as well as at school.

In everything we do, we strive to cultivate joy as you watch your child grow!

Read about Transparent Classroom, the app that provides a window into your child’s day.

Read about recent family events such as Grandparent’s Day, a cultural celebration, and a spring celebration.

explore our programs.

Our approach is designed to empower each child to achieve independence by combining our hands-on curriculum with personalized learning to create an environment where curiosity flourishes, independence grows, and academic excellence is a natural outcome.

We want your child to see and believe: “I am capable!”

Nido.
A nurturing space for babies to walk, talk, and explore
Toddler.
For children ages 18 months to 3 years old
Children's House.
A preschool for hands-on reading, writing, math and more
Elementary.
Child-paced learning in an academically rigorous environment
Guidepost at Home.
For children ages 0 to 12 years old

what parents are saying.

All
12
Google
3
Yelp
9
S.E
Aug 26 on yelp
Where to start. Guidepost was the best possible place for my daughter for the 2.5 years she attended. My daughter's teachers cared deeply and spent great effort meeting and adjusting to her needs. I felt that she was safe and valued every day. For our first 1.5 years, there was a lot of turnover and chaos in the leadership at the school. This was disruptive but didn't bother me too much since the teachers made the classroom feel calm and stable. Last June, however, a new Head of School joined Guidepost. She is phenomenal. A couple of months later she brought in a new Assistant Head of School who is equally amazing. Now, in addition to exceptional teachers, the leadership is strong, communicative, and kind. It makes a huge difference. Your child will be cherished here. And will maybe see duck eggs incubate and hatch. Thank you, Ms. Jaime and Ms. Lan for the great leadership, and thank you, Ms. Kate and Ms. Anahi for making my kid feel loved.
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Yehia B
Aug 20 on yelp
Guidepost Montessori has been an incredible experience for both my daughters and our family. The sense of community that resonates through every interaction at the school is truly remarkable. From the moment we joined, we were embraced by a caring and empathetic environment that feels like an extension of our own home. The staff is genuinely invested in the well-being and development of each child, creating a nurturing atmosphere that fosters growth and learning. A special shout-out goes to Miss Jamie, the head of school, whose leadership and compassion are the driving forces behind this exceptional community. Her dedication to the students and their families is evident in every aspect of the school. The entire staff, though too numerous to name individually, deserves immense praise for their hard work, kindness, and unwavering support. Guidepost Montessori is a place where children thrive, and parents feel confident knowing their little ones are in the best hands. We couldn't be happier with our experience here!
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Brendon H.
Aug 14 on yelp
We were at this Guidepost for three plus years (Toddler and Children's House) and it was a great experience for our daughter. Montessori schools really set your child up for success and they learn all sorts of great things like self-care, taking care of plants, cleaning up, using grace and courtesy words in addition to learning the basics into reading and math. The leads and assistants are really great and thoughtful and it is a really positive community for your child to thrive in!
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Susan H
Jul 30 on yelp
My son attended public school and while he got good grades. I noticed him coming home saying and asking about very inappropriate words. I thought it was just part of school. This summer I signed him up for Guidepost and all of our Family and Grandparents have noticed he has really matured into a well spoken and polite young man. All of those bad words have disappeared out of his vocabulary and when I go to pick him up. He doesn't want to leave . Hugging all his friends good-bye. The teachers are wonderful. The environment fosters respect and growth. The environment is not competitive and the children all support one another under the guidance of the wonderful Teachers and Principal. I am very grateful for this wonderful experience for my son and hands down recommend this school to all.
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Ashley P.
Mar 5 on yelp
Updated review from my last one about 6 months ago: we have been coming here since my daughter was 18 months (over 2 years). We have seen this place go thru it all! We chose to ride the roller coaster thru the administrative changes because we truly believe that this school is a gem. The teachers they staff are some kind of MAGIC and we knew that with the right leadership, this school could continue to flourish! When Jaimee and Lan (head of school and assistant head of school) came in, after lots of turn over in leadership, things began to feel different! Their visibility sparked a new light in the campus. They have been such a warm and needed addition for our school! I truly believe there is no perfect school and that so much depends on the treatment of the staff to trickle down to the children. I know that our leadership is loving on our teachers and parents the way they deserve which makes for happy kiddos!! We will continue our time at Guidepost because there really is nothing like it ;)
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Jenn S
Feb 25 on yelp
We have been here for two years, with kids that have completed third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade. What stands out the most is the caliber of teachers in the elementary program. For the elementary school, Ms. Cherish and Ms. Lori lead a nurturing, exciting, and appropriately challenging classroom for everyone. In particular, my daughter has discovered a love of poetry, which she never experienced until she went to Guidepost. Ms. Cherish has done a great job encouraging my daughter to explore different types of poetry, reading poetry and of course, writing it as well. Equally importantly, my daughter has seen Ms. Cherish demonstrate important character traits such as patience, kindness, compassion which I know will pave the path for her and her peers to become well-rounded, contributing members of society. In addition, the assistant guide Ms. Devyn is great with all the kids - they love her! My daughter actually asks to stay in the afterschool care (included as part of tuition) because she likes the activities. The class pet is a great addition, and the school also deserves 5 stars for a diverse classroom (as far as south OC goes). No school is perfect, but this is very close to it - with much of it being attributed to the teachers.
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laura k.
Oct 12, 2023 on yelp
Fast forward 5 years, and my children are still here and thriving! They now attend the Elementary program (2nd and 5th grades). Their experience in the...
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Angela N.
Oct 2, 2023 on yelp
Just an update from my review a year ago as of things have slightly changed for our household. Now both of my sons attend. Each in their respective class...
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Aman J
May 22, 2023 on yelp
I can't express enough gratitude for the amazing year my daughter had at Guidepost Montessori's pre-kindergarten program. The dedication and care provided by Ms. Gaby and Ms. Joyce, her teachers, were outstanding. They truly went above and beyond to connect with her, delivering personalized lessons that catered to her interests and needs. I was thrilled to see her weaknesses turn into strengths within just one year! The writing instruction was particularly impressive, laying a solid foundation for her future. If you're seeking an exceptional Montessori education for your child, look no further than Guidepost Montessori. Highly recommended!
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stephanie nguyen
Oct 8, 2021 on google
After searching for daycare/Montessori options for our then-newborn, we found Guidepost Montessori and have never looked back. We love the super clean facility, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and other boastings such as: -brand new equipment/learning materials -a user friendly app with frequently updated posts about my child's meals/diapers/lessons/daily ongoings, including pictures! -open 7AM - 6PM, which fits with our normal 8-5 work schedule -open practically year round, and even open on most holidays -integrated learning opportunities between age groups -frequent opportunity for teacher conferences/touch base -optional healthy meal service delivered straight to their classroom It was really a no brainer to enroll our child here, and that was over 2 years ago. Now we have our youngest daughter, 8 months, also enrolled in the Nido program. We feel safe and secure with the staff and structure at Guidepost, and can confidently say that their methods have helped make us better parents. We are so thankful our kids are able to come here to learn and be taken care of. Thank you, Guidepost!
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Simeon Ivanov
Oct 19, 2021 on google
After a very long search, we finally found a school that we love. We had a very enjoyable and professional introduction to the facility and the curriculum by Diana and Sarah (Head and Assistant Head of school). The sign-up process was all digitalized, very fast, and hassle-free. At every step, you can feel that the place is run by smart people who know what they are doing. Our children were then assigned to Ms. Gaby and Ms. Shahzia's classroom. We loved both of them (as well as their assistants in the afternoon) from the first day, but the even better news is that our children loved the whole team as well. Both our kids felt very comfortable and loved their experience at school from the first day. Their classmates and their parents are all great people. The school is clean, safe, and very well organized.
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Rebecca Girn
Oct 12, 2017 on google
Excellent school. My two boys went here until recently, and we only switched because a new Guidepost sister school was opening up that offered Spanish immersion, so we took advantage of that program. But before we switched, we were extremely happy at this school, and it was a very difficult decision to make the change. The Nido (baby) classrooms are absolutely unparalleled. I don't know what it is about those teachers, but they have such a lovely, calm, positive aura, and such positive teamwork. You just walk into those classroom and feel "THIS is the kind of place I want my baby to be when I'm not around". They pay a lot of attention to your individual family needs, including your preferences for nutrition, which obviously is so important for babies in particular. Between the two of them, my boys have been in most of the classrooms, because my younger son Hugo moved up from the Nido to the Toddler classroom, and my older son started in the other toddler classroom and then moved up to the Children's House. So I can speak with confidence when I say that each and every teacher in this school takes so much care with each individual child, and is passionate about a strong educational vision that just plain works incredibly well. I saw the effects in my children at home. They are more confident, more independent, calmer (few tantrums), more willing to keep trying before they give up. I just can't thank this school enough for everything you all have done for my children.
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take a peek at our school.

The Guidepost Approach

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Our team of admissions specialists are ready to meet you and get you started on your journey within the Guidepost community. We're here to provide your family with the information and confidence you need to enroll in one of our programs.

Learn more about Montessori.

Read our enrollment guide.

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