Business Details
43 Years
experience
Award-Winning Preschool & Summer Camp in San Diego
Founded in 1983, Carmel Mountain Preschool is a family-owned and operated private preschool and summer camp program serving San Diego communities. Our mission is to create a nurturing environment where children develop a lifelong love of learning through a balanced curriculum of academic excellence and hands-on exploration. With over four decades of experience, we offer age-appropriate programs for toddlers through kindergarten-aged children, emphasizing outdoor learning, social-emotional growth, and creative expression. Our 3-acre campus features specialized learning spaces including an Art Studio, Nature Lab, Tinkering Lab, and organic farm, supporting our commitment to holistic child development.Our team of experienced educators maintains low student-teacher ratios to ensure personalized attention and fosters confidence, independence, and empathy in every child. We pride ourselves on our Conscious Discipline approach, teacher mentorship program, and family-centered community that has made us a trusted choice for generations of San Diego families.
Services
Toddler Program
Preschool Curriculum
Summer Camp
Spanish Immersion
Kindergarten Prep
Outdoor Learning
Nature Lab
Art Studio
Tinkering Lab
Details
- Year established: 1983
Highlights and features
- We offer 40+ years of proven excellence in early childhood education
- Our 3-acre campus features 9 outdoor learning decks and specialized labs
- We maintain 1:6 teacher-to-child ratios in toddler programs
- Our Conscious Discipline approach fosters emotional intelligence
- We provide organic meals from our on-site sustainable farm
What people say
Loving environment
Amazing teachers
Outdoor learning spaces
Prepared for kindergarten
Daily communication
Services
Toddler Program
Our Toddler Program serves children 12-17 months old in a specially designed environment with age-appropriate furniture and safety features. With a 1:6 teacher-to-child ratio, we support developmental milestones through sensory play, music, and outdoor exploration. Our curriculum encourages body awareness and social skills while fostering natural curiosity in a secure setting.
Outdoor Learning
Our 3-acre campus features multiple outdoor learning environments including the Nature Lab, Art Studio, and Tinkering Lab. Children engage in hands-on science experiments, gardening, and creative play while developing gross motor skills. The outdoor spaces promote environmental awareness and provide daily opportunities for discovery and physical activity.
Summer Camp
Our Summer Camp offers themed weekly activities combining water play, arts, and nature exploration. Children participate in field trips to The Glenn, creative projects in the Art Studio, and problem-solving activities in the Tinkering Lab. The program maintains regular routines while introducing special summer activities that keep children engaged and learning throughout the vacation period.
Spanish Immersion
Our Spanish Immersion program for ages 3-5 provides full-language exposure through songs, stories, and daily interactions. Children develop vocabulary and comprehension naturally in a mixed-age classroom setting. The program emphasizes cultural awareness and communication skills through play-based activities and hands-on language experiences.
Kindergarten Prep
Our Kindergarten Prep Program supports children who need additional preparation before elementary school. Using structured curriculum and specialized resources, we focus on literacy, math concepts, and social skills development. The program includes weekly specialty classes in art, science, and physical education to build confidence and academic readiness.
People
Dan Condrick
Founder
Co-founder of Carmel Mountain Preschool with over 40 years of experience in early childhood education. Holds a bachelor's degree in social welfare from SDSU and pioneered the school's outdoor learning approach. Continues to ensure educational standards are maintained.
Pauline Condrick
Founder
Co-founder and visionary behind CMP's nurturing environment. With an AA degree in child development, she established the school's garden program and organic meal initiatives. Remains actively involved in maintaining the preschool's founding principles.
Arianne Condrick Bettazzi
Executive Director
Daughter of the founders with over 15 years of leadership experience at CMP. Oversees daily operations and program development while maintaining family educational values. Graduated from SDSU and brings real estate and management expertise to the preschool.
Questions
What age groups do you serve?
We serve children from 12 months old through kindergarten age, offering programs for Young Toddlers, Toddlers, Two-Year-Olds, Three-Year-Olds, Transitional Kindergarten, and Kindergarten Prep.
What is your curriculum approach?
Our curriculum combines academic preparation with social-emotional development through play-based learning, outdoor exploration, and Conscious Discipline principles in a print-rich environment.
Are meals provided?
Yes, we provide two organic snacks daily from our on-site sustainable farm. Parents provide lunches, and we have an organic coffee & tea bar for families.
What safety protocols do you have?
We maintain low teacher-to-child ratios, secure campus access, daily health checks, and strict pickup/drop-off procedures. Our outdoor spaces are designed with safety in mind while encouraging exploration.
Do you offer summer programs?
Yes, our Sizzling Summer Fun program offers themed weekly activities including water play, field trips to The Glenn, and specialty classes while maintaining regular routines.
Videos
Reviews (5)
Julia C.
Nov 10, 2021
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Our son has been going to CMP since Summer 2020 - he started with the Twos Program where they have 2 teachers. Although there was a bit of a turn over in his teachers the first part of the year (maternity leave and other reason) - the school made transition smooth and painless for the kids. The staff/teachers are absolutely fantastic - kind, loving, understanding and truly care about each one of the kids. Our son absolutely adored his teachers and his 6C friends - he still talks about 6C class where Ms Cassandra and Ms Emma are - they were his favorite teachers. The facilities at CMP are amazing
R. B.
Nov 09, 2021
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Do not send your child to this school if they have any type of sensory struggles or if you prefer not to know exactly what's going on. We spent over 2 years trying to help our son love his school because of the extracurricular activities they have and outside time. We wanted him to have fun! The guilt of us keeping him there for as long as we did is really setting in. We both work full time and thought it was the best school we could send him to. Routines are good, but it's overkill here with the amount of transitions these kids have to go through in a full day. With recently comparing
Bengt-Erik E.
Oct 22, 2021
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We have been sending our son to Carmel Mountain Preschool for 3 years now and the progress in development we see in our son is just a joy. He learns so much new stuff and words that it sometime raises an eyebrow, a very positive one, such as where did you get that word from, unexpected but very perfect and accurate description. The learning is tremendous and the development of social skills, day-to-day skills is very noticeable and will be a lifelong benefit. Carmel Mountain Preschool is a true treasure for anyone that will be lucky enough to get a spot. The amount of different and diverse
Jerry H.
Aug 25, 2021
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DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE!! These people that run this school are crooks and don't tell you everything that happens with your kids here I am disgusted by what happened a couple weeks ago I had to pull my child out!! look elsewhere to another school I'm only writing this to look out for the parents for there kids this place is not what it seems...
Tammy C.
Jul 09, 2021
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This school is awful and I would not recommend any parent enrolling their child at this school. We had an experience where the teacher was incapable of helping our 2 year old transition from home to school. Instead of providing an emotionally safe environment, the teacher ignored and reprimanded my daughter for having age appropriate emotions at drop off on her 4th day of school. I knew she cried the first 3 mornings so I decided to peek through the window at drop off to watch how she was doing on the playground. The teacher apologized for the incident during an afternoon call, but we pulled her
