Montessori school near Foster City
Mills Montessori is about 11 miles from Foster City, at 1400 Hillside Blvd. in South San Francisco. One campus, ages two through fifth grade, open 7:30 am to 6:00 pm since 1988.
There is no trick to why families come from Foster City.
Foster City is one of the longer drives in our catchment and only makes sense for families already commuting north. We will say that plainly on a tour rather than let you discover it in February.
Getting here from Foster City
| Our campus | 1400 Hillside Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080 |
| Distance from Foster City | About 11 miles |
| Getting here | North on Highway 101 via the San Mateo bridge approach. |
| Area | San Mateo County |
| Local public district | San Mateo-Foster City School District |
| Ages served | Two through fifth grade |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 7:30 am – 6:00 pm |
| Enrollment | Open year-round, subject to availability |
Distance is approximate and measured in a straight line. The honest test is to drive it once at drop-off time — book a tour and you will.
What Foster City families enroll in
Five programs, one building, one method — and the last of them runs to fifth grade.
Montessori Preschool
Preschool II is where the method does its most visible work: children choose their own tasks, stay with them as long as they hold, and start reading and calc…
Read moreages 2–3Montessori Toddler Program
A small, deliberately calm room for two- and three-year-olds — and potty training is not required to start, which rules a lot of families out elsewhere.
Read morethe kindergarten yearMontessori Kindergarten
The third year of the three-year cycle, and the one most families are tempted to skip for a free public place. It is the year the two before it were building…
Read morethrough 5th gradeMontessori Elementary School
The reason most families end up at Mills rather than somewhere closer: almost every other Montessori school within reach of here stops at kindergarten.
Read moreages 2–11Montessori Summer Sessions
Three optional summer sessions after the 180-day school year, enrolled separately, with the same 7:30 am to 6:00 pm coverage.
Read moreWhy families make the drive
Most Montessori schools within reach of Foster City stop at kindergarten. Mills goes through fifth grade, so the method has time to finish what it started and you are not running a second school search when your child is five.
- Elementary through fifth gradeThe single most useful thing to know about us, and the reason most families travel past a closer preschool.
- Tuition published in full$1,100–$1,750 a month by program and schedule, every fee listed. No inquiry form between you and a number.
- A day that covers a working day7:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday — which matters more the further you are driving.
- Open enrollment, year-roundSubject to availability. You apply when your family needs a place.
- Licensed and easy to checkCalifornia Department of Social Services facility #414002135, licensed capacity 120.
What Foster City families ask
- Is there a summer option?Yes — three optional summer sessions, enrolled separately from the school year. Some families from further out use a summer session as the trial run before committing to the drive in September.
- How is tuition actually paid?Annual tuition is based on a 180-day school year. You can pay it in one payment for a 5% discount, or in ten installments. Every rate and every fee is on the tuition page.
- Can we come part-time?Yes. Three, four or five days a week, and morning, full day or extended full day. Families driving from Foster City more often lengthen the day than shorten the week, but both are offered.
- Do you have a campus in Foster City?No — and we would rather be straightforward about it. Mills Montessori has a single campus at 1400 Hillside Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080, about 11 miles from Foster City. Everything on this page is about that one school and the families who drive to it.
Other areas we serve
We would rather you drove up from Foster City once, at 8 am on an ordinary Tuesday, and saw both the traffic and the classroom honestly. That is the visit that answers the question.
Come and see a morning
Tours run during the school day, year-round. About 11 miles from Foster City.