Montessori school near San Mateo
Mills Montessori is about 13 miles from San Mateo, 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.
If you are looking from San Mateo, the useful question is not how far Mills is.
San Mateo is far enough that we would rather you drove it once at drop-off time before committing. Families who do come from here tend to be heading north for work anyway, which turns the school run into part of the journey rather than a detour.
Getting here from San Mateo
| Our campus | 1400 Hillside Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080 |
| Distance from San Mateo | About 13 miles |
| Getting here | North on Highway 101 or 280 — a genuine commute, worth timing at 8 am. |
| 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 San Mateo 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
The question we get from San Mateo is almost always the same one: what happens at six. Here the answer is that nothing happens — the child stays, in the same school, through fifth grade.
- 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 San Mateo families ask
- Do you give priority to families from San Mateo?No. Enrollment is open year-round and offered in the order places come free, regardless of which town you are driving from.
- Is there before and after care for a longer commute?The extended full day runs 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, which is the whole point for families driving any distance. It is a schedule, not an add-on billed by the hour.
- What does it cost?Between $1,100 and $1,750 a month depending on the program, days per week and length of day, plus a one-time $200 enrollment fee. Every figure is on the tuition page — we do not make you ask.
- Can we start mid-year?Yes. Enrollment is open all year, subject to availability, so families move to us when a childcare arrangement changes rather than waiting for September.
Other areas we serve
Come and watch a morning before you decide anything. Twenty minutes at the back of a working classroom will tell you more than this page can, and it is the only way to judge whether the drive from San Mateo is worth it for your family.
Come and see a morning
Tours run during the school day, year-round. About 13 miles from San Mateo.