Novato · Licensed center
Hamilton Montessori School
At a glance
- Large center, licensed for 90 children.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 3 of its 6 licensing inspections since January 2022.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Apr 30, 20262 citations
CCR 101229(a)(1)Type A
“101229 Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision (a)(1) “No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time...” This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure adequate supervision at all times. A child was able to leave the facility due to a lack of supervision. This posed an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to children in care.”
CCR 101229(a)(1)
CCR 101212(d)Type B
“101212 Reporting Requirements (d) “Upon the occurrence, during the operation of the child care center of any of the events specified in (d)(1) below, a report shall be made to the Department by telephone or fax within the Department's next working day and during its normal business hours. In addition, a written report... shall be submitted to the Department within seven days following the occurrence of such event…" This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure reporting requirements were met for unusual incidents. A child left the facility without teacher supervision, and the Department did not receive a report from the facility regarding the incident. This posed a potential health, safety, and personal rights risk to persons in care.”
CCR 101212(d)
Mar 5, 20261 citation
CCR 101215.1(f)Type B
“(f) When the child care center director is absent from the center, arrangements shall be made for a fully qualified teacher as specified in Section 101216.1(c) to act as substitute. This substitute child care center director shall be aware of center operations, including total enrollment; shall be trained in program operation; and shall be designated as an authorized person to correct operational deficiencies that constitute immediate threats to children's health and safety. This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview, observation, and record review, the facility does not have a current LIC 308 Designation of Facility Responsibility completed for the administrator present today. This poses a potential health, safety, and personal rights risk to persons in care.”
CCR 101215.1(f)
- Nov 4, 2025Nothing cited
Oct 1, 20241 citation
HSC 1597.16(a)(1)Type B
“(1) A licensed child day care center, as defined in Section 1596.76, that is located in a building that was constructed before January 1, 2010, shall have its drinking water tested for lead contamination levels on or after January 1, 2020, but no later than January 1, 2023, and every five years after the date of the initial test. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on [(observation) (record review)], the licensee did not comply with the section cited abovewhich poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.”
HSC 1597.16(a)(1)
- Sep 14, 2023Nothing cited
- Jan 5, 2022Nothing cited
The state cited rules at 3 of this center's 6 inspections. Most Bay Area centers inspected 6 times had fewer: 82% of 252 had rules cited at 2 or fewer.
How all 252 Bay Area centers inspected 6 times compare
Of the 252 Bay Area centers the state inspected 6 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None17%
- 1 of 635%
- 2 of 631%
- 3 of 612%This center
- 4 of 66%
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — California CDSS Community Care Licensing
- Last visit
- April 30, 2026
- On file
- 6 visits since January 2022 — 3 cited nothing
- Most serious
- Type A —
101229 Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision (a)(1) “No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time...” This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure adequate supervision at all times. A child was able to leave the facility due to a lack of supervision. This posed an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to children in care.
· April 30, 2026
California CDSS publishes the full investigation narrative for a complaint, including its disposition, and classifies a citation Type A — an immediate risk to a child — or Type B.
Apr 2026 Licensing visit 2 findings
Licensing visit · April 30, 2026
CCR 101229(a)(1) · Type A
101229 Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision (a)(1) “No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time...” This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure adequate supervision at all times. A child was able to leave the facility due to a lack of supervision. This posed an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to children in care.
Request Denied
CCR 101212(d) · Type B
101212 Reporting Requirements (d) “Upon the occurrence, during the operation of the child care center of any of the events specified in (d)(1) below, a report shall be made to the Department by telephone or fax within the Department's next working day and during its normal business hours. In addition, a written report... shall be submitted to the Department within seven days following the occurrence of such event…" This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure reporting requirements were met for unusual incidents. A child left the facility without teacher supervision, and the Department did not receive a report from the facility regarding the incident. This posed a potential health, safety, and personal rights risk to persons in care.
Request Denied
Mar 2026 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · March 5, 2026
CCR 101215.1(f) · Type B
(f) When the child care center director is absent from the center, arrangements shall be made for a fully qualified teacher as specified in Section 101216.1(c) to act as substitute. This substitute child care center director shall be aware of center operations, including total enrollment; shall be trained in program operation; and shall be designated as an authorized person to correct operational deficiencies that constitute immediate threats to children's health and safety. This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on interview, observation, and record review, the facility does not have a current LIC 308 Designation of Facility Responsibility completed for the administrator present today. This poses a potential health, safety, and personal rights risk to persons in care.
Oct 2024 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · October 1, 2024
HSC 1597.16(a)(1) · Type B
(1) A licensed child day care center, as defined in Section 1596.76, that is located in a building that was constructed before January 1, 2010, shall have its drinking water tested for lead contamination levels on or after January 1, 2020, but no later than January 1, 2023, and every five years after the date of the initial test. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on [(observation) (record review)], the licensee did not comply with the section cited abovewhich poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
Details
- Phone
- (415) 851-3299
- Address
- 600 Palm Drive, Novato, 94949
- License
- 214005417
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
Sources and dates
Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.
All checked November 2026.
State record
From California CDSS Community Care Licensing’s published reports, last checked November 5, 2026.
Details
- Phone, Address, License ccld.dss.ca.gov
Large means the biggest quarter of Bay Area’s 439 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 76 to 312 children. Small is 8 to 30; medium is 31 to 75.