Valley Vista School is a private pre-school nestled on Orangedale Avenue, just beyond the main strip in Montrose. The brightly-colored campus consists of two outdoor playgrounds and two indoor classrooms. One classroom is for 3-year-olds, while the other is for the pre-kindergarten students.
At capacity, Valley Vista School has 94 students in three 3-year-old classes and 3 pre-kindergarten classes. One teacher and one aide oversee each class.
In addition to the regular curriculum, extra-curriculars are offered in music, drama and movement.
Valley Vista School is a non-denominational pre-school.
First Steps Learning Center provides hands-on, nurturing daycare services for children ages 3 months to 2 ½ years. It's large, peaceful outdoor playground is surrounded by towering trees and has a grassy area for running and games, a play structure, swing set and a sandbox. It is located in the Calvary Baptist Church, but is not associated with the church.
Good Neighbor Montessori is a leading Montessori School in Palo Alto and serves children ages 2 through 6 years. Their preschool program assists children in developing self-confidence, concentration, independence and a love of learning in a developmentally appropriate Montessori classroom. Classroom activities allow the children to develop both practical and academic skills that encourage conceptual development and create a firm foundation for further learning.
Davis Street Childern's Center offers educational and day care services and features indoor and outdoor play areas.
Calaveras Montessori School caters to a unique mix of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners--based on its location at the school district and Calaveras Hills Alternative High School. The little ones at this Montessori come from the general public, employees of the Milpitas Unified School District and young parents completing their high school education at Cal Hills.
Parents can rest assured that their children are being nurtured and challenged by Montessori-certified teachers. To prove it, there are even "kiddy cams" available on-line for parents to sneak-a-peek on a password protected area of their website. Parents will also find it a delight to watch their little ones march in the Halloween parade, frolic in the Easter egg hunt and hula in the summertime luau.
Sonshine Enrichment Center Preschool is part of Trinity Lutheran Church, and offers a Christian-based developmental program for children 2 to 4 years old. State-licensed staff work with the Pleasanton Unified School District to develop kindergarten-readiness curriculum.
The school provides two, three and four-day per week classes depending on age. The "Exploring Preschool Together" (EPT) program is held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday mornings for 2-year-olds and a family member, and helps children become familiar and comfortable with preschool activities and environments. The parent-cooperative option offers parents the opportunity to work in the classroom about once every two weeks.
This independent and co-educational school is unique in that its curriculum satisfies the requirements of both the French and American school systems.
Enrolling children in preschool through eighth grade, this school's students are expected to perform about 75 to 80 percent of schoolwork in French. The focus is to teach children leadership skills while giving them the advantages of both the French and American systems and an added bilingual edge. A child's parents need not speak French to enroll their child here, but studies are rigorous and primarily in the French language.
More counsel is available on the Web site. Check out the FAQ for helpful information about the school's mission and curriculum.
Building Kidz is a private preschool with a focus on the performing arts. Children — newborns through five-year-olds — receive instruction here, and are encouraged to participate in activities that help build an early foundation in music, theater and dance. Parents can choose to enroll their child either full-time or part-time. Breakfast and lunch, plus an afternoon snack, are included in the tuition cost, which ranges from about $450 to $900 a month. The teachers at Building Kidz are trained to give plenty of individual attention to each child in order to support a child's unique needs and strengths, but children also learn to work and play in groups.
The Poppy Patch Child Care Center is tucked away inside the buildings of the Franchise Tax Board, but is open to the public. In fact, only about half of the children at the center have parents who work for the Franchise Tax Board.
Poppy Patch has three separate centers: one for infant and toddler child care, one for potty training and early preschool, and one for preschoolers.
You can find the Ice Cream & Shoe Preschool and Kindergarten at the Santa Margarita School in San Rafael. It provides a rich and fulfilling environment for children that teaches them how to learn and interact with others. There are plenty of fun activities like art and music, and lots of playtime as well. The teachers also make sure to give individualized attention to every student in their care.