When we first moved to Davis, we assumed our kids would go to one of the great public schools here -- that was part of why we chose this area. After the first few months, with 27-30 kids in our son's class, we observed that it was hard for him to get individual attention, and during our first parent-teacher conference, it felt like his teacher didn't really know him. A friend mentioned Peregrine, and at first we weren't sure -- especially because of the tuition. But when we visited, the campus immediately stood out. There were tree forts, gardens planted by students, zip lines, hay bales, and ample space to run. It just felt alive. Our son absolutely loves it there. Every morning he sprints onto the playground before we can even say goodbye. The teachers know him -- really know him. Within the first two weeks, they even noticed he was having trouble pronouncing certain words and suggested we check with our pediatrician about a speech evaluation. That early attention made such a difference. We've also been amazed by how intentional the academics are. He has one-on-one reading time twice a week, small group literacy sessions, and a class library full of graphic novels like Dog Man and Zita the Space Girl that keep him excited about reading. His progress has been incredible. He learns outside -- rain or shine -- with teachers who guide gardening, cooking, ceramics, and project-based lessons. The school celebrates different cultures through music, food, and dance, and the meals are cooked right on site and actually healthy. What stands out most is how much the teachers care. They communicate proactively, notice social dynamics, and address things right away. It's clear that he's seen, supported, and surrounded by people who genuinely care about his growth. After his first week there we received a detailed assessment of his reading and math levels with handwritten notes explaining areas of improvement and where we can help him further. This sort of detailed individual feedback really showed how they truly took the time to get to know our son. We also really appreciate the weekly class emails we get from his teachers. They summarize what the kids learned that week in reading, math, and other subjects -- along with photos and little anecdotes. It's such a thoughtful touch, and it makes us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom day to day. In addition the teachers are always accessible before and after class for us to discuss concerns and questions that arise. As the more financially cautious one in our family, I wasn't sure how we'd feel about private school -- but seeing how happy and curious he is now, it truly feels worth it. Watching him grow, ask questions, and grow his love of learning has been such a gift. One thing we've learned is there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to school. Davis has so many great options -- I'm just glad we found one that fits our son so well. We ended up enrolling our daughter there at the preschool as well! read more

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This is our forth year at the Peregrine school: my daughter started at 3 years old in their preschool and now she is in their elementary school. I wanted to share our experience from this most recent school year. The school's full-day kindergarten program has small student-to-teacher ratios, a nurturing environment, a terrific teaching team, and an immersive project-based curriculum. My daughter was in a classroom of 12 children and three teachers. Two of the teachers swapped places depending on the subjects that were taught that day, so there were always two teachers with the kids. The school created a trilingual program where the kindergarteners were learning a bit of Spanish and Mandarin in addition to having the core curriculum in English. What I particularly appreciate about the language component is how the teachers wove in cultural literacy into their lessons along with language instruction. There are many things that set apart this kindergarten program from others. Six hours of daily programming allows teachers to create a rich experience filled with language arts, math, science, gardening, cooking, music, and movement. The program allows you to drop off your kid at 8:30 am and pick them up by 3:15 pm with before and after school care available to those who need it; instruction takes place between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Children are served healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced meals that are prepared on site and given at snack time and lunch. The food is so good that my child begged me to get a recipe from the school chef for a "lentil dish that is better than candy." The school's acre of gardens and play space allows the children to learn and play while being surrounded by beautiful nature. Kindergarteners spend at least an hour outside each day. Additionally, the school has three teacher specialists who work with the students weekly in the areas of gardening/cooking, music, and movement. The incredible food program coupled with the gardening lessons exposed my child to lots of new food that she was resistant to try before. My daughter particularly enjoys the kale and peas she gets to eat straight from the school garden. This past year the class got to go on five field trips to visit the Davis food co-op, a farm in West Sac, and attend three events at the Mondavi center. (This does not include many smaller trips to the playgrounds and parks near the school.) The Peregrine school also arranges for performances around Chinese New Year and other holidays on the school site. Towards the end of the school year, as part of their science unit, the class got to watch caterpillars hatch out of eggs and transform into butterflies. Children also witnessed the entire lifecycle of silkworms ending with moths laying eggs. I feel lucky to have this kindergarten program available in our town and I wanted to share our experience in case this may be a good fit for other families in this group. The Peregrine school offers instruction at all elementary grade levels through sixth grade in case you have an older child and you are interested in their program. read more

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I've had two kids attend Peregrine's pre-K programs and can't imagine a better place to send them. They love their teachers and are excited to go to school in the mornings - a feeling I don't remember having growing up. Also, Peregrine provides healthy lunch and snacks every day, so I don't have to worry about 1) packing lunches, and 2) the fact that sometimes they will only eat cheese quesadillas and goldfish for dinner for days on end. read more

My child went through the infant program at Peregrine. The teachers were beyond amazing. They had so much care for the children and so much knowledge about child development. After the first few days of adjusting, my child went to the teachers happily every morning. The teachers were great about communicating about what happened in the class each day. They created a curriculum that incorporated art, science, nature, and language in a very engaging way, even for such young kids. We are looking forward to continuing at Peregrine in the future. read more

Peregrine School - My child's class and their teachers, looking at an insect box with silkworms. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Davis, California

We have had our two kids (5 and 2) at Peregrine since 2023. We could not be happier. Both of our kids are thriving and absolutely love going to school each day and usually don't want to leave and go home at the end of the day. Things we love: - The teachers. They CARE. They are focused on the whole child and want to support each child's success. They are always available to chat with and connect with and are happy to brainstorm to help the child thrive both at home and at school. They are creative, they are fun, and they are engaged. They truly seem to LOVE their jobs and all the kids. The incredible ratio of child/adult also allows them to provide extra support to the kiddos when they are having a tough day or need extra support. - The incredible yard. I have toured tons of preschools/schools in Davis. The yard areas at Peregrine are unmatched. I love the variety of outdoor areas they have for exploration and all the gardening activities they get to do. - The amount of outside time. I love that they take the kids outside rain or shine. They also try and do lessons outside as much as possible, which I love. - All the special events and activities are wonderful. They provide fun family-friendly weekend or evening activities and are a great community building opportunity as well. My kids love going to them and as adults we have fun as well. Science themed, Cultural themed, etc. They are all great. - The food. I love that we don't have to pack lunches and snacks every day and they get a wonderful variety of foods to help expand their palate. - The curriculum and what they teach focuses on the whole child - math, science, reading, writing, emotional, cultural, art, creativity etc. They really foster a sense of curiosity, creativity and fun. read more

I could not be more grateful to be a Peregrine parent! My son has been attending preschool in the Pollitos class and will move up in the fall. His 5 teachers (great teacher/student ratio) are all amazing-- so loving and attentive and expert at what they do. My son comes home talking about his teachers as though they are his best friends. I truly appreciate the cultural diversity that they bring to the classroom as well. My son is learning about different cultures and also learning Spanish and Mandarin! For me, the food that Peregrine provides is an amazing plus. Not only is it a huge convenience for working parents, but the food is incredibly healthy and delicious too. They use the Procare app to update me throughout the day on my son's activities, and I can see that he's eating multiple servings of food at every meal and snack! They also helped him when we started to potty train him, and he was trained by the end of the week! The grounds at Peregrine are beautiful, and I love all of the gardens and natural spaces where kids can play. There is a lot of shade from trees and awnings so kids can spend a good deal of time outdoors, even in the summer. I also feel that the communication from the school is extraordinarily professional and gives me lots of trust and confidence in sending my kids there. I also love their teaching philosophy, a blend of contemporary Montessori-style approaches. Currently, my oldest two children attend Marguerite Montgomery elementary school, but honestly I wish I could send them to Peregrine (maybe someday!). My son truly loves his school and teachers, and I couldn't be happier that he is there. read more

This is one of the last places in town I'd consider for my children. My child attended school here for a year. Over and over, information about eating restrictions and allergies was not adhered to. They have cooks, and that's supposed to be one of the perks, but my child wouldn't eat the food. She'd be starving when I picked her up. More than once, I showed up when music was playing, which would be fine if the music had be child appropriate. But, it was full of drug references. When I brought these things to the school's attention, I got excuses. No apology. No plan for change. My daughter hated going to school. Which is unusual. She's very outgoing and loves seeing her friends and teachers, this is the only place she's had that reaction. I felt like the school was scaring her. So, we finally left. read more

As a long time Peregrine parent of a now 8 and 5 year old at the south site, I give Peregrine School 5 stars. The head teachers are full of talent, very caring, have a passion for what they do, and bring incredible cultural and creative experiences to the children, such as the ability to garden/grow their own food (yes, they do get their hands dirty sometimes), singing songs in Spanish, making their own dumplings in Chinese preschool, and creating their own life sized dragon for Chinese New Year. Please folks, do not allow claims that "Peregrine puts kids lives in danger" (really?! Must we go that far?!) by not following CoVid protocols to cloud your view of this school. The fact is, as of February 21, 2021, at least, Peregrine has completely controlled the spread of the virus inside its classes. I would also assert that a reasonable parent would understand that policing children ages 3-5 years old (or even ages 9-10 years old) in regards to social distancing all day long is not, and would not be feasible. I sincerely believe they are doing the best they can! read more

My daughter has been attending Peregrine for 3+ years (ECC and Elementary). Its a great school focused on the child, education in the outdoors, science, and art. The grounds at both sites are amazing. Because it's private teachers can focus on teaching the kids and not teaching to a test BUT most kids are ahead of the grade level standards. My daughter reads at an accelerated level and she is able to read with older kids because of the class /school structure. I also really like how play based learning is emphasised in both the ECC and elementary. The teachers also focus on emotional intelligence and mindfulness which is an important life skill. Finally the teachers are excellent my daughter has loved every teacher she has had. read more

The school was not following social distancing at all. So disappointing... i had to pull my kid out their pre-K program. The pre-k head teacher wouldn't care at all about washing hands and disinfecting the classroom stuff. Again, so disappointing that they put little kids life in danger by being so careless. read more

The founder of this school Lorie Hammond has created something phenomenal here, a unique program that fosters a love of learning with a truly enriching environment. She uses the latest research in child development to create project-based activities that help kids grow creatively and academically. read more

Although I don't live in Davis I have to comment here and say that Peregrine Preschool is simply hands down THE BEST. Reggio Emilio based... Organic In-House Chef, Yoga, Loving teachers, Spanish curriculum, Beautiful playground, Gardens and Farm on campus... What more could you want as a parent. I felt so secure every time I dropped my son off at the school. If you are in the davis area, I highly recommend this school. Lori and her staff have done an amazing job building such a warm cozy environment. read more

My son is in Primaria (pre-school) this year and has really blossomed there. His learning has been a great balance of structure and free play; it really is a 'child-led' curriculum and the results speak for themselves. We feel our son is safe, nurtured and encouraged, and we are excited for him to stay on at Peregrine for Kindergarten in the Fall. read more

We tried the afterschool Chinese program. I think it's great for beginner learners. Lots of culture. For us, my kids are already native speakers and I wanted to continue to expand their knowledge of Mandarin. This place wasn't a good fit for us. read more

My child has been attending Peregrine for over 3 years and we have had nothing but good experiences.

When my child was younger, I would periodically listen outside Teacher Chris' classroom and marvel at the discussion within. I looked forward to the day my child had that same experience, one in which an adult extends to the student a respect for his/her ideas and raises any discussion to an even exchange. Today, I found myself in the same position and was equally rewarded. They were discussing the significance of the hindu(?) originated mandala's center, and making comparisons to the Hobbe / Locke-ian debate over man's core being. WOW. He queried another student for his opinion, saying, "I think we'd like to hear X's opinion. Say, X, what do you think?" All was quiet while X responded and discussion ensued. I crept away. My lucky, lucky child. It was such a great reminder why we're at Peregrine. Thank you, Chris. It may be just another day for you, but another day unlike no other experience these children would have had elsewhere. Much gratitude. A Parent of a Lucky Crow (Peregrine South Elementary 4-6 classroom) read more

Both of my kids have attended preschool at Peregrine South. Great staff and a nice environment for the kids to play and learn. Highly recommended! read more

Founder Lorie Hammond has created a school that is just the right blend and she is constantly looking for ways to make it even better. Peregrine provides an wonderful environment, fun and stimulating material and highly qualified teachers who create learning opportunities around what the children are already interested in with a tremendous large play yard. We moved from Sacramento to bring our to this program when he was 18 months old to avoid his having a long commute. The Patitos program is fantastic! At 3, we started him in the then brand new Mandarin Chinese immersion and the Chinese program founder does a fantastic job. The program has been growing and our son is now in the Mandarin Chinese kindergarten. He speaks Chinese to random strangers like a native despite being blond haired and blue eyed and can read simple books. Best of all, both programs are taught in the Emilio Reggio philosophy and the elementary focuses on teaching your child how to learn not what to think. read more