I was able to observe a class they had. It was fun and interesting, I have never seen a group of…read morekids who were so eager to do an art project. On the plus side, I like their concept of a small class size, 1 teacher is to 5 preschoolers as well as the place is neat since they have a gym on their site which is wonderful for gross motor skills plus I have also noticed that they had PTs on the floor. I wish they had a whole day, everyday class to cater to the working moms. Overall, a definite try for an active little one - like mine!

I cannot say enough great things about Wonderbug Adventures. This is as good as city nature…read moreprograms (or any nature program) get. Hillary is a wonderful, captivating and intelligent teacher. My 2 year old loves the classes. We look forward to getting out, exploring parks and experiencing the creative teaching techniques Wonderbug has to offer. So far my favorite class has been the Feathered Friend class, so give that one a try. But, I cannot stress this enough, all the classes are GREAT!

I have only been to a couple of classes so far, but have been incredibly impressed! The ladies…read morerunning this program clearly know what they are doing, both in terms of organizing, but also in terms of their body of knowledge. They seriously know their stuff (I learned so much!), AND they know how to present it so that it makes sense to toddlers. Our classes have been when the weather was crummy and rainy, but it was so fun to be out in foul weather, all bundled up, learning about nature. We live in a naturally beautiful area and I feel lucky to have this kind of resource to help me ignite a passion for nature within my child.

Time flies when having fun. I am very happy with the choice I made to bring my son to Kamp…read moreExtreme. I had a real hard time finding something suitable for my son last year and I was dreading the end of the school year but luckily I came across Kamp Extreme's flier for their summer camp. I attended orientation and I was very pleased with all of the instructors and their professionalism. Monday-Friday Kamp Extreme takes up the entire center used by the Family Bible Fellowship in Newark. There is plenty of parking and they even block part of their parking lot so the kids can go outside and play. Their classrooms are huge and they provide tons of board games, crafts, air hockey and foosball tables for the children to stay entertained. They have a strict check-in and out procedures and there is no way to get through the classrooms without walking by their front office first which is always occupied by one or two of the camp instructors. Ash Park is about two blocks away from the center and right after lunch they pair up the kids and walk to the park, if weather permits. They provide parents with a calendar of events for each day so that we are informed of the activities that the children will be doing every day. It's not all fun and games however, Kamp Extreme also provides emotional and character growth. During Session One for example, they went over the importance of integrity for the K-1st graders. 2nd and 3rd graders learned about who they are when no one is looking and 4th-5th graders went over the meaning of true character. In summary, I am extremely happy with my son's attendance in their camp and hope they stay around for years to come.

Glen Park was the twelfth and final school we toured, and we almost skipped it. After eleven tours,…read morewe had a list of great schools and were feeling set. I'm so glad we went. The building is old, but in a  "beautiful old building" way, not run-down or dreary. The rooms are big and bright, with big windows that open-which turned out to be important once Covid came along! During our tour we visited the school's Wellness Center and heard from the social worker and staff about some of what they do there. Not only was this the only school we saw highlight a Wellness Center, they emphasized that it's for all students. Social-emotional learning has been a part of each year's classroom curriculum, but kids also get the opportunity for regular visits to the center. It's a safe place for them to draw, talk, or bounce it out, and it's something every school should have.  There are lots of opportunities for parent involvement, but no pressure. The afterschool program is on-site and feels like a natural extension of the school day, not a separate program. Lots of communication, I always feel like I know what my daughter is working on and what's going on at the school. The school garden is awesome, as are the school chickens.  We're so glad we wound up here, and our youngest can't wait to start kindergarten!

I have two children in Glen Park School (will have 3 soon) and we couldn't be happier. The fact…read morethat so many teachers send or have sent their own children to the school is very telling. The community is fantastic and that is what I love most about this school. It feels like one big family. One notable thing about Glen Park School that makes it stand out is that equity is at the forefront of every single decision. From the administration to the teachers to the parent teacher organization to the volunteer opportunities... Inclusion and equity is the always at the forefront of any decision. We feel well supported at the school and highly recommend it.

Hummingbird preschool is an absolute gem that is offered to our community…read more There are a lot of preschool options out there (and we ourselves have been through several schools with our children) and finding the one that resonates with what is important to your family is a journey. In a world where childhood is often hurried and rushed, Marlis and her staff of teachers create a beautiful environment full of joy, simplicity and love that truly allows the students to flourish in their creativity and imagination. They are given the intentional space to blossom into the beautiful little humans that they are. Despite all of the fancy buzzwords in education these days, Waldorf education is the only humanistic education that teaches children in a truly holistic way, acknowledging them as conscious human beings vs. treating them as little people who need to acquire skills for a job. Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf education, gave indications that when children are young, we should provide them with an expansive view of the world. Allow them to sense the world - to feel it, live it and breathe it. Importantly, to then refrain from imprinting on them our own narratives and directives, which can often unintentionally limit and curb their potential. In our hyper-competitive, goal-focused society, there is a push for early academics to prepare them for the next grade, next school, next job. As Jonathan Haidt aptly stated in Anxious Generation, "there is a lot that parents can do to become better 'gardeners' - those who create a space" for their children to learn to love learning, which is " in contrast to 'carpenters' who try to mold and shape their children directly." Hummingbird creates the garden environment to encourage expression, self confidence, and freedom for children to be children. Hummingbird is a balance of indoor and outdoor days. The indoor days in a homey, carefully composed space give the children a continued serene space to play and an opportunity to learn what it means to care for a space. In the out breathe, the outdoor days allow children to run free, climb trees, and stretch their imaginations while absorbing and observing nature. it is such a gift to our children to allow them to frequently experience the peace with being in nature and the sense of calm it brings. Marlis is a wonderful Waldorf teacher who really meets each child and puts so much thought and intentionality to truly support the children as well as their parents. She builds a wonderful community through events throughout the year - including a field trip to Slide Ranch, a Lantern Walk, advent singing, and bi-monthly parent evenings. Most importantly, we have the utmost trust in her with our children, because as a trained Waldorf teacher, she operates on a different level of intentionality and consciousness of how her words, actions and even who she is as a person are received by the children. We are so happy we found this special little community and can't recommend Hummingbird enough.

Oh, I just love Hummingbird Preschool. Both of my children have now graduated, but I'm so grateful…read moretheir earliest years were spent in this environment. The teachers are wonderful--attentive and invested in each child's growth. You can feel their warmth and sense their wisdom. The school's holistic, Waldorf-inspired approach is amazing. My kids spent half their day outdoors, exploring, climbing, imagining, and connecting with nature. They'd come home happy and tired because they'd been using their bodies so much. The other half was indoors, surrounded by simple, earthy toys for creativity rather than overstimulation. There were no flashing lights or plastic distractions. It's a peaceful, calm space and I always loved going inside. With the rhythm of the day, the focus on imagination, the respect for childhood--my kids were free to grow at their own pace. I loved knowing that their youngest years were spent exploring, playing, and discovering the world in a way that felt so natural and full of wonder. I can't recommend this preschool enough.

This is a great school…read more I believe that a school's performance is a function of several factors. My non-exclusive list of factors includes the students, faculty, administration, and parent community. This school does a great job in each of these categories. Extremely supportive administration and many great teachers (especially first, second, third and fifth). We did have a poor experience with a fourth grade teacher that tended to scream rather than correct - but she is no longer at the school. I strongly recommend Strawberry Point School.

The combination of high quality education and a great community of parents, teachers and children…read moreis rare, and San Francisco Pacific Academy is that. The curriculum and the after school activities are masterfully put together, but in my opinion, what truly raises the bar is the pedagogical professionalism of the teachers, and I would add - of every single one of them. A truly great teacher understands that their job is not only to be delivering education, but also creating an atmosphere of home outside of home for their students - with compassion, care, and consistent level of attention and support. I have a second child already graduating that school, and despite the relatively big age difference of my daughters, I have seen through the years consistently great level of education and care.

tbh such a great school when i went here and overall great teachers and classmates also an amazing…read moreafterschool program

One Alumna of G and B PreSchool is now the PRINCIPAL OF ONE OF SF'S…read moreOLDEST. K-8 schools. So... the " G and B" effect keeps rippling outward. Another alumna is a "fully tenured, Ivy League Professor of Computer Science..... My wife and I think that it was the "then" IDC style that has resulted in this. Roll On! Jack Barry

Our entire family, and not just our daughter, had an absolutely amazing 3-year experience at G&B…read more However, my review will not be focused on the earlier part of these three years and how our daughter thrived during this time and how great the school's staff and curriculum is, but about the school since shelter in place. Just two days after the entire city was put on lockdown, G&B immediately got to rolling out Zoom sessions multiple times a day so that the children could continue interacting with their teachers and peers should families choose to do so. Some families attended all sessions, some families attended none, but the sessions were available to everyone. Activities included in the Zoom sessions were story telling, art projects, yoga, music and movement, interactive numbers, letters, and color lessons, gathering time, birthday celebrations, etc. There was a lot of trial and error as to what worked and what did not work, and the school, teachers, and parents all kept an open dialog during all of this. I'll be perfectly honest about the Zoom sessions. Each session was an extra to-do item we had to add to our daily task list and balance against our work schedules. One of us would need to be available to log our daughter on, troubleshoot technical difficulties, or be involved to assist with more complex art projects. The flip side was that the sessions gave our daughter a sense of normalcy, which we felt was really important during this time, and I think it eliminated any potential separation anxiety she would have experienced upon her return to school had she not been engaged in the Zoom sessions. This may or may not have been the case for every family but it was certainly true for our family. Once childcare institutions received the green light to open back up, G&B spent a few weeks before opening back up again to ensure that the school would be able to safely adhere to all the health regulations and that the staff would be well informed and prepared to come back to school. I was extremely surprised at how there was virtually no complaining by my 5 year old with having to keep a mask on all day and I believe it has everything to do with how the school and the teachers promoted being safe, staying healthy, and listening to and following rules with the children. For families who had the ability or capacity to keep their children at home or who could not risk sending their children to school, the school kept up the Zoom sessions so that the children who could not physically attend were still able to connect with their teachers and peers. With both my husband and I having to be fully "on" for our jobs since SIP began, not having to also focus on childcare during the day was not a decision we made lightly but it was a huge reprieve for us. G&B has been extremely supportive to all the families in all ways imaginable in this very trying time. As if we didn't have enough good things to say about the school pre-COVID, we can now also talk about how well G&B has managed through the pandemic. One objective we had not set out to achieve when we first started at G&B three years ago was to have our daughter be ready for attending school amidst the pandemic. It wasn't until today that I realized how well G&B has positioned our daughter for this. I'm not too concerned over online sessions with her kindergarten teacher and peers because this has been the way of life for her for three of the past months. If at any point, she will get to enter school grounds, she will have no trouble attending school all day with a mask on while practicing good hygiene. Our daughter is now fully prepared to enter kindergarten, and during the pandemic no less, all thanks to G&B.