Pre School

Hi S.!
I would recoomend Clayton Valley Parent Preschool (located on West St. in Concord, off of Clayton Rd.). It's a co-op preschool. Which basically means there is a director who provides the program but it's the parents that do a lot of the "teaching". The parents are board members and also take care of the facilities (monthly maintenace). This is great for the children as they learn that other adults are caring (it's the whole "it takes a village" idea almost literally). It's great for the parents to have a community of other parents with children the same age. Plus, so much other advantages! Both of my children attended this preschool and my youngest who's now in 5th grade still comments that she misses Teacher DeeDee and would love to go back to preschool. It's really worth it to check it out!

I know this is late, my daughter went to Bianci, (Now Kindercare) on Cowell and YV. They are wonderful there...the director is Ms. Grace, and the teacher I loved is Ms. Sheryl.....great learning enviroment, fun, loving teachers and aids, communication is wonderful. My now two year old will be going there in a year when she turns three... :)

Hi S. -

My son goes to Bright Stars Learning Center in Concord on Clayton Rd right near Concord Bart. (He started there 6 months ago at 2 yrs and 3 months.) It isn't fancy but I think they have a great program and after the 4 hour preschool period they allow all of the kids to play together which allows him to learn how to play with kids of various ages. He also started in diapers and have assisted in the potty training process. The director there is great and really cares about each child. Let me know if you have any other questions.

K.

Both my kids loved MaryJanes in Pleasant Hill. I did eventually move my daughter to Alice's Montessori in Walnut Creek because I wanted her to have a full Montessori experience, including kindergarden, which MaryJanes stopped offering. Alice's also has schools in Pleasant Hill and Antioch.

If you are interested in a parent co-op, we have really loved Clayton Valley Parent Preschool in Concord. The director is incredibly loving and child-centered, the school is centered on developmentally appropriate social, play, and motor skills development, and both of my children have been very happy there. I have loved being in the classroom working several times a month. Not only does it let me keep any eye on how my child is developing, but it has given me the chance to develop a lot of new skills that are making me a better parent.

My daughters have gone to the Pleasant Hill Rec preschool and loved it. It's more play/social based than academic. It worked well for both of my daughters at the beginning because they are the only program that I could find who would take kids still in diapers. I am doing the co-op class with my younger daughter right now, but they also have a drop off program that my older daughter did. Great teachers & fun for kids. Also, the most diverse ethnicly with teachers and students that we have seen.

My older daughter is now going to the Jr. K program at Mary Jane's and LOVES it. It's more of an academic based preschool, but very well rounded overall. They have art and music and animals (bunnies, turtle, lizard), etc. It's a very good program. In the second year of preschool, they are a half and hour less a day versus Pleasant Hill, 2 1/2 hours versus 3 hours a day. I do like the 3 hours a day, but like the structure of Mary Jane's and may move my youngest over to there next year.

Hope that helps. There is also a preschool fair that Pleasant Hill Rec puts on in January. It's a great way to see 20+ preschools and help narrow down which ones you would like to visit.