This charming preschool on a residential street has well-tended gardens and homey play areas. A Mandarin program for kindergarten-age kids on Saturdays teaches beginning character recognition and Chinese songs and stories. Most staffers speak a second language, including Cantonese or Mandarin, and all have college coursework in early childhood education.
This school high in the hills in the Five Canyons subdivision offers Montessori kindergarten for kids age 4-6, programs for toddlers 18-24 months, a preschool and day care for children of any age. The facility evokes an upscale ambiance, with CDs of forest songs playing in the entryway and warm wood paneling throughout. Instruction in Spanish, Mandarin, gymnastics and ballet is offered. The outdoors and nature inform the curriculum, with kids picking up skills they will later use to master academic subjects. All teachers are credentialed in early-childhood education and certified by the American Montessori Society. Five Canyons also offers Montessori teacher training in conjunction with Cal State University East Bay.
A Kid's Kingdom preschool operates from September to mid-June before shutting down for the summer. This preschool offers two morning programs and strives to "personally expose each child and his or her family to the love of Christ and to make them aware that each one is uniquely created by God." Teachers encourage children to grow and develop spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically, academically and morally throughout the school year.
Camelot offers preschool and day care for children ranging from 6 weeks old to 5 years as well as private education for kindergarten through fifth grade. Camelot's Castro Valley campus is located in the hills above John Drive and Foothill Boulevard on a quiet residential cul-de-sac; a magic-castle mural carries out the school's theme.
In 2008-09, Camelot third graders scored at least 10 percent above average in almost all categories of the California Achievement Test; fourth graders' scores were 12-30 percent above average.
Located behind Valley Baptist Church on Lake Chabot Road, A Shepherd's Heart Christian School offers private education for kindergarten through 12th grade. The school touts its ability to help all students excel academically, from "advanced to those who struggle." Children with learning disabilities can take classes along with their peers, and all are guaranteed a practical, hands-on experience. Uniforms are not required, but clothing must be "prudent, practical and proper."
Happiness Hill Preschool and Daycare is an early childhood education and care program offering services for children ages 18 months to 5 years. Some of its age-appropriate activities include early math and reading and social and physical activities.
At His Growing Grove, children can take basic Spanish lessons, eat healthy meals, learn conflict resolution skills and study the Bible, among many other enriching activities. The playgrounds are safety-proofed and ready for each child's imaginative games and adventures. Toilets, sinks, tables and chairs are kid-sized, allowing kiddies to navigate their world at eye-level. Expect arts and crafts, a crib room for babies, lots of primary-colored playthings, and a big gymnasium for rainy-day playtime.
In 1986, Catherine Eckhardt opened Growing Years Preschool. At Growing Years, each child takes home a developmental portfolio after graduating, which showcases how many inches they've grown since the first day of school and includes writing samples to demonstrate how much their skills have improved over time.
The play-based, as opposed to academic-based, curriculum ensures each child has a messy, hands-on experience in the classroom. Kids can of course wash up at child-sized sinks before munching on crackers, cheese or cookies during snack time, or before digging into a fulfilling and nutritious lunch.