Berkeley Parents Network: Bernice and Joe's Playschool (Oakland, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network

Bernice and Joe's Playschool (Oakland, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Preschools > Bernice and Joe's Playschool

Oct 2008

I am looking for more recent reviews of Bernice and Joe's Playschool. I really like the outdoor space. Are the teachers nurturing, well trained etc? I used to teach preschool myself and is hard to find a preschool that meets all my requirements. Any suggestions of other schools from teachers like myself would be greatly appreciated as well. want the best

Our 4.5 year old son has been at Bernice and Joe's Playschool for two years and our 2 yr old daughter is on the waiting list to begin as soon as possible). We have been very satisfied with the school overall. Bernice and Joe are loving teachers who really tune in to each individual child. There has been a lot of changes in teachers in the time we've been there and they are still looking for a director, but the two teachers who have been there the entire time are WONDERFUL and I like the new staff they have now as well. One thing I do like about the school is they seem to nip staffing problems in the bud, making sure that the teachers agree with their philosophy. I am amazed when I talk with other parents at more pricey schools because they seem all have their own unique set of problems. I think the low-key, shabby atmosphere of the place weeds out ''power parents'' so the parent community is approachable, fun, and easy-going. Our kids are thriving there. Discipline wise, I've had good experiences. I have a very energetic, spirited child and they have been good about telling me daily when we have behavior issues and we all work together to solve them. They do use timeouts but mostly their discipline is very gentle and loving. Sometimes, with my son, I think he might need MORE strict discipline, but we've managed to overcome some big hurdles. The school also provides Spanish, gymnastics and music once a week (outside teachers come in). Overall, we love our school and would recommend it but keep in mind that everyone is different. Proud B&J parent

Jan 2007

Re: Good preschools in Oakland
Check out Bernice and Joe Playschool (www.berniceandjoe- playschool.com). I think it has everything you are looking for. Our twins thrived there from age 2 to 5. Debbie

December 2006

Re: Preschool near Oakland Zoo/Mills/San Leandro While I do not personally have a child enrolled in this pre-school, I am a neighbor of Bernice & Joe, of Bernice & Joe's Playschool. I know their space. I can attest to their having the most amazing outdoor play space I have ever seen! They seem very loving & caring and the families who drop off seem very content. You may want to check them out online: http://www.berniceandjoe-playschool.com/index.html They are located on Sunkist Drive, off 580 at Edwards Avenue. Good luck!

June 2006

Hi- I checked out Bernice & Joe Playschool in Oakland (off of 580's Edwards Ave) and I think it looks good for my son but would love any additional info on the school itself, teachers, program- whatever, good or bad, please! Thanks much
donna

We did not have a good experience. It was our first preschool experience and I was won over by the great yard. Our two year old daughter didn't nap well and they wouldn't help teach her to or have another alternative for her at nap time. They would say ''she said NO to the teacher''... like that was some kind of a shocking statement from a two year old. At the end of her day when I was there to pick her up, Joe would go through a list of all her ''bad'' deeds right in front of her. And I wouldn't hear about anything positive. The last straw was that after 7 months there, I discovered that they didn't know my daughter could talk. This is a kid who was talking in 3 word sentences at a year old. iamis

Feb 2006

Recently we had a visit to Bernice and Joe's Playschool in Oakland. Wondering if anyone out there has feedback on the school? We thought it was lovely but would like to get some feedback from parents and kids who have attended the school. Thanks Beth

We had a great experience at Bernice & Joe's, but our twins ''graduated'' last year. The school has gone through big changes since then. . . the retirement of one of the founders (Bernice), hiring of a new director, and changes in teaching staff. That being said, the place is wonderful and has a great reputation for ''community.'' I would recommend talking to parents of children currently in the school. Ask Joe to give you phone numbers of members of the Parent Involvement Committee. Debbie

Jan. 2003

Re: Preschools for Vegetarian Children
Bernice and Joe Playschool is off 580 at Edwards and serves vegetarian lunch and snacks. They take kids ages 2 through 5. We have been very happy there. Debbie

1999

My 2 1/2 year old twins go to a preschool part-time called Bernice & Joe Playschool. It is located off the Edwards Ave exit which is right off 580, not far from the exit to the Oakland Zoo. They offer part-time and full time. My children love it there! It's located in the owners former residence so the kids feel right at home. Rose

October 1998

I've had three kids at Bernice and Joe's Playschool -- my five year old, who just started kindergarten, and now my two-year-old twins. I really love it. The outdoor space is incomparable, the kids have a lot of choices and just enough structure to ease them into the world of school. (My oldest "graduated" with all the skills she needed for kindergarten -- in English and Spanish.) Best of all, the directors have really solid, progressive values. My experience is that kids feel safe, respected and free to be themselves, and parents feel a real sense of community and family. Melia

I had a son who went to Bernice and Joe's for nearly two years. He is not an easy kid, very active and bright, but Bernice and Joe had enormous difficulty with him and even more difficulty communicating with us. When we finally got Bernice to discuss with us the issues, she diagnosed our son over the phone as "hyperactive". When I asked her to elaborate and to tell us next steps she was unable to make either concrete suggestions or back up her phrasing. I picked him up one day and they had completely ostracized him from the rest of the group for meals. When I asked Bernice how often this happened she said "not often", which Bannana's who I had gone to for help and I concluded was pretty frequently. This form of punishment was never discussed with us. There are a number of occasions where it was clear he had been labelled as the bad kid and the source of all problems there. Although we cannot say if my son never will be diagnosed as ADHD, when we discussed this with pediatricians and the developemental pediatricians, they said it was almost never a diagnosis that they were willing to make on a three year old, and in their opinion was certainly not an accurate label for our child. Myriam

July 1997

Hi all. The playschool to which my almost-2-year-old daughter goes two mornings a week has some openings in the fall, so I thought I'd recommend them to you all...

The name of the place is Bernice and Joe's Playschool. They take toddlers (~2) to preschoolers. The place is just off 580, at the Edwards exit. The most striking thing about it is the beautiful grounds -- two big treed lots -- you would never know you were near a fairly busy street in Oakland. There's a big homemade rocketship, and a real boat, and a vegetable garden, etc. etc. Bernice and Joe are excellent with the kids. I won't go on here. Please give me a call or send me email if you'd like to know more. Or of course you can contact them directly, 638-3529. Tahani

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