• Owner: non-profit parent coop
• Phone: (510) 528-6975
• Email: info@cccpreschool.org
• Neighborhood: N. Berkeley near Live Oak
• Zip: 94707
• License #: 010200115
• Capacity: 52
• Website: http://www.cccpreschool.org/
• Bilingual:
• Ages: 3 - 5 year olds

Re: Looking for affordable preschool in Berkeley
Hello - We're currently at Children's Community Center (CCC), a parent teacher co-op in North Berkeley. It's been an affordable option with a great community, and a chance to really get involved in your child's school life. Each family works one morning in the classroom alongside professional teachers (8:45-12:45) and has an admin job that helps the school run with a low overhead. We have teachers who have been here for over 20 years. Monthly tuition is around $490 something for the 5 day 9-12:30 program. PM hours (12:30-3:30 or 12:30-5:30) are at $7/hour now. Scholarships are available for those with financial need. Call the message line for our tour parents to get in touch with you if you're interested in the 4-5's class for next year (4 by 9/1/12). i think there might still be spaces. 510-528-6975. Robin

Re: Preschool for 2 1/2 year old, parent participating
I want to highly recommend Children's Community Center (CCC). Website is http://www.cccpreschool.org/. It is an amazing community of families who are fully committed to their children and their growth. Our son will be starting in the Backyard in September.

The physical space is incredible: gardens, sand, trees, trails to explore, and tons of things to play with, put together, and figure out. The teachers are first rate: insightful, respectful of the children and their personalities and needs, wildly creative, and masterful in their teaching abilities. The community is just awesome: it just pulls together when it needs to to help each other out. My son loves being there and being a part of it all.

You did mention that you want 2-3 days a week and I think I had the same idea/concern when I was where you are. I have found that the 5 days/week gives the kids the regularity and routine to build relationships, find stability and make more connections (both developmental and interpersonal). I haven't found it to be too much or overwhelming.

I hope that this is helpful and that you find a preschool that is a fit for you and your child... Happy CCCer

Re: Preschool where my son won't be the token black kid
Dear Discouraged, I think that the Children's Community Center in Berkeley does a pretty good job of keeping both the student population and the staff pretty diverse. Only problem is they usually have a long waiting list! It still might be worth giving them a call even if it's just for a referral. Speaking as a teacher who runs a small program in Berkeley, I have to say that I too am discouraged and disapointed by the lack of diversity in my program (as well as most others that I have seen) despite my best efforts. Nobody wants to be the ''token'' anything, but sometimes it takes just one person to encourage others. Once enrolled, a parent can refer other friends and family thus enlarging the diversity of the population. I think creating diversity is a community effort and we all have an important part to play to make it work. -Wanting More Diversity Too!!

Re: Is the number of adults a problem at a co-op?
My two shy daughters attended CCC and had a great experience there. The number of adults at the school did not seem to be an issue. The children are with the same teachers each day, so that provides a lot of consistency. Getting to know many children and adults was a great learning experience and one that made my girls feel more confident by the time they entered elementary school. CCC alum

Re: Preschool feedback
Thanks for the opportunity to post a new, rave review about CCC. Both of my children attended and we couldn't be happier. The real strength (other than the co-op model) is the teachers. Several of them went there as children themselves, one sent her own children there, and there are two teachers who have each been there for over 15 years. There are also three men on the staff of eight, which we really appreciated. That said, the challenges include the co-op model making it difficult for some families to participate. The school is working hard to make the student body more diverse and figure out ways to retain the commitment to parent participation while recognizing that this is difficult for lots of working families. I have found the school to be very open to ideas for change, and everyone is really committed to the health of this 80 year-old school. Good luck with your choices!
a happy CCC parent

Re: Co-op Preschools in Oakland
My 6 year old recently graduated from and my 4 year old currently attends Children's Community Center (CCC). It is located on Walnut Street, near Eunice in North Berkeley.

CCC is a parent-teacher co-operative, founded in 1927. I feel so fortunate that our family was able to be a part of its community. It features a play-based, developmental, open-choice curriculum.

Some cool things about CCC:

Male teachers. There are 4 male teachers on staff, not including fathers who participate.

Parent education. The excellent staff model positive discipline, plus you learn a lot from other parents (and children!), too.

Sense of community. I love the friends I met at CCC. It's also fun to come across alumni in Berkeley.

Please check out the website -- http://www.cccpreschool.org/ -- and take a tour. You'll fall in love with the grounds and the activities available for the children. Satisfied CCCer

I have seen the postings on the website for CCC in Berkeley and they're all raves. I would like to hear any less than positive aspects/experiences at CCC. Please help!

I'll be happy to share my experiences with CCC, but not just the negative ones, sorry. Jerome

It is a lot of work: training, meetings, work day at the preschool, and your additional coop job. I knew several parents who chose not to return with their second child for that very reason. However, I do feel that I learned a lot at the training and by being with the groups of children.

The most common complaint I heard was that a coop you end up re- inventing the wheel with each new group of parents, and it can also be tedious and laborious trying to make decisions and getting things done in such a large group. At times, cliques of parents could really diminish the pleasure of being there, but as I said, most of the parents are people I liked enormously.

I am not sorry that we participated in the community, but all things considered, with a second child I don't think I'd do it again. Wishing you luck in your decision

Re: Preschools with good playgrounds
Tour CCC (Children's Community Center)pre-school because they have two great yards for the 3 and 4 year olds - available to the kids all day long, in rain or shine. It's at 1140 Walnut Street in Berkeley. Our two children went there and love to go back and visit, especially the play yards, whenever they can. It is a co-op pre-school, which you should know in advance. that may or may not work for you. The phone number is 528-6975. Karen H.

Re: Culturally Diverse Preschools
Take a look at Children's Community Center (CCC) in Berkeley (528-6975). CCC is a parent/teacher co-op with an extraordinary professional staff. It is a developmental preschool committed to diversity. There are fabulous art materials and projects available to the kids every day. A wonderful movement teacher comes in regularly. And of course, there are books, building materials, etc. galore. Core components of the curriculum include conflict resolution and inclusive play. Kids really develop skills to talk things through and parents develop skills to help the kids talk things through. CCC has absolutely lovely outdoor space, and two big classrooms. We've had a wonderful five years there. Our youngest child will move on to kindergarten this fall. For the people it speaks to, CCC really does meet the criteria of the ideal school we all hold in our minds. hendu

To the parent (and others) looking for a premiere parent co-op with garden, music, movement, social interactions and fun ("whole child" or play-based preschool) in North Berkeley:

My children, now 7 and 11, both attended Children's Community Center for preschool, and we simply loved it. It is well-established in a residential neighborhood on Walnut near Euclid in North Berkeley, and has been there for a long, long time (it is the oldest parent co-op nursery school west of the Mississippi). This delightful school has it all: a beautiful site (the outdoor areas are choice, and the four-year-old play yard is literally one of the most soothing places I know of in Berkeley), the best teachers, a garden, music, movement (Jim Beatty when we were there, and I think he's still part of the curriculum), an emphasis on social development and a strong parent ed component. This school fosters community, and children and their families cherish the memories for, literally, generations. When my first child was born, my neighbor came down the street to admire him and said "I don't care what else you do with this child, just send him to CCC." We did and I am sure it was one of the three best parenting decisions we've made in our 11+ years of parenthood. Call 510-526-9739 for a visit. Melissa

Dear Parents,
My younger child is just emerging from the world of preschools, hence I think I have some useful information about at least one of the schools you inquired about.

Both my kids attended Children's Community Center (the oldest parent coop west of the Mississippi and a fabulous place); if you have time to participate in your child's preschool education, I can think of no better place for young children and their families.