Duck's Nest in Berkeley on 4th St.

I'm looking for current reviews of Duck's Nest--the Berkeley campus. In particular, I am interested in how people feel about the two's program. How likely are you to want to stay at Duck's nest and move from the two's program through the preschool program? The administration seems a bit difficult to contact during the admissions process. Does this continue once you are enrolled?
potential future parent

I am considering Duck's Nest preschool for my 2 y.o daughter. Can anyone give feedback regarding their experience with this school. I was very impressed when I saw it, but would love to hear from others who have a child in the 2's program. Thanks! liz

I was wondering what kind of experiences people have had at the Berkeley Ducks Nest. We have not had a very good experience at the Oakland/Piedmont Ducks Nest with our older son. But I have our younger son on the waiting list to start at Berkeley DN in the fall. Our main problems at Piedmont DN were related to lack of diversity among the families, inability of teachers & staff to ''get'' our son, understand how his personality did not fit with certain aspects of the environment, Thanks for your feedback.

I'm looking for more current thoughts about Duck's Nest in Berkeley. The facilities and extra programs seem grand. I'm wondering about experiences others have had with the teachers (specifically for the two year old classrooms, but not limited to that), success in helping children navigating through difficult behavior, parental community, and overall perceptions. We're trying to decide between Ducks Nest and a cheaper but well- thought of, smaller preschool (the taecher here is a famous ''known quality.'') Any and all advice appreciated.

Can anyone tell me about Duck's Nest in Berkeley. I saw the school last week and was impressed but than I met somebody who told me that the turnover rate in some class rooms are high and that the Director is not always around. I want my daughter to go to a school with happy teacher. Are these rumors true ? Thanks for any advice. I also consulted the website but most of the advise was from a while ago and maybe things have changed. anon

To address your concerns: Yes, there has been too much turnover in one of the six classrooms this year. It was not very pleasant for anyone. (Illness and personality conflicts were the main causes.) However, the staffing is very stable for the most part. Also, though the director does work short days, I've always been able to get in touch with her, and supervision is not an issue. There is always someone in the office (an assistant director), and Monika (the school's founder who lives above one of the buildings)is usually available.

My personal observation is that Duck's Nest is a great place for a family with a positive outlook and a tendency to trust. (This is probably true of most preschools!) The majority of families are very happy. Happy Nester

The director is the daughter of the founder, and she too, is wonderful. Her younger son is a current pupil, her older son has gone on to kindergarten.

Duck's Nest has a great atmosphere, teachers, spirit and kids. I'm looking forward to being part of their community again.

If you're interested in sending your child there, you should think about bringing your concerns to Kristen Trainor, the director. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. Mollie

Re: "Traditional" school 2-3 mornings a week
You may have already rejected it, but I recommend Ducks' Nest in Berkeley. It is open 5 days, and has an extended day for parents who need it, but many parents send their children only 3 days a week, from 9-1. They have programs from 9-1, 9-3 and FT. The minimum is 3 days per week. My daughter, who goes 4 days a week, has thrived there. They have wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces, a large garden, chickens and ducks. And, for an extra fee, they offer French and Spanish!

While it is a developmental (play-based) preschool, the kids learn a great deal. At 3, my daughter could write her name, knew all the letters, was beginning to sound out words. Children are allowed to begin at age 2, and do not have to be potty-trained. Cloth diapers are required, and the school will provide them if you don't use cloth.

I don't imagine you will find a non-coop school that is ONLY open from 9-1 on 2-3 mornings a week -- the economics wouldn't work. There is also a Ducks' Nest in Piedmont, which I'm sure is great too, but I haven't visited it. Julie

Our son attends Duck's Nest on 4th street, and he loves it. He has been there 3 years, in three classes, and each year the experience has been a good one. For us, it seemed that the teachers and the cirruculum were just right or his stage of development: kind, sweet, teachers the first year when he was quite young, more structure when he was older. My son also had some real issues at first with transitions, and could be quite unruly. The school worked with us on helping him through that time, and in a really wonderful, caring, nonjudgemental way. I highly recommend Duck's Nest. happy DN family

The Duck's Nest on Fourth Street has an older class, called Mandarins. Call them and see if they have any openings. The teacher is wonderful, and your child will not be bored. Mary

We have had our twin girls (currently 33 months old) enrolled at the Duck's Nest preschool on 4th Street since September and we all just LOVE it. The teachers are very loving, playful, professional and sympathetic to parent's anxieties. Our classroom adjoins the one for the younger class (I think they take them as early as 20 months?) and the classes actually mingle a bit at drop off and pick up times. I've witnessed the teachers dealing very effectively and lovingly with some difficult separation issues at the beginning of the school year, and those children now seem quite happy and engaged. Personally, my girls come home with art work, or a new song or story, or some wonderful tale almost every day. We also chose this school because of the active (volunteer) Parent's Association, which has already helped us get acquainted with the parents of the children our girls are fast becoming friends with. We would all highly recommend Duck's Nest! Good luck with your choice. H. Mann

Can anyone give me feedback on Duck's Nest preschool in Berkeley? I visited the site recently and liked it but I am concerned about the air quality. Apparently there is a brewery and a plastics manufacturer in the neighborhood. Darcy

As parents we couldn't have been better cared for. Crisis has been intermittantly visiting our family since we became a Duck's Nest family. The Duck's Nest community as inspired by the Director Monika and her staff have been for us and especially our children, immeasurably supportive and kind. I'd recommend you check them out. Damien

My experience is mainly with the 2-2 1/2 yr. old class, where the teachers are loving and attentive, and professionals who know a lot about kids. The art projects are fun, once a week a movement/dancer teacher comes in, once a month a grandmother does a puppet show, etc.

Highly recommended.

andrea (3/98)

Duck's Nest in Oakland on Piedmont Av

I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience there? I am thinking of sending my daughter to their afternoon program. She is shy and not particularly assertive, and a lot of the past reviewers seemed to feel this type of child would not fit in there, but I was wondering if anyone has had any different experiences in the afternoon program or otherwise? anon

My daughter is in the Wood Duck class, which is the class in which I assume your child would join as a Newnduck in the afternoons. My daughter has made some very good friends with some of the Newnducks, and mentions them all the time, both the girls and the boys. The teachers do a very good job at both creating an individual group feeling, as well as activities for the Newnducks as well as integrating them in with the rest of the kids who are there for the afternoon from various classes. Incidentally, the teacher of the Newnducks happens to babysit for us on the side, and she is a wonderful teacher as well as caregiver.

I can honestly say we have no complaints thus far about the school, the director or the teachers. Please feel free to email me directly if you would like to ask further questions. Isabel

Duck's Nest in Piedmont recently held a kindergarten information series for their parents and those at the affiliated School of Arts and Sciences. The first talk dealt with navigating the process of kindergarten admissions, the second highlighted what to expect in kindergarten, and the third was a parent panel of parents of both private and public school kindergarteners. The director of Duck's Nest did a fabulous job of putting this series together and the information was invaluable.

The reviews of Duck's Nest on Piedmont are a few years old. Does anyone have more recent feedback about their experiences there? New preschool mom

First, communications with parents have been a problem for at least six years. If you do not see signs posted in the classroom, you will not know what is going on in the classroom, about projects, or about the classroom needs. We received a summary newsletter about once a month, through which we sometimes learned, after the fact, about projects that required the children to bring items from home. I have no idea if my children were able to participate in those projects because we didn't learn about them in advance and did not send in the right supplies (a T-shirt, a picture of my child as an infant, etc.). The lack of communication is particularly a problem for working parents who may have a babysitter pick up and drop off their kids.

Second, the student-teacher ratio is quite high, so shy, quiet, and developmentally delayed children can feel overwhelmed or excluded in the classroom and particularly on the playground. If you are thinking about sending your child there, spend some time on the playground while two or three classes are out there. The result can be a lot of very active kids in a relatively small space. The kids are not without supervision, but there is a lot of energy. While you are visiting the playground, think about whether your child is the type to jump in with the rest of the kids, or is likely to feel overwhelmed by the noise and activity. If it is the latter, your child may not be happy at Duck's Nest. I know that one of my sons was the type to join in, and one was not. As a result, one was much happier than the other one during his time at Duck's Nest.

Third, the school administrators are not particularly good at addressing issues. They also seem to clash with some of the teachers, which has resulted in higher than necessary teacher turnover. If your child fits right in, this will not be a problem for you, but if your child has any challenges at all, you may not be happy with how the administrators deal with those challenges or with your parenting decisions. The parent of one particularly shy child was told that her child would not be having as much difficulty at school as he was having had it not been for the parent's decision to delay preschool until he was four. Rather than blaming the parent, it would have been helpful if the administrators had proposed solutions to help the child feel more comfortable in school.

Fourth, due to changes that were instituted as of last year, there is no longer space at the school for children with fall birthdays in the year that they turn five. The parents of the almost five year olds in the Mallard class last year were encouraged to send their children to the affiliated school for Arts and Sciences for their preschool program, but I am not sure if any of the parents selected that school. So, if you think that once you have your child in Duck's Nest you won't have to think about selecting a preschool again, keep in mind that this is not true if your child has a fall birthday and won't be eligible or ready for kindergarten the year that she turns five. (Most private schools will not accept children with fall birthdays, although most public schools will.)

I hope this helps. I think that the school is a good school for outgoing children, but it not the best school for every child. Good luck with your decision.

Parent of Two Duck's Nest Graduates

Thank you for your feedback--it helps us build a better program when we have an honest discourse with parents.
Laura Lundy-Paine, Director

What inspired me to write was the comment that if your kid is aggressive or assertive, this is a good place for them! Or that aggression is rewarded. Wow. With over 100 kids in this school, in 6 classes, I personally do not find it surprising that each class has typically one or perhaps two children who fit this description. To paint the entire student population with this brush is unfair and misleading, and absolutely forced me to respond.

My son is creative and respectful and KIND. These qualities are important in our family, and I found them mirrored at Ducks Nest, in particular by teachers in every class.

That said, I, too, had my issues with the administration- sometimes it seemed as though ''they could always fill their school, why respond to parents or child-specific needs?'' We also considered leaving after 2 years ourselves. Like many other parents, we were very disappointed in a specific action taken by the Director towards one of the best teachers in the school, when she was fired on the last day of school without notice or an opportunity to say goodbye to our kids. But, upon reflection, the many other things we most love about Ducks Nest won out. My son loved to play there. Of course, he was never seriously injured in 3 years. His projects have been creative and instructive and fun. The enrichment programs are absolutely unmatched, in my opinion, with such variety and quality as weekly visits from the Lawrence Hall of Science in the Fall, French, sign language, MOCHA, drama class, weekly music, dance class, etc. We have also worked on and contributed to community projects--last year my son went door to door in our neighborhood collecting cann! ed foods for the Alameda Food Bank, and one of the book fairs contributed dozens of books and well over $1000 to an inner-city preschool that was in sore need of funds.

It is true that Ducks Nest isn't for everyone. But, having visited roughly 10 of them before selecting this one, I'm not sure how many--if any--are perfect out there. Another parent with a view

I have read the previously posted reviews for Duck's Nest but none are terribly recent and seem to mainly talk about the great outdoor play space. I am interested to hear feedback on the staff and classroom activities/structure, especially from someone who has or has had a younger child there. I know it has a great reputation but I would like to hear more before I enroll (and plunk down serious cash - it doesn't sound like a real bargain, but if it's worth it....!!). Preschool Parent-to-be

Time is scheduled throughout the day for creative projects (painting, play dough, etc.), unstructured outdoor play (yes, the play areas are wonderful!), music, reading, and visits with the resident chickens and other animals. Starting next month there will be time set aside for foreign language instruction (French or Spanish) and gardening. There is probably much more that we are not even aware of yet! Older children at the preschool are allowed the opportunity to interact and play with the younger ones, but only while closely supervised--care is taken to make sure that the interactions are not hurtful to the smaller parties. Anne

Re: Afternoon preschool programs
Duck's Nest on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland has an afternoon program called ''Newn Ducks'' that you might want to investigate. Both of my kids have attended Duck's Nest and we are pleased with the teachers and enrichment programs. - Parent

Re: "Traditional" school 2-3 mornings a week
I would like to recommend the Duck's Nest on Piedmont ave in Oakland. We recently moved to Danville & it was with great sorrow we moved our daughter to another school after 1 year and a half (she started at 2.)

I loved my daughter's teachers for the 2 classes she was in. I felt they were very engaged with all the kids & very interested in developing different projects. I believe the teacher turnover is low.

They offer fieldtrips. My daughter went to the beach, the little farm, and a retirement home (they sang) & loved it all. I'm not sure if they teach the alphabet (maybe in older classes), but they did things like ''science'' projects where they froze different objects & talked about their properties.

They have a nice facility with an outside play area. All in all, we loved the experience there & felt like they encouraged interaction between kids & helped to develop friendships. Email me if you want more info. Rosalind

Re: Preschools with good playgrounds
My daughter attends Duck's Nest preschool on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland, which comes very close to meeting all of your playground requirements. The school has a large and lovely outdoor space, with a nice wooden play structure and swings over bark chips, a paved area where kids can ride trikes, a nice garden that the children help tend, a large covered sandbox, a covered deck with a nice bench for quiet times, and tables in shaded areas for eating lunch and doing arts and crafts. The play area is completely enclosed by a 6-foot wood fence and fronts a quiet street next to Mountain View Cemetary (which the kids call ''The Meadow'' and which is a frequent destination for afternoon walks). There's even a rabbit and a chicken in the yard, whom the kids help feed and care for. The school is also one of the few true preschools that has a program for 2-year-olds (with a wonderful teacher, whom my now 3-year-old still adores and ''visits'' frequently). The only thing I'm not totally sure about is ''unrestricted'' access to the yard. The kids do spend a LOT of time out there, but I think that may be during designated times in the morning; the afternoon is much looser. Still, the school seems quite accomodating of individual needs, so I'm sure that if unrestricted outside time was a requirement, they would work with you on that (I'm pretty sure there's always at least one teacher outside at any given time.) Good luck! Leah

Re: preschool for 2-year-old

Both of my daughters attended (and one still attends) The Duck's Nest. They have a Duckling Room, which is for children who are two by September. They have a school in Berkeley, as well as in Piedmont. They have a wonderful morning program, and offer both part and full time care. The classes are small; for example, in my daughter's class there are on average eight or so children and three adults. I don't have the Piedmont phone number, but the Berkeley number is 527-2331. Open house is in January, I think, for September enrollment. If you want your child to attend in September, I would suggest finding out about the Open House NOW, as they fill up right away. Good Luck! Mary