Website: http://www.la-casita.org/

Editor note: there is a preschool in Albany that has a similar name: La Casita

Re: Need a kind Preschool for a 2.9 year old boy
Please consider a visit to La Casita Bilingual Montessori School in Pinole. My daughter is in her second year there, and due to low enrollment (the economy I think - no reflection on the school) they have room in their classroom and in their hearts for additional students. They have a pre-school, pre-K and kindergarden program. Their phone number is 510-724-1724 ask for Ceci or Zama to schedule an appointment.

My daughter attends La Casita Bilingue Montessori in Pinole, CA. (Not to be confused with the home-based preschool in Albany.) It is a wonderful school run by Zama (director) and her dedicated and warm staff. The Pre-K/Kindergarten teacher (Gloria) is a joy! She is caring, smart and inspires her assistants and the children. My daughter has learned not only academics, but environmental and social knowledge. She is thriving there and comes home every day with some new discovery she wants to tell me about. We are a non-Spanish speaking household, so it is a bonus to see my daughter understanding Spanish and hear her speaking with the proper accent.

They have 2 summer sessions coming up and are accepting Fall 2009 applications. If you are looking for a small, caring, little gem of a school, please consider La Casita Bilingue Montessori in Pinole. You will be so glad you did. http://www.la-casita.org/ Jannine

There is a rumor going around that La Casita Bilingue Montessori (LCBM) school will be closing their doors. I am a parent of a child who is currently enrolled there and this is not true. LCBM is open and currently accepting enrollment for summer school and fall 2009. I believe the confusion is between LCBM (in Pinole) and a La Casita (Rosa Jaramillo in Albany). Both are preschools but very different not just in location. LCBM is a wonderful school and I am very happy I found it for my son. This is our third preschool in a short time frame. My son outgrew his first school (home based, Montessori taught) and the second turned out to be the worst decision we made. Thankfully Zama and the other teachers at LCBM are helping to correct all the bad teaching they did there. LCBM have very lovely, caring, patient teachers. I would highly recommend LCBM to anyone. In addition, they practice healthy habits through their outdoor garden and nutritious snacks. Karen

We are trying to decide on a preschool/montessori school in the Pinole/Hercules area for our 2.5 year old. Has anyone heard anything about schools in the area? Does anyone have information about La Casita Bilingue Montessori in Pinole? M

Re: Bilingual (Spanish-English) preschool?
I know this is not in the Concord area, but maybe you come out this way for work... Our youngest daughter attends an absolutely wonderful bilingual Montessori preschool/kindergarten in Pinole. It is called La Casita Montessori, and is run by an extremely dedicated woman from Costa Rica, who not only places an emphasis on language, but also on many ecologic subjects. The Costa Rican rain forests are of particular interest to her, for obvious reasons. Being a Montessori school, there is some focus on academic subjects, but certainly plenty of typical preschool activities as well. The children clearly love being at school, and the staff is some of the best I've seen. The contact info is: 592 Tennent Ave Pinole, CA 94564 (510) 724-1724 Loraine