• Owner: Zamahara Berkov-Rojas
• Phone: (510) 724-1724
• Email: lcbms@sbcglobal.net
• Neighborhood: Pinole/Hilltop
• Zip: 94564
• License #: 073400781
• Capacity: 45
• Website: http://www.la-casita.org/
• Bilingual: Spanish
• Ages: 2.5 years through kindergarten

My son has just finished his first year at La Casita Bilingue Montessori and we are looking forward to a second year! The entire staff is warm, friendly and genuinely cares about each kid, and I've been impressed with the amount of attention each individual child receives. The curriculum is great and promotes cultural diversity, an appreciation for nature, science and language. There is a seamless flow between Spanish and English so both native English and Spanish speaking kids/parents feel comfortable. The classrooms are set up well and the play ground and garden area is really nice. There are great field trips throughout the year as well. Patty

Re: Pre K schools
I highly recommend La Casita Bilingue Montessori in Pinole. My daughter has been attending the school for the past two years and has been thriving there. She will be going off to kindergarten in the Fall. We have been very pleased with the school. The curriculum is well rounded and emphasizes diversity/cultural competence, science, the natural world, and eco-consciousness. The teachers are well trained, dedicated, warm, and caring. There has been zero turnover in the staff since we have been attending. The school is a nice size (not too big, not too small) and there is a real sense of community. Also plenty of opportunity for parental/family involvement. They have a lovely facility. (They sublet space from a church but have no affiliation to the church.) The classroom spaces are nice, and they have a wonderful play ground and garden area.

They have two classrooms. The ''Caterpillar'' room for the younger kids and the ''Butterfly'' class for the older preschoolers and kindergartners. Since the Butterfly class is mixed ages, it might be a good fit for your child.

Even if you are not sure you are interested in a bilingual preschool for your child I would encourage you to check it out. It's a hidden gem in Old Town Pinole. Amy

Re: Bilingual Montessori Schools
the only bilingual montessori i know of is la casita bilingue in pinole. it's a preschool w/ a bridge-k/kindergarden. we loved the teacher, gloria, and all the aides. a sweet bunch w/ lots of extra-curricular stuff too. bilingual mom

Re: July Bday boy not ready for Kindy... alternatives?
la casita bilingue in pinole has a small kindergarden/bridge-k program. it is a montissori program so the kids get a lot of fine motor training along w/ some freedom to choose their own activity. there are lots of field trips, special programs like ceramics, yoga, music and a flamenco teacher. they also have a nice play area w/ a garden that the kids help out w/. all the teachers are native spanish speakers and the head teacher, gloria, is certified to teach kinder. it's pretty affordable--especially compared to places like step one--and there are part-time options available. some of the kids i knew in the bridge-k whem my son was there went on to kindergarden. others did so well during the year that their parerts started them in first grad. three of the kids are now in the dual immersion program at washington. a lot can happen in a year, even in a week at this age. it's nice to have an option. good luck! fan of la casita/pinole

I just wanted to be sure BPN readers knew about La Casita Bilingue Montessori Preschool in Pinole (it also has Kindergarten and wrap around child care). It is a great place and definitely worth checking out if you're making decisions. They have flexible hours for working parents, great parent involvement, and fabulous teachers with low turnover. This year, the director is able to focus on those activities full- time and a fabulous lead teacher has taken over with the younger children. The lead teacher with the older children has been there for many years and is a gem. The children learn a great deal (my son did very well on Fall testing at elementary school) and they love it there. Plus, it is bilingual,providing both English and Spanish exposure. I'd be happy to share more information if anyone has specific questions. The school's contact information is: 592 Tennent Avenue, Pinole, California 94564 Tel: (510) 724-1724. landj

Re: Spanish preschools
Please check out La Casita Bilingue Montessori Preschool in Pinole (it also has Kindergarten and wrap around child care). It is a great place and definitely worth checking out if you're making decisions. They have flexible hours for working parents, great parent involvement, and fabulous teachers with low turnover. This year, the director is able to focus on those activities full- time and a fabulous lead teacher has taken over with the younger children. The lead teacher with the older children has been there for many years and is a gem. The children learn a great deal and they love it there. They just don't ''teach'' spanish an hour a day, the school functions in a bilingual environment all day where the children are constantly hearing and learning spanish. The children at the school have various levels of spanish experience, some are bilingual coming in, some are only english speaking, and some are only spanish speaking. Children are taught to respect each other and the environment. Healthy eating habits are discussed and encouraged and outdoor play in the ''garden'' is also a part of the daily routine. The school's contact information is: 592 Tennent Avenue, Pinole, California 94564 Tel: (510) 724-1724. La Casita Mom

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