Berkeley Parents Network: Rockridge Little School (Oakland, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network

Rockridge Little School (Oakland, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Preschools > Rockridge Little School

www.rockridgelittleschool.com

Feb 2009

Re: Preschool in Temescal/Piedmont Avenue/Rockridge
For those of you who have inquired about preschools in the Berkeley/ Oakland/ Rockridge area, I wanted to make sure you knew about Rockridge Little School (RLS). Two of our daughters have attended the school. We have had such a positive experience in their small family-like environment. RLS stands out from other preschools in the area by their commitment to helping the children learn, grow and express themselves through many creative outlets. Our family has found RLS to be a safe and happy place for preschoolers to explore and understand more about themselves and others. The teaching staff have a remarkable way of applying what they know about child development through unique and fun learning activities. For more information go to their website: http://www.rockridgelittleschool.com/ Katie

May 2008

Re: Full-Time Preschools in Oakland
Our preschool, Rockridge Little School (RLS), has one last- minute opening for a three year old, on a full or part-time schedule. Before choosing RLS, we looked at several schools in the area, and, after 3+ years at the school, I still believe the quality of care at RLS is outstanding. The classroom environment is very warm and relaxed, but also well organized. I don't have to worry that my children's needs (physical, emotional or social) will ever go unattended or slip lunder the radar.n The school's educational approach is play-based, with a great focus on interacting with others, and I am thrilled to find that my initially shy child has grown increasingly confident in her social and emotional self. Imve also observed that the RLS classroo's work well for many different kinds of kids because the teachers pay special attention to the temperament and personality of each individual kid, so the experience can be successful for that particular child. Wemve seen a great variety of enrichment opportunitiessmusic, dance, drama, language, and great parent participation (which is welcome, but not required). Feedback from the teachers is also excellentsany behavioral or developmental issues (or potential issues) were always brought to my attention in a timely, positive and supportive manner. In our experience, all the teachers have worked very well as a classroom team, each with something special to offer the kids, but note that Jackie, head teacher in the 4 year-old room, is truly exceptional-- a gem if ever there was one! As we prepare to move on to kindergarten, we are deeply appreciative of the time our child spent at RLS, and the individual attention she received there. (While it wasn't our family's focus, we are also completely confident that she has honed the lacademicn skills necessary to join a kindergarten class.) One final, noteworthy thing about RLS is that neither the parents or the children are asked to fundraise for the school. The focus stays on the kids, and the RLS community enjoys social events without pocketbook pressure. I highly recommend this school, and I am planning to send my youngest child there next year. www.rockridgelittleschool.com, 510.420.1200 RLS mom of two

March 2007

Re: Preschool spots for 4 year-olds?
Just wanted everyone to know that Rockridge Little School has some openings for fall (for kids aged 3.5 and older). RLS is an amazing play-based preschool with incredibly talented, loving, creative, and communicative teachers. My son has been enrolled there several months now and is thriving like never before--inspired, curious, and very comfortable in his environment. He and I are both secure in knowing that his teachers deeply care about him, and he is also gently challenged every day--they truly care about his future and go out of their way to help him grow. And the art projects at RLS are out-of-sight--once you walk through those doors, you'll never want to leave! I highly recommend the school for anyone looking for a loving, inspiring environment for their child---and you can learn more from RLS's wonderful website, www.rockridgelittleschool.com, or by contacting me with any questions. Good luck! Tiffany

February 2007

I visited Rockridge Little School and was impressed on the tour. I'm interested in reviews from parents in the 3 year old class. I know it's a new school so there's not too many parents out there, but would appreciate any feedback. I'm especially interested in finding a preschool where the teachers are really warm and loving, having had my child in one where there a little too much focus on discipline and not enough on giving hugs. Thank you! curious mom

My child currently attends Rockridge Little School. We have been very happy with our experience. The class size is a little on the large side (can be as much as 20 kids, depending on day of week) but there are 3 teachers in each room, which seems to work well. Kids can choose from a variety of projects and playmates, instead of the class being dominated by one or two outgoing children, as I have observed with smaller class sizes.

All the teachers at RLS are very warm and kind people, and their love of children shows. I continue to be impressed with the quality of activities that they provide - the art projects are outstanding (a wide variety of materials and mediums) and the environment is rich. I have visited a lot of preschools, and have personal experience with other types of programs. If you are turned off by the strictness/rigidity of some other preschool programs, you will probably be very pleased and comfortable with RLS. The children are free to explore whatever activities they choose, and at circle time they gather quietly and pay attention... it is a nice balance. My only gripe is that for some reason, they don't serve fruit for snack, just dry crackers and juice... which is less than I'd expect considering the relatively high tuition. mom of happy child

Rockridge Little School is an amazing play-based preschool with incredibly talented, loving, creative, and communicative teachers. My son has been enrolled there several months now and is thriving like never before--inspired, curious, and very comfortable in his environment. He and I are both secure in knowing that his teachers deeply care about him, and he is also gently challenged every day--they truly care about his future and go out of their way to help him grow. And the art projects at RLS are out-of-sight--once you walk through those doors, you'll never want to leave! I highly recommend the school for anyone looking for a loving, inspiring environment for their child---and you can learn more from RLS's wonderful website, www.rockridgelittleschool.com, or by contacting me with any questions. Oh, and they have some openings for fall (for kids aged 3.5 and older). Good luck! Tiffany

I started my 3 year old son there in November. After 3 half days, I pulled him out of the school and had to ask the daycare provider to take him back. This was after he experienced closure at the daycare, with a goodbye party and gifts, etc. and prepared him for what I hoped would be an exciting and happy experience at the new school. My son had some adjustment problems - he was moving from a small, intimate daycare into a larger, more stimulating environment. The school was unable or unwilling to deal with his normal preschool adjustment behavior. My son had problems napping and a few other problems. The director called me to pick him up on all 3 days! He was very upset when I picked him up. This experience was very confusing for my son, although he was happy to be back at his daycare. By the way, he had no problems adjusting to the daycare when he was 2 years old - my daycare provider remarked that he had the easiest adjustment she had seen in 30 years! Neither the director of Rockridge Little School, or the lead teacher, met with me to discuss these issues!! I got very little information about what provoked the bad behavior.

I was quite surprised to read the recent negative review of Rockridge Little School. Our son started in the 3-4 year old classroom in September and it was his first experience with preschool. He had a hard time adjusting for the first few weeks (crying, not interacting with other children, etc) and I felt his teachers handled the situation very professionally. They did not baby him, but watched to see what activities he especially enjoyed and steered him in that direction. They were gentle and caring throughout the process. I would call the school a few hours into the day and the director would give me an update on how he was doing (and it was obvious she had spent time in the classroom) and let him know I called. The communication was excellent.

After a few weeks my son adjusted and now loves going to school. In my opinion, and it seems to be shared by all the parents I've talked to, Rockridge Little School is a gem, and I feel very fortunate to have found it. I can't imagine a more nurturing, creative, joyful place to send my child for preschool - he has blossomed and gained so much self-confidence over the last 6 mo. I have never had a reason to question the competence or professionalism of the staff; they are truly dedicated and it shows. We have been incredibly happy with our experience at Rockridge Little School and I would recommend it without hesitation to anyone. Christa

I wanted to post another reply to the Rockridge Little School review as I had a completely different experience than the parent that replied negatively. We have been a part of the school since it's inception and have had a very positive experience. My child has developed positive relationships with the teachers and the other children. I was nervous about when my son started as he's a slow to warm/shy child but he was encouraged and made to feel welcomed. We went thru a difficult time while I was hospitalized with my second child and my son had a difficult adjustment and they spent time and accomodated my sons needs.

Communication is something the school is always working toward improving but I have found the director to be very open to feedback. She has insituted parent ideas that help make parents more informed and that also improve the school. I'm sorry the other parent had such a negative experience but there are those of us who have also had very positive experiences. Good luck in your search! Happy RLS parent

Oct 2006

I took a tour of Rockridge Little School and was very impressed by what I saw. We are considering sending our child there. However there aren't any recent reviews in the archives. Any impressions of the school from current parents? Thanks in advance! Oakland mom

I wanted to reply to your request for a recent review of Rockridge Little School from a current parent. My daughter has been at the school since it opened last September. We have had such a wonderful experience. The children just thrive with the art and play-based curriculum. Enrichment classes (dance, gymnastics, story telling, etc.) are an added bonus at no additional cost! Several of the teachers are bi-lingual so language is shared/taught in an informal manner. The play structure, sandbox, tricycles and playhouse in back are bit hits with the kids as well. I have included my e-mail address so feel free to contact me should you want any more information.
Andrea

Oct 2005

Our family is considering applying to Rockridge Little School for our preschooler, but it has only been up and running for a couple of months. Can any current parent comments on their experiences there so far? parent of a preschooler

Our daughter (age 3) started at RLS this fall and is loving it. It is her first-ever school experience (we didn't have day care) and I was apprehensive too, since it was a new and unknown quantity. So far I'm really pleased with the place. I think the director has done a terrific job of hiring outstanding teachers. Things were a little hairy at the start as everyone settled in, and there has been some shaking out of staff (a couple of part-timers were replaced in the older class), but I can't say it's adversely affected my child in any way. From what I've seen of the younger (2-year-old) class, they have extraordinarily fun and loving teachers. Everyone seems very happy in both classrooms when I visit. Cons? It's more expensive than several older, established area preschools. I imagine there's a lot of overhead in starting up a new school. But so far for us, the pros--especially an eager, enthusiastic staff full of ideas and goodwill--outweigh the drawbacks. happy mom

Our daughter is currently attending RLS. She absolutely loves it. The school is very well kept, there is a low teacher-student ratio and all the teachers are caring and warm. Two of the teachers in the 3-years-old class speak Spanish to our daughter (one is native speaker), which we appreciate, since our daughter is bilingual. There is also very good communication between the school and the parents. Happy RLS parent

We have nothing but good things to say about Rockridge Little School. Our daughter, in the three year old class, actually started crying when I came early one day- she was having such a lovely time and didn't want it to end. At home, she now pretends to be the teacher, and I and all of her stuffed animals are students. It's been sweet watching her grow just in the short time she's been there. The teachers communicate clearly with me and my daughter, and they and Holly, the director, have been very flexible with us, a good thing since my daughter had a little trouble adjusting in the beginnning. Hope this helps! Thanks. Michelle

March 2005

We are thinking of sending our child to Rockridge Little School and are curious what other parents impressions are of the school. We think the director seemes very nice and the space is very clean, bright and welcoming. The scheduling options are great too. Our concerns are around the newness of the program, the fact that there aren't teachers hired yet and the lacking of years of preschool experience that the program will have. It would really help our decision if we could get feedback from others who are considering the school as well. Thanks in advance!

We are currently considering the Rockridge Little School. We were very impressed with both the Director and the facility. There are a couple of issues that we keep turing over as we make our decision. One, they have not hired any teachers yet. It is hard to know what a program will look like when you can't meet any of the staff. We liked Holly and are trusting that she will hire staff like herself. Second - the tuition for the program is very high. They do not include lunch. This may be a deciding factor for us in whether or not we choose to attend. Interested in thoughts of others that are considering the program. anon

I had a similar experience with RLS and liked the director very much as well as the indoor space. I think the outdoor space still needs some work but it seems the director is willing to spruce it up. I am going to trust that the director will hire quality individuals to work at the school. One of the drawbacks for us is that it is quite expensive compared with most other preschools and doesn't offer a lunch program, field trips, or additional enrichment activies built in to the program. anon

We looked at several preschools for our 3 year old. Rockridge Little School really excited us for several reasons, mostly because of the director's philosophy on early childhood education. My husband and I really liked the idea of allowing the kids to show what they were excited about, what their interests were and that the educators were there to help them with those passions- discovering and learning the whole way. We did get into another more established school with a good reputation, and we thought long about our decision and the newness factor. But when it came down to it, we were really looking forward to the energy of the school. And we wanted to be apart of helping to build something- something vibrant. We feel we can really be included in starting this school. And, I'm happy that the director is encouraging healthy snacks and treats, especially for birthdays, (how many cupcakes can a kid have every month?) I like that she is flexible, taking parts of Waldorf, Montessori, etc., and she has opened other schools before this one. She knows what goes into the entire process, and I trust, as I would at any other school, that she will hire teachers that are in line with her philosophy. The director's attitude with children and the school is not 'This is how it is,' it's 'Let's try that.' And that is exciting. Hope that helps. Thanks. Michelle

I am currently a Head Teacher at a preschool in Oakland. I know the director of the Rockridge School, from when she hired me to teach dance to children and teens with developmental disabilities at an after school program in Berkeley. She was the program director for this site.

She is a well-respected, intelligent, compassionate and straightforward individual. I have seen Rockridge Little School and find it to be developmentally appropriate with the various tools she provides for the children to promote learning as well as emotional and social growth.

I also intend on coming in to teach yoga and creative movement at Rockridge Little School this year. I understand your concerns as a parent. I am the parent of a three year who attends the preschool where I work, in a different classroom. Of course one of the greatest concerns are the teachers. I know Holly will personally ensure the quality of her program and hire capable and experienced staff. Since I am a teacher, I especially understand what makes an excellent school. The director of Rockridge Little School shares my values and will bring great energy to this school in which she has made a personal investment.

I have a previous commitment at my current school, but I am also making a commitment of time and support to this director in any way possible. Michelle

I also looked at the Rockridge Little School and am excited to be enrolling my child. I met with the Director and was extremely impressed. I guess I can understand someone's reservation about the newness; however, I am looking at it a whole other way. The fact that it is new and that my input is being considered is very inspiring.

I have an older child and still have nightmares about how she was treated at a pre- school that was older and suppose to have been well established. I am pleased to know that my thoughts and experiences are being heard and I am able to help create the best environment possible for my child. I looked into the Director's background and found out that she has won awards for her leadership, one from the city of Berkeley. She has a masters degree in the field, is a mother herself, and obviously has a heart for children. The school may be new, but she has over 20 years of experience working with children. The facility couldn't be better, it's not tired and worn like a few others that I looked at. From what I was advised the key staffing is underway, and it's a huge priority to hire the right people so I'm glad they are taking the time to do so. I am relieved to have a better option for preschool this time around. anonymous

Feb 2005

hey all you fabulous moms out there:

It's preschool season, and if you're like me, you've been visiting tons of schools and signing up for waiting lists and paying application fees. Ack!!

I wanted to let you know about a fabulous new preschool, The Rockridge Little School, that is opening this fall, and still has spaces! The school is in the heart of Rockridge on College Avenue, and I highly recommend the program.

Here's a little more about the school - It's an enriched preschool for kids 2.5 through 5, that offers 8:30-5:30 hours (or fewer). There are two classrooms with 20 kids each, and each classroom has three teachers. The space is beautiful - located in an old Julia Morgan building with big windows, a nice outdoor area, tons of toys and art tables and a kitchen area and cubbies.

My good friend Holly is the owner/director, and under her leadership, I'm sure this place is going to be incredible. Holly is a smart woman with a generous heart, a wonderful mom to Bella, her three year old, and one of my best friends. She is currently the director of Ala Costa, a program for disabled kids, and has worked in non-profits for 20 years. I absolutely trust her ability to create an ideal preschool!

The Rockridge Little School will have a few open houses, and I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you want to check the school or it's website out, please contact:

Holly Gold, Director, Rockridge Little School
510.420.1200
holly AT rockridgelittleschool.com
www.rockridgelittleschool.com

sarah

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