This is such a wonderful “hidden gem” preschool. Play-based curriculum with a very low teacher-to-student ratio, an extremely loving staff, and an engaged parent community. They have recently expanded their hours and are offering a full-day program starting in fall 2023. Highly recommended! (Note: the preschool is affiliated with the attached church, but it is not a religious school.)
– Vance W. (2023)
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If you are reading this review, I am so excited for you because you are exploring a very special preschool! We have researched many preschools since moving to the Bay Area 6 years ago and we have found the best preschools to be ones that don’t have lots of students or big name recognition. St. Timothy’s Preschool is perfect for our youngest child for so many reasons – there is a consistent group of mixed age kids (2.9 – 5.11 years old) that attend every day (Monday-Friday) so the kids form relationships with each other and look out for each other, the school environment is spacious and includes two classrooms and a large outdoor space with a play structure and lots of materials for the kids to explore plus an adjacent garden, and the teachers are incredibly nurturing and have a tremendous respect for children and knowledge of child development and are committed to honoring each child and following his/her lead.
Our child is 3 and he absolutely loves going to school and he relishes reviewing the photos and videos shared with the parents by the school director each day. He is allowed to observe and dip his toe into various activities at his own pace and he has explored just about everything over the past few weeks. The St. Timothy’s Preschool community is warm and welcoming to all children and families and it is a place where children thrive. Consistent with their child-respecting philosophy, there is no pressure to potty train before readiness so kids who are of age but still in diapers or pull-ups are accepted equally. Please meet the director, and take a tour of the school. You will not regret it! Being part of the St. Timothy’s Preschool community has even made me a better, more responsive parent from observing how the teachers interact with the children at school.
– Heather O. (2022)
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Both my children have attended St Tim’s, one is there currently, and their experiences have been absolutely wonderful. The staff are dedicated, thoughtful and kind. I feel grateful every day I drop my daughter off because I know she will be nurtured and cared for in a way that is invaluable. She looks forward to school every day. This is truly a special place and the school director goes above and beyond to make early childhood education at St Tim’s the absolute best.
– Anna W. (2021)
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Our daughter has been attending St.Tim’s preschool. We are very happy here. The school is small (great for covid!), with teachers dedicated to a child-focused development & education model. We particularly enjoy reviewing pictures and videos at the end of the day, which show lots of laughter, friends and learning.
– Fern J. (2021)
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If I had to dream up a perfect preschool for my children it would be St. Timothy’s. This school is completely secular. The director and teachers are highly skilled, caring, and know so much about child development. I’ve learned so much about my son through them this year. Their conference notes were incredible! I feel like they know my son better than I do in some ways.
Every student/family that is there currently loves this school because the teachers make it about the kids. They have a gentle way of encouraging each child to develop their true self, and my son’s confidence in social situations has greatly improved. It is a wonderful student to teacher ratio with only 12 children! Also, the mixed age environment is very natural and appropriate for the children. They all seem to enjoy learning and teaching opportunities.
If you are looking for a creative, modern curriculum where children are allowed to be children, this is a school for you. Students are encouraged to explore their interests. The director is an extremely hard worker and arranges an evolving environment that encourages innovation and learning through play. I have been an elementary school teacher for years, and I wish that all elementary schools embraced the style of this preschool. There are no major behavioral problems because of the way students are engaged and allowed to explore, collaborate, and be themselves. The teachers are so good at working with them in a constructive manner, and the students truly love each other and their teachers.
– Andrea P. (2021)
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I’ve never encountered a more loving, joyful, and nurturing preschool than St. Tim’s. We joined in Fall 2020 because our almost-5-year-old son’s previous childcare never reopened after closing for COVID. St. Tim’s has been a wonderful experience and our son has grown so much just in the past six months. I am especially impressed with the director, who keeps everything running efficiently with great compassion and remarkably open communication. The teachers are also lovely and kind, and my son likes all of them.
St. Tim’s is a play-based school with an enticing variety of activities that vary from day to day. They do a lot of open-ended building and arts and crafts. They also play and work in the school garden, listen to and act out stories, explore musical instruments, and do many sensory activities such as play-dough and sandboxes. Academics are not pushed, but kids who are interested have ample opportunity to build their reading, writing, and math skills (my son’s skills have definitely improved in the few months that he’s been there). The teachers also pay close attention to gently nurturing social skills, and they have been able to report on my son’s progress in initiating group play, resolving conflicts, and so on. I can’t recommend St. Tim’s highly enough.
– Amber K. (2021)
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My son started St. Tim’s in the fall of 2019. He ABSOLUTELY loves it! Prior to moving to this area we have gone to other preschools and daycares, and so far nothing compares! He wants to be at school on his days off and that truly says something. What a great preschool experience to treasure for years to come!
– Lina J. (2020)
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My son absolutely loves this school. Before starting he was becoming averse to creative projects and seemed dependent on me coming up with ideas for activities. At St. Timothy’s he has learned how to create incredible things. In our fast past technological world the jobs of the future will be dependent on the human ability to be creative.
A machine can memorize math facts so why send your child to a school that drills silly “fundamentals” that they aren’t truly learning. Any person can train a child. It takes very creative and patient teachers to CULTIVATE a child’s curiosity and mind. And funny enough, my son is actually producing higher quality “academic” work than I found at ANY of the “play based” academic programs at other schools. He can write his name because he intrinsically wanted to, not because he was drilled in to it. Just last week he made a model of our Solar system (plus “The dwarf planet Pluto that used to be a planet” and “a star that died”) this was a self initiated project. The teachers helped him gather materials and were available if he needed help. I cannot think of any other school that would allow the creative process to happen that is not parent participation.
To top it all off St. Timothy’s helps develop true social skills, which again, are not skills a computer can replicate. There are still openings for the 2019-2020 so check it out!
BTW: even though this school is located at the church it has NO RELIGIOUS CURRICULUM. It is a TRULY PLAY BASED hidden gem. We are so happy we found it.
– Shelby. S (2019)
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St. Timothy’s has been a huge blessing for our family! Our son started when he had just turned 3 years old and has loved it ever since. He had always had a lot of trouble separating from me before starting the program, but the teachers were so supportive and understanding of his feelings. They helped him adjust and now he goes very willingly with no tears. We have seen our son thrive in his play, creativity, and social/emotional skills in attending St. Timothy’s.
The school uses an amazing emergent curriculum that has been exactly what our son needs! The teachers and director have true respect for the children, their ideas, needs, and feelings. They support learning actively and intentionally, and encourage decision-making and problem solving as much as possible so the children get to practice these important life skills. Play is a huge value in the school and they truly embrace this as a child’s most important work.
I couldn’t ask for a better set of teachers! I would highly recommend this AMAZING program!
– Christina A. (2019)
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We’ve had a wonderful experience at St. Timothy’s over the last three years. It’s really felt like a home for our family. The teachers have supported my daughter through some difficult phases and she has grown so much socially through her time here. They really deliver on the promise of being play based and child-led and the kids thrive in that environment.
– Megan C. (2019)
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We love St. Timothy’s Preschool! It has been a great experience for our daughter who started when she was three. The play based curriculum is wonderful and my child loves all the activities she can do. The school has a great outdoor space with a garden. They also have a music teacher who comes twice a week, which my daughter looks forward to every week. The teachers and director are very kind and caring. They are great at communicating and letting you know how your child is doing. We are a military family and my daughter sometimes has a hard time when my husband leaves for deployments. The teachers are very helpful during these times and allow my daughter to express her feelings and suggest activities to help her cope. I have always felt that this preschool is a safe environment for my child.
– Hilary L. (2019)
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Both my children go to St Tim’s and they love it there. Teachers are great and the school has a very play based approach which I like. Highly recommend!
– Patricia B. (2019)
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St. Timothy’s has wonderful, devoted teachers. They show the children love and respect. We love the emergent curriculum and the emphasis on social/emotional development. The parent community is kind and welcoming. They’ve really built something beautiful for the children and we couldn’t be happier to be part of it.
– Megan C.B. (2019)
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Our daughter attended St. Timothy’s preschool last year and loved it. We had just moved from Maryland and were looking and hoping to find a preschool she would be comfortable with and would also help her develop and prepare for kindergarten. St Tim’s accomplished this and more. The teachers are wonderful, patient, caring and instructive. We are now sending our 2 year old son here and he is also loving it. Thank you St. Timothy’s for the great work you do.
– Ed S. (2017)