Laura Vicuna prek is truly incredible. I can't say enough thing about the staff, program, community. I've had all three kids go through their program. they came out so well rounded, polite, kind and more than ready for kindergarten. and that's just the school part. the community is what also sets it apart. we've used three different programs at various ages, each as come and go as the next. but laura Vicuna truly becomes a family. read more

We couldn't be happier with our experience at this Pre-K school. From day one, the staff has been incredibly kind, helpful, and supportive--not only to our child, but to our whole family. The learning is truly hands-on and engaging. My child has learned so much through creative projects, dance class, yoga, physical education, and even cooking activities ‍. Every day feels thoughtfully planned, fun, and developmentally meaningful. Most importantly, my child absolutely loves this school. The sense of community is warm and welcoming, and it truly feels like a second family. Jessyca, Diana, Lauren and all the teachers assistant are beyond wonderful. They are loving, patient, sweet, and passionate about what they do. I honestly couldn't have dreamed of a better Pre-K experience for my child. I'm so grateful we found this school. read more

We stumbled upon Laura Vicuna while looking for a preschool in the area and am so glad we found this gem in the North Beach neighborhood. My son attended Laura Vicuna for Pre-K 3 and 4, and he had a wonderful experience there. The director Barbara Simons and her staff are professional, responsive to your concerns, and keep you updated with your child's progress daily. Not only do they have years of experience working with young children, but they are also friendly and approachable, and you can tell that they truly care for the children, their development and well-being. My son was enrolled at the height of Covid, and the staff truly went above and beyond to make the experience as enjoyable and adaptable as possible. The curriculum is well-rounded, and a variety of activities keep the children engaged, from alphabet and art projects to Italian class and yoga out in the yard. There are multiple activity tables that encourage the children to explore and express their creativity. Several times a year, the class will take walks to the local playground or post office that engage the children with the community. As an added benefit, through his daily interaction with his peers and teachers, my son also has learned the importance of manners and following directions, communicating effectively, and conducting himself properly in social settings. The transition to Saints Peter and Paul for Kindergarten is also seamless, if that is a consideration. I would not hesitate to recommend Laura Vicuna to prospective families looking for a preschool. read more

My husband and I have 2 girls both below 4... we enrolled our 3 year old last January at Laura Vicuña Pre-K after 6 months of being enrolled in another preschool and after much research. I connected with the school last December (2022) for a meeting and tour of their facilities, and Mrs Barbara Simons (Director) answered the call and in a few days she welcomed me and my husband (and both girls, came with us as well) to their school. We met with Mrs Simon and immediately felt a sense of trust and appreciation of her knowledge, she is the one that started the Preschool in association with St Paul and Peter s church more than 35 years ago. She told us about the school while showing us the activity rooms and introduced us to the teacher Ms Jessyca. While touring, a young girl came towards us as she was curious about our daughters and Ms Jessyca asked another of the girls to welcome our eldest. The two girls then held her hand and brought her to sit in one of the armchairs in the "library" area where they began opening books and looking at the illustrations together.. that was enough for me to understand it was the right place for our daughter! She was instantly comfortable with the other kids and the other kids looked very active and full of initiatives while following the instructions of the teacher and the teacher's assistant. We then and there enrolled our eldest in the school and she has come to truly love the school, Ms Jessyca, Ms Lucia (teacher assistant), Mrs Simons and all her friends there! They do so many activities that when she comes home she is excited to show me what she learned, especially about learning how to write letters. They do so many art projects, once a week they have an Italian language session with Mr Buongiorno, they have sisters from the parish that come to read stories, they go to the library for readings, she is never bored there and she comes home happy every day! Something that I personally enjoy as well is they use uniforms which helps in having less tantrums and "morning disagreements". Obviously she still like to identify herself with small accessories like different hairstyle, ribbons, bracelets and shoes. We have come to truly love Laura Vicuña Pre-K as it has helped our daughter in socializing (improving her communication and awareness of others), learn new motor and language skills, and sparked her curiosity with field trips and imaginative play in the courtyard (they use large foam blocks to encourage the kids to develop their own obstacle course). As parents we have also gained a sense of community through the numerous programs and events they have for the families and above all feel that the teachers and staff at the school genuinely care and enjoy working with the kids. We truly love this school. read more

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Our son attended Laura Vicuna for Pre-K 3 & 4 and was very well prepared for Kindergarten. The teachers and staff were loving and cared for every student. We watched his other classmates thrive. We also noticed the attentiveness to every student at all learning levels especially as 3 year olds. We would be happy to chat with any prospective parent looking at the school for their child. read more

I have nothing but good words for this school. When I was looking for a preschool for my daughter, I did a lot of online research with the intent to find the "best" one for her. I narrowed down my options to two schools. One is a school that is just a few blocks away from my office and the other is Laura Vicuña. Unfortunately, the other school didn't work out for us. We went in for a TK assessment at the other school and my daughter who had zero social interaction outside of family at 3 years old due to COVID restrictions froze and got so scared when she saw a nun for the first time. I knew I had to find another school so I reached out and called. I believe Ms. Phung (one of the teachers) took my phone call and Mrs. Simons, the director, called me back shortly after. When I asked if there was any assessment needed so I can prepare my child, she asked me, "What do you mean by assessment?" and she went on to explain to me how they welcome every student and how they have guided learning and play during the day. I told her about how my child speaks two languages but was not comfortable conversing in English yet and that she has not started writing yet, she told me not to worry and that's what they were there for. When we finally went to do a school tour with our child, I knew she liked it! The classroom was very inviting and some kids were trying to welcome her already. The classroom is decorated with works done by the kids themselves. The over-all vibe is very welcoming but you know that there is structure -- as also explained by Mrs. Simons. I have always wanted to have my daughter in a school that is play-based in approach but will also provide academic development and Catholic teachings and I am so glad I found it in this school! While this is a Catholic school, everyone is welcome and respected. One of my biggest raves about this school (I have a LOT) is that their communication is TOPNOTCH. They are very responsive be it via e-mail or their SUPER AMAZING Brightwheel app. This is literally THE BEST THING ever. As a parent, you use this to check your child in at drop-off and check out at pick-up using a QR code you scan in school (you have your own security code = safety), pay for tuition, communicate with teachers for anything (questions, clarifications, feedback, etc) through a Messenger-like chat interface, and the best part -- here you go parents, they send you pictures and videos of your child throughout the day so you know what they are up to. They also send a note at the end of every day to summarize what they did in school. This serves as very good talking points when connecting with your kids after school and also to reinforce what they learned should you wish to do so. The teachers are equally amazing! They are some of the most level-headed and most caring people on this planet! They help foster good social interactions among the kids and develop fundamental skills at the same time. They are also warm and friendly and very approachable. If you have questions, just ask any of them and they will definitely have (or get) an answer for you. My child LOVED every moment in Pre-K and she looked forward to going to school everyday. She is typically described as the reserved type but in their little community, she comes out of her shell and always has a lot of fun stories at the end of the day. They reinforce good values and good decision-making even at their age without being super authoritarian. I used to tell my husband how Mrs. Simons, after 35 years in Pre-K, has already mastered everything there is about Pre-K. They are able to cater to the needs of both parents (who are most likely just getting used to being away from their kids and wanting the best for them in a safe and fun learning environment) and to the kids who they're laying down the building blocks for. Oh, and their curriculum! They do a lot of singing, reading, sharing in class, art, neighborhood visits, garden and playground time, and Italian AND yoga! My daughter (and I) still does Cosmic Kids at home! They also have fun season-related activities that get every child engaged like Halloween, Santa visit, etc. They also celebrate the kids' birthdays but I love how they just try to keep every celebration simple. They have a dance class where kids get to join the bigger school community. Oh and they have 8th grader buddies too! One of the best decisions I made for my child was to send her to this school. I personally give a lot of value to my child's formative years and Laura Vicuña Pre-K definitely has proven to be the BEST partner to raise good and academically ready kids. It provides an environment that definitely nurtures an early love for learning without sacrificing talent and skills development. It is held together by kind educators whose hearts are big enough to care for both kids and parents alike. Send your littles to Laura Vicuña K! You will love every moment! I, personally, could not have asked for a better Pre-K. read more

I can't say enough about the Laura Vicuna Pre-K program. Our son has been there for 2 years and has loved every moment. He adores his teachers and friends at school. He learns something new every day and comes home with tons of fun stories. Albeit in the middle of a global pandemic, school staff manages to keep things fun and exciting for the kids. I'm really proud of how staff has performed in this environment! Barbara Simon provides stellar leadership and a well-structured program. All members of the teaching staff are pure love, dedication and commitment. There is also a genuine sense of community at the school between parents, as well as staff. If any parent is struggling to find a good program, don't hesitate to consider Laura Vicuna. I'd be happy to speak with anyone with questions! read more

We enrolled our daughter over a year ago at Saints Peter and Paul's ("SSPP") Pre-K program (aka Laura Vicuna) in North Beach, San Francisco. For full disclosure, we live in the neighborhood and we can walk to and from school which did factor into our decision making process. Another big factor was that once enrolled in the school's Pre-K program, it was almost guaranteed that our daughter could continue in SSPS's kindergarten through 8th grade, thus eliminating the need for our daughter to adjust to a new environment, new friends, etc. We can confirm that our daughter has been accepted in the school's kindergarten program, for which we are excited, meaning that she can continue to see her friends and her teachers. Over a year ago, we attended SSPP's and Laura Vicuna PreK's open house day to learn more about the school and their Pre-K program in particular, meet the teachers, talk to the program director and tour the classrooms. We were also lucky to have been introduced to other parents, through friends of ours, whose kids were students at SSPS and were previous students of the Laura Vincuna Pre-K school, to get the unbiased "inside scoop". Overwhelmingly, the feedback was very positive. We quickly noted that the school is very organized, not only from the layout of the classrooms, but also in terms of communication; to this date, this is one aspect that we appreciate very much. The Director, Mrs. Simons and her teachers are friendly, approachable and genuine and our daughter seemed to immediately take a liking to the environment. Fast forward a year later, and with all the challenges brought on by the pandemic, we are convinced more than ever that the move to SSPS and the Laura Vicuna's Pre-K program, was the right one for our daughter and for us for the following reasons: 1) Communication by the school has always been proactive, open and honest. 2) The program's Covid-19 protocols are impressive and the virus is taken very seriously. 3) When the pandemic hit, the school immediately switched to Zoom classes which were very impressive; keeping an active toddler engaged for 2 hours is truly a feat! Kudos to the teachers, as this was challenging to them as well and they did it seemingly effortless! 4) Now that in person learning has resumed, our daughter is happy and excited to go to school every day and has made many friends over the course of last year. 5) Classrooms are small, i.e. limited to 12 students, allowing for each student to receive a lot of attention. 6) Our daughter's skills have improved at every level, be it writing, counting, knowing her home address, the days of the week, months of the year, shapes, forms, etc. 7) The teachers read stories which are then discussed by the students, some of their art projects are so cute, you will want them framed! 8) What we also like is that her class has little field excursions, i.e. they walk to a nearby bakery and everyone gets a small cookie, they may walk through the adjacent Washington Square Park during an afternoon, they celebrate the seasons and holidays through reading, art and play. 9) Every Tuesday and Thursday they have gym class which we think is so important for their health as well as motor skills. Overall, we feel the communication from the top has been open, honest and pro-active, never reactive. Our daughter is happy to go to school and she has developed quite a bit in the past year, some of which we very definitely attribute to the wonderful teachers at SSPS. We always got the impression that the teachers genuinely love the kids and are interested in their development. They are not just showing up to work, they are enthusiastic, patient, energetic and gentle but firm. Mrs. Barbara Simons, Laura Vicuna PreK's Director, started this school over 30 years ago. Her teaching staff includes alumni students whom she taught when they were young. That speaks the volumes when your returning students come back to teach at their alumni with their own teachers. We have no regrets about putting our daughter in SSPS's Laura Vicuna PreK program and wholeheartedly recommend this school. read more

I am so disappointed I didn't find this preschool sooner. My youngest started the 4s program and we have been blown away from day one. The director (Barbara Simmons) is professional, responsive, and very attentive to each family. I have had two children in various preK programs in San Francisco (we went through a few Bright Horizon locations as they keep closing facilities) and I am so impressed with the quality of the teaching at Laura Vicuna. My daughter has had more educational activities at Laura Vicuna in one day than in a month at her prior preschool (not to mention that the prior preschool was much more expensive). The teachers send a well-written and detailed narrative with photographs every day to keep you updated. I highly recommend this preK program. read more

I can't say enough great things about Laura Vicuna Pre-K. Our daughter had the most wonderful experience in the Pre-K 4 program and went on extremely well-prepared for kindergarten. The administration and staff are excellent! The curriculum is infused with play-based learning, creative arts, early reading and math skills, and physical education (umm yoga for preschoolers, yes please). Children learn how to follow rules, play together, and learn in a loving and caring environment. They go on to excel in their elementary education. The pre-k is attached to a larger school which offers k-8 education - making the application process to kindergarten a breeze. If you're looking for a gem of a preschool in the heart of San Francisco, look no further than Laura Vicuna Pre-kindergarten. read more

Mrs Simons and the teachers at Laura Vicuna are amazing both in and out of the classroom. Our daughter attended Pre-K and would talk constantly about all the amazing and fun activities either at school or in the NB community. We cannot wait for our second to join the Laura Vicuña family!! We would recommend this pre-k program to any family. read more

I love this Pre-k and I went to school here when i was little girl. They have the best teachers for your children!! I also teach there over 15 years!! They have the best coworkers to tech your child!! read more

We LOVE Laura Vicuña Pre-K. After a long and far-reaching search, we finally decided to send our 4 year-old to Laura Vicuña, and we're so glad that we did! Our daughter has been attending for nearly a year, and she is absolutely thriving! Mrs. Simons has been teaching at Laura Vicuña for years, and it shows - in the best way possible. Mrs. Simons and her staff are very well organized, and the students are busy learning and playing all day long. The student/teacher ratio is low, and there are always at least 3-4 teachers in the classroom at any time. They learn their letters, numbers, colors, and shapes (of course), but there's so much more than that, too! They sing. They read stories together, and the nuns even teach some religious lessons, too! The students put on several performances each year, too. Oh and did I mention the yoga, gardening, PE, and dance class? Phew! The kids are always learning and thriving! My daughter loves it so much that she begs to go everyday! If you're considering a PreK for your youngster, please, please consider Laura Vicuña. I know that you'll be glad you did! They have 2 classrooms now, and the kids can start at age 3. It's such a warm, welcoming community, too. The parents are close knit, so there are always lots of opportunities to get to know your child's classmates (and their parents, too!). read more

Amazing school! Can't speak highly enough about the staff and school. Our daughter had a fantastic year at Pre 4K. Barbara and the entire teaching staff do a tremendous job getting to know each student and building out a great schedule for the children. Highly recommend but Laura Vicuna and Sts Peter and Paul school. Our daughter loved it there!!! read more

Laura vicuña's staff has to be one of the best in the city. The entire staff is compassionate and caring towards the children, as well as the parents. ... (we need some love too during such a big adjustment of sending our little ones to school for the first time). The children have a ton of fun while at the same time being prepared to enter kindergarten- and they are more than ready at the end of Pre K 4. If you are looking for a Pre K - I highly recommend Laura Vicuna. read more

We have had two children come through this extraordinary program, and both kids came out of it ready to tackle Kindergarten. A great mixture of learning to take instruction, follow rules, have fun and all done in a very loving environment. Barbara Simons are her entire staff are jewels of the City in my opinion. read more

We had just moved to San Francisco and were hearing about how hard the search for a good preschool is when I read about Laura Vicuña. We researched a bunch of schools and finally decided to apply here and at a popular immersion program. We chose to go here instead. It was my daughter's first time away from us and she flourished here. She made friends and learnt so many new things- Numbers, art, nature, science, Italian, yoga and she read lots of books. Their field trips, robot parade, Christmas show, Chinese New Year parade, walkathon, garden visits, bazaar and good bye parties were all amazingly planned and so thoughtful. This school will give your child a sound beginning and make them independent. The teachers really care about your kids. The principal Ms Simons was flexible in the beginning and stayed in touch over text and even made a half day attendance exception for us until we adjusted. When I went back to work, the staff was exceptionally supportive and helped me through that process. This school gave us a family in a new city and helped us navigate a year of ups and downs. We couldn't have chosen a better place. We also love Ms. Phung who is amazing and teaches the 4s. read more

Wonderful program! I love Mrs. Simon and all her assistants . I have two children in the program and would do it all over again. They are very hi-tech. The kids work on I-pad and do lots of creative projects beside learning their ABC. Manners and Safety ect... I would recommend this to very one that wants their children to be discipline and be a good citizen. read more

What a great school. We couldn't be happier that we were able to get our son into this Pre-K school early in the year. Surprised at how easy the transition for him was and how much he loved going to school each day. I'll also mention how wonderful the whole community at this school has been. Mrs. Simons is amazing and helped us identify a hearing issue that would have gone unnoticed otherwise. Very excited for him to continue at Saints Peter and Paul Kindergarten next year. Side note...we did the After School Care where we picked him up at 5:30 which was very convenient. read more

We absolutely love the community we found at the Laura Vicuña pre-k program. Our son attended last year and has since moved up to the kindergarten program. Our daughter started in the pre-k3 program last year and is now Mrs. Simons' pre-k4 classroom. She loves it and gets involved in the day from the moment she's dropped off and sits with other kids at her table. The teachers, the staff, the children and families are such a joy and so nice. read more

My daughter absolutely loves it. She's excited to go to school everyday. This is largely due to her wonderful teachers that make it a really positive experience for her. They truly care about the kids and focus on developing their strengths and individuality. They work on their interaction skills and help them to communicate their thoughts. Also, help them understand and respect others differences. The teachers are really on top of things and communicate regularly with us parents. I couldn't possibly say enough wonderful things about them and their program. Thank you!! read more

The school is amazing. My daughter was in a preschool before going to Pre-K at Laura Vicuna. This program is outstanding in comparison (and I really liked the other school too). I believe what makes it so outstanding is the caliber of teachers. They are smart, funny, enthusiastic, and extremely organized! read more

We have sent 3 out of 4 of our kids and we love Laura Vicuna; Mrs Simons and her staff are just wonderul. My children are less then easy and she is always willing to go the extra mile to learn who they are. It is a very student-centered environment. If you're planning on going to Sts Peter and Paul's School this is a great introduction. Mrs Simons and her staff truly truly care about the children and their families. I highly recommend this Pre K without reservation! read more

Our son loves this school. We were new to San Francisco when he started there, and the entire staff made us feel welcome, oriented to the community, and right at home. They really work to instill a "love of learning" and it shows - our son seems more and more curious every week. The staff/student ratio is very good and the teachers here all seem to approach their work with humor and patience. They also have a lot of planned field trips around North Beach, and the school really feels like an integral part of the community. The other families are wonderful too. We have met some very nice friends as a result of our time at Laura Vicuna. Highly recommended!!! read more

We have been nothing but happy with the program at Laura Vicuna Pre-Kindergarten. We researched many preschools in the City and along the peninsula - the curriculum, community, and sense of family and tradition absolutely won us over hands down. The entire staff at Laura Vicuna have continued to be a part of my child's life as he has moved up in higher grades at Saints Peter and Paul. This program sets the foundation for a solid education and a genuine sense of community. read more

My daughter attended two years of PreK at Laura Vicuna. Mrs. Simons and her staff are amazing, both with the children and their families. There is a true sense of community in the school. The PreK children connect not just with each other, but with the K-8 students as well. Academically they are very well prepared for Kindergarten. The program is very well rounded. There is a good blend of tech and low-tech teaching styles. There are neighborhood field trips as well as weekly trips to work in the school garden. The transition to Kindergarten at Sts. Peter and Paul is almost seamless. I could not be more happy with our experience here. read more