Mills College Children's School is an absolute gem and a truly transformative environment for children and families alike. The teachers and staff are incredibly supportive, creating an inclusive and diverse community where every child and family feels welcomed and valued. Their ability to meet each child where they are--both in terms of needs and abilities--is unmatched. The educators here are first-rate, highly educated, and deeply dedicated to their craft. They foster an environment where children can blossom socially, emotionally, and academically. Every child is seen, supported, and celebrated, which allows them to build confidence and thrive in all aspects of their development. The care and thoughtfulness that go into every interaction and every element of the program are evident. I feel so privileged to have my child--and myself--be part of this extraordinary community. Mills College Children's School is a place where children and families grow together, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! read more

My child is in their first year here and we are blown away by the thoughtfulness the teachers put into every detail of the students' surroundings and the variety of creative activities my kid gets to choose from in following their interests to see where it leads. This school really does feel like a community that's aligned with our values as a family. I also appreciate that parents at MCCS are encouraged to participate in making learning fun and helping in different ways. I've guest read books to the children and am planning to lead a craft activity in a few weeks. My kiddo looks forward to those moments together. I also really appreciate how I can tap my kid's teacher for advice on how to handle different challenging behaviors when they arise (as a fairly newbie parent). I'd recommend the school again and again. read more

Mills College Children's School - Elementary Schools Near Me - Oakland, California

My son started in the kindergarten class and is now a 5th grader. My daughter started in the blue room (if I remember the color correctly!). And so far our experience has great! We really couldn't think of a better school that would nurture them as individuals and build a strong academic foundation. Mills really focuses on building socio-emotional skills. My kids often came home talking about the brain and how they were in their "reptilian brain" and what they could do to get centered. As a parent who is in the education field, I can't tell you how important this is to building skills that will allow them to self-regulate and to understand what's going on internally with them. I'm a high school administrator in a public school and I can tell you that the biggest challenge I see with students that academically struggle is their inability to self-regulate and access the part of their brain where executive skills are at. I'm so glad that both my kids could come here. I know that they have a strong foundation to succeed in middle and high school and beyond! Did I also mention how beautiful the campus is! Teachers take full advantage of this. read more

My child is enrolled in their second year at Mills and I can't believe how lucky we are to have found a school that is inclusive, safe, community-oriented and committed to supporting the whole child. When we applied, Mills was the only school that could guarantee my child would be safe as a Black, non-binary human. Families are welcome to be present and encouraged to participate in daily classroom activities, projects and units. Each Friday, there is a coffee circle to promote community between parents and I look forward to it each week. Teachers and administrators are responsive to our needs and any questions we have. I have been an educator for almost 20 years and I knew my child wouldn't thrive in a large class size with the typical rank and file/ militaristic way in which children and adults have to be to be on pace with lessons Mills is not that and it's beautiful. You'll find: small class sizes, children playing (the best!!) teachers who are highly valued and able to be flexible to provide deep learning while responding to the needs of children. There is an active culture of engaging for critical thinking to dismantle systems of oppression. Mills is a gem. I know my child is loved for who they are and they are safe to just "be". Due to this, my child feels safe to take academic and social risks that she wouldn't have before entering. "I love school", "I love my friends", "I can't wait for ____" are regular statements in our household. How lucky are we?! read more

My daughter came up through their daycare, from the youngest room all the way to starting at a new school, and my son is currently at the beginning of his MCCS journey. I can tell that my daughter learned skills and attributes at school beyond what we as parents coached; she is so patient and sweet and considerate. She tells me not to say bad words and to listen to authority figures, things that we do not teach her at home. As my daughter grew and her needs shifted, each teacher was receptive and available. Every time she moved up an age group, the new room and staff were ready to receive and work with her on the next developmental stages. We'd come in to the new year expressing our hopes (first year: a female friend would be nice, last year: picking things for herself, instead of following what her female friends were doing) and teachers did a great job of meeting those needs. Our daughter's birthday is right on the border, administration considered her needs and agreed she would do best to move up rather than stay back - this will benefit her for her entire scholastic career and was a decision made when she was 4, one of the things I am most grateful for. My boy, he's a lot like me; he's a lot, like me. He parties hard, he loves hard, he crashes hard; we don't think he should have to slow down on others' account and his current teachers are great about supporting his energy. We do still need him to be domesticated enough that he can transition into an amazing school like his sister, so it's this balance of steering him in the right direction but not too hard - a balance we trust MCCS with. We went through 3 other daycares before getting to MCCS and believe that the only decisions we make that really matter are with regard to our children's development. I am so excited to see where my son can go in life given the foundation of love and support and attention he is getting from MCCS. Nothing but gratitude and love - if you can get your kid in, you should be so lucky. I'm not posting pics of my kids on the internet, but I will share our dog: we like to park right at the entrance to the school so he can get love as folks go by read more

Mills College Children's School - dog - Elementary Schools Near Me - Oakland, California

As an educator, I always knew I wanted my kids to experience the preschool at MCCS. It is child-centered and led by teacher inquiry projects deeply rooted in developmentally appropriate practices.The classrooms are beautiful spaces (and the infant/toddler room has radiant heating in the floors because kids are always crawling on the ground! So thoughtful!). The outdoor space is even more inviting. [bc of character limits, I'll just steer you toward their IG/FB to see for yourselves.] We did not intend to stay for Kinder, as we believe in public schools; however, we were sold on MCCS after the elementary tour for many reasons. The top 2: no useless standardized tests/test prep & state mandated curriculum, and the amount of outdoor time kids get (over an hour/day). Added to that the project based learning, mixed grade classrooms, and highly qualified teachers, and it was a no brainer. My oldest is now in middle school thriving. He is so much more academically and socially prepared for the rigor of middle school than I thought, and I realize now that it's because MCCS teaches resiliency, curiosity, deep conceptual learning, and critical thinking skills. MCCS grads go on to all of the top private and public middle schools, and most parents I've known (we tend to stay in touch for life here!) say the same thing about their kids: No matter where they end up, MCCS kids are prepared to excel in any environment. I'll be honest: I thought it would be a very hard transition to middle school after spending 9 years at such a small school, and I continue to be surprised at how wrong I was. Because MCCS is part of Mills College (yes, still!), our kids benefit from having college students & professors come to class to teach game design, science, bookmaking (in the famous Mills Book Arts studios), engineering, and more. Parents are invited into classrooms at any time, whether to volunteer their expertise, or just to witness a day in the life of their children. Students have the entire 135 acre Mills campus as an extension of their classrooms: the Mills farm, trails, Olympic size pool, Mills Art Museum, the newly designed makers' space, and so much more. We have a tight knit community of families, and love to welcome in new ones as well! Weekly parent coffee circles are a great space to connect with other adults -- often commiserating about the new weird thing your 3-year-old is doing or what it's like to have kids entering puberty -- this parent connection has been life saving when it seems like it's only your kid experiencing whatever weird thing it is at the moment. Many kids and families gather every Friday at the Tea Shop on campus for coffee, snacks, and letting the kids run wild with free reign of the green space at the center of Mills College. This often turns into dinner on campus, sleepovers, continued play dates, etc. My kids can't get enough of their friends, and MCCS attracts and retains the type of families who want this type of extended community for their children and themselves. Teachers are super accessible, via email, phone, text, at drop-off, or any time. They know the kids intimately, and are thoughtful about how to support them academically, emotionally, etc., and always have the time and desire to take parents' input into consideration. You really cannot ask for a better place for your children to spend their first 11 years of life. I encourage interested families to come tour the school, drop in on a Friday coffee circle and talk to current families, check out the MCCS Instagram and Facebook feeds, and see for yourself what it's like. read more

We love Mills. We have a kindergartener and a toddler in the preschool. The school is academically enriching while also being nurturing and attuned to our kids' needs. We especially like the small classrooms sizes, student:teacher ratio and incredible community of families. Also, the campus is idyllic - beautiful college setting in nature. Students take nature hikes at school, explore in a welcoming community, and get to grow into lifelong learners. read more

My children attended MCCS from infancy through 5th grade (nine years each), so I have a pretty thorough level of experience with the school. I am also an educator with over 25 years of experience in the field, and have spend significant time in private and public Bay Area schools as a consultant, teacher, trainer, administrator, and so on. All this to day, I think I have a pretty solid finger on the pulse of Bay Area education. My children have thrived at MCCS. They are both very different children, and yet the school fits their needs perfectly. My older child struggled with attention issues an learning differences, and was always seen as a complex and beautiful human being rather than just the sum of his behaviors. Because the school leaders and teachers are highly trained experts in early childhood development and education, they are able to see children for who they are rather than expecting them to be perfectly behaved and docile robots sitting silently and absorbing information all day. The kids are outdoors more than they are indoors. Recess time is ample (over an hour per day!), adventures around the Mills campus are frequent, interaction between and across grade levels are the norm, and kids are busy being kids. The K/1 team is phenomenal and have worked together for many years. My children both had the same k/1 teacher for 2 years each, and I could not imagine a better person to welcome them into the world of elementary learning. The 2/3 team (both new this year) are freaking outstanding -- the kids are held to rigorous standards and are busy writing books, drafting research, creating in the makers station, puzzling over math challenges, and most importantly they are JOYOUS while they are learning. The same can be said for the 4/5 class, although with a fair (and expected) about of tween angst and a lot less rolling on the floor (though that's still allowed). 4/5 takes leadership at the school: they run the school newspaper, the fall festival, and so much more. They can often be found in the lower grade classrooms sharing research with younger students, conducting polls for their newspaper, reading with younger buddies, or helping teachers run stations on the 100th day of school. Because MCCS is a lab school, parents can observe the classrooms at any time -- either through the observation windows in the hallways, or simply by walking in a joining the lesson in progress. I have always felt welcome at any time in every classroom, from preschool to upper elementary.There are ample opportunities to volunteer whatever skills one has. One mom came in to teach the 4/5 kids about planting scraps to regrow food. Another taught architecture, and another did a capeoeira demo. Parents are always in the k/1 class helping with literacy centers, or in the 4/5 leading the Rainbow Club or teaching kids how to dye fabric with objects found in nature. One of the moms is a science prof on campus, and she comes in to classes (even ones where she has no kids!) and teaches all manner of exciting projects. Because MCCS is part of the College School of Education, college students are often invited in as experts or volunteers, teaching things from sports to game design to traditional printmaking on the famous Mills Books Arts machinery. MCCS kids can often be found in the campus art gallery, running across the fields, exploring the trails and wooded areas (all 135 acres of it!), at the olympic size swimming pool, or in the newly remodeled campus theaters. Most importantly, kids get to experience their earliest and most formative years of education with joy, acceptance, community, curiosity, and as their full selves. My only complaint about MCCS is that the kids can't stay in this environment for the remainder of their 6-12 years! read more

My child was due to begin 1st grade this Wednesday in the same K/1 classroom as last year. We were just informed this week that they decided to not fill an assistant teacher position and that they could now "not meet his needs" since he has ADHD and spent a lot of time working with the assistant teacher. Contract was signed, deposit made, and summer playdates attended. Literally told me this three business days before school begins. My child is CRUSHED and my suggestion of having his OT come in to work out a solid plan with trackable behavior data for his ADHD and a sensory diet fell on deaf ears. Unbelievably abelist, unsupportive environment there that claims kids are "thriving" if they can manage to sullenly behave like "little adults". My children are expressive, neurospicy, and smart. That is not valued here. Breaking a contract three days before school is unbelievably cold and unprofessional. I'm floored and beyond disappointed at a school which claims to value diversity, inclusion, and civil rights. They are DECADES behind the curve in all respects. Don't be fooled by the pretty campus. Bullets are raining down on the playground and there's constant safety concerns right outside the gates (which staff never locks). They are quick to blame the children and families and make anyone who doesn't "fit in" (read...fake smiles and full compliance) feel like garbage. No thank you. They broke my contract three days before school because they can't hire an assistant teacher. No care about how this might effect my just-turned-6 year-old kid and the emotions such sudden unexpected news might provoke. Unbelievable. They told me I seem "angry" and I'm "not in partnership". Wow. Yes, matter of fact, I am, indeed, justified in being angry. Who wouldn't be? read more

I am an educator/administrator and am fiercely passionate about education. After working in the field for over 12 years I never thought I would find a school that could effectively exemplify all of the items on my "perfect school checklist". If I could praise Mills College Children's school for a living full-time, I would eagerly pursue the position and never run out of uniquely wonderful things to celebrate. Alas, I am not a full-time MCCS cheerleader so I will leave my review here and focus on the topics of academic rigor, their social emotional program, the incredible sense of community and gorgeous campus and facilities. One of the most important components of a school is their academic program. While many school sites are able to wax poetic about their culturally relevant, rigorous, and engaging curriculum, unfortunately all do not deliver on their promises. MCCS carefully crafts and develops their curriculum using research based practices (it is a lab school connected to the university's school of education after all!) and the efficacy of their honed curricular development is exaggeratedly clear in the way the students learn. I have had the privilege of attending all of my daughters' end of year exhibitions and two field trips. The way students are able to talk about their learning (whether it's describing the 4 forces of flight or the delicate ecosystem of the rocky seashore) , ask excellent questions, and persevere through challenging tasks shows the depth and retention of their learning. The social emotional learning program at Mills is a central part of the student experience and never an afterthought. Both of my kids (one entering TK and the other entering 2nd grade, both have only ever attended Mills) are frequently praised for their communication and problem solving skills. Whether they are taking "hot chocolate breaths", communicating need, or demonstrating compassion and empathy, MCCS's SEL program aligns perfectly with my values and provides my kids the social emotional skills they need to grow and thrive. To see my kids and their peers growing in a learning environment with their social emotional development and mental health prioritized so authentically is such a gift. I have worked at many schools where the desire to prioritize SEL is present but the capacity to effectively carry it out is not. When my daughter started kindergarten at Mills we were 6 months into the pandemic and everything felt so unsure; nothing made sense. While online learning was not ideal I know my daughter had a unique experience. The school understands the importance of community and how that impacts student learning. This was demonstrated by the ways in which my daughter's teacher and admin facilitated zoom meetings to introduce families, zoom playdates so my daughter could get to know her peers, and introductions to other family members whom I immediately grew close with. Both of my kids have such wonderful friends from Mills and I attribute that to the artful way the school attracts and builds community among like-minded people. Many of my close friends now are the families of students at Mills and our community grows every year. Also contributing to a sense of community: my 4 year old's teacher next year was my daughter's kindergarten teacher! I love how teacher retention at MCCS allows multiple generations to learn from the same super-star educators over the years. Finally, the campus and facilities at Mills are unprecedentedly beautiful. Many leaders and researchers in education agree that having a beautiful space to attend school fosters a love of learning and a feeling of safety. My kids get to hike through eucalyptus forests, traipse through the beautifully landscaped campus, visit ponds and play on the gorgeous grounds. The classrooms have big windows, tons of natural light and almost a montessori feel of organization and cleanliness. I know that this is an important factor in my students' enthusiasm to go to school everyday. There has never been a day where my kids weren't ecstatic to go to school. I know from my own experience as a student and an educator that, unfortunately, this is not every young person's experience. From the incredibly involved and dedicated staff and faculty, to the incredible families and scholars who attend, MCCS is a cherished part of my kids life and I could not ask for a better learning experience. Thank you for reading my short book; please know I narrowed this down as much as humanly possible. read more

There are many great things to say about Mills Children's School, many points already well articulated in other reviews, and so I will focus on MCCS' ability, through providing the tools of equity and the experience of inclusion, to foster a community on the path to justice. When we first searched for the best school for our kids, we would do site visits and were often pointed toward bulletin boards in the corners of rooms that celebrated a specific month set aside for a community and/or culture. Though these celebrations are important, it felt like they began and ended at these bulletin boards. MCCS is different. Intersections of lived experience are explored every day, in every area of education. The idea that everyone deserves equal resources (and that the fight for this truth is not near over) feels interwoven into the fabric of the school. It is impressive, not least because it is done without fanfare but instead as a reality that must be core to the education of our next generations. read more

Mills College Children's school is a wonderful place! We've had both our kids there since they were toddlers now in Elementary. It's a small school with skilled, involved and caring teachers and administrators. It's nestled within the beautiful Mill's college campus that's explored frequently by their class. I highly recommend Mill's to any family that's looking for a diverse community and high-quality education for their children. What we love most about Mills is the that our family is connected and held within the community, and our kids wake up excited to learn with their friends and teachers every day. read more

I chose to bring my children to Mills College Children's School because of the small class size, the individualized learning in a mixed age environment, and most importantly, the thoughtful and intentional teaching that helped my children to love learning. The experience my family have had at Children's School is in direct contrast with the experience we had at a public school. My oldest child spent a year in a public school during the time when districts are forced to reduce their administrative support and do away with class size reduction. It was simply chaotic. My child is an introvert and quietly went through the school year without drawing any attention and learned nothing. For her sake, I looked into private school for a more suitable learning environment. When we visited the Mills College Children's School, we were in awe. We entered a classroom environment where children literally lived in the subject of their learning. The visuals and the conversations spoke of the children's exploration and the wonder they held with what they were learning. In addition, when my child visited the classroom, the other children opened their arms and welcomed her. They were the most friendly, sensitive, and wonderful hosts that any anxious parent like myself could ask for. My child loved the school from the beginning and she continues to love it today. The logical side of me finds appeal in the fact that Children's School is a laboratory school nested within the Mills College School of Education. The teachers and administrators are educational leaders in the Oakland community and are held accountable for their teaching responsibilities and teaching ethics by the School of Education. There is always someone watching them, taking note of what they do. All the teachers are master teachers training student teachers in their classrooms. They have to explain their actions not only to the administrator and the parents, but also to the student teachers, college researchers, and college administration. In a small private school where there is a lot of scrutiny, it is hard for anything to go by unnoticed. There are always different perspectives to every incident. From my family's perspective, we love Mills College Children's School. My children love their teachers--including the PE teacher-- and continue to love learning. They are thriving in the environment provided by the Children's School. That's what matters to me. read more

My two boys both go to MCCS. We have experience with them in both the preschool and the elementary school. We LOVE the program. It is a commute for us, but completely worth it. Our children are loved and cared for. The school places equally high emphasis on quality education standards and diversity (in soooo many respects). The smaller size of the school and the diverse community encourages interactions in a more genuine way that have had me pay more attention to similarities and differences in respectful and real ways. This is a different experience for our family from the larger school settings we had been a part of prior to MCCS. MCCS is a nurturing environment that truly supports whole families. From the student teachers, to the teachers, to Ms. Brown, the absolutely amazing director and visionary, we are proud to be part of the MCCS family and greatly value our experience there. read more

My daughter is currently is in the K/1 class as a first grader. We came from a Oakland public school and the differences between the two are like night and day. Public School: She would home crying, saying older kids were picking on her (i.e taking off her shoes during recess or teasing her. When she would tell the teacher she would direct my child to someone else to fix. My attempts to resolve the situations fell on deaf ears and she would only come home more frustrated. We received weekly fundraising emails to raise money for not just the extra curricular (art, PE, music) but we were bombarded with emails regarding the possible merging of her kindergarten classroom. I became quickly frustrated because instead of raising money for the essential classes we were raising money to maintain what we should already have. With no aides and little support from OUSD, my husband and I became quickly jaded with her first year in kindergarten and I desperately started looking for another school that would focus on education with a small student to teacher ratio and a place where my daughter would learn not only the academics that would set the foundation for the rest of her school years but also provide with the problem solving skills for when an adult is not present. Mills: I found all of that in Mills and so much more. She comes home talking about all the fun games she played during recess and singing songs she learned in spanish. She draws pictures with written story lines. She makes puppets and most of all she loves learning. She is not ashamed to answer wrong and is more confident in her reading, writing and mathematics. The staff and teacher have been so supportive giving us homework individualized for her with subjects she needs improvement. Today I watched the student aid, my daughter and one other student not only resolve a conflict but discuss how they could express oneself better next time. We feel so blessed to have found such a great learning environment for our daughter. She loves going to school and is anxious to go back on the weekends. So proud to be a Mills parents and apart of this community of staff and parents! read more

There are many reasons to love your kid s school: happiness of your child, educational approach and curriculum, teachers, fellow parents, classroom design, attentive administrators, etc. By at least these important measures, my wife and I love the Mills College Children School. The age-blended classes favor a child s flexible mind. The lovely classrooms are large and dramatically sunlit. My daughter s dedicated teachers have always been available to chat and update parents between formal parent-teacher conferences. The Parent Family Association is active with parents eager to assist teachers and engaged with other parents to build strong community. And the school administrators are decent hard-working folks who exude warmth and generous familial love to the children. I suppose most important at the end of the day is my 2nd grade daughter coming home from school the other day and offering this unprompted endorsement: I love my school because I feel safe. No surprise to us since the learning environment is peaceful and caring. Our daughter enrolled at MCCS in kindergarten and we intend to keep her at the Mills College Children School until we need to pack her up for middle-school. read more

I don't even know where to start when it comes to praising Mills College Children's School. I like the fact that it's a lab school, which means they're willing and able to try new things and change up what's not working. I like the way the curriculum integrates several different disciplines in one project. I like the small classes and individual attention. I like the clear communication between staff and parents. I adore the gorgeous setting on the Mills College campus and the university resources at the school's (and the parents') disposal. I like the commitment to social justice and the wide range of families represented at the school. The staff are all outstanding -- warm, thoughtful and committed to collaboration. But most importantly, my children completely adore MCCS. They look forward to school every single day. They beg me to stay after school whenever possible. They love to share what they've learned each day. I have to drag them away each and every afternoon. Academics aren't the focus at MCCS -- learning is; the whole child, their entire intellectual and social development is the focus here. So if that's what you're looking for, you won't do better than to choose Mills. read more

What an amazing school, staff and environment! Our son is in his second year at MCCS and in the 1st grade. He absolutely loves it as do we. The staff is beyond supportive and always keeps amazing communication with the families. At any time, if we have had questions or concerns, the head of the school and his teachers are always available. They have given us advice over the past two years that has been so supportive for our son. It is because of their true concern for each student that we have seen our son grow by leaps and bounds. Each day he is able to tell me what he did in class and he is always so excited to explain what he has learned. I hear him singing songs that he has learned in music and Spanish all the time. His head teacher also makes sure that the work that he is doing is challenging to him so that he doesn't get bored. Like at any school, each student is at a different level of learning. What is amazing about MCCS is that because of the small class size and the student teachers in each class, the learning material really can be individualized to each student. He also attends SAC (the after school program) and absolutely loves it! The main teacher that runs it is so amazing. I have watched him explain to the kids how a certain sport is played and some of the ins and outs of the game. He takes his time and really enjoys teaching the kids. Each day he sets up different activities for the kids to play. There can be a game of flag football going on, while others are jumping rope, playing on the monkey bars or doing crafts. There are student teachers that assist with him and make sure that each child is doing something that they really enjoy. We are so happy with the school and proud to be MCCS parents! read more