My daughter has been at RLS Broadway for the past year, since she turned 2, and I am so glad I chose to send her here, in particular because of the wonderful teachers. They quickly became a core part of our caregiving family, and it's so comforting to drop off my daughter and know that she feels comfortable, loved, and safe. Even if we're having a hard morning, I know I'm leaving her in great hands. Over the year, I watched as my daughter made her first friends and navigated new challenges with such great support from the school. The teachers were so helpful with her potty training -- I definitely don't think it would have gone so smoothly and quickly if I wasn't able to rely on their calm, nonjudgemental handling of accidents :) Alexandra, the director, is a wonderful leader, and has given me helpful advice that has really made a difference in my parenting. And I am always so inspired by the breadth of creative projects the teachers think up. I look forward each day to the update and pics, and to picking up a very happy girl at the end of the day! read more

We send our son, who started at 2 and is now 3, to Rockridge Little School, and we love the school. The teachers are nurturing, creative, and kind. They've helped our son potty train, give us advice on many things, and most importantly give him a fun, safe, enriching environment during the day. We love the projects and activities they set up daily, and it's fun to see him come home with new songs he's learned or stories he's read. Highly recommend this school for anyone looking for a flexible environment full of all kinds of learning. read more

Our family had a deeply negative experience with Rockridge Little School. I'm sharing this to forewarn other parents, especially those whose children have any developmental delays or need even modest accommodations. Our 18-month-old daughter has some developmental delays and isn't walking yet. We were forthcoming from the beginning of enrollment and proactively requested a meeting with the school directors a month before her start date to discuss how to support a successful transition. The Head Director, Cindy, did not attend that meeting, and the site director, Alexandra, raised no concerns whatsoever. Within a week of attendance, we were called in for a meeting to "discuss our daughter's mobility and next steps," and then told that our daughter would be dismissed immediately because "it wasn't scalable" for a teacher to carry her between rooms. The fact is that our daughter can crawl and cruise independently when given the chance. There was no collaborative problem-solving, no attempt to explore basic accommodations, and no genuine dialogue. The decision was clearly made before we walked into the room; the meeting was one-sided and perfunctory. We left blindsided. In our meeting, Cindy explicitly placed the catalyst for her decision on a teacher's request for support, effectively throwing her own staff under the bus instead of leading. She also told us she was an "infantile development specialist," then asserted our daughter would soon feel isolated and therefore "wasn't ready for daycare," and suggested we "go back to [our] previous nanny." We experienced that as gaslighting and found it incredibly insensitive and inappropriate, especially given she had no understanding of our nanny situation or family logistics. Cindy's stance flatly dismissed the guidance of our daughter's professional care team (infant development specialist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and developmental pediatrician), all of whom strongly recommend a peer-based daycare environment precisely because modeling by age-mates accelerates development. Their perspective was ignored. Even more troubling is the inconsistency in how the school applies its own policies. There is a child in the toddler classroom who repeatedly physically harms other children, including our daughter, on multiple occasions, to the point of drawing blood. By the school's written policy, a child who is "continuously injurious to others" may be terminated from the program. And yet, not only is that child still enrolled, but a dedicated chaperone was assigned to them. So the school is willing to allocate 1:1 staffing for a physically aggressive child, but having a developmentally delayed child who simply isn't walking yet is not scalable. Following this abrupt dismissal, we wrote a detailed, respectful email to the directors sharing our feedback. To this day (21 days later), they did not respond to or even acknowledge any of our feedback. For a program entrusted with very young children and anxious families, that silence feels unprofessional and disrespectful. Because of this sudden decision, one of us had to take leave from work to provide care, while we scrambled to find alternatives in an already impossible childcare market. This is exactly the kind of avoidable harm that clear communication and a collaborative approach are meant to prevent. In our opinion, Rockridge Little School is not equipped, or willing, to support children who need even minor accommodations. If your child has any differences, proceed with extreme caution or look elsewhere. We never want another family to go through what we did because of how this situation was managed. Our hope isn't just to warn others, it's that Rockridge Little will reflect, accept feedback, and change: lead with professionalism, engage parents early and honestly, and explore reasonable supports before resorting to abrupt dismissals. read more

My son has been attending RLS for the past year and we have been extremely happy with the teachers, the activities and the support my son receives while at school. The physical space is warm and supportive to my son's needs as he is a bit sensitive and has some sensory issues. RLS feels similar to how I would imagine an MTV real world house made for toddlers. So comfortable where kids can relax and explore all the spaces. My son also loves being outside and has the space to run, jump and dance. He loves the musical instruments at the school and has formed healthy attachments to various teachers at the school. I feel great knowing he's well supported and surrounded by lots of loving adults while at school. read more

RLS Broadway is a wonderful school and I highly recommend it. My son has been there since 20 months and is now is 2.5. The teachers create such a creative and exciting environment everyday with unique crafts and learning experiences. The classroom is set up in a new way everyday, and my son has learned everything from yoga to mandarin to how to ask before doing something. The teachers are wonderful partners in easier times and challenging ones, and I feel so grateful they are part of my village to raise my son. The teachers have not only supported us but also my son in times when we needed it most. read more

Updating my review as my son has now attended RLS for two years! The programming here is really above and beyond. I'm always excited to see what my kid is up to at school and I think their play stations and activities are really creative. There is a wonderful mix of projects, structured "circle" time, and open unstructured play time. Most of the teachers have been there for years and they are all passionate about early childhood development (and just good people!). I am very grateful for the creative energy and love they provided to my child. As an extra bonus, the parent network here is great and we've become friends with many of the families. read more

I cannot recommend the Rockridge Little Schools. I wish I had listened to the multiple reviews telling me how poorly managed the Little Schools are. Sadly, I did not and was charmed by the beautiful school and fun projects. I even had concerns about the director Lynne - who essentially talked in circles and never gave any real answers - but I pushed them aside as the teachers seemed great. And maybe that would have been okay, except that two months into the school year they unexpectedly closed our preschool! Which felt even stranger as they had just opened another location, but then they tried to push kids from our location over to their new one in Berkeley to fill it. The owner and directors have still not answered any of the parents' emails. They told us to just trust them - they exhausted all their options to keep the school open. But they had never reported any concerns or problems to the parents, who (needless to say) were very motivated to keep their preschool open. Instead they left 30+ kids without childcare months into the school year and during the holidays. It's one thing to mess up the parents' work schedules and leave us all scrambling for new schools, but the part that really upsets me is how it has thrown our children's lives into mayhem. Two and three year olds are not great with transitions and so quickly ripping their new school away from them hurts the kids. I have a hard time seeing how they have the children's best interests in mind when they did this to them, and I have no basis to assure anyone they won't do it again. Moreover, they offered vague reasons for closing the school in November 2021, including that they had not been able to find a permanent director since mid-2020. That, of course, had not been conveyed to us at all when we applied in early 2021. Had we known that their lack of a permanent director might have led them to close the school mid-year, we would have picked a different preschool. Instead, we were misled about the status of the school's leadership. Even as they gave gave vague reasons for closing the school with essentially no notice (and not responding to the parents' questions), we learned that they had recently been cited by DSS for failure to report a Covid infection earlier in the year and possibly had a second citation in the works, related to a injury to a kid. Now, since they closed the location, that citation history has been removed from the DSS website completely, and is not linked to the other locations, despite shared ownership and directors. I cannot recommend any of the Rockridge Little Schools as this seems to be yet another incident in a long history of mismanagement. I couldn't assure any parent that the school administration has the best interests of the kids at heart. There are better preschools out there, which we've quickly learned as we scrambled to find alternative childcare - and met directors and owners who wanted to help us and our child, for a change. read more

Look at the past yelp and Berkeley Parent reviews and you'll see a common theme across all Rockridge Little Schools -- the teachers and directors are good and the owner, Holly Gold, is highly unprofessional and could care less about your kids, the parents and her employees. I highly suggest the teachers know their self worth and go to a place that gives them the love they deserve from the owner and directors. I gave the school two air conditioners, the first one got stolen and the second one to replace the stolen one. I also bought our school's location an air purifier when the fires were happening. Why after over a decade of the school being open does a parent have to do any of this? Why wouldn't the owner or directors buy them - is there no budget for health of the kids? We paid over $5,100 a month for our two kids and there was no room in the budget for an Air Conditioner? For weeks teachers were *very* vocal about the heat and how there was no air conditioning in the only inside room for the kids -- so why did the parents have to buy air conditioning units? It was even mentioned in the school blog that parents had to buy the air conditioners (see pictures). This is one of a plethora of examples of how Holly doesn't care about the kids and her employees. During the pandemic Holly charged all parents a non refundable full amount for the time she was closed. She reduced hours and still charged the same full amount. Claiming current overhead costs were high while opening another new school (Berkeley Little School) during the pandemic. Later on she would have emergency meetings for possible legislative actions in Congress and give parents 3 days notice for early school closures (no reimbursement for those closed hours and you're paying for double childcare coverage again). Teachers would leave or be let go and the parents and kids would not be told why they're no longer working. Kids and parents were very confused with the lack of transparency. What she did at the Taft location was horrible and the epitome of the Holly Gold preschool experience. After getting one citation from licensing for not following Covid protocols and possibly another citation was in the works for a child that fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm. (013420925 : ROCKRIDGE LITTLE SCHOOL 2 on ccld.dss.ca.gov) Before that second report went through licensing, parents were given a notice on Friday their school was closing early for an emergency meeting that next Monday (if you're a working parent these "emergency" meetings get old trying to scramble to find care in three days while not being reimbursed for these early days). On that Monday when the kids were sent home early parents were managing working from home, kids needing attention and finding a letter in their inbox, not from the owner but from another employee, that the Taft location was closing for good. Parents were told a half story that the Taft location was closing because of a lack of a director but two employees had left that location because they weren't eventually hired as directors as they had wanted (Rosa and Jennelle). Everyone was given a two week warning the school was closing during a pandemic, in the middle of the school year and around the holidays. Holly never talked to the parents but still charged us for the week of Thanksgiving after our kids were "laid off." Over 30 parents competing to get accepted into other campuses and no spots were originally offered to current students at the other schools. Two directors came to the school to talk to parents while fighting back their tears, yet, Holly was no where to be found and still hasn't responded to any parent's emails. Meanwhile during the layoff, Holly mass emailed all directors of other preschools saying she's looking for other teachers and a director but didn't ask the preschools if they had space for the kids she just closed the doors on. Even the teachers at Taft school didn't know if they had a job and were applying elsewhere. Parents were asking the other preschools to hire the teachers while scrambling for their own children's care. This is how she treats her employees and customers -- it's hard to trust your kids with her. Our son was BITTEN TWICE by a kid, the second time broke skin and while we were called about the incident because he was bleeding but the parents of the kids who bit ours did not know until we talked to them days later. There seems to be a pattern here of turnover from both parents and employees and Holly doesn't get she's the problem or just doesn't care that she's the problem. I can't recommend this school to teachers, parents and kids anymore -- things are getting drastically worse and she doesn't care to change them -- instead she closes locations and starts over with the same problem: her. As one of the directors said to me about Holly: "old dog, no new tricks". Her employees don't speak highly of her and if you care about the safety of your kids don't send them here. read more

Rockridge Little School - The blog even mentions that parents had to buy the air conditioners. Enough teachers were complaining about heat that parents had to help. - Preschools Near Me - Oakland, California

Cindy gave me great tours of both their Rockridge locations. Both their locations were great with a really warm energy. They patiently answered all my questions and I can see why parents love this school so much. read more

What kind of school gets people to trek 40-50 minutes across the tunnel just so their kids have a chance to be a part of its incredible community of teachers and families? Though I toured schools allll over Oakland, Berkeley, and Lamorinda, I was smitten with the warmth, humor and creativity of the teachers and community here. Go tour and you'll know what I mean. So we made the haul for years and have watched my two daughters bloom. The older one has emerged from her shell (very...quiet...shell) to make friends easily in new environments, and I'm amazed at every transition, from kinder to camps. Whenever I pick up the younger, she appears to be having a total blast (cue hasty cute end of day photos using up all my storage). There's nothing like that peace of mind going forward, knowing that RLS provided such a solid emotional, social, and academic foundation (ask about Panda time during the last year...!). And nothing like that daily feeling of relief at drop-off like you've just left them with their favorite relatives (and on the opposite end, the tricks I sometimes had to come up with to get them to leave at the end of the day). A common parent refrain you may hear is how the teachers are incredibly interesting, genuinely nice and funny people you just want to hang out with all day... so at least my kids got to! RLS is something special. Hope you get to have some in your life :) read more

Since my wife does not have a Yelp account, I am letting her use mine, but our whole family loves RLS! Here's her review: Rockridge Little School is truly a magical place where I was lucky enough to work as a teacher and Co-Director for several years before we moved up north. I have taught at and managed numerous early childhood education facilities, and RLS is unique and superior in so many ways. I believe at the core of this magic and high quality education is the way the owner, Holly Gold treats her employees. She hires exceptional educators at all of the RLS locations who are passionate, loving, and dedicated, and the amazing part is they are actually compensated with high wages, healthcare, time off, and respect as professionals (which sadly, is extremely rare in this field). This creates a positive and respectful climate which "trickles down" to the children and families. I wish on a regular basis that we lived closer and my boys could attend RLS! There are so many creative projects, enrichment specialists, and high quality materials, plus the daily blog and parent communication is top notch. And I really miss the Rockridge community (each location is unique and vibrant in it's own way) and all the great families. Most importantly though, these are truly child centered facilities, where kids are celebrated for their unique gifts and learning styles. A fabulous preschool! read more

We love this school! Our second son started at RLS in Sept of 2014. Our first son attended two years and matriculated into kindergarten this year. We are supportive of the teachers, the administration and the positive atmosphere that they've created at RLS. Not many schools go to the effort of posting a daily blog, with photos, of what's going on at RLS. I can't tell you how great that feels to sit at my desk and feel connected to RLS, a sentiment that's also shared by the kids' grandparents. There are lots of options for pre-schools and we looked at many. The component that we feel is special at RLS is the art. From top to bottom, the staff of RLS support a vision of getting kids to learn, create and collaborate around art. Our son engages in creating beautiful, compelling, and sensory pieces every day. They learn to work with the teachers, they watch and mimic other kids, and grow their skills. Cars rolled on paper with paint, funny paper hats, sensory bins full of "gack", or a turkey day centerpiece. The variety is amazing. I feel this is important because I want my sons to be proud of what they create, able to learn from others and to have imagination. read more

Our two-year-old daughter attended Rockridge Little School for half of this past school year -- until we decided to move to New York. She had only been with a nanny until then, and we were super concerned about Covid, napping, separation anxiety, etc. But the staff at the school made us feel so welcome, so safe and so assured that our daughter would have a good time and thrive. And boy did she! Every day, she'd come home having made a new friend, learned a new thing or saying a new saying. The teachers struck just the right balance between warm, comforting and loving and disciplined, academic and firm. We never once were made to question their approach. And they never pressured Sophia to fully potty train before she was ready. read more

I really wanted to find the right place for our son. Not just a clean, loving, warm environment, but one where he would really thrive. We loved Rockridge Little School. We knew it was the one when we met Holly, the founder. She is kind, smart, warm, and experienced. RLS was full at the time and we went to another school, but we ended up joining RLS this school year at the College Avenue location. RLS is a happy place for little ones. I think the teachers truly care and help our son to become a better person. There are seven teachers, and one director at the College location. At our old preschool there was a lot of teacher turnover and they don't have this same issue at RLS. The teachers are truly top notch. They have a handful of different tables setup with new activities every morning when we walk in. It's like a gift- it's fun to see what they have planned for the children. It feels special. The activities are creative and educational yet fun. The teachers are creative- one plays musical instruments for the children, at least one of them is an artist. They also bring in enrichment activities, for example they are learning Brazilian dance for a few weeks currently. It's a big open room full of 40 or so 2-5 year-olds so there is a lot going on, but it is controlled and respectful. There is always a teacher outside in the back play area so the children can go inside and outside as they please. My son loves the tricycles and the sandbox outside. They also keep a blog and post photos to it every day so it's the next best thing to being there. One of my favorite things is to look at the blog during my work day. Our parents live across the country and enjoy peeking at it. It brings us closer. One surprising aspect is how independent our now three-year-old is after attending RLS. After his first month, he disappeared while we were at home. My husband and I found him in the bathroom. He had only been potty trained for a couple weeks yet he went to the bathroom, wiped, pulled up his pants, flushed and was washing his hands. We couldn't believe our eyes. I think they really prepare them for Kindergarten bit by bit, and instill confidence in them. We are very happy with RLS, it is the right choice for our family. Update: We're now in elementary school and I look back and realize how extraordinary our son's preschool experience was because of the staff at RLS. I have a whole new appreciation. He was the youngest kindergartener and beyond prepared and confident. I realize how smart the staff is at RLS. They notice what's special about your child and really appreciate those things and work with them. They're smart and talented beyond anything I've seen in teachers anywhere. It's a truly special place for your child. Hands down. Head and shoulders above and beyond. We couldn't ask for a better experience. read more

My wife is a teacher at RLS. About 10 years ago, she quit the corporate buying world and joined the world of Pre School teaching. She's the mother of 3 grown children and grandma to 4, soon to be 5 grandkids. She's studied many systems of childhood education and earned her certificate in Early Childhood Education. Anyway, I thought I would give a Teacher's perspective and my direct knowledge, which also includes the numerous days I have worked at the school on site improvements, handyman work and other projects the school needed done. By the way, take a look at how much Holly has invested in the playground, furniture and site improvements. You won't find a more dedicated staff or better-trained and caring teacher than those at RLS. Each child gets to be in a safe environment that encourages artistic expression and learning in a fun way. There is much laughter and questions with a kid's natural curiosity to learn about dinosaurs, animals, flowers, cooking and building. During this discovery process, they also learn an amazing amount of information. I saw the kids playing concentration and several 3 year olds could remember the 8 missing pictures from memory. I don't think I could do that! The owner hires great teachers by paying a top of the scale wage with generous benefits. There is open communication among the teachers and director, so each child's daily experience is shared across the team. In this group of teachers there are Artists, Musicians, Potters and teachers with broad and varied experience. Holly specifically hires for a diverse experience to ensure the best experience for the kids. Having your teachers happy and focused on the children's safety, happiness and learning is their priority. My wife has worked at 3 other preschools and none of them measure up to the great experience your child gets at RLS. Many of the families have 2 kids in the school because their first child's experience was so successful! As with any preschool you're considering to enroll your child into, you should spend some time visiting and observing the daily experience. Don't depend entirely on reviews, check it out for yourself. read more

Our family loves Rockridge Little School! Our daughter is welcomed each morning with smiles, personal attention, an open array of projects or is free to play in a quiet corner by herself (if that is what she prefers). The teachers are warm, creative, calm and truly enjoy working with the kids. So many things to do: music, dance, art, cooking, science, sharing, games, and outdoor free play. So much fun, that as parents, we want to stay the whole day with the kids and teachers. We have interviewed many preschools and highly recommend RLS for all families. read more

I have been familiar with Rockridge Little School since before they opened. The owner Holly contacted me since she knew I was also a preschool director and early childhood education consultant. We discussed classroom environments, outdoor space and student teacher ratios. Her enthusiasm for her preschool was infectious. Over the past several years I have led yoga workshops for the children, and professional development for the staff. I always spend extra time there to observe and to be honest, I just love being in this warm, fun envrionment. I am impressed with the quality of their teachers. The teachers are insightful, warm, kind and loving with the children. They have positive relationships with the families and keep them informed. The classroom environment is developmentally appropriate and the school is innovative. The director is open to change and she reflects often on the preschool and wants to make it the best it can be. Your child will be safe, in excellent care and happy at Rockridge Little School. They will become another family for you. read more

Friends of mine recently asked if I like my kids' preschool. I told them I LOVE it (so do the other families). We have two boys at Rockridge Little School. We are very happy with the philosophy, the community, the teachers and most importantly how happy the teachers and kids are. After seeing our older son flourished at RLS we couldn't wait to start our younger son. If only there was an option to send our kids to a school like RLS at a younger age. read more

LOVE RLS! Our daughter is wrapping up her first year at Rockridge Little School (Taft Ave). We could not have made a better choice. The teachers are so energetic and warm. The space is amazing, bright, and friendly. Our daughter has thrived. The atmosphere amongst the families is really superb. There are occasional Sat get-togethers at various area parks. There are families that also support one another in terms of carpooling, etc. I cannot recommend it more highly. My daughter is happy and there has never been a single thought of worry in my mind as I go about my crazy days! read more

Started off really liking this school. Seemed like a trustworthy place to send my toddler. However, due to Covid they had to make adjustments (which I completely understand). But they are no longer able to accommodate our agreed upon schedule and when I requested a refund, they decided to ignore me completely. I sent 4 emails over the course of 8 weeks. Each time I waited patiently for a response, and each time I was ignored. So now I have to find alternate child care and I'm out $2300. They basically promised me a service, told me to trust them with my child, and took my money. They've been ignoring me and my concerns, and somehow I'm expected to continue to trust them? My child has never even set foot on any of their campuses. Covid shut everything down a week after they stole my money. So I paid them $2300 for literally nothing. I understand that changes had to be made due to Covid, but it's bad business to penalize customers when the business is the one not adhering to their own contract. In times of crisis, people show their true colors. This pandemic has showed me that this place is not to be trusted or relied on. Good luck to the rest of the parents out there. read more

I've hesitated to write a review for RLS because I've really tried to move on from my family's negative experience with the owner Holly Gold. But I just learned that she is continuing to expand her preschool empire by opening another school in Berkeley (Berkeley Little School). I can't in good conscience let 42 new families walk into that school without sharing our experience at one of her current schools in Rockridge. First, I will say that my children loved RLS over the course of many years, in large part because the teachers are absolutely wonderful, and we very rarely interacted Holly. But the Covid crisis shone a bright spotlight on Holly's leadership, and let's just say that it was not pretty. Terrible communication (including ghosting parents for almost two weeks after she abruptly closed the school in March 2020 with no warning). Defensiveness and a lack of transparency. And most disturbing of all, ethically questionable treatment of her teachers, who are the heart and soul of her schools. I have a long list of examples that I can support with evidence, but I think I will leave it at that. I would strongly caution anyone considering sending their children to RLS (or the new BLS) to ask current parents about their experiences with Holly before signing the contract to attend. We learned firsthand that a preschool is only as good as its owner, and unfortunately we cannot recommend this one. read more

We started our son in this school because we moved to the area and it was recommended to us. He had been in pre-school before and loved it. This school was not for us and after a short amount of time we removed him from the program. We thought the teachers were hit and miss - some were friendly/warm, some of them not very engaging. The large class size (41 students) and mixed-ages resulted in what seemed to be, um, a very "high energy environment" with questionable behavior from older kids. The teachers assigned to our son's age group couldn't tell us how he was adjusting (naps, eating, clicking with other kids) and didn't stay long enough to consult with us at the end of the day. Our son regressed during the time he was there and told us every day he didn't like school and didn't want to go. It was a very difficult decision to pull him out of the program because we know that families are very happy there. Choosing a preschool is a tough decision but ultimately everything about the school has to be a fit for your family and child. read more

We love this school. It's an incredibly warm, fun and creative place for kids. The owner has always been very welcoming and kind with us. And all of the teachers are amazing. They are wonderful with my son, who does not always want to sit and do the traditional arts and crafts. There are many activities going on in the room at once, allowing each child to find what interests them. They appreciate the ways in which my son is inquisitive and engaged, rather than telling me, "Well, we're disappointed because he didn't want to participate in the [pre-packaged craft we made all the students do.]" We transferred our son from an SF preschool he had attended for over two years because we had moved to Oakland. I really agonized over the decision because he only had 8 months of preschool left and I feared that two transfers (preschool AND Kindergarten) would be too difficult. My worries were for nothing. He loves this school and is happy to go every day. He used to complain about the old school constantly. My husband and I now realize how limiting the old school was, for our son at least, and wished our child had been at Rockridge Little School from the beginning. read more

This review is for the Taft Street location. My son has been attending RLS since September and my husband and I are so pleased. We were a bit apprehensive with sending a 2.5 year old off for a full day of school, but at this point we couldn't imagine him anyplace else. His experience: a warm and friendly environment, intelligent and engaged teachers, a wide variety of activities with a focus on creativity, really cool art projects, making new friends, gaining valuable social skills, expanding his vocabulary, learning to cook, lots of outdoor time, having fun and not always wanting to come home at the end of the day! Our experience: responsible, responsive and flexible teachers and administrators, a feeling of comfort when we drop him off in the morning, a community of engaged parents, and the confidence that we made the right decision in sending our son to RLS Highly recommended. read more

My son is enrolled at Rockridge Little School and loves it. RLS is a play-based preschool with an outstanding staff. They focus on each child's individual needs, helping them grow up happy, confident and creative. My son has blossomed there in the past year, and we will miss it once he leaves to start kindergarten. I would highly recommend Rockridge Little School. read more

There is nothing trickier than locating a preschool that is perfect for your little ones. It is certainly a very personal and emotional decision. My wife and I did an exhaustive search of the surrounding options for our daughter and certainly had our own list of criteria and nice to haves; and the Rockridge Little School was always head and shoulders above the rest. It was a slam dunk for many reasons: The school is very communicative and responsive to each family's needs, and we've made more than a few wonderful connections with the parents in the Rockridge Little School Community. There have been more than a few staff members who have championed the great responsibility of making Rockridge Little School as great as it is today. And it's so great to sit with those same teachers and discuss my daughters progress and really feel like they 'get' her. We are so grateful to be sending our child to such an outstanding preschool! The location is convenient for the North Oakland/South Berkeley Community. It's in a very idyllic building that lends itself to both activities big and small. It's very secure and safety oriented in terms of creating a safe, loving environment in which the children may explore and express themselves creatively. To each their own, as it is a very personal decision and a difficult one at that, but neither I nor my wife ever regret sending our daughter to such a great place. read more

My daughter started at RLS in September and she LOVES it. Everyday she cannot wait to be there with her friends and more importantly her teachers. They are always learning something new and engaged in some exciting creative activity. This week the focus is trees! Also, a plus...many of the parents are interested in building a community around the school which is great for us as recent transplants and even better for my daughter. We love it so much we just signed our younger son up for next year! read more

My daughter was hurt pretty badly in her private parts at this school by another child. When myself and another mother brought this to the teachers' attention they had no clue that this had happened. When trying to talk with the owner, Holly, she became defensive and dismissive and did not meet with us and avoided the situation. She was unwilling to discuss how the incident could have been avoided and tried to shame us into not discussing it. She did very little except to ask that a teacher follow my child at all times which made her feel shamed. Eventually the director kicked my child out of this school and she asked us to leave the school within 30 days.  Her reason for termination: it's in the school's best interest. We engaged the overarching regulatory licensing board and they confirmed that teachers at this school do not adequately watch their children. I recently ran into the owner and when I asked how she could do that to a 4 year old girl she mocked me that she'd ruined my girls life. She blatantly asked me if I was going to beat her up which was both childish, unfounded, and unprofessional. Holly should not own a school for small children. She's unfit to protect them and raise them in a safe environment. The teachers follow her lead and though some teachers are great I found they do not possess the skills needed to promote emotional development. read more

Our daughter has been at RLS since the day she turned 2 and we can't say enough good things about the school, teachers and our experience. Our daughter is over 3 now and is thriving at RLS. The director and teachers do an incredible job of fostering creativity, curiosity, teamwork and independence. No worksheets, but a vast array of creative art projects that incorporate nature, science, storytelling, music and dance. Our daughter struggled a little at the beginning to nap in a new setting with her peers, but she soon adapted and found a cozy spot and routine. We've already enrolled our son, who will be starting at 2 this coming fall. RLS is a gem of a school, and we feel so fortunate to have found it. read more

I have been photographing at the Rockridge Little School for about 5 years now, and by far it's one of my favorite schools to photograph at. Holly, the director, couldn't be warmer or more lovely. The indoor and outdoor spaces for the children to play in are wonderful, in fact they just added on a new deck to their (already wonderful) outside yard that is wonderful! The teachers at the school have always been very warm and friendly with me, as well as with the kiddos. I was recently at the school to photograph the entire space (not just the class photos) for Holly, and it gave me a really great insider to how the school is run. I observed the teachers all really engaging the kids, but not just as a group, but really one on one - getting their personalities. In one are of the room, a teacher had a few girls digging through the fun dress up clothes and jewelry really letting them be themselves, while on the other side of the room another teacher had a group of boys hand-making paper Bart trains! How cool is that!? The teacher to student ratio is really great there. Anyway, I just wanted to give my plug for a wonderful place that I have been very lucky to be a part of these past few years! - Amy Perl Photography read more

I really liked the teachers here. Unfortunately, many did not stay during our tenure at RLS, and more are leaving. The turnover is so high that it makes me wonder what is going on. We're talking 6-8 people in the span of 2 years, and there are like, 10 people there total. Of course we parents never get an answer or an explanation as to why this is happening. Several parents have recently pulled their kids from this school due to the multitude of changes and not one got their deposit back. The tuition is sky high and is based on the hours that your child is there. Do NOT try to bring your child 10 minutes early or the director will ask you to pay for the extended hours, even if you pick up your child earlier than scheduled. There is very little wiggle room or understanding with this school. When we found out about all the changes that were coming in the next year, we pulled our child from the program. Guess what? We did not get our deposit back, even though the changes were announced AFTER we were asked to pay (and did pay) our deposit for the next year. Also, expect tuition increases that appear magically on your statement without any one giving you notice, at a rate of 10%. The director also prefers if you enroll in an automatic withdrawal for tuition, and the people who run this program are marginal at best. While I think RLS was once a good school, I no longer think so based on the turnover, the money issues, and the fact that the school will soon just be a big room of 2-5 year olds in the same place. I am sorely disappointed in the school, and would not recommend it to any one. read more