Upon moving back to Oakland we were panicking because we had missed all of the preschool application deadlines. After being placed on a ton of waitlists we came across CWO. From the first interaction we were impressed with Jessica's professionalism and care for the school body. Healthy meals, tons of water, rigorous curriculum and lots of play! The cost in 2020-2022 was comparable to the other options in the area. Jessica has also been a continuous resource to us post graduation. Childcare recommendations and information about OUSD, BUSD and private schooling. My only criticism is I wish the student body better reflected the community. read more

Our two kids have both had great experiences at CWO. I've been impressed with how well the teachers get to know and appreciate our kids, and then come up with and individualized plan to help them learn and grow. They have some amazing teachers there, and the kids do such fun projects. It's a lovely community for little ones to grow up in. read more

Wonderful preschool. We sent two kids there. They both had great experiences and thrived in the friendly, warm, and creative environment at CWO. read more

Incredibly disappointing experience at CWO. The Director/Owner presents a well-balanced curriculum and overall approach to child development but in reality the school policies are archaic and incredibly rigid. They blatantly discriminate against anyone who takes public transportation as they must quarantine for 5 days before coming to school. What if you take public transport to go to school? Clearly no thought is given into the exclusive, elitist messaging here: if you can't drive here, don't come here. The COVID policies are much more rigid than CDC or even ACDEH require--complicated situation, I know--however the director used inappropriate language and bullying tactics when we raised concern about child development and mask efficacy in an effort to engage in conversation. Our first day in attendance, we received a text message with an update. the following day, no communication except to say our kid was bitten and bruised. The following 2 days no communication, not even a "they had a great day today" as we were checking out. Parents aren't welcome in the classrooms so when my kid had to go to the bathroom, the teacher wouldn't let me through the door, instead I had to lean over a baby gate blocking the bathroom exit to help my kid wipe. Both my husband and I are long time Oakland public school educators and administrators so understand the complex situation COVID presents and the challenges of running schools, however felt that we were left with no choice but to withdraw due to feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable with CWO and the director. We have since enrolled at another preschool that feels just the opposite and couldn't be happier to have made the move. read more

Our two sons attended CWO from 2020 to 2024. We are incredibly grateful for their experiences there -- we can't imagine a better pre-school environment for our family. The staff is highly educated, passionate about their work, and professional; but even more importantly, they are kind, playful, and a pleasure to interact with (for the parents and the kids!). We love the physical spaces -- fun classrooms with great play materials, incredible/often-used outdoor spaces, a well-appointed school kitchen, lovely gardens, chicken coops, and so much more. The community, including the staff and the parents, is very welcoming. We're sad to be leaving CWO due to a move out of the area, but we highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high quality pre-school committed to developing the whole child. read more

Just wanted to take a moment to post this rave review of Children's Workshop Oakland. I cannot imagine a more perfect daycare/preeschool for my 2YO. She started in August 2024 after about a year and a half of nanny share. If any parents are on the fence about transitioning from nanny to preschool, let me just say, this was the best decision we could have made. We loved our nanny but our toddler is benefitting so much from the social interactions with other kids. If we take too long in the morning, she gets impatient--"I want to go to school!" CWO is one of those magical places where I know my child is safe, loved, and nurtured. The communication is flawless, the kids engage in meaningful play based activities. She is learning so many new words, colors, shapes, animals. Literally every day she comes home with a new interest. This school is pricier than some but worth every penny. They are fed nutritious meals and snacks (I DON'T HAVE TO PACK LUNCH BOXES ANYMORE OMG) and we are updated every week with a long, thorough, adorable newsletter with tons and tons of photos, elaborating on what they do every day. The teachers are so kind and loving and the student to teacher ratio is insanely good. I really cannot recommend CWO more highly. Joining their community was the best decision we could have made for our family. I'm thrilled our daughter gets to go to CWO until kindergarten! read more

We have been members of this school community since 2018. Our daughter has thrived in this school. I can't say enough good things about it. The director/owner Jessica is a brilliant educator and hires only the highest quality staff. read more

Long story short, if you are looking for high quality care and early education for your child, I suggest you look elsewhere. On the outside this school appears to be a high quality, collaborative learning environment, where children and teachers are treated with respect. Unfortunately, this is not the case. I know firsthand from talking with a former Teacher of CWO that all of the below is true. Although this school has several high quality Teachers, the program is pretty much set up for these Teachers and their classrooms to fail. There are several reasons for this: (1) Although they claim to have low child to Teacher ratios, this statement is very misleading. Though it is true that classrooms may have a maximum of 12 children and 2 Teachers, it is very rare for both teachers to be present and able to give their full attention to children in the classroom at the same time, with one teacher often having to be engaged in other tasks which pull their attention from the children. This can include classroom tasks, or other tasks on different parts of the school campus. Also due to the timing of the teacher's shifts, there are chunks of time up to 2 hours at the beginning and the end of the day where there is only one teacher with up to 12 children. The result of all of the above is that the children, in general, are not receiving the supervision, care, or attention they need........much less the high quality, emergent curriculum that the program claims to value so highly. The majority of the day, one teacher is stuck by themselves with a classroom full of children, often unable to do more than supervise. On top of that, teachers alone with children at the end of the school day are expected to engage in closing tasks , such as hauling supplies to and from classrooms or cleaning the classrooms and yards, while children are still present. This often leads to safety issues and makes it difficult to supervise children, much less interact with them in a meaningful way. A program that leaves teachers and children stranded in this situation with no support is not a high quality program. (2) The director, Jessica, is not fit to be running a preschool program. Her behavior around and communication with her staff is highly unprofessional. She regularly verbally abuses her staff in conversation and via email, often putting them down and belittling them. When serious concerns are brought up about safety or about children in the classroom, she often ignores these concerns or tries to blame the teachers for the problem, instead of trying to proactively address the issue or offer support. She also shares details about the personal lives of certain teachers to other teachers, which is highly inappropriate. She even uses her staff as a sounding board to complain about other staff that are currently working there. This conduct is completely unprofessional. Please be forewarned that this school, although appearing idyllic, is not at all what it seems...... read more

So far we absolutely love the new campus and the program. My kids are really happy. The teachers are really kind and really know their stuff. My kids started attending CWO new campus only a month ago, so is early to write a lengthily review, but here are some pictures so you can see what a great job Jessica (the director) did with the place. read more

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My wife and I felt so fortunate to have Jes as our neighbor when we became first time parents. Her maternal wisdom, unlimited patience, and compassion for babies and adults alike make her an ideal caretaker for children and an incredible resource for parents. Her shared knowledge about nutrition, sleep, and the ever-changing behavior of young children has helped us grow into more confident, relaxed parents. She possesses all of the qualities I would look for in a person I would trust to care for and nurture my child's development. read more

I've known Jessica for over four years, since my daughter was very young. Jessica is one of the most caring people I have ever met. With regards to children, she is patient, energetic and can remain calm under pressure. She is able to redirect and offer new ideas if the child is struggling through a transitional activity. Jessica always has fun and creative ways to play with children. My daughter is extremely shy and Jessica was able to gain her trust in a short amount of time. Jessica genuinely cares for the well being of all children that she comes into contact with. Even if it's with strangers at the local playground. This pre-school will be a tremendous asset to the Bay Area. We currently live out of state but if we lived locally, we would happily attend this pre-school. Any parents that enroll with this program will not be disappointed. read more

It's a pleasure to write a review on behalf of Jessica Spenchian, the founder of Children's Workshop Oakland. I was fortunate to work with Jessica at a private preschool in San Francisco. When I think of Jessica the following words come to mind: enthusiastic, dedicated, sweet, warm, loving, hardworking,knowledgeable, talented, and professional. Jessica has a heart of gold and this shines when interacting with children, parents, and colleagues. One of her many strengthens is her ability to listen, reflect, brainstorm, and support children, parents, and colleagues. With a smile on her face she is easy to approach, to talk to, and to collaborate with. Jessica really know hows to enter children's play and support their interests, wants, and needs. I will never forget her on the playground engaged in her students imaginary play. She was dressed up as a character and was animated in the children's play. I will never forget thinking to myself, " Wow I really admire how Jessica is able to get down on the students level and really play and be present with them!" I am very excited and happy for Jessica to embark on this adventure of Children's Workshop Oakland. As parents out there, you are very fortunate to have found Jessica and her school. As children, boy are you lucky to be a part of The Children's Workshop Oakland! read more

Jessica is an amazing educator who demonstrates deep intention when working with young children and imparts love and connection. As a fellow educator and Preschool director I was lucky to work with Jessica in the past. She brings a true vision of looking at young children as capable and competent learners, guiding and facilitating their learning. Her work stems from the interest of the child and creates a world that supports curiosity and deeper learning. The children of Oakland are lucky to have such a rich program in their midst! read more