Berkeley YMCA Head Start - West
Berkeley, CA
2015 - This Early Education Center is amazing! When I checked it out for my oldest child back in the late 1990's, it was depressing. My youngest son currently attends this preschool and there is nothing bad I can say about it. My son is very happy at the West Y.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Nov 2005
Does anyone have any positive or negative experiences with any of the Head Start programs (Berkeley/Albany YMCA or Oakland) or Child Development Centers (Oakland Unified School District or Emeryville)? I'm specifically looking for feedback on programs that are around North Oakland/South Berkeley. I see on the website there is one review of the Berkeley/Albany YMCA Head Start program, but wondering if folks have anything to say about any other Head Starts and about Child Development Centers and how they compare. Thanks! Isaiah
Hi Isaiah,
My daughter was in both the Berkeley/Albany YMCA, and the West Berkeley Head Start. As an infant, we would visit the Berkeley/Albany YMCA program together, and we worked up to the point that I would leave her there for up to an hour (we used it more as an opportunity to play with other kids). Then she was diagnosed with leukemia at age one, and missed daycare for a couple of years. At age three, she went to the West Berkeley Head Start (her teachers there were very supportive of my daughter's health and emotional challenges). Finally, she went back to the Berkeley/Albany YMCA as a four year old, where she had some trouble with nap time that the staff succesfully worked out over time.
All in all, I've been very grateful to the Head Start program for supporting our family through crisis, and for helping me with childcare so I could finish school. Today, my child is healthy, and I have a meaningful career in nonprofit development.
July 1999
The Head Start program is free childcare for families who are at Federal Low-Income guidelines. Our program serves Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville but there is also a program in Oakland and Fremont, as well as other counties nearby. We serve children 0-5 years old. Our infant/toddler program currently has a huge waiting list, however, our 3-5 year old program is always excepting applications and we are not 100% enrolled for September 1, either. Last year our program was not fully enrolled and we are trying to make sure this does not occur again.
Thank you,
Jeannine Vegh (510) 848-9092 x3009
Berkeley-Albany YMCA Head Start Program
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