Reggio or RIE preschool south of Oakland Zoo
I've been searching for a Reggio or RIE school in Alameda or along I-580 south of the Oakland Zoo (San Leandro, Castro Valley, south Oakland). Everything either has an extensive wait-list or is out of our price range (~$1700/month). Does anyone have some hidden gems I can look into? I'm not sold on Montessori, but that's looking like the way we may have to go if we stay in Alameda. I'd also love to hear from parents that went the Montessori route without being sure it was right for their child. Thanks in advance.
Mar 8, 2017
Parent Replies
As an Alamedan with a child now finishing elementary school, I would say that we were extremely glad to have picked a local preschool, as we made friends that we still have to this day. I, too, was not too keen on Montessori when we started our preschool search and yes, Alameda is very heavy on Montessori. On closer examination, we found that the Montessori programs are balanced with play and other activities. We were at Rising Star and especially loved the many family activities such as the Fall Harvest Fair and organized parent involvement. This is not just to "sell" the school we chose, but just to say that we were very glad in the end to chose a local school where we built longterm connections and that this was worth it above any one "methodology." We also know a lot of people whose kids went to other Alameda preschools and also had great experiences. So I would urge you to at least consider your local options - Alameda is such a great community, and preschool is a great time to get to know other local families.