Spanish Immersion Preschool for almost-2-year-old

I recommend Mi Mundo on Alcatraz in Berkeley.  The two teachers who run it are native Spanish speakers.  They are also kind and nurturing.  I would not hesitate to entrust my kids to them again.

We've only been at at EBI (our son is older than yours) but a number of his classmates had a great experience at Monte Tavor and were very well-prepared for K in EBI's immersion program.

My son is 16 months old and goes to Monte Tavor and we love it! They take babies to preschoolers, but separate the kids into age groups with different curriculum. I can't speak to the preschool curriculum, but my son absolutely loves his teachers, his first word was in Spanish, and he always seems very happy and engaged. The owners are always very responsive if you have questions. They also have fun events like Earth Day gardening, and a zoo mobile. We have only been there for six months so far, but are really happy with our choice.

I have a  two daughters (4 and 2). My youngest has attended Monte Tavor since she was five months old and loves it. My oldest started at Monte Tavor when she was 2 and went to Escuela Bilingue Internacional (EBI) when she turned 3. I can highly recommend Monte Tavor. When your son gets older I would suggest you check out EBI as well. The preK program is for 3-5 then they have a K-8 program.The EBI program has more of a school feel than the home based/care centers. That's not necessarily a bad thing.   I have been very impressed with the PreK program at EBI. My oldest is thriving, very confident in her spanish, and loves going to school. 

I highly recommend Escuela Bilingue Internacinal(EBI).   We have a 2nd grader and a child entering preschool in the fall. It is a warm and caring environment, with a wonderful team of  teachers.  Everyone speaks Spanish and most are native speakers.  There are a few tours in the coming weeks and they may have an opening for fallhttps://www.ebinternacional.org/  

We chose EBI because there was a clear pipeline to Kinder and beyond in case we wanted to stay longer than PK... and we did. Despite having a spot one of the most coveted OUSD K-8th grade schools for my son, we elected to bite the bullet and stay so that we could have a bilingual child... So it's helpful to think about the big picture.

Hi there,

I want to recommend EBI, Escuela Bilingüe Internacional, a Spanish Immersion pre-K and K-8 school.  This is our second year at the school; I have a daughter in 3rd grade and a son in 1st grade.  Though I cannot speak directly to the experience of preschool at EBI, I can tell you that we are very pleased with the well-rounded education our kids are receiving at EBI.   Our children came to the school already fluent in Spanish, and my concern was finding a school that would value and support a bilingual upbringing.  We are very pleased with the academic level of Spanish that my kids have maintained.  All the Spanish teachers are native speakers, which makes a big difference (and the kids are exposed to regional differences of the language given the diverse background of the staff.)   We feel surrounded by parents just like us: who strive to bring up bilingual "global" citizens, a characteristic of the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum. 

We love the EBI community: it is welcoming, tight-knit and down-to-earth.

Don't hesitate to connect with me should you want to discuss more or if have any questions.

Good luck!

--1307mom

Hi! My son will be starting at Colibri preschool in Piedmont this Fall. My daughter went there, too, when she was 2 (back then it was Kids Speaking Spanish, which is still active but in transition to a new location in Montclair). It is Spanish immersion, the teachers are warm and welcoming, the environment is vibrant, the teaching style is play-based, and I found the feedback from the teachers very thoughtful. My daughter is now at Escuela Bilingue Internacional and she loves it. The Spanish immersion piece is what originally put EBI on the map for us, but now that we are there, it is the teaching model (based off the IB program) and the community that really give the school a special touch. I would note that EBI starts at 3 (3 by September, I believe). Good luck!

Have you looked into EBI? (Escuela Bilingue Internacional).  My daughter attends there and we love it. It's a  https://www.ebinternacional.org/.   The school runs from Pre-K all the way through 8th grade. My daughter started this past fall in PK-1 and she is extremely comfortable speaking in either English or Spanish already.  She sang me the sweetest song all in Spanish just this morning!  We love the community of people, the value of play + education and the warmth and human centered feel from the staff and teachers. I can't recommend it more.

Hi, I suggest you visit Escuela Bilingue International (EBI).  My son is in preschool and my daughter is in first grade at EBI.  Both of my kids started in other bilingual schools or preschools and then we switched them to EBI and I am so so grateful for this school.  EBI has a program from preschool to 8th grade (older kids are on a separate campus). Even if you choose to only do preschool at EBI and even if a bilingual program was not your priority, I would still suggest visiting EBI.  The preschool program is wonderful.  The classrooms are beautiful and spacious and place children at the center.  My son who is very sensitive and prone to nightmares and night terrors, is so well taken care of at EBI.  The teachers are responsive to my concerns about him, they watch out for things that might trigger him (like loud noises) and are so supportive.  My son is also learning so much about the world around him, how to be independent, be a good friend, and take care of his surroundings.  Every day that he enters his classroom there are various projects and workspaces and play areas that are inviting and  fun.  As an educator I can also see how the activities are also helping him practice fine motor skills, role play, and play in a group.  My daughter is in first grade and did not attend the preschool at EBI.  Honestly, each day that I enter my son's preschool room, I see things that I wish she had been a part of.  And finally- the LOVE.  I can't imagine loving every single child in a classroom, but these teachers simply love my son.  My son tells me he loves each of his teachers which makes me so happy for him.  If you call the school (510) 653-3324 ext 104 you can speak with Liza or Gina to schedule a tour of the campus.  

We are at Kids Speaking Spanish and have had a great experience. I was skeptical at first (simply because language immersion wasn't our top priority, we are more concerned with academics) but it's a fabulous, caring place. So creative and the teachers are very invested in the children. Highly recommended. Our daughter started this fall in the 2s program and will be in 3s this fall. 

My kids went to Monte Tavor and then to EBI once they were 3 years old.  They are still there 8 years later.  The Spanish has been excellent and was the initial draw but I love the international baccalaureate curriculum structure and how its taught my kids to think, the community is warm, caring and progressive and the school is dedicated to values that are meaningful to my family.
 

Another vote for EBI.  My daughters are in 1st and 2nd grades.  They started in preschool there and we've been extremely happy with the quality of the program, the teachers, the community and the facilities.  They are fluent spanish speakers with perfect accents (I don't really speak spanish but native speakers compliment their accents).  The students are curious, global citizens.