La Plazita Preschool on Laguna

Oakland, CA

No longer in business
Facility Type[?]:
Home Daycare
DSS Facility License #
013421335 [view license]
Owner:
Krystell Guzman
510-402-8715 or (510) 434-0473
krystell [at] laplazitapreschool.com
Location:
Oakland
94602
Lower Dimond
Maximum Capacity:
14
Language(s) Spoken:
English,
Spanish
Ages Served:
24 months - 48 months
Editors' Notes:

NOTE:  In 2016, La Plazita family daycare was consolidated with La Plazita Preschool on MacArthur and a new preschool La Plazita Preschool III was opened on 35th Avenue.

Parent Q&A

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  • Hi all, we are getting ready to choose a preschool for our son for next year when he’ll be three. One of the top contenders is La Plazita. It’s close to us and has great hours, and we love the Spanish immersion aspect of it. But I took a tour recently and I must say I was turned off by the emphasis they placed on their “curriculum” and “kindergarten readiness.” I of course want my kiddo to learn, but he is three and I mostly want him to play and explore the world and make friends and use his imagination and enjoy being a kid. (For context, the other school we’re considering is Oakland Garden School.) Does anyone whose kid attends or attended La Plazita have thoughts on this aspect of it? How much emphasis is placed on learning academic skills vs. free play, imaginative play, outdoor time, etc? Or, am I looking at this wrong and it’s actually great  that they focus on academics? My kiddo is very physically active and full of energy and imagination. He could use a little structure, but I don’t want to stifle his exuberance this early, especially since he has his whole life to be in school. Any thoughts welcome!

    I don't have experience with this school, but I am a former longtime preschool teacher and I would say that most play based programs have plenty of structure.

    My first child was in a play-based preschool, and my second is in La Plazita. I don't know that the teachers at La Plazita really spend time on academics, but the structure is more rigid than I would like. We are at La Plazita because it is convenient, relatively affordable, and because it provides Spanish, not because it matches my idea of an ideal preschool program.

Parent Reviews

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RE:

My son recently finished two years at La Plazita Preschool in Oakland and it was fabulous. 

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Nov 2013

We could not be happier in the La Plazita community. Our 3 year old daughter started a few months ago and we love it. They speak only in Spanish, and my daughter's vocabulary and comfort with the language is increasing daily. The facility is colorful and allows for lots of creative play, and they have an awesome outdoor play area with a garden. The kids routinely help themselves to the strawberries that grow on the vines. What attracted us most to this school was the quality of the teachers and the feeling of community. As a teacher myself, I could immediately see what great teachers they have. Gabriela does daily art projects with the kids that truly bring out the artist in all the students. They start every day with circle time that is inclusive, fun, creative, and academically focused. Before looking at this school, I had never seen a 4 year old writing 'zoologico' on a whiteboard with better penmanship than I possess. I know my daughter will be ready for kindergarten, but the curriculum never feels like boring drills. As mentioned, this little school in the Laurel really does reflect the diversity of Oakland, and they make families feel so welcome. They host fun events like an all-school Dia De Los Muertos potluck celebration and there is lots of room for parent involvement. They don't serve meals daily but they have no problem heating up the food we bring for my daughter, and they do serve healthy snacks twice a day. Sammy



March 2013

La Plazita is a great Spanish immersion preschool and has been a solid experience for our family so far.

Our 3 yr old knew minimal Spanish going in, and we of course were concerned with how the transition to a full Spanish environment would play out. So far so good. Within weeks, she was reciting the alphabet in both English and Spanish, counting and talking about days of the week in Spanish as well. She also took to writing her name within the first couple of weeks.

The true familia spirit of the school really shines. Dropping our daughter off the first day felt very familiar and comfortable due to the care they take in organizing family get-togethers at the school beforehand. The whole family has also enjoyed celebrating Spanish culture and holidays at La Plazita. Our daughter loves her teachers and friends. And we love that she's getting a very early bilingual experience and exposure to different cultures. Jessica



Our preschool has a couple of rare openings, so I wanted to write a review. We wanted a bilingual Spanish-English preschool experience for our children. We have been with the school for a year now, and we are thrilled with the school.The kids love their school too and look forward to going there. The school also welcomes parents to participate in various activities, but there are no volunteer requirements.

The school is very organized, with well laid out lesson plans and monthly themes. The curriculum is fantastic. Every month we receive a vocabulary list and song lyrics, so that we can practice them at home with our kids. The teachers are kind, well respected by the kids, and are very successful at teaching Spanish. The school itself is cheerful and inviting. The director of the school has really good attention to detail and it clearly shows in everything they do. The school day runs 9am-3pm, with flexible before/after care hours. They offer 1 to 5 days/week slots depending on availability. I love their flexibility!

My daughter's Spanish is progressing so quickly and she is only there part time! Besides learning Spanish, the school does a great job of sharing other aspects of Latino culture (food, Day of the Dead, piC1atas, etc.)Another great aspect to the school is the diversity of the kids-it really reflects the greater Oakland community. There are fun parties at the school and field trips too. The parent community is warm and welcoming. In summary, my daughter is well prepared to go off to kindergarten in the fall and her Spanish is fantastic.

If you are looking for a bilingual Spanish-English preschool, I encourage you to check out their website:http://www.laplazitapreschool.com/ Happy La Plazita Family