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June 2023 by Pablo
I can't say enough good things about ECPC. It's a great community for kids and parents alike. The teachers are kind and provide a lot of interesting projects without forcing anything onto the children. Both of our kids wanted to stay longer when it was time for pickup. I only wish ECPC had space for older kids so we can stay longer.
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June 2023 by Pablo H.
I can't say enough good things about ECPC. It's a great community for kids and parents alike. The teachers are kind and provide a lot of interesting projects without forcing anything onto the children. Both of our kids wanted to stay longer when it was time for pickup. I only wish ECPC had space for older kids so we can stay longer.
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June 2023 by Danielle J.
The thoughtfully planned play based curriculum, inclusive co-op community, and excellent teachers have made for a magical learning experience for our preschooler. We can't wait to return with our second child in a couple years.
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May 2023 by Nicole R.
How do I even begin to express our gratitude to this amazing school? Our kiddo is in the PM program. He has grown so much and THRIVES under the amazing care and guidance of the PM teachers Jenny and Wendy. Our once shy three-year-old has blossomed; his imagination and creativity are supported and nurtured and he feels such a sense of ownership over this incredible school. Wendy and Jenny have an incredible gift of really understanding each child's unique personality and they pour their energy and hearts into helping each kid grow. Initially we were a bit worried about joining a PM program with a kid that still napped but I am SO glad we joined. (Our kiddo has been just fine without the nap and we introduced "quiet time" in the mornings!) Our days have a lovely rhythm - a quiet morning followed by the lunch program at school and a great day of play and learning to follow. The culture of the PM program is nurturing, warm, and fun. Wendy and Jenny bring so much heart, beautiful invitations to play and create, enriching group time activities, constantly rotating learning opportunities, and kid-driven exploration (I mean really... Wendy once spent over an hour turning over every rock and stump at school because my kid was interested in finding bugs and Jenny jumped right on it when he had an elaborate idea to build a birdhouse!!!). Every day is exciting and personal. They meet each kid where they are and build a little family in the PM program. Being part of ECPC has been incredible for our entire family. We learn so much from the teachers and are lucky to be part of a supportive and collaborative community. The other parent participators have become good friends. It's hard to remember life before ECPC! The school is integral to our lives - a co-op is amazing for young people and their grownups too.This school is more than anything we could have ever hoped for. If only the rest of my kid's future educational experience could be so great.
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April 2023 by Morgan Ward
Was interested in sending my kid here but could never get my phone calls answered, called several times on several different occasions
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March 2023 by melissa o.
I just happened to be looking through some old photos and found some from when my kids were at ECPC. They made me so happy and a little sad because I realize they will seriously never have such a loving, creative, nurturing school experience again in their lives.They will have other school experiences that will be wonderful in other ways but nothing will come close to ECPC in offering daily joyful, creative experiences. I feel so fortunate that both my kids got to go to school there and I had the experience of being able to work there as a Co-op parent. The friends I made there are still some of my closest ones. The preschool years are such a precious phase of life and ECPC enriched them for our whole family.
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May 2022 by Cassie M.
ECPC has been such a wonderful preschool for our son, and for our family. We love the endless options for play and learning the school offers. ECPC focuses on social and emotional development, and values inclusion, healthy boundaries, and independence. We have seen our son grow in all of these areas during our time at here. The co-op lifestyle harbors community among not only the kids, but the parents as well. I have learned how to be a better parent and caregiver here. I never realized *I* would have learned so much from preschool, as an adult. All the teachers are strong, caring leaders. ECPC is a magical place.
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December 2017 by Dana Lancaster
I feel so lucky that our family found this preschool. It is such an amazing community of kids, teachers and parents, and has been everything we expected and more for our 4 year old twins.We had two main goals when we started our first year at ECPC this past fall. Our twins are very close to each other, but were not very social with other kids their age and we wanted them to be able to grow socially before starting kindergarten in 2018. In addition, my wife and I were looking to find our own community here in the Bay Area, since moving 3 years ago from Brooklyn, where we lived for over 13 years. Nine months later - check and check.First, I want to talk about the teachers. Our twins are in the afternoon program, and their teachers are Nga and Jenny. I don't know how these ladies do it, but they both have the unique talent of connecting personally with parents and kids in a way that makes you feel like you're family. They know each kid in the program as if they were their own, and they understand what each child needs in order to thrive at the school. No kid is pushed into doing anything that they are not ready for. They are allowed to play with others, or play independently, and explore their surroundings in whichever way is most comfortable for them. Through their gentle, caring and patient approach, Nga and Jenny helped our children to come out of their shells, start talking more and sharing their passions with the teachers and parents. Within a few months our kids were starting to make friends and not rely on each other as much in play. Now at the end of the year they have so many new friends. We all adore Nga and Jenny, and can't thank them enough for everything they do for ECPC.Second, the parents. As a cooperative, parents are the lifeblood of the school, so it requires dedication and commitment for everything to run smoothly. Between program participation, family jobs, membership meetings and community events, the co-op nature of it can feel a little overwhelming at first. But once you become involved, you realize how special this community really is, and how everyone's work contributes to the school's success -- whether it's program participation days, monthly maintenance parties, doing laundry, planning fundraising events or volunteering at a potluck or open house. Because I wasn't able to participate during school hours due to my job (my wife is our family's "parent participator"), I attended the monthly membership meetings and almost every community event to stay connected to what's happening at the school and get to know other members.But it wasn't until Messy Art Day - our annual spring community event that invites kids 4 and under from throughout the East Bay to ECPC for a day of free immersion in art activities - that I started to feel a deep love for this school. My family job this year was on the MAD planning committee, but I had never been to the event before to see it in action. Once the day came, I was able to see with my own eyes how much local families look forward to this event each year, how much fun kids have getting covered in paint, shaving cream, "clean mud" and oobleck, and how it takes participation from everyone at the school to pull off seamlessly. MAD is the epitome of everything this school stands for -- learning through imagination and play, cooperation among the ECPC membership, and connection with the wider community.Our family loves ECPC and can't wait to see what next year brings.
