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May 2024 by Nancy Page
I moved to Novato in the middle of the Covid global pandemic. It was lonely as a stay at home parent to a young child, isolating. So when I was looking for a preschool for my daughter, I was also looking for a community for myself as well as for her, and I found that at NPNS.
It is truly a unique and incredible school with an amazing director (Clare) who brings kindness and calm and wonder to every moment, kind and caring teachers (Lauryn and Lindsey - who both have children at the school!) and a community of caregivers - parents, grandparents, and other guardians - who all believe in the child-led, play-based philosophy of the school and who care for your child as if they were their own.
I've made friends I know will last a lifetime - and so has my daughter!
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January 2024 by Rachael L Olliff Yang
Best preschool in the area, hands down! We love this place - It is a wonderful community of parents, and the teachers make it a beautiful and creative place for the kids to explore, learn, and grow. This is a true play based learning environment where children learn through their play with long uninterrupted play and exploration time to allow for true learning to occur.
Parents work at school 1 day per week, which is a great way to truly know the other parents and kids in the school, and be a part of your child's education.
We love the music in the circle times and the beautiful Reggio emilia inspired provocations the children experience every day. We also love visiting and singing to the "Grandfriends" at the the Oakmont care facility nextdoor. For children 2-6 years old. The kids are also outside 90% of the time (can usually choose to be outside 100% of the time). Our own magical little forest school! <3
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December 2023 by Mercede Lorestany
Wonderful experience and interaction with teachers and school community. Great parent co-op nursery school and friendly and caring parents. My family are new to Novato city and my 2.5 yo daughter started going to this school for the very first time. She wakes up every morning and wanted me to take her to school☺️
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December 2023 by Dominique Sauve
I learned about NPNS through my sister and sister in law, they both sent their kids here and had really positive experiences. I am so happy we started our daughter this year. It is a coop so there is some family involvement like working one day a week in the preschool which is one of the main reasons I joined. I love being able to get a first hand look of my daughter learning through play and how she is interacting with her peers. I also love that it is mainly outdoors, play based, child centered, and Reggio Emilia inspired. The teachers are so supportive, nurturing, and have so much knowledge on child development. If a coop preschool can work for your schedule I highly recommend enrolling your child. I am so happy to have found this special school/community.
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December 2023 by Lissy Eddleman
NPNS is a wonderful school and we love the community we have become part of here.
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November 2023 by Julia B.
We love NPNS! It feels wonderful to have found a primarily outdoor program focused on play. The environment is set up nicely so there is something for everyone. I love that the activities never feel forced and kids can explore as they choose while being surrounded by caring and supportive teachers and parent volunteers. It feels like a very developmentally healthy program for children where they can just be themselves. I feel supported as a parent that there are other caring adults helping to keep an eye on my kids and I enjoy working with and getting to know other families/children. Teacher Laurynn does a wonderful music class and plays the guitar. My kids are constantly singing the songs at home!
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November 2023 by Dominique W.
I learned about NPNS through my sister and sister in law, they both sent their kids here and had really positive experiences. I am so happy we started our daughter this year. It is a coop so there is some family involvement like working one day a week in the preschool which is one of the main reasons I joined. I love being able to get a first hand look of my daughter learning through play and how she is interacting with her peers. I also love that it is mainly outdoors, play based, child centered, and Reggio Emilia inspired. The teachers are so supportive, nurturing, and have so much knowledge on child development. If a coop preschool can work for your schedule I highly recommend enrolling your child. I am so happy to have found this special school/community.
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November 2023 by Jeff W.
Truly wonderful school. Great feeling of community. Really enjoy the teachers. It's been a blessing for our granddaughter. We've seen her grow so much there. And to be honest volunteering can be a lot of fun
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November 2023 by Andrew Shuck
An amazing school that is like being in a family! The children are able to play and learn in a beautiful, safe environment and find their own path to thriving. Parents get the opportunity to be a part of their child's education, contribute to the school's operations, and learn a lot themselves. The teaching staff is first rate and everyone works toward the best possible experience for the children.
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July 2023 by Annie Bridges Littler
A beautiful community with learning opportunities for the whole family. Mostly outdoor play-based, so a huge upside is avoiding the germs and illnesses that we experienced at another toddler care location. The creative activities that are offered daily are impressive. The teachers are highly credentialed while remaining holistic. Parents and other working caregivers gain just as much as they give by interacting with the little ones and I’m so grateful for the many caring folks that have supported my child at NPNS.
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May 2023 by candrian l.
I can't say enough good things about NPNS. Our daughter absolutely loves it there and looks forward to it every morning. She started there when she was 2 years old last fall, and has been flourishing since joining. The school is mostly an outdoor, play-based environment with new fun art and sensory activities daily. Because it's a co-op it requires some commitment of time, so it's not for everyone, but if you can make it work it's a fantastic program and one of the lowest costs in Novato.
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August 2022 by Adrienne G.
Having a group of parents all working together to provide their kids with a high quality preschool experience creates a loving village in which children thrive. The friendships I am forming working together remind me of the close bonds of collage friendships. My time at NPNS has made me a better parent. The meetings once a month and working in the preschool weekly scared me at fist but I look forward to both as time out with my friends and time to help my child grow. I only wish I had found this treasure sooner.
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January 2020 by Joelle Murphy
I feel so lucky to have found Novato Parents Nursery School! We just started our second school year and could not be happier with the whole experience.We moved to Novato the summer before my oldest started kindergarten. I had just quit my fulltime job and kept my younger guy home for a full year as we all got adjusted to our new environment and routine. I knew at 2.5 years he was getting restless at home with me and was in need of more stimulation and his own friends. I knew it was going to be a hard transition though since he was very attached to me and was not crazy about the idea of being left by himself at school. NPNS turned out to be the perfect solution for us. I started him out at 2 days a week and worked one of those days in the classroom with him which really made him feel at ease and adjust quickly. He really loved the day we spent together at school. It has been such an amazing experience to watch him and all of the other children grow over the course of the year. He has made so many good friends and I've also grown close to the other children and working parents. It has brought us closer to be able to share this school experience together and I am really cherishing this last year of preschool with him before he starts kindergarten next year.This school is flexible to the child's needs and I was able to add an additional day to his schedule once he was ready. They also have an extended day "lunch bunch" program which he has started this year and loves!Financially NPNS has also been a huge blessing. One of the deciding factors for me quitting work in the first place was the astronomical cost of fulltime childcare. I was worried we would not be able to afford preschool based on the rates we paid for my older son, but NPNS tuition has been kept very affordable due to its co-op model of parent involvement. I love working in the classroom assisting and learning from the teachers.Our new Director is fantastic, she has so much enthusiasm that she brings to the school. It really has been fun to see all of the great changes being made at the school and watching the excitement of the children as they learn and explore in such a nurturing environment.Although it makes me sad to think that my son will graduate this year, luckily I have a one year old who will get to go through the program! She is currently in the "infant room" a unique program this school offers which enables parents with younger children to still work at the school on a day their preschooler attends.We are so glad to have found this community of awesome teachers and families!
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January 2019 by Katherine Brack
I have had both of my children (ages 3.5 and 5) at Novato Parents Nursery School for almost two years now and couldn't be happier with the way they have grown both socially and academically. The teachers foster a safe learning environment, are responsive to the children's needs, and give them the confidence to use their own voices to work out disputes, learn how to share, and make friendships bloom. I have enjoyed being an active part of the school and watching my kids grow. Also, I have found a wonderful community of mothers here and feel very certain my children will be ready for kindergarten when they start!
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January 2019 by Carin G
It is rare to find a place where both you and your child can grow - Novato Parents Nursery School is one such place. We started with the mommy & me program when my son was 2 years old. This allowed both of us to become familiar with the teachers and program. When my son was old enough, 2 1/2 years old, we enrolled in the preschool program. My son thrived in the play-based learning environment. I appreciated that while I was helping in the classroom I was also learning from experienced preschool teachers how to use positive discipline.
