The Learning Tree

This school is awesome and has helped my son to grow so much. I just went to the parent teacher conference for my kids TK class to talk to the teacher about his progress. She said he already knows everything they are supposed to know by the end of the year and it’s only the first quarter of school. Him and A few other kids who went to the learning tree are all ahead of the class in terms of academics. And of course the one thing they had in common is being in learning tree and having miss Jessica as their teacher so thanks so much. They are over prepared for this. You guys have done an amazing job I am very great full. Best preschool ever!

My 3 ½ year old daughter has been attending Learning Tree for 7 months two days a week. The staff are all extremely friendly, caring, and professional. They’re always willing to listen and answer any questions I have. I will be enrolling my younger son at the Learning Tree as well as my daughter because our experience with them has been nothing but positive.

My 5-​year-​old daughter has been at the Learning Tree for approximately 6 months. I cannot recommend them enough! Within the first few days, she was writing her name. Now she’s able to identify all her letters and numbers, count by 5s and 10s, identify words and so much more! She has become so social and confident. She raves about school at the end of each day. The only drawback is that she often does not want to leave!
The Director, Ms. Diana, and teaching staff are phenomenal. They are fully committed to bringing joy, creativity and learning to each day. There is no mistaking how special the children are to them and how much of their hearts they put in to making them feel as important as they think they are. The creativity never stops and my daughter comes home with beautiful projects, singing new songs, and telling us about space and nature and health. It’s been far beyond my highest hopes!
The teachers are great with communication. My daughter was in Ms. Carolyn’s class and she was wonderful about sending reminders and information about my daughter’s progress academically. She looked for feedback on how the kids were doing with any assignments and was always gently encouraging them to learn and excel, even beyond a pre-​K level. Before the Learning Tree, I was concerned whether my daughter would be ready for Kindergarten, now I know she will not only be prepared but will thrive. My daughter tells me how much she loves Ms. Carolyn and how she knows Ms. Carolyn loves her too!
There are often special theme days (pajama day and crazy hair day were my daughter’s favorites!) and events that the whole family is encouraged to attend. They go out of their way to make the parents feel special for Mother’s and Father’s Day and even have events like carnivals and bouncy house days. You will never see an open house or graduation ceremony like the ones they have here. The thoughtfulness and care that are put into every detail are truly evident.
We feel very fortunate to have found such a wonderful school! We will truly miss it as my daughter moves on to Kindergarten.

This is my first time taking my son to a school of any kind, he just turned 2 on 1÷11÷13 and goes to The Learning Tree part time. I had researched many schools in the area and this school by far was the best. Ms. Diana and Ms. Stephanie were so helpful and took their time to answer any of my questions. The staff there are attentive to details of your child’s needs. You can tell by the atmosphere the kids are happy and thriving. They truly want the best for your kid and as a parent the best feeling is leaving your child with people who care and are loving. I highly recommend The Learning Tree to anyone looking for full time or part time education.

My Daughter attended this school from 18mo. to 2.5 years. We only left because my son goes to an elementary school with a preschool and the convenience of one drop off and pick up cant be beat. But anytime anyone asks me what preschool they should look at I always say the Learning Tree! Diana is a wonderful Director and since she took over it has gone through a huge transformation. They have separate playgrounds for the toddlers and the bigger kids which I loved and the teachers are AMAZING! Ms. Donna & Ms. Alisa in the Sprouts room are so loving and caring, it is unbelievable. My Daughter actually called Ms. Alisa «Mommy» for a little while. They also do fun party’s and have special guests (like a petting zoo, and a pony!) which I have never heard of before at a preschool. I had a really hard time leaving her at first but the classrooms all have live video feeds which really puts you at ease. My daughter at her current school is far more advanced then the other children, they make learning fun and the kids really don’t even know they are learning. I would highly recommend them to any and all of my friends looking for a preschool.

My son has been attending this preschool since August 2014 in the Sprouts Class (18m-2.5 years). He has a peanut allergy, and the teachers and director have gone above and beyond to make sure he cared for and safe. They are also wonderfully flexible with special needs and days of enrollment. He absolutely enjoys going to school (still tearful at drop off, but quickly pulls it together!) and has learned a lot in a brief period of time — such as his colors! I was shocked when he started correctly identifying them! His teachers are amazing — they know what they are doing. They are in the process of remodeling parts of the school as well, and it’s looking beautiful! Also, I love the camera feature too! It’s helpful to know what your little munchkin is up to. It should be noted that I’m an elementary school teacher, so my expectations for preschool are high. Love this little school!

Everyone here is great! My son has been enrolled since this past June and we couldn’t be happier. Diana (Director) and Stephanie (Assistant Director) are fantastic as well as my son’s teachers Kendall and Maryssa. I knew when we first toured the school that this was a place I could feel secure in my son’s growth and development. I work full time now and the teachers and staff have been nothing but wonderful– it makes being away from my son a little easier at the end of the day as a working parent. My son’s educators are enthusiastic about their work and I can honestly say that he is in good hands. Take a tour and you’ll see what I mean!

My son attended Learning Tree (formerly called the Ark) for 8 months from Jan 2014 through Aug 2014. He started in the youngest class, then ended in the 2yr class. (I’d like to mention that I only left the school because I have an older child who was already assimilated at his school, and I didn’t want to continue 2 separate drop-​offs). During that time, I was able to see how a variety of the teachers interacted with him and the class as a whole. Not only would I frequently check the video feed (SO nice to have as a working parent) I would also stay for a while when I picked him up in the afternoons (he often didn’t want to leave right away). I was able to observe how nice the teachers were, and how calmly they were able to respond to corrections. The focus was more on teaching positive behavior teaching, rather than discipline for negative behavior.
The curriculum offered a nice variety of art, independent and guided play, music, story time, and outside play. I liked that the school offered separate age-​appropriate play areas. Not only did I know my son was safe from bigger kids, it gave him something extra to look forward to as he moved up through the classes. My favorite part of the big-​kid play yard (aside from the cool dinosaur) is the vegetable garden the kids help tend.
But I haven’t even gotten to my favorite parts yet! The school is GREAT at planning extra, fun events for the family to participate in and get to know other families. AND the directors are parent/​family-​focused — in my experience, this is not always the case. But Diana and Stephanie are so kind, so attentive, and beyond helpful in making sure each child, and family, receives the personal care they need. They truly set the bar in what makes for wonderful directors.
And not only is the Learning Tree already a great school, the directors have a vision for the school, and further enhancements are in the works. They are also open to new ideas and love parent involvement. I just can’t say enough good things about this place. Even though my son isn’t there anymore, I feel connected to the school and I know they will continue to thrive and be a highly regarded preschool in Livermore.

My three-​year-​old daughter has been attending The Learning Tree (formerly The Ark) since October 2013, and we could not be happier. We left a very well-​known preschool in Livermore after discovering the student-​teacher ratios were not always as represented, and that the children watched up to an hour of television a day when staying a full day. In deciding to leave we toured a number of local preschools in Livermore, Pleasanton, and Danville (now knowing what to really look for!). The moment we toured The Learning Tree (at that time known as The Ark) and met its new owner, Diana, we were immediately taken and knew we had found the right place.
While we love so many things about The Learning Tree (too many to list!), the biggest distinguishing factor for us remains the quality and commitment of the staff. In my experience, not only does each teacher know every child by name, but each teacher also knows each child’s personality and temperament, and can immediately comfort or redirect a child as needed. I’ve witnessed a number of occasions where a reluctant child at drop-​off is quickly comforted with welcome arms by a teacher and then, when appropriate, redirected to play with a toy or with friends. I can tell that each teacher really loves what they do, and genuinely wants to be there, and that sets a great tone for the school. And, boy do the teachers have energy and creativity! It is common to find a teacher in the sandbox playing with children, at the table engaged in a craft with kids, or on the floor singing or reading to a small group (even at 6 pm after a full day of teaching!).
Other things that sold me on The Learning Tree: low student-​teacher ratios; three separate, age-​appropriate play yards (including a beautiful yard in the back with grass!); lots of enrichment programs (my daughter loves Soccer Shots in the backyard); a well-​balanced, play-​based curriculum; a Director and Assistant Director that are second-​to-​none and very open to parent suggestions; and a supportive and down-​to-​earth parent base (there are a lot of family events to interact with other parents!). Oh, and The Learning Tree has one thing that I didn’t find anywhere else: cameras in every classroom with a secure feed accessible to parents. Now that’s transparency and confidence in your staff and program! The one initial hesitation I had before touring the school was that the school was located on a busy street (East Avenue), but the sturdy double front entrance gates quickly alleviated my concern.

I can’t tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to take my daughter to a place that she enjoys, and leave her with people that clearly love and care for her. (In fact, she often runs up to the gate to get in!) And, when I pick her up from The Learning Tree, she is not watching television; she is listening to a teacher read, or engaged in a sing-​a-​long or free play with others (and many times she doesn’t want to leave!). She chats all the way home about what she learned and the fun she had, which just reminds me that we made the right decision in changing preschools.
If you are touring preschools, I strongly recommend you visit The Learning Tree to see if it is the right fit for your family.