Mulberry Tree Preschool

Both of our children went to Mulberry Tree School so I have four years of experience to write about. It is a gentle, loving, supportive environment with top level people working there. No crabby people, no «they’ve been there a long time and are burnt out» people. All are enthusiastic, bright eyed and solid. Children of all types fit in. Kids who are leaders, confident, mix with those who are shy. Children who had problems at other preschools, fit in seamlessly. I NEVER heard either of my children point out another child as being odd or different. All kids are bit odd or different but Mulberry Tree is so warm and inclusive that the kids just mix and play and learn. If you want your child to be safe, loved and happy. Choose Mulberry Tree.
6÷18÷2016
Daniel Horowitz

Updated review!
I wrote a review a couple of years ago based on my experience at that point with my son who is the 3^rd of 4 children. Our youngest daughter is now in her second year at Mulberry Tree Preschool. She is thriving at Mulberry and would go every day if we allowed it!
The staff at MT is amazing. Years of experience and experts at what they do. And not only that, but they love it and it shows in the happy little faces that bounce in the door in the morning and back out in the afternoons. The kids just love it and are taken such good, loving care of at MT.
Our daughter has a September birthday and is eligible for the Moraga school district’s TK program for children with September-​December birthdays. We just assumed that we would enroll her in TK given it’s a district program and would save us a year of preschool tuition. However, I started wondering about the differences in the Pre-​K program at MT vs the district’s TK program so I started asking around. We have friends whose children went through the TK program who told us they weren’t any better prepared for kindergarten than were their preschool counterparts. (Their children ended up being early birds = the kids who need a little extra help and direction…) Add to that that the TK program is at 1 of the 3 schools in Moraga so it would mean 2 transitions for a majority of the children. One transition from preschool to TK at Camino Pablo and then another transition from TK at CP to Kindergarten at Rheem or LP. We all know how fun transitions are… One other issue we considered is class size. The TK class can have up to 24 students with 1 teacher while the Mulberry Tree Pre-​K program may have under a dozen kids to 1 teacher.
Speaking of teachers, I also talked with one of the kindergarten teachers for the district and she said to just leave our daughter at Mulberry Tree for Pre-​K so long as we were comfortable with the expense. She told me that the kids that come from Mulberry Tree are very well prepared for kindergarten. She said that there are two local preschools that do an excellent job, that Mulberry Tree is one of them, and that the years of experience the MT staff shines through in the kids that show up for kindergarten, able to independently put their backpacks away, turn in their library books, sit without wiggling/​talking, button their own jackets, the list goes on! The teachers appreciate these kids so much because the less time they have to take to help the kids through those tasks they should already be able to do, the more time they can spend on teaching!
Mulberry Tree also constantly strives to make sure they are offering what the families need. They have early bunch for families who need to drop off early, before the actual school day begins, lunch bunch for children who want to stay after for lunch, outdoor play time and story time, with options for early and late afternoon pick up. They also have third parties come in to offer classes such as gymnastics and spanish. My daughter loves to stay for lunch bunch and gymnastics. It’s fun for her to do it «big girl» style with her buddies and it’s one less pick up and drop off for me!
Clearly, I love Mulberry Tree and I know you will too!

We have two boys that have attended Mulberry Tree. One is now in Kindergarten and the other is in his last year before heading to the big K.
Each boy has their own personality and I am happy to say that Mulberry Tree has done a tremendous job in working with each of them in a positive and nurturing manner.
The teachers are awesome, very approachable and conscientious to the child and the parent.
A great new thing we are enjoying this year is Early Bunch drop that starts at 7:45am.

Our family adores Mulberry Tree. My son is in his third year there and he loves going to school everyday. His social and academic development in that time has been amazing to see.
Several of the other reviewers have described the school’s approach to teaching; I will just add that in my observation every activity is cleverly thought out, teaching the kids a lesson or skill, and encouraging them to express their creativity in a very fun way.
Class sizes are small and the director, teachers, and aides all know my son well. Mulberry feels like an extended family.
There is also a strong sense of community at Mulberry. My son has made some great friends, and we’ve enjoyed getting to know the parents too as the school and parent committees regularly organize gatherings for the whole family. It is a precious school and I look forward to sending my 2 year old there this Spring.

My son has been at Mulberry Tree (MT) for one year now. We chose MT for the great play areas indoors and outdoors, the dedicated teachers, the program and location. The school is also right next to the park my son plays at so it’s perfect to go to the park after school for a picnic! The drop off and pick up routine is so incredibly accommodating — they take your child out of the car and escort them into the school then at pick up time they bring your child out to you and put them in the car seat. It is so helpful since I have an infant as well and don’t have to worry about parking and walking him in. My son started when he had just turned 2 years old and honestly, it took him about a month to get acquainted. He now looks forward to «the Tree» every day and can’t wait to see his teacher Danielle (he tells me she is «such a nice girl»)! Susie (the owner) is very organized and I trust her completely with my child. There is also a «Parent Enrichment Committee» for parents who would like to get involved. I really can’t say enough good things about this school and the experience I have had so far!

My child goes to Mulberry Tree. It provides good preparation but without the pressures that can ruin a school experience. It is preschool but it teaches responsibility, respect for other children and following rules but in a way that is invisible to the children. It is done in a caring, loving way. We feel so lucky to have found this incredible school. Every morning they are outside welcoming my child. She is always smiling going in and coming home. All the children interact and play and it is a family. No one on the outside, no one who doesn’t fit in. As I am writing, I am realizing just how much I like this school. Thank you to the fine staff. The parents are very involved and after school a lot of the children go to the park and play. It doesn’t get better than this.

I love Mulberry Tree Preschool. The teachers are all very kind and provide a warm and nurturing environment. The children are all respected and are taught to respect each other. They are taught self help skills which really help to foster their independence and confidence. The teachers do a wonderful job at preparing your child socially and academically for Kindergarten. It is a very caring and happy environment. I have two very different children and they have both thrived at Mulberry Tree Preschool.

I have nothing but great things to say about this school. My two daughters loved it and still talk about it. The staff was caring and professional. My kids went into kindergarden prepared and ready to go.

In regards to the review about dropoff/​pickup, I consider it an amazing perk! Imagine having an sleeping infant in the car or that it is raining buckets, and all you have to do is drive up to the door to drop your preschooler off! No parking, getting them in and out of the car… and if you want to walk them inside or go visit the school at any time to see your child, you are completely welcome! And I have met many of the parents at the multitude of wonderful activities they have at and through the school. Just yesterday we all went for the Pre-K’s day 100 performance and snack party.
Both of my daughters attend Mulberry and absolutely love it. The oldest has been there 3 years. They are learning so much, both socially and academically. The philosophy is not just playbased as many in the Lamorinda area are, but incorporates a range of teaching methods such as Montessori and Waldorf. They teach art, music, cooking, science and kindergarten readiness. It is very well rounded way of teaching and really pays attention to the individual child. The environment is very loving and encouraging.
Yes, the feeling inside the round building is a little retro, but I think it is charming. And the toys and outdoor areas are much nicer kept with newer structures than some of the other neighboring preschools. They even have a garden where the children plant flowers and veggies and actually eat what they have grown!
The parent involvement is wonderful, but not pushy if you don’t want to be involved. Everyone, both parent and teacher, is very friendly. I cannot say enough good things about Mulberry Tree.

Meh. Certainly, my child was safe there, but I never had the sense that she thrived. Clearly the teachers are trained, but I never got the sense of current-​era philosophies — more of comfort in older ways, especially among the more nature teachers. Most odd was the strong discouragement against walking one’s child into school, but the preference for lining up in vehicles, idling for quite a while to deposit her assembly-​line style. The unfortunate result of this was that parents never really met, I rarely saw my daughter’s play scene and how she took to it, and I didn’t get to observe how she was playing with others or even who they were. All this was firmly «requested» in the name of efficiency, with a bit of a low-​priority treatment if you did choose to walk in, and didn’t seem considerate of child or parent needs at all.