Gates & Bridges Preschool

Gates and Bridges is truly one of the best preschools in San Francisco. Both my daughter and my son went to Gates and Bridges and we couldn’t be happier.
The teachers are warm, experienced and love the kids. My kids learned so much and loved going to school every day. They also had so much fun at the school!
Every day, kids are working on projects, have story times, outdoor play, book borrowing and they also have enrichment programs such as music, Tang soo do and soccer shots every day. Kids go on field trips more than once a month to the Academy of Science, SF Zoo, Botanical Garden, etc. Last but not least, the school community is very engaged and supportive.
We love Gates and Bridges preschool and we are so happy that we had the opportunity to be part of the school.

Gates and Bridges is a great place and I’m very happy my daughter has this opportunity to grow up here. There are too many amazing things to mention, but if I had to narrow it down, these are my favorites:
— My daughter comes home singing songs from her music lessons, borrows books through the book borrowing, talks about Rado the guitarist and his music, and next up is the weekly martial arts
— She brings home amazing art projects based on the current theme; recently, she wore a whole body suit she made showing anatomy (stomach and intestines).
— The teachers are talented, experienced, and dedicated. The director is warm and cares deeply about the kids. They truly care about making this place special with solid teaching. I value that this school was founded decades ago and follows the RIE principles, slowing everything down, making it child centered.
— The community is fantastic. My child comes home and talks about her friends and teachers; when I observe, I see the kids truly interacting and asking each other questions. The parents are very involved and step up to help with outings, events, and ideas. Alumni from years ago, all grown up, come back and help out at the school.
— The school environment & the outdoor play area is truly inspiring; you can see the family love and attention over the decades as they improved the outdoor space and building; the kids and teachers use the spaces to bring the themes to life, redoing whole rooms to explore the current theme of the month (the body, the ocean, and more).
This place feels intimate but with so many diverse offerings. It’s the kind of place your child in college will come home and want to visit and will marvel at how lucky they were to start their school life here.

G&B is an intimate, nurturing, and fun preschool where kids spend their day laughing and learning from one another, and the talented teachers provide many opportunities for them to discover things about our world. My daughter attended G&B Preschool from 2009 – 2011 and my son is enjoying his 2^nd year here.
G&B offers so much that kids look forward to:
* music and dancing – one of the teachers who has been at G&B for many, many years is also a professional pianist, and a singing instructor comes on Mondays
* art projects – there are two per day that kids can opt to do (or not), and I don’t think they’ve ever done the same art project twice
* learning themes – the teachers recently led the kids through two weeks about the human body and our 5 senses. Kids also recently learned about the jungle and animals that live in them, our solar system, and oceans
* movement and exercise – the kids go to martial arts class on Irving Street on Tuesdays; a movement teacher comes and works with the kids on Thursdays; and a coach from the Soccer Shots program comes on Fridays.
There is also lots of unstructured time where the kids initiate games and enjoy pretend play with each other, work on puzzles, build with blocks, play at the sensory table, sit in the reading area, practice writing, or run around in the play yard (which is being remodeled and modernized).
The school is truly a community where families are involved in everything from fundraising and governance to cleaning up and bringing snacks. Families are diverse, but we all are working parents who rely on G&B to provide an enriching, loving, and safe place for our kids while we work full-​time. My son never wants to leave G&B at the end of the day. And if I had the chance to enjoy all that G&B offers during the day, I wouldn’t want to, either!

Great environment, great activities, great staff.
Just yesterday my child who goes there got a little bored on our walk and she said…“I want to go learn something. I want to go to school.“
Can’t ask for more than that!

Such a wonderful nonprofit preschool. Our daughter has attended for two years and we couldn’t be happier. Tons of great projects for the kids, lots of fun activities and outdoor time, and lots of care and nurturing for the children as they develop. Really just a place filled with joy. The longtime director retired recently and we of course miss her, but the former assistant director has stepped up and ably filled her shoes. The other teachers are also wonderful. Such a gem of a school.

My older son attended Gates and Bridges for two years, and my younger son will start there this fall. I can’t say enough great things about the school — my older son loves it and always asks to go back; my younger son is counting the days until he can start.
First off, (and in response to Pug P’s post), G&B was the only preschool at which I interviewed where the school board (made up of parents) set the tuition. Pricey? Perhaps, but certainly comparable to other similarly sized preschools that run on an 8am-5:30pm schedule. Every year the parents on the board (and any other parents who feel like attending the meeting) can pore over the budget and vote on tuition for the following academic year. Board meetings are also a great way to keep abreast of everything going on at the school.
Secondly, the staff is amazing. You couldn’t ask for a more creative, energetic, and organized bunch of teachers. There are cool art projects, field trips galore, and lots of hugs if that’s what your child needs to thrive.
This school has been in business for over 30 years, and given the number of younger siblings starting next year, I’d say other parents are just as happy with it as I am.

My friends kid goes here and she loves it. As with any place your going to take your kids, Research, Research, Research, Do back round check.

I have to concur with the first review of Gates & Bridges Preschool — it is an incredible place and a wonderful start for kids before they head off to school! We have two daughters who each spent two years at G&B. Both were well-​prepared for kindergarten when we finally said goodbye to the little Blue house and went off to big kid school. The environment at G&B is very nurturing and supportive, both in terms of the teachers who work there and the other families with kids who attend the school. Everyone is involved and it makes the school a warm environment for the kids to learn and grow up a little — and still be little kids too. We especially appreciated that there is no heavy pressure on the kids to be potty trained before they get to the school, but it happens fairly quickly once they are there. We also loved the emphasis on music and art. The director Mary Lou puts a lot of time and creative energy into the program and it shows. The other teachers are equally dedicated. It is a very special preschool and we are so happy we sent our kids there.

I don’t have kids, and I don’t know much about this place. For those with kids, it looks like upstanding, loving, well adjusted families have a diverse range of kids here… all types and cultures. It is a really cute little space, and I always smile and it makes me feel good that there are seemingly responsible, talented, and possibly happy places for kids to go, learn, and feel safe! They always are running out of class to their folks with some kids thingy… a snowflake or hand turkey. It is a pleasant part of my day, and all in all they look like an awesome place I would send any of my cherished to. I am proud to be on the same block, and really suggest you check it out if you are interested. I have a niece and nephew, so I am not oblivious. I am protective of our wee ones and having an adjusted healthy future.
This place warms my heart… makes me happy that things still seem local, community oriented, sweet, and safe.
Yay.