Novato Parents Nursery School

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!

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.

Such an awesome school. My 2/12 year old daughter goes here and absolutely loves it. The teachers are great and the community is wonderful. It’s a great group of children and moms. It’s nice being involved in the school and with my daughter. The kids are always happy, playing and exploring outdoors or building and doing some kind of artwork inside. I love that the lids can choose what they want to do and just be kids and explore. My daughter had learned so much since she started here in Sept 2017....it’s amazing. Talking up and storm, singing, counting, learning to play with others, painting and just having fun. The school is well organized, clean, safe and a place where I can trust my daughter being at all day. Great little gem in Novato.

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!