San Francisco, CA
Cow Hollow School

Director's Comments

Question to director: Do you have any additional thoughts on what parents should consider when looking at your school? Is there any advice that you would like to provide to prospective parents?


At CHS we are committed to improving the health of our children, staff, parents and the environment. Through our Healthy School Initiative, we recommend and implement strategies to promote cleaner air, water and food; reduce waste and promote sustainability; and encourage the use of environmentally responsible materials. Our goal is to further enhance our program by guiding the children to be stewards of the earth and its resources, helping them care and become responsible members of their community, and to heighten their awareness of how people affect and are affected by their environment.

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
If you want you child to feel valued as an individual and a learner, then this is the school for you.

Parent #2
This is a beautiful school that cherishes children. The teachers make a commitment to know and respect your child and I believe they have gone above and beyond to meet that commitment. Strengths include the phenomenal director; the low ratio of adult/children; the dedicated teachers; its music program led by a classically trained opera singer who holds a doctorate in musical education and is a parent(!); the location in the Presidio which gives the children amazing access to the nature around us. I love that the kids go on walks to Crissy Field and have learned so much about the Presidio from being a part of it. One of its positives (being a co-op) can be a negative as the parent participation requirement means that two-career families that need extended care may not view CHS as a viable option and there are more families in which a parent stays at home. On the other hand, because we all commit to be part of the classroom, the parent association is vibrant, active and visible.

Parent #3
The school is a parent participation school so you are required to work in the classroom in the 2s and 3s year. You are also required to go to a certain number of parent education nights as well as a parent workday at the school. My point is that there is a lot of participation required at the school and it ended up being a lot more work than I imagined so do not take the parent participation piece lightly!

Parent #4
This is a perfect preschool. It is how schools should be. The teachers are wonderful and there is a nest at Cow Hollow School built on care, love, and extraordinary teaching talent.

Parent #5
The Director is absolutely top-notch. This is the first year that the school is in this new facility and expanding. There are many new teachers who are still learning about the school philosophy. It is in a growing phase. We are enjoying it so far. The parent community is very warm and welcoming. It is a co-op so parent involvement is a requirement. It is a Reggio Emilio play based school so there is limited structure.

Parent #6
It's a fabulous school and we can't wait until we are in the new building. I don't have anything negative to say about my experience although it was hard developing community as a parent the first year. This is changing and I feel that next year will be great for me as a parent as well as for my child. My child has really blossomed in this environment.

Parent #7
As mentioned previously, Cow Hollow Preschool has outside music, art, language and tumbling specialists who visit the classroom regularly. While the school doesn't have an art room per say, there are daily art oriented projects throughout the classroom. All and all, Cow Hollow Preschool is probably the hottest new preschool in San Francisco right now and with good reason; the teachers are fantastic, the curriculum is project-oriented, inquiry-based and inspiring, and the children are curious, stimulated and engaged. The school is unique in that it has a deep-rooted sense of community. Because it's a parent-participation preschool, all the families are engaged in the process as well as interested in being part of the educational development of their child(ren). Inevitably the program makes parents better parents. The school is not only committed to supporting, teaching and encouraging children - but the Director and the teachers teach parents how to better understand and support their own child(ren). The Preschool has an excellent professional teaching staff with vision, determination and experience. The children of Cow Hollow Preschool think of their school as a magical, safe, inspiring, social and curious place!

Parent #8
The school has a very good parent involvement component. The children are happy and well cared for. However, they have limited experience in the kindergarten placement process. Though each year more is learned. There is very poor out door space. The Director is involved in teaching college courses and spends less time with the children. The teaching staff of two others will have one new teacher for 2005-2006 and the other teacher has one year teaching at Cow Hollow as her first job out of college.

Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

View an example from the Savvy Source guide to learn more.

Trace around your child's foot, with shoe on, on a piece of white construction paper or card stock. Have child cut out the shoe print and add a spooky face. Glue it to a popsicle stick and you have a ghost stick puppet!

Comment (3)

Share From Send A Link To Your Comments:

Take Our Expert Quiz

how is your toddler or preschooler progressing developmentally?