Eureka Learning Center

If I could give this school less than one star, I would. I’ve been meaning to post about it for a year now, but just didn’t want to sit down to even re-​think my child’s experience there. We signed up for a year of T-​K after a wonderful experience at a local pre-​school. My daughter’s confidence was high, and she loved school. It took only one month at Eureka before all that she had gained at preschool was totally eviscerated. First of all, the school is filthy. Why they cannot spring for some new rugs, blankets etc. for these kids is beyond me. Also, their educational resources are outdated and their supplies are sparse and of very poor quality. However, the main drawback to this school is that it is a «sink or swim» environment and they do nothing — not one thing– to help with the child interaction. Consequently, there is much early bullying and NO consolation for these children. As my daughter explained to me «they watch us, but they don’t help us.» My sweet girl was the victim of severe bullying. At one point, all the girls in the class pretended not to hear her at all for the entire day. Seriously — she was 5. I tried many times to work with the school teachers and explain what was happening. Their approach was 2 fold — first, they denied there was any problem and told me my «overly sensitive» child just wanted attention. Next, they said it was my husband and myself who caused the problem by acknowledging her sadness. In the end, we pulled her out early (though not early enough). She is now at a wonderful kindergarten where she is once again happy, confident and loves school. She does occasionally have bad days at school, but her teacher and TA help the kids to better understand each other; so each disagreement is actually a step forward instead of a step backwards. She will never forget her «mean school» and still has nightmares about it. We had to work so hard to erase the damage done at Eureka. I know it is hard to find a TK program in SF, but do not believe whatever hype you hear — your kid would be better off home-​schooled or without school at all, rather than to be put in this program. I could go on about it forever…

Everything about Eureka Learning Center thoughtfully focuses on each child’s development with such grace … it is a joy to observe! DIrector Leslie Banta is not only a phenomenal visionary for the school, but also a valuable community resource offering individualized parenting classes. The school itself has a lovely backyard carefully re-​crafted each week by the yard teacher, in ways often integrating with the curricular study (e.g. the playhouse might become a delicate Japanese Tea Garden, or a space control depending on what’s happening that week). More critically the care with which explorations are encouraged and skills developed is nothing shy of masterful. Our experience has been with the Preschool, but our observations of the Transitional Kindergarten are the same — excellent educators infused with passion for their craft and care for the little minds and hearts in their charge.

A privately owned, nonsectarian pre-​school and kindergarten. Two classes of thirty students, with two instructors per class. Program includes creative and visual arts, computer training, and off-​site excursions. There’s an outdoor recreation area with equipment. Students are motivated to express themselves openly and honestly, to respect each other, to embrace differences in cultures, and to forge a distinctly individual personality. While enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program at San Francisco State, I student taught here, and the experience I had that semester was one of the most memorable and enjoyable of my life.