Located in Orinda, Holy Shepherd Community Preschool is a play-based preschool, serving students ages two through entering kindergarten.

The philosophy of early childhood education at Holy Shepherd Community Preschool embraces teacher guided, child-driven, play-based curriculum in a structured, nurturing environment with ample outdoor space.

The curriculum provides children with daily opportunities to develop across all areas (social-emotional, cognitive, and physical). Small class sizes promote a sense of community, allowing teachers to model verbal conflict-resolution skills and help children enter into play with their peers. Our program is designed to strengthen critical thinking skills and engage children's natural curiosity, leading to a life-long love of learning.

Our school is staffed by a team of dedicated Early Childhood Education professionals who work closely together to provide our students with a safe, warm, and nurturing environment in which to practice what they already know and be exposed to what they are ready to learn next.

Our program offers...

• Classes for children ages two through entering kindergarten

• Small class sizes combined with opportunities for children of different ages to play together

• Play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on building community and developing a life-long love of learning

• Flexible schedules to suit the needs of our families, including:

  • Bright and Early Morning Drop Off 8:30am - 9:00am arrival available

  • Regular Morning Program hours 9:00am - 12:00pm

  • Full-Day Program 8:30am - 5:30pm

  • Lunch Bunch 12:00pm - 2:30pm

  • Small Group Extended Day Program 12:00pm-5:30pm

  • Summer session open to children ages two - five.

We would love to show you our school! Click here to schedule a tour! Please email us at hspreschoolorinda@gmail.com for more information.

Chickadees & Hummingbirds

At Holy Shepherd Community Preschool, our Chickadee and Hummingbird classrooms provide a small intimate environment in which our youngest students have the opportunity to have their first school experiences under the guidance and supervision of a loving and experienced team of teachers. 

Blue Jays

The Blue Jays class provides a rich and engaging curriculum for our three-year old students. The class provides ongoing opportunities to practice cooperative play, community building, and verbal conflict resolution.

Quail & Hawks

The transition from preschool to elementary school, whether to a TK or kindergarten classroom, is an important step for both students and families. At Holy Shepherd Community Preschool, our teaching team takes great pride in maintaining our play-based philosophy while simultaneously engaging the children in child-inspired, teacher-guided emergent curriculum projects that provide our students with the opportunity to gain the skills needed to be successful elementary schoolers.

Projects in our Quail and Hawks classrooms range from cooking our own snack and building endless kinds of towers to creating super heroes (complete with capes and our own stories) and hatching our own baby chickens. Each and every project is inspired by the children’s interests and includes many different learning opportunities, including but not limited to:

• Practicing pre-math and pre-writing skills

• Expanding our vocabulary

• Honing our verbal negotiation and complex cooperative play skills

• Building community

• Taking care of our environment

• Practicing kindness

• Practicing observation and prediction

• Taking risks

• Problem solving