Desiree's Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Ms. Desiree, Director

Hello! I am Ms. Desiree, the Director of Desiree’s Wonderschool. I was inspired to start my own program because it has always been my dream to design my own space where children can blossom and create. I have a dual Bachelor’s Degree from San Francisco State University in Nursing and Health Education. I have been working with children for the last 12 years. I believe all kids deserve to have a safe educational environment to learn and grow in.  We strive every day to provide a space where children can be themselves.  I have a daughter of my own who keeps me smiling.

Ms. Bianka, Spanish Teacher

Hi I’m Ms. Bianka the Spanish Teacher here at Desiree’s Wonderschool. I have worked with kids over 15 years. I enjoy every aspect of teaching and have realized in all my years teaching that they can teach us as much as we teach them.  This is one of my favorite things about teaching. I have been able to share so many memories with all ages from hosting workshops in cooking, art, music, poetry and dance.  I believe that this school is a wonderful spot for your child to begin their education both academically and emotionally.  We are a great team with incredible passion for each individual child.  I feel very proud and lucky to be part of such a great school.  

Ms. Viviana, Head Teacher

Hi I’m Ms. Viviana, the Head Teacher here at Desiree’s Wonderschool. I’ve been working with children for over 13 years. Having worked as a pre-school teacher for over 7 years before becoming a mother of 4, I have a strong passion for providing our kids with life long skills. I’m also the Spanish teacher, and love to teach children all about language. At our Wonderschool, we strive to keep a fun and loving learning space for children of all ages. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family in nature, yoga, music, and cooking. I can’t wait to meet you!

Ms. Brenda Franklin, After School Teacher

Hi I’m Ms. Franklin, the After School Teacher. I believe education is ongoing and encourage my students to always learn something new and to work hard. I’ve worked with children for over 40 years. I also ran and operated my own preschool for over 15 years. Outside of school, I enjoy cooking, listening to music, writing poetry, and hanging out with my daughter.

Testimonials

We scheduled a tour online for visiting Desiree´s Wonderschool. Brenda and Desiree had the amiability of receiving us in after school hours. We felt very welcomed, and they answered all our questions. Our son was very happy playing with all the toys and we could see that he felt very comfortable in her place. We love Desiree´s flexibility and goodwill and our little one love sharing with Aria and the baby. Thank you, Desiree! Tamara Margas

Philosophy

At Desiree’s Wonderschool, we believe children grow, learn, and thrive by following their own unique style of discovery. Each student comes into our school with different perspectives, interests, backgrounds, family and home lives, and life experiences. We work to understand this personal history so we can craft an educational experience that is tailored, engaging, and joyful.

We follow a play-based philosophy and believe that children learn social, cognitive, and emotional skills through new experiences. Our educators work to foster wonder, curiosity, and discovery. We encourage children to experiment to solve problems and ask lots of questions. Plus, we make the learning fun!

It is our goal to provide an environment that helps prepare children thrive in school and the broader world. We prepare our environment to be responsive to the children in our care, and allow the children’s own interests to facilitate their learning and engagement.

At our school, we help children recognize and manage their emotions. This helps them build stronger relationships and become better problem solvers and learners. Emotional skills such as empathy, self-awareness and self-regulation are foundational to perseverance and resilience, characteristics that are essential in keeping students engaged in learning. Displaying these skills early in life is a strong predictor of future academic success and overall well-being. In our program, children will feel supported as they develop socially and emotionally.

We are a bilingual program. This means daily care and activities will be provided in both Spanish and English. Learning a second language at a young age encourages your child’s intellectual and social development.

Location

Desiree’s Wonderschool is located in a welcoming, cozy apartment in between the Southwest Berkeley and Gaskill (Emeryville) neighborhoods, just down the block from Berkeley Bowl West.

We’ve thoughtfully designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include an art area (for expressing emotions and ideas), a reading / cozy area (for literacy, relaxation, and respite), and a dramatic play area (for self-expression and empathy).

Children have some outdoor time every day at a local park or playground. They also engage in S.T.E.M.-related activities outside at our facility. Connecting with nature is vital to a child’s happiness and growth. We also walk to the library to enjoy different hosted activities.

At Desiree’s Wonderschool, our goal is to provide a loving home away from home.

About our program

At Desiree’s Wonderschool, we provide safe, affordable, high quality child care for all children. In doing so, we support families in their efforts to reach their goals. We provide a cognitively-based program for children ages 3 months to 5 years. Children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in our home environment.

We…

• Supervise and monitor the safety of children
• Prepare meals and organize mealtimes and snacks for children
• Help children keep good hygiene
• Change the diapers of infants and toddlers
• Organize activities and implement a curriculum that allow children to learn about the world and explore interests
• Develop schedules and routines to ensure that children have enough physical activity, rest, and playtime
• Watch for signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring the problems to the attention of parents
• Keep records of children’s progress, routines, and interests
• And more!

The children participate in a variety of hands-on activities that provide a challenge and encourage creativity and curiosity. Our curriculum encourages children to “Wonder, Discover, and Explore,” as well as to make the most of their talents and interests. Each week, your child will grow in all skill areas through exposure to:

• Letters & Language Activities
• Numbers & Math Activities
• Science Explorations
• Geographical Awareness
• Circle Times, including Calendar, Reading, Show & Tell, Songs
• Arts & Crafts
• Music & Movement
• Dramatic & Creative Play
• Computer Activities
• Indoor & Outdoor Free Play Time
• Social Readiness Skills

Infant and toddler care

We are introducing new babies and toddlers to basic concepts, such as manners, by reading to them and playing with them. For example, we teach young children how to share and take turns by playing games with other children.

Preschool care

We also help preschool-age children prepare for kindergarten. Young children learn from playing, solving problems, questioning, and experimenting. We use play and other instructional techniques to help children’s development. For example, we use storytelling and rhyming games to teach language and vocabulary. We may help improve children’s social skills by having them work together to build something in a sandbox, or we may teach math by having children count when building with blocks. We involve the children in creative activities, such as art, dance, and music.

School-age care

We also watch school-age children before and after school. We help these children with homework and take them to after-school activities, such as sport’s practice and club meetings. Our school is committed to the families we serve, providing support and encouragement.

Parent involvement

We encourage parental involvement: we ask each family to participate a couple hours a month in the educational structure of our school. Parent participation draws inspiration from the children and helps set the stage for learning and social emotional growth that transfers from school to home.

Admissions

Join the Desiree’s Wonderschool community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Desiree’s Wonderschool unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application at www.wonderschool.com/desiree-s-wonderschool/apply – note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.