Cathy's Village Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Catherine Alderman, the founder of Cathy’s Village Wonder School. 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 grow. I have 50+ years of experience working with young children.

I have years of experience working in the Education Sector. I have a degree from Chabot College in both Early Childhood Development and Early Childhood Intervention. I previously worked for Fremont Unified School District for many years. I also had a program in Fremont prior to moving to my current location.

I am also an adoptive parent of four children. I have 3 biological children.

Tim is my husband and helper. He builds whatever we need. He provides support when needed. The children flourish in his care.

My daughter, Shaileyna, is our other support as needed when she is available.

Testimonials

“Miss Cathy truly loves children and building a community. You will not find a more passionate and dedicated childcare provider in this neighborhood. Along with being a great nurturer and teacher, Cathy has raised many children in her life.  Leaving my daughter in her care was like leaving her with grandma. There are home cooked meals, outings (to local parks, the zoo, etc), family outings on weekends and even off-hours care. Miss Cathy offers a “Parent’s night out” once a month so that parents can go out without the kiddos. (I loved those!) She organizes picnics and events for all the family’s and children in her care. This really helps build a community of local parents and kids. And does she do this to get rich? Of course not! She does this because she loves kids and communities of families. 

We had to remove our daughter from her care due to moving out of the neighborhood (into the tri-delta area of the SF Bay). Her daycare is one the places I miss most in my old neighborhood. I doubt I’ll ever find such a quality care provider anywhere I go. Her daycare is a true hidden gem in the Oakland hills.”

“Our daughter was at Cathy’s Village for almost a year and we were delighted with the care she received. Cathy and Tim truly love the children and they’ve created a warm, homey environment, including a beautiful outdoor play area and tons of handmade toys. Everything is kept super clean and orderly, and they take care of “extras” like laundry, if the kids need a change during the day. They also provide all meals, which is a convenience any parent can appreciate. The program is play-based, with some structured activities built in, and we were always confident that our daughter was busy and happy throughout the day.  She really thrived during her time with Ms. Cathy. As others have mentioned, the monthly parents-night-out and other community activities are a very special feature of this daycare– we’ve never seen any other daycares that offer regular opportunities to a) have a date night; or b) get the families together. 

We recently needed to move our daughter to a preschool closer to our home (the same one our four year old already attended), but leaving Cathy’s Village was a very difficult decision because it truly is a gem of a daycare. We miss it already, and are very grateful to Cathy and Tim for all that they did to support our family during our time there.”

Cathy’s Village has played a huge part in our life as we have navigated becoming first time parents and now growing our family by one more! When we first met Cathy and Tim it was clear that they were creating a nurturing and safe space for children to be cared for, to learn, and to grow. Our oldest daughter has been growing up in Cathy’s village for 2 years, and we recently enrolled our new baby in their care. Cathy is a very experienced educator and as our daughter has grown older she has picked up some amazing skills - she shows kindness towards other kids, shares toys easily, cleans up often, always says please and thank you, and is even learning phonics and the alphabet at a very young age. Tim and Cathy really care for their space and are always making exciting new enhancements and additions to benefit the children - whether its restoring vintage toys, repairing books, and always putting up cheerful seasonal decor. As a busy parent, its so nice that Cathy takes care of all meals, and I rest easy knowing that they are healthy and thoughtfully prepared. I also cannot rave enough about the monthly parent’s night out. When I tell my friends about this amazing perk they all get jealous. It’s been a lifeline for us as parents to get some time to go on a date and connect every month, and it’s all thanks to Tim and Cathy’s generous free childcare on the first Friday of the month. I can’t recommend Cathy’s Village enough - they are experienced, kind, and caring, and I’m so glad my children get to grow up in their care. -Bonnie G

“I cannot say enough wonderful things about Cathy’s Village! From the moment we walked through their doors, we felt welcomed, valued, and completely at ease leaving our child in their care. The staff are incredibly kind, attentive, and truly passionate about what they do. They’ve created a nurturing environment where children feel safe, loved, and excited to learn and play.

Our child has thrived here—coming home every day with new skills, stories, and a big smile. The activities they plan are both fun and educational, fostering creativity and confidence. It’s clear they put a lot of thought and effort into making every day special for the kids.

What really sets them apart is how much they genuinely care about each child and their family. They go above and beyond to communicate with parents and ensure everyone feels part of the community. I feel so fortunate to have found Cathy’s Village and wish more families could experience the peace of mind and joy they bring.

Thank you, Cathy’s Village, for being such a wonderful part of our lives!”

• Everett W.

Philosophy

Play-based, child-centered learning

We believe that children learn the most through play. We welcome imaginative and creative play and lots of curious questions. Our curriculum is child-centered, meaning we allow the children to guide us in what they want to learn. We encourage learning through all five senses, which is extremely valuable in the growth of your child.

Supporting the whole family

We welcome all feedback from parents with respect and an open mind. We love to keep the doors of communication open to create a strong foundation for your child’s learning experience.

Respect

We have created an environment of respect for personal space, belongings, and one another. Our kids practice helping and being kind to one another.

Heath in mind and body

Health is incredibly important to us. We offer nutritious meals, many opportunities for vigorous play, rest as needed and a stress-free environment.

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Location

Cathy’s Village Wonderschool is located in a inviting, charming single family home in the Eastmont Hills neighborhood.

We’ve 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 block area (for gross motor skills and problem solving), art area (for expressing emotions and ideas), and nature area (for discovering nature and science concepts).

Children will have some outdoor time everyday in my private yard or outdoor space. Children need space to run, jump, and move! In our backyard we grow various trees including lemons and pears. This is an opportunity for children to participate in the gardening while also eating the food that we grow.

At Cathy’s Village Wonderschool, I want to provide a loving home away from home.

Lemon Trees in the Backyard

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Admissions

Join the Cathy’s Village 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 Cathy’s Village Wonderschool unique. Please schedule a tour.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please 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.