Southern Novato parents—the City of Novato is starting a new affordable, fun, and educational Pre-K program in Hamilton! Taking place Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9–11:30 am at the Hamilton Community Center, Hamilton Pre-K offers a healthy balance of play and academics to stimulate social, emotional, and educational growth. The program will be taught by California credentialed teachers who have preschool and elementary school experience, and are knowledgeable in Novato Unified School District curriculum and standards and will offer necessary preparation for kindergarten.
Teachers will monitor and evaluate growth and Kindergarten readiness, while maintaining a loving and playful environment and utilizing the Positive Discipline strategies they are certified in. The program will combine both academic and play-based activities, and teachers will assess and monitor growth and provide parent/teacher conferences so that parents can be aware of exactly where they child is in their development.
The class is for children ages 3.5–5; students must be 3.5 years old by August 1, 2011. Session 1 (code 15890) runs from August 29–September 30, session 2 (code 15891) from October 3–November 4, and session 3 (code 15892) from November 7–December 16. Fees are $280 residents/$293 non-residents for session 1 and 3, and $300/$313 for session 2. Register in-person at the Novato Gymnastics Center, 950 7th Street, or Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road, by phone at (415) 899-8250 or onlline at
If your pre-k or kindergarten-age child is obsessed with all things ballet, then you might want to check out Mill Valley's Joy of Dance Ballet School and their popular Ballet and Arts Half-Day Immersion Program. This program offers a fun-filled half-day for little ones centered around the "ballet du jour" drawn from popular ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Firebird. Ballets are explored though expressive arts, story books, segments from videos of the ballet and, of course, a magical ballet class.
