A Warm Welcome
Orinda Afternoons Preschool FCCH Lic. #073407526
Orinda Afternoons is a boutique preschool providing education to children ages two to five.
About Us
Introduction
Orinda Afternoons is a boutique, in-home preschool in the hills of Orinda,
providing the highest quality care for young children (ages two to four). In our small and enriching program
your child will receive loving, individualized attention designed to nurture his or her growth and
development. Orinda Afternoons offers a warm and professionally staffed
care environment - complete with a dedicated playroom and art studio,
climbing gym, sandbox, thriving organic garden and playhouse in a parklike
setting. All food (mainly organic & locally sourced), diaper service and other incidentals (e.g. sunscreen) are included in tuition.
For information about our program, kindly email questions to orindaafternoons@gmail.com. Please include the first name and DOB of your child, and whether you are interested in our Mornings or Full-Day Program.
Dedicated Staff
Orinda Afternoons is owned and operated by Bekki Van Voorhis-Gilbert, a married mother of college-aged children, a lawyer and formerly a tenured Associate Professor at CSU Hayward (now CSU East Bay) in the Department of Sociology and Social Services. She earned her Bachelor's Degree, as well as her law degree, from the University of San Francisco, and a PhD from UC Berkeley. She opened Orinda Afternoons in 2012 and loves working with preschoolers. Prior to opening OA, Bekki served on the board of Camp Galileo, the Friends of the Wagner Ranch Nature Area and founded Save Environmental Education in Orinda (SEE). In her spare time she enjoys traveling with her family, gardening and hiking in the Bay Area.
All assistant teachers are CPR and First-Aid certified, Live-Scan
cleared and have completed a Mandated Reporter training required by the State of California.
Excursion to our thriving organic garden
All About Orinda Afternoons
Our Philosophy
Orinda Afternoons is a year-round, home-based, mixed-age preschool utilizing homeschooling curriculum and several early childhood philosophies (including elements of the Scandinavian Forest School model) geared toward nurturing the whole child. After two and a half years of being almost exclusively outdoors, we have started to use our dedicated classroom again on a regular basis.
Admissions
We will be scheduling tours beginning in mid- January 2023 for enrollment beginning in late summer/early Fall. Please contact the school to make tour arrangements. Admissions decisions will be announced in late April. Rolling admissions based on availability. We are currently at capacity for the 2022-2023 and the 2023academic year.
Tuition
Tuition for both our Morning Program (hourly rate for time in attendance) and our Full Day Program (12 equal monthly installments) includes a full diaper service, all meals and snacks, art supplies and curriculum.
Meals and Snacks Provided
We serve healthy, largely organic, kid-friendly fare. Breakfast is served at 9:00am; a light snack is offered in our 2s program at 10:30am and lunch begins at noon. All meals and snacks include a choice of organic milk or water.
Holidays and Calendar
Orinda Afternoons follows the Orinda Union School District calendar and closes for thee weeks in late May.
Well-Child Program
Orinda Afternoons is a well-child program. Parents are expected to keep their child at home if ill - fever above 99F, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, etc.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the opportunities available to you in our programs, feel free to send us a message. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Please include the first name and DOB of your child, and whether you are interested in our Mornings or Full-Day Program.
Orinda Afternoons
Hours
Monday - Thursday: 8am - 5:30pm
Friday - Sunday: Closed
