Telegraph Hill Parent Participation Nursery

Both of my children attended Telhi Cooperative Nursery School. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to school for them. Telhi is more than just a preschool. It is a welcoming, diverse, and deeply supportive community that nurtures not only the child but the whole family. From the very beginning, we felt embraced by the teachers, staff, and fellow parents. The cooperative model gave us the unique opportunity to be involved in the classroom, which created lasting friendships and a strong sense of belonging. The diversity of families and backgrounds made for a rich environment where my kids felt seen, included, and valued. Teacher Margaret and Andi at Telhi are exceptional. They truly understand early childhood development and create a space where curiosity, creativity, and empathy are encouraged every day. My children thrived under their gentle and thoughtful guidance. They built confidence, developed social skills, and discovered a love for learning that they will carry with them. Telhi holds a very special place in our family’s story. It is a school that not only prepares children academically and socially but does so with heart, intention, and a strong sense of community. I feel so grateful to have found it for both of my kids.

My 3 year old started at Tel-Hi Coop this Spring. From day one she has enjoyed every moment. This is the same kid that cried every day going to summer camp and told me the teachers were mean there. She has never complained about an adult at Tel-Hi. Any issues with other kids have been worked out with love and respect for both students. As a parent raising black children in this city, diversity is very important to me. At Tel-Hi, my daughter is surrounded by children of different backgrounds, from different countries. She is learning from adults that all look differently and are of different genders. I love how many father's (my daughter's included) are the working parent at the school. There is definitely a lack of male teachers in the 0-5 age range. There are also grandparents. It is a lot of work and a lot of time on our end, but it is worth it for my daughter to be in an environment that she feels comfortable enough to be herself and learn so much. Thank you Tel-Hi for being a part of her life during this developmentally crucial time in her life.

We love TelHi!! Our oldest attended preschool at TelHi a few years ago and we were so excited to come back this year with our younger kiddo. It is so great to know that when they are at school they are safe, loved and learning. As a co-op, parents help in the classroom one day each week which allows us to get to know everyone well and see what our kid's days are like at school. One of the things I appreciate most has been learning from our awesome teachers and other parents as we all help our young kids navigate their big feelings and teach them how to express them safely - in a loving and non-shaming way. We're so grateful to be part of the TelHi community and can't wait to be back next year!

My son graduated last year from Telhi Coop (not to be confused with Telhi Community Center which is also a great place.) It was a wonderful first school experience for him as well as us parents. The time he spend there helped prepare him for Elementary school as well as allow him to be just a kid. The Telhi Coop community felt like you were on a cul-de-sac not urban SF, allowing for life long friends and a village of other families to help support you and your little ones. My daughter just started there in February. And we’re happy to be back daily at the school. In just last few months, she’s learned tons more words, lots of songs, and she’s become a crazy gymnast, and just loves her friends and teachers at Telhi. I would highly recommend this preschool, even though it’s half day, it’s the perfect place for our family. Our daughter is thriving there, just like our son did. Happy 70th anniversary Telhi.

We have just completed our first year with Telhi for our 2 year old, and I just love the community we have built up. As the parents participate in the classroom we really get to know the kids. I looked around at our end of year party yesterday and saw parents engaging with different children in a way that you see at family functions: one dad was showing a group how to do handstands, someone was pushing a gang on the tyre swing, someone was helping a child search for a hair clip and another making up a plate of food for a pupil. The teachers both bring enthusiasm and creativity to the classroom and my daughter could not love them more. For a long time she would not stop telling her grandparents about “Teacher Andi” every time they phoned. The play-based model means there is plenty of time for open play but also the kids have music time, story time, art, yoga classes, introductions to other languages (if there’s anything cuter than a two year old singing twinkle twinkle in Japanese, I haven’t seen it yet), age appropriate science experiments and fine motor development activities. The gross motor activity area is a favourite with all the kids and they can really get their wiggles out there. Personally I have also made great friends with my fellow work day parent, and it’s so nice to now have a group of moms in the neighbourhood that I can happily socialise with at the playground or without our kids in our downtime.