The Room To Grow
Preschools for San Francisco and Oakland
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SAN FRANCISCO
The San Francisco school resides at 3786 Mission Street, between Bernal Heights and Glen Park. It is the perfect setting for children to appreciate all that the city has to offer. We are steps from three MUNI lines that can take us to the beach or to Civic Center. We have a BART station in nearby Glen Park that allows us to visit Fairy Land in Oakland and Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose. We are equally likely to be on foot exploring the neighborhoods or the Canyon in Glen Park, the plant nursery on Bayshore, or one of several local parks.
The outdoor space is an extension of the classroom. Children can move freely in and out for the majority of the day, and projects often extend outside as well. Our diverse and talented teaching team brings their unique interests to the classroom. Children can expect to have regular and frequent exposure to movement exploration, music and singing, yoga, storytelling and story dictation, cooking and baking, as well as the myriad projects that emerge from the unique interests of the community of children throughout the year.
Subscribe to the San Francisco Google Calendar here.
ZOOM INFORMATION SESSIONS
Zoom info sessions are for families interested in enrolling their child for the 2026-27 school year.
These sessions will be offered monthly during a weeknight and will be a casual introduction to our schools and a chance to meet our staff. Change into your comfy clothes, grab your beverage of choice, and let's chat about your little ones, preschool, and family!
There will be one in person open house at our San Francisco location on Saturday, January 24th, 2026 at 9 AM.
We encourage everyone to attend a Zoom info session and the in-person open house by RSVPing below.
Spots are still available for the current school year (2025-26) starting mid-August, please contact us for more info and register for an upcoming Zoom Info session.
For general questions, please view our Frequently Asked Questions or Contact Us.
Multiple DatesWed, Oct 22Virtual session via ZoomFor families interested in enrolling their child at The Room To Grow- Multiple DatesWed, Nov 12Virtual session via ZoomFor families interested in enrolling their child at The Room To Grow
- Multiple DatesWed, Dec 10Virtual session via ZoomFor families interested in enrolling their child at The Room To Grow
- Multiple DatesWed, Jan 07Virtual session via ZoomFor families interested in enrolling their child at The Room To Grow
Sat, Jan 24San FranciscoInterested parents can join us for a Saturday morning hour-long open house and learning tour which will include more information about the application and enrollment process.- Multiple DatesWed, Feb 11Virtual session via ZoomFor families interested in enrolling their child at The Room To Grow
MEET OUR SAN FRANCISCO STAFF!
WOODY (pronouns: he/him)
I started teaching at RTG over a decade ago, and I've had the immense privilege of working with some truly phenomenal families who have been part of our community with two and three children! It's been a joyful and humbling experience that has shaped me into the unique specimen that I am today. My dream is to eventually have a bronze statue in the backyard that is actually made of chocolate and comes equipped with a water slide. Besides being a thoughtful and observant resource for children as they navigate tough social engagements, I'm a very entertaining song and dance man who can communicate fluently with both hand and finger puppets. I am also an aficionado of the Frances Badger books - I find that I relate to the characters as much as children do, and there are countless life lessons embedded in the sweet stories. I have been known to make a West African peanut soup that'll make your head spin and can eat an unhealthy number of Ferrer-Rocher candies. My wife and I have a dog named Taco who is a very good and small dog, and we recently added a long haired chihuahua named Walter who has huge ears and snores when he sleeps. We love to travel and I'm looking forward to Greece and Morocco very soon. My heroes are all the people I know who I can count as family or friends. I'm very very lucky to have such amazing people in my life who are unfailingly inspiring.
MONSE (pronouns: she/her)
Hi, my name is Monse Garcia. I started in 2023 at The Room To Grow's Oakland school and am very excited to now work in the San Francisco community! I have learned every day from my co-workers and students alike. Every day is an adventure and I’m glad to be here for that!
GABBIE (pronouns: she/her)
After moving from the Philippines to California, I fell in love with the field of Early Childhood Education. I spent my first year teaching at summer art camps when I finally found Room to Grow. I gravitated towards the Reggio Emilia approach as it aligned with a lot of the values I try to instill in my practice. A lot of my work is helping kids foster their independence and seeing them as the whole, capable, kind people they are.
JULIANE (pronouns: she/her)
My name is Juliane Riegel, and I have been a part of the Early Childhood Education world for over seven years. Originally from Munich, Germany, I first discovered my passion for teaching through volunteering in my community. Before making California my home in 2017, I spent three years in Vietnam, deepening my understanding of the field and refining my values as an educator through the local cultural lens. I have immersed myself into a Reggio Emilia inspired approach to teaching and learning for the last six years.
Within my practice, I strive to foster every child’s intrinsic motivation to explore, question, investigate, and experiment. Facilitating a foundation of a deep connection to the natural world through gardening, foraging, and preparing home-grown meals is especially near and dear to my heart. I believe that tapping into the resources of our immediate environment while honoring and respecting its finite nature is one of the most valuable experiences children have the right to make.
REBECCA (pronouns: she/her)
I’ve been an Early Childhood Educator since 2009, and in all those years, I’ve never stopped being amazed by the magic of the preschool years. I love how preschoolers move through the world — they’re endlessly observant, wildly imaginative, and full of bold questions and honest emotions.
In the classroom, I lead with warmth, playfulness, and empathy. My goal is always to create an environment where children feel safe, seen, and free to explore who they are. I value a child-led, emergent approach to learning — one that honors each child’s unique pace, voice, and way of thinking. Whether we’re digging in the dirt, building with blocks, telling stories, or simply noticing what’s happening in our world, I believe meaningful learning happens when children feel deeply connected and supported.
Outside of school, I’m a Bay Area native, raised all over the Peninsula, and now based in Daly City. My family is originally from Hong Kong, and though I’m not super fluent in Cantonese (Chinese language school was a whole experience!), I love any chance to practice. If you speak it too, feel free to chat with me — I’d be thrilled to try!
KRIS (pronouns: she/her)
I am very fortunate to be the director of two small, mixed-age preschools that are finding their unique paths by interpreting and incorporating the best of the progressive, constructivist and democratic early childhood philosophies. I am eternally grateful for the wonderful community of teachers, families and children that make it the amazing place that it is.
Each day is another precious opportunity to practice and perfect valuing, respecting and loving one another; creating and exploring community; and having immeasurable fun in the process.
When I'm not poring over brain research or loose parts provocations, I'm making plans to travel the world, hiking the endless trails out my back door in the Santa Cruz mountains, binge-watching my two favorite sports - baseball and politics, cooking vegan and bragging about it, or hanging out with my own fabulous children and their families.
The Room To Grow San Francisco
3786 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
License #384001473