Hilltop Preschool

Hilltop Preschool in Fountain Valley has been named one of the best preschools in Orange County by OC Mom Collective! Learn about our play-based, Reggio-inspired curriculum that is designed to address children’s social and emotional development. Hilltop kids learn to live fully, joyfully and ultimately become self-motivated problem solvers with an abiding curiosity about the world. Join us to learn more during our virtual community preview day on Friday, March 5, from 2-4 p.m. via Zoom. Register at [email protected] or call 714-963-9838.

One of our families surprised us with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which prompted an art session in the Blooms and Blossoms class today #hilltoppreschool #cooppreschool #ocpreschool

Today and everyday we listen to their voice.

Good Morning Friends, The air quality continues to be unhealthy. The Sprouts class remains opens, however there are still large and small particles flying around and the outside is covered with ash. It is not safe for staff or the children to be outside even with a mask at this time. We will be keeping them inside. Due to Covid we are recommended not to do this. ... We feel ash and air quality is more of a concern at this moment, however we wanted you to know and make a decision for your family whether or not you want them here today. Children are more susceptible to inhaling particles because the breathe faster then adults. For everyone, a paper mask vs. cloth is better due the smaller smoke particles according to the guidelines we have been given. Please notify us privately if you have concerns or would like to respond. Stay safe!

Morning! Obviously our air quality is unhealthy. We are at school and there are large particles flying around and the outside is covered with ash. We will be keeping them inside. Due to Covid we are recommended not to do this. ... We feel ash and air quality is more of a concern at this moment, however we wanted you to know and make a decision for your family whether or not you want them here today. Children are more susceptible to inhaling particles because the breathe faster then adults. For children specifically a paper mask vs. cloth is better due the smaller smoke particles according to the guidelines we have been given. Please notify us privately if you have concerns or would like to respond. Stay safe!

Today we embraced the wind and made our beautiful fall leaves into bouquets. Brought to us by the Santa Ana winds.

The Sprouts class was working on exploring the insides of a pumpkin when we decided to leave some pumpkin seeds for the Seeds class to join the exploration. We left the seeds with a note and got a surprise and a note in return. It’s like good old fashion pen pals. We cannot wait to see where this leads us. Although we can not be together, we are collaborating and finding ways to stay connected and communicate.To be continued...

The essential need these first weeks has seemed to be a kind of freedom. Even our older children have needed more and needed mess. So we leaned into sensory and science and explored baking soda as a medium for art and play.

It was an exciting first day of school! We were so happy to meet new families and welcome back returning students. Thank you to everyone for your patience and following the new guidelines for drop off and pick up. It is so good to be back on campus and we look forward to a wonderful school year with you all .

Do you remember your first day at preschool or kindergarten? You probably were nervous, excited, a bit lonely or even felt a little lost when your mom or dad left. Even when returning to a familiar setting after summer vacation, children usually feel a bit intimidated. They may have a new teacher, there are new kids in the group, and maybe that special friend is gone. It’s a big deal! We want to do everything we can to make your child’s beginning here as happy as possible. T...he parent packet is designed to fill you in on specifics. But before your program starts, you may want to read your child a few books with a starting school theme. Such stories can help the child get in touch with feelings about going into a new place and separating from you. Reading also gives the child an opportunity to talk about feelings or ask questions about what to expect. Three books that discuss family separation are: What Will Mommy Do When I am at School? written by Claire Johnson, The Kissing Hand written by Audrey Pen and Owl Babies written by Martin Waddell. It’s also a good idea to go over our daily schedule with the child, talking about some of the things he or she will be doing in the course of the day. Some children feel a little less alone and adrift in a new place if they bring along something familiar from home, your child is welcome to bring a family photo. And on the first day, be sure to arrive in plenty of time. In fact, if your child tends to have a tough time in new groups, make a point of coming a few minutes early the first few days so we can help him or her get involved in something fun, perhaps with one or two other children, before the crowd arrives.

UPDATE - We have also had our Adirondack chairs and tables stolen. We are definitely in need of this to be replaced. To the person who took our shelf, table and worm bins,... We are a non profit preschool getting by on a shoe string budget and attempting to meet safety requirements to operate during COVID19. The table that you took was custom made for us by one of our families to fit in our little side yard. We need all our tables so our children can social distance during snack time. The worm bins that were taken are an important part of our curriculum, how we get connected to nature, learn about gardening and create our beautiful space and food. We just need you to know...we will not press charges. We just NEED our things back. Sincerely, The Staff and Children of Hilltop

Create the Early Childhood Learning Experience that works for your family and your needs! Choose or mix and match - each solution is built upon our core beliefs that learning is a shared reflective journey. On campus learning for those teachers and children who need or desire to return to our campus with health and safety protocols in place. It will be full of those same rich opportunities for the children primarily in our yard and garden. Children will explore nature, mate...rials, ideas and perspectives and perhaps someday, the parents will again too. For those parents who desire to understand how to support learning and exploration, we will have Virtual Provocation Classes. These are developmentally specific classes that help to inspire and create learning opportunities at home with their children. Parents are provided curriculum support as well as an understanding of age appropriate learning and how this learning occurs. They also give children an opportunity to maintain or create connections with other classmates through virtual sharing of their explorations, when it is developmentally appropriate. For those children who need to reduce the amount of screen time, we will offer options and ideas on how to make the child's learning visible to others. This can be taken along with on campus learning or as a stand alone option. For those families who seek profound learning and reflection for themselves regarding parenting and personal growth, we offer the Deeper Dives course, which will be a bi-monthly course with group discussions surrounding reflection, communication, connection, confidence, resilience building and problem solving within the whole family system. This course is available and powerful for families with children of all ages. It can be taken alongside any of the other options or as a stand alone course. To learn more or to Register write us at [email protected]

"The world today has changed. Education, being a part of the very fabric of our lives and society, has/is facing particular challenges. Clinging to what is normal is a natural reaction to loss, chaos and change. We have been feeling all that. These are trying times. While the science and the politics of it all are absolutely important things to look at there is more! There is the individual and family experience, which brings up feelings, fears, concerns and needs that are unique to everyone. We believe that these things can guide our steps and indicate what we, as a community, value. So with this in mind, we have been watching, listening, contemplating and strategizing and while we feel the loss and limitations, ultimately, we realized we must focus on creative solutions." Check out our offerings and read on...

We are so grateful to be part of a community of mothers to laugh, cry, nurture and celebrate with. We remember today that from this intent, Hilltop was born.