Stretch The Imagination

My daughter is about to complete her second year at Stretch and my youngest daughter is going to start in the fall. I have so many great things to say about the school, it's hard to know where to start.

The teachers are all amazing. Our daughter has been taught by several of the teachers and we have been impressed by all of them. I can't believe how well they know and understand children generally and each child individually. This fall, I was amazed with the 8 page evaluation we got before our parent/teacher conference. It was so detailed and thoughtful. I was astonished they knew my child so well and cared about her so much after only a couple of months of teaching her. Also, each week, we get a journal discussing what the children are learning and they tend to mention something special about each child in every journal. It's great to read these and see how much thought the teachers put into teaching our kids. In fact, one of the reasons I love spending time volunteering in the classroom is because I learn so much from the teachers. I wish I could spend more time watching how they handle some very difficult situations and also how they make learning so much fun for the kids.

The Director Michelle and the Assistant Director Whitney are also amazing! They both truly care so much about each student and parent. Every time I have a question, I get a response immediately. My questions are always happily answered. Both Michelle and Whitney are happy to chat and help in any way they can, regarding anything I've ever needed help with. I look to them as a resource when I'm having any type of parental issues, from potty training to temper tantrums. They have so much knowledge about young children and I feel lucky to have them in my corner when I need help. I feel like we are all working together to help my daughter grow and learn.

I love the outdoor space at Stretch. We can go to the playground whenever we want, but at Stretch, the outdoor space is a blank canvas for the teachers and children to create all sorts of fun adventures and learning. Our daughter started at 2.5 and has always been physically cautious. She learned to jump with confidence off all different size tree logs the teachers put out on some days, she learned to balance on other wooden play structures they put out on other days. I've watched her to yoga outside, play with water tables, run and jump through obstacle courses she, her friends and her teachers create. The possibilities in the outdoor space are endless. The space allows the teachers and students to be imaginative and creative.

One of my favorite things about Stretch is the Natural Classroom. Once your child is old enough, they will spend one day a week in the Presidio. This has been an amazing experience for our daughter. I love the fact that she can connect with nature and learn so much outside the typical classroom with her peers and teachers. Given that we live in the City and don't have a yard, it is so important to us that our children receive all of the benefits of learning in nature and feel so lucky our daughter has been given the opportunity to do this as part of her preschool education.

Another amazing thing about Stretch is Teacher Barb! Teacher Barb is a music teacher from Blue Bear School of Music and she has been teaching our kids music since they were born. She is a wonderful music teacher and we're so lucky our kids continue to have her as their music teacher in school.

Lastly, the parent community is also great! We have many events over the year where people have an opportunity to get to know each other. And, each class has many of their own events over the year. I've met some great friends over the last couple of years!

I could go on more, but the main thing is that Stretch is truly a magical and special place for children. I feel our daughter is leaning more that just academics, she is learning to be a thoughtful, kind, creative and grounded person. I constantly feel inspired by the program and so lucky that our children get to benefit from such an amazing school

I am writing again since it has been a couple of years since I last reviewed Stretch the Imagination.
I have had one child who graduate from Stretch (who is at a fabulous grade school) and I have a second child at Stretch now. My children are extremely well prepared for kindergarten and beyond. Stretch is a gem!

I continue to be thoroughly impressed by this thoughtful program. The teachers are not only caring, but they are extremely professional ; teaching for Stretch teachers is not only a job , but a career. Every year the teachers begin with a personal inquiry that they think about and write about as the year progresses. At the end of each year , each teacher makes a presentation to the community about their area of focus citing current educational ideas as well as specific examples from their classes. Not only are the Stretch teachers thinking deeply about ideas and education, but they are engaged with their students in a very profound way. As a parent , I am thrilled to gain insight into my child through this perspective. The degree to which Stretch teachers get to know each child is unparalleled in preschools.

Both of my children have very different learning styles that their teachers have addressed beautifully. I have also witnessed Stretch teachers working with challenging behaviors and with children who are either "gifted" or challenged. Each child is respected and guided according to their particular needs. Teachers do not pigeon hole or label kids. Children are respected and are given time and space to grow.

The amount of thought and planning that goes into each class at Stretch is commendable. The students are supported to create unique projects with this curricular scaffolding. One class made a film in the Natural Classroom. Another class did an extensive project on mapping the Presidio. My child's class created characters, wrote a story and "published" a book!

One of my favorite parts of Stretch is the Natural Classroom which gives children the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time in nature. I also love the physical space at Stretch. Though the classrooms are not huge, every detail is considered. The school is located in a beautiful Victorian with beautiful paint colors, well displayed projects, fresh flowers, etc.

In the beginning, I had wished for more opportunities to socialize with and get to know other Stretch families. It can be difficult to connect with other parents since there isn't a natural place for parents to chat at drop off. The Parents Association has definitely made an effort to create fun activities and outings for both grow up's and families . The parent community at Stretch is diverse, interesting and fun!

I am so grateful that Stretch exists. It is a special and unique school. I cannot imagine a better foundation and first school experience. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

Our family has had a wonderful experience at Stretch the Imagination. My son started when he was just under three and he is completing his second year at Stretch. We recommend the program without reservation and look forward to sending our younger son there.
I have been genuinely impressed with the teachers at Stretch. They are smart, thoughtful and knowledgeable about child development. I feel like they genuinely care about my son. They are very committed to creating a sense of community among the children and identify and celebrate each child's strengths. Through reading the teachers' weekly journals and observing them when I have volunteered in the classroom, I have gained valuable insights that I believe have made me a better parent.
I feel like the school has provided invaluable support to my child and family from the very beginning. When he first started attending Stretch, my son had a very difficult time with drop off. The school's director, Michelle, checked in with me almost daily and created a plan which included assigning a teacher who spent time bonding with my son and greeted him at the gate every morning, singing and offering a guitar so my son could join in. It was painful to leave my crying son but I saw that he calmed down and started to play and laugh as soon as I left (I peeked through the fence!) and both my son and I quickly learned to trust the teachers.

I was a bit surprised to read another reviewer's comment about Stretch not knowing how to work with children who are different. My son is one of those kids. I have always felt like the teachers have not only accepted my son in all his quirkiness, but also really celebrate what makes him special. Recently, the teachers did approach me with their observations when they felt like we should seek an evaluation to get a better sense of how we could help my son in areas where he struggles. I was impressed with how well the teachers know my son and how much they care about him. We had somebody come in and observe my son at school and she was also very impressed with Stretch. While she told me that we may have a difficult time finding an elementary school that will be a good fit, she felt that Stretch was a great place for him now.
I saw that there were also complaints about Stretch's outdoor space. I will admit that I was worried about that after touring the school, too. I spoke with a friend whose very active son had attended Stretch and she explained that while the yard is small, Stretch uses it almost like an art installation that is constantly changing and that her son never got bored there. I have found that to be true. Every day there are different, fascinating things out in the yard to play with. Some days there are pipes attached to the side of the building so the kids can pour water through them and see where it ends up. There are colorful tubes and ball runs on other days. There are large wooden boats or herds of dinosaurs or boxes of costumes or a gravel pit with construction equipment. After Christmas, a forest appears and the children play hide and seek in it. Hamilton Park is two blocks away and my son's class often goes there to play games the grass or even have picnics on nice days. After a couple of years at Stretch, the small yard isn't something that concerns me at all.
Stretch is a truly special place and I am so grateful that I have an opportunity to send my children there.