Duck's Nest on Telegraph

Community Subscriber

Oakland, CA

To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.

Type:
Preschool
DSS Facility License #
Owner:
Ducks Nest, Inc.
510 658-5443
telegraphenrollment [at] ducksnest.org
Location:
Oakland
94609
3717 Telegraph Ave
Maximum Capacity:
72
Language(s) Spoken:
English,
Spanish
Ages Served:
24 months - 72 months
Hours
8:00am - 5:30pm
Additional Services & Features:
Part-time available,
Pre-K program,
Year-round,
Sibling discount,
Snacks provided,
Potty training support
Editors' Notes:

Parent Q&A

Select any title to view the full question and replies.

  • Hello, we are  same-sex, black family, with a black child. We are currently thinking about Duck’s Nest Berkeley or Duck’s Nest Telegraph for our child. We are excited about the emergent, Reggio curriculum. I am seeking advice from parents at either location. We are leaning towards the Berkeley campus, but the lack of visual diversity in the student body concerns us. Telegraph seems visually more representative, but we are worried about the bigger class size and what feels like busier energy for our child. Families with recent experience at either campus, can you share any insights?

    Our child is African American and goes to Duck's Nest Berkeley. We've been very happy there even though there are a small number of Black kids. The anti-bias curriculum is good. That being said, I'm pretty sure you're correct that the Telegraph location would be visually more representative. Feel free to contact me directly if you want more info.

    Hi! We are also a same-sex black family with a black child who goes to Duck's Nest Telegraph and we have been very happy -- the student body (and also the teachers) are pretty diverse, and we've found the teachers and administrators to be wonderful. Feel free to message me if you'd like to chat more about our experience. 

    Just wanted to say thanks for asking here, I'm trying to decide between Duck's Nest and Aquatic Park School right now, and the lack of diversity at Duck's Nest is my biggest concern right now too. I hope you've been able to make your decision and are feeling good about your choice!

  • Hi parents, we are thinking about enrolling our kiddo at Duck's Nest Telegraph this fall and are looking for more recent/up-to-date feedback. How's it been during the pandemic? How are the teachers for the 2 year olds? Communication with parents? Thanks! 

    Our (now) 3.5 year old started there in August 2021 as a 3 year old. We have LOVED it. The school administration is incredibly communicative, thoughtful and responsive. The teachers are AMAZING. I cannot believe how much they love my kid truly. They have been so supportive through her rough potty-training journey and are so kind. My challenging toddler is very happy there. They do a ton of messy play that I don't have the energy for at home (like daily painting, water exploration, mud kitchen, slime, sand, etc). Our kid has really developed there in only positive ways. The COVID protocols are relatively strict (eg testing to start, following breaks, with any symptoms), masks are worn and enforced for the kids, and the policies are reasonable and science based. I cannot speak highly enough about it. The downsides are: lots of breaks (3 weeks off in summer, spring break in April, two full weeks in winter and tons of random days off for holidays and teacher trainings, etc), you have to pack a lunch and snacks daily, and the hours are short (compared to prior daycares) - 8:30-5:30 (although they are opening at 8 starting in fall). Before I started there I would have said these downsides were not worth it, but the care and environment outweigh these in a BIG way for our family. 

  • hi all, 

    looking for some recent recommendations for ducks nest preschool on telegraph. I didn’t find any recent posts regarding people’s experience there. 

    Thank you!! 

    No responses received.

  • Hello parents! I'm looking for reviews of the Duck's Nest (Telegraph Campus) preschool. Most of what I've found online are for the Berkeley and 41st Street locations. Any parents out there who want to share their experience? Thanks in advance. 

    We are at a different Duck's Nest campus so no feedback on Telegraph, but in case it wasn't clear, the Telegraph program moved from Broadway this past spring, so you'll find some older reviews that refer to it as the Duck's Nest Broadway/Rockridge campus. That's the same school; they just moved to a larger facility.

    My child just started the duckling class (youngest group, aged around 2 years old) this past august at the telegraph location. It was a tough transition, but overall, I found most of the teachers to be extremely supportive during this process. The head teacher of the duckling group seems really great. She seems to be knowledgeable about the age group and genuinely cares about the children. I like most of the teachers, with the exception of one, who doesn't seem to have as much patience/understanding for my son as the others. So far, I've only witnessed two different negative encounters with her and my son, so it's something that I am going to continue to monitor.

    Another con is that the admin staff arn't as responsive as they could be. We were told to direct any questions/concerns/comments to the admin staff through email, but most of my emails have been ignored or I would need to send a follow up or have to seek the admin/director out in person. 

    Since it's only been about 2 months since the school has started, I am still waiting to get a better feel for the school and whether it's the best fit for my son. All in all though, the school seems pretty good, with good teachers and fairly well organized. The facility is nice, with a play structure and lots of various play stations for the kids. 

Parent Reviews

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My mixed race kiddo had a great experience at Duck’s Nest Telegraph. I would guess it averages about 20-30% Black/mixed kids, depending on the class (in our class of 20 last year, I think there were 4 or 5 Black or mixed kids; the year before it was a much smaller cohort due to Covid, and I think it was 4 kids out of 10). My kid is also gender expansive and the school was extremely supportive on that front- one of the directors has personal experience with a gender expansive family member, and the school does trainings with Gender Spectrum, so that was another huge benefit for us. 

We have had a wonderful experience at Duck's Nest.  The environment and the teachers are superb.  I can confirm that enrollment is difficult, perhaps flexibility on days and part-time can increase your chances.  Feel free to contact me directly if you have specific questions on the school.

Regarding your concerns around naptime, I can also confirm that other families struggle with this - especially through the transition of dropping naps!  Prior to enrolling in pre-school, I'd advise you to research state regulation as well as school policies around offering undistracted rest (nap) time.

Our son has attended Duck's Nest (Arts and Sciences, Rockridge/Broadway campus) for the past 7 months and we could not be happier. The staff is incredibly nurturing and creative, and the facilities are very homey and welcoming. Our son has matured a great deal during his time there, and he just loves being at school!

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Duck's Nest School of Arts and Sciences

Oct 2013

I cannot imagine a better preschool than Duck's Nest (Broadway campus). The teachers (especially Ms. Lilia) are wonderful, warm, and truly gifted in their ability to understand, appreciate, and relate to children. While many schools say that they focus on social and emotional development, the teachers at Duck's Nest are really skillful in helping children grow in these areas and develop compassion and self confidence. The school's approach of observing the kids and building ''lessons'' around their interests seemed to be a great fit for our high energy, ''spirited'' son. I was always impressed with the range of fun, engaging, and creative projects the teachers came up with. It seemed that every morning there was something new and interesting set up for the kids to explore. The classrooms and outdoor space are very well designed and provide a creative environment for kids to play, learn, rest, and get some energy out. Finally, the school did a lot (i.e. holiday celebrations, field trips, picnics, etc.) to foster a sense of community among the families. It is really a magical place! I will always be grateful for all that Duck's Nest did for my son and our family. Happy Duck's Nest parent


 

Feedback on Duck's Nest Arts and Sciences Preschool

Feb 2013

I am looking for comments/feedback about Duck's Nest Arts and Sciences Preschool on Broadway. I love the preschool my 3 year old is at right now, but they do not have room in their afternoon program. So, I am looking for a great preschool for him next year that he can stay until 3 or 3:30. I would like one near his sister's elementary school so the Broadway location works great for us. The most recent postings are from 2007. What's happening lately? Does anyone know? Thanks so much! Nervous mom who hates to leave current school



Our child graduated from Duck's Nest in 2011. We had a mixed experience. It is a warm, friendly, and loving place. There was only one teacher there (Lilia, who is fantastic) who seemed to really ''get" childrens' creativity. My child made a lot of artwork that seemed designed to please the parents - a little dish with the child's name spelled out in letters, clearly adult-directed artwork. It also, while small, ended up being too big for our kid, who was 3.5 at the beginning. The entire school is the functioning unit, rather than a smaller cohort, because the kids flow from one room to the next, so it took him a lot longer to establish close relationships than it had in a previous more intimate setting. There are a lot of adults around -- student teachers mostly -- which also added to the lack of intimacy for us. Good things about it: the teachers are all very loving and sweet. The school values their families a lot and they take care of the community. They are very flexible about different families' needs and shifts in scheduling, that sort of thing. The teachers and director all clearly love children and are really passionate about their work. My kid loved his friends there and I think it's a great place for older kids, 4 and 5 year olds. Definitely prepares kids for kindergarten with lots of school-ish skills. Anon



We transitioned our Son from the Piedmont Duck's Nest to the Arts and Sciences location this year. We LOVE the Duck's Nest Preschool Group. They are super supportive and truly nurture the children. We moved him to the Arts and Sciences campus because our Son was in need of a smaller, more controlled environment. There are 3 main teachers that are wonderful with additional support staff. I do have to say that they have higher expectations out of the children such as ''writing'' their names (AKA tracing) in their check in book, greeting or addressing everyone when they arrive, and other preschool prep. They are also good at instilling proper manners such as how to politely ask or interrupt for requests. From my perspective, most of the children attend from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This leaves a smaller group in the afternoon, great for the remaining children. Due to this, there is only one of the main teachers remaining for the late afternoon pick up and of course support staff. This can prove to be a challenge if you wish to receive regular feedback on your child's daily activities but the school is willing to work with your needs as I receive weekly status calls from his main teacher to fill this void. They are working on their communication with the parents and have created a Google group account to keep parents up to date. I also feel that the school is well maintained and clean. All in all I feel that they are doing a good job. Kimberly