The Good Earth School

We feel so fortunate to be a part of The Good Earth School community and have had nothing but wonderful experiences with teachers, students and parents over the 3 years our 2 kids have attended. From the moment we met Gail and Alan for a tour of the school, we could tell how much personal care they put into every aspect of running a top notch program and just got that gut feeling it was a special place (and that feeling remains 3 years later).

Since our kids have previously had challenges with transitions, it was especially important to us to find a place where they would feel safe and loved, in addition to an engaging educational setting. Not only were the staff completely open to our needs, but they were very empathetic toward our feelings as parents, so we really appreciated the understanding and extra support we received with setting up a transition plan which ended up making the start of the year much smoother than we expected. Our daughter jumped right into the routine immediately, much to our surprise, and although our son needed a few weeks to get to his comfort zone, he was given a lot of extra cuddle time and he formed close bonds with his teachers during that time. 

The outdoor emphasis is a perfect fit for our kids who love to get outside and get dirty. They have blossomed in the safe, fun and enriching environment crafted by the incredibly kind and dedicated teachers and staff. They come home singing new songs, sharing details about their daily routine and talking nonstop about new best friends. It's easy to communicate with teachers through the Brightwheel app and we've really appreciated their flexibility when we've needed a late drop off or early pick up. There's a weekly email filled with updates about the curriculum and lots of adorable pictures taken throughout the week. The community events - family picnics, Trunk or Treat, Harvest Festival, teacher appreciation and one-off class gatherings - have given us a chance to develop deeper friendships and a sense of belonging within the community.

We have highly recommended TGES to random people we've met at the park, neighbors and coworkers, and they too have independently decided to enroll their kids so don't just take our word for it...come see for yourself!

We are beyond grateful for the impact TGES has had on our daughter. I could not have designed a more enriching, caring and fun environment for her. 

We could tell this place was special when, as we were touring the school, happy children beamed at Teacher Gail (who was giving the tour) and asked for hugs. The campus environment reflects the values of the school--creativity, environmental stewardship, social connection, and active play. 

Our daughter adjusted quickly to her new school. Before she turned 2 years old, she had already learned important lessons on boundaries, including "space please" and "no thank you". She came home each day having learned new skills, songs, and phrases. 

I credit her development to the fact that spends her days engrossed in activities that stimulate her entire brain--from hiking in the meadow, to making tortillas, to finding treasure in the sandbox. Each teacher we have encountered has been dedicated to the children's safety, development, and emotional well-being.

I also love how the school creates community for the families--the family picnics in the summertime have been some of our nicest experiences as a family. 

TGES is a gem--I am so grateful to Gail, Alan, and the entire staff for the incredible learning environment and community they have built for our family and others. 

The level of respect we have for TGES Directors and Teachers cannot be conveyed simply through wiring a review. Our daughter attended TGES for a year before we relocated out of state. She was able to form friendships and connections that are visible of our new refrigerator and decorate her bedroom walls. Photographs, notes, drawings and she is constantly talking about her teachers. 
 

I am so impressed by the level of detail and dedication to keeping the teachers and families safe during Covid. Teacher Alan and Teacher Gail setup weekly on-site PCR testing. They communicate in emails with research and honesty. 
 

The teachers are knowledgeable and supported by the Directors to continue their education. The teachers compile a beautiful weekly e-newsletter that explains the books, the activities, the questions explored throughout the week and include images of the kids. 
 

A sense of community is encouraged by having gatherings that are outside and invite creativity from the kids and adults alike. 
 

We truly trusted our daughter in the hands of the TGES and we are thankful for the level of attention and love she experienced by being there. 
 

We knew we needed something different for our toddler when he started seeking out sticks and puddles and standing by the front door to get outside any chance he could. The Good Earth School offers exactly what we had been hoping for: a primarily outdoor program run by loving and experienced teachers who nurture each individual child’s development within a small class of other children. Beyond our expectations have been Alan Pavlovsky’s handling of extraordinarily thorough and competent COVID protocols, the thoughtful and heart-warming essays by Director Gail Pavlovsky in the photo-filled weekly digital newsletter, the friendly and interesting families within the larger school community, the bird-filled campus environment, and, best of all, our child’s palpable excitement at the gate each morning! It was one of our child’s teachers who first pointed out to me that a particular sound I had overlooked was actually a word – one of his very first! I couldn’t have been happier to share that little milestone with someone who clearly loves our child, too. This is the way everything feels at TGES. We consider ourselves very lucky to have discovered this vibrant, diverse, warm and wholesome community – and recommend it highly. Particularly when COVID has upended many of our lives, the Good Earth School is a bright spot in my family’s life every single day.

Our son came to Good Earth School during the middle of the pandemic because we needed to put him in a good place where he could start socializing with other children. He adjusted incredibly well and thanks to the great care of the staff at Good Earth, especially its owners and operators Alan and Gail, he has had just a fantastic experience there. They have been incredibly accommodating at making his nap work, and provided a loving, caring and nurturing environment which he loves to go to everyday. After the first week he sprinted into the school gates enthusiastically and never even looked back at us. The school is run incredibly well, with very clear and meticulously followed health and safety procedures during these challenging times. Any issue that we have brought up for making things work better have been immediately addressed, incorporated, and improved. I have not seen a preschool run this well ever, and we can't highly recommend it enough. We also really appreciate the diverse staff as this is not common in many of the preschools in Berkeley, Kensington, or El Cerrito. We wholeheartedly recommend Good Earth School and it has been a great place for our son.

Our family have been with the Good Earth Preschool for more than 2 years. We loved it before the Covid-19 pandemic and we love it even more now. We were initially hesitant as to how the kids would cope with the many precautions that are necessary, but they are absolutely thriving. The teachers have absolutely normalised mask wearing, made a fun game out of distancing and we have no doubts that our kids are as safe as possible due to the many other protocols that have been implemented. We could not be more impressed with the schools commitment to staying open as much as possible (during wildfires and Covid-19) whilst keeping everybody safe. Our youngest child joined the school when they reopened in July and the bond she has made with her teachers in only a few short months is entirely due to the love and attention she receives.

My family and I could not be happier with The Good Earth Pre-School.  I can't stress enough what an outstanding pre-school this is, that continues to exceed our expectations.  Every day we feel that we've hit the jackpot with the education, care and fun this pre-school provides our son.  A few of the things we love are:

1 - the school is a mix of structured activities (including science projects, circle time, soccer, music) and free play (hikes, a great outdoor space, art)2 - the teachers are carefully hired and work with the kids on both education and social skills such as kindness to all "friends" and treating others respectfully3 - if children are interested in a certain topics, they create activities, experiments and lessons around it.  Weekly curricula are in place and follow various seasons and cultural celebrations4 - the school provides healthy lunches5 - each child is treated with care, from daily interactions to feedback during parent-teacher conferences Owners Gail and Alan do an outstanding job of providing a safe place for the kids to learn and grow, and fostering a community for the families.  I truly could not recommend this school enough.  

Where do I even start? Let's start at the beginning. While I was pregnant w/ my 1st (son Zane, now 2.5 years old), I started my search for in-home day care. It was important to my husband & I to find a home for my baby, as opposed to a public day care. And we didn't want to go the "nanny" route, as we wanted him to engage with other kids. I scoured the area & came across rave reviews (here on the Berkeley Parents Network) on Gail Pavlosky, owner of Galoshes (in-home) Day Care. I met with her & instantly fell in love. It's just a vibe I got. She's got a magnetic energy. And it's beyond genuine. We both left that conversation feeling like we had been friends for forever. But I asked 1 thing of Gail (and her husband/partner, Alan Pavlosky)...I wasn't looking for someone to babysit my child while I was at work...I needed someone who I'd partner with in raising my child. And Gail has far exceeded my expectations. FAR. You see, I'm a career-driven woman & have always known that I would want to continue working once I had children. And Gail makes that all feel safe to me. Zane spends more time with her everyday than he does with us, so I need to feel safe. Zane joined Galoshes when he was 6 months old.  He's not only truly happy...he's well-behaved, funny, kind, well-mannered, creative, & smart. Do my husband and I have something to do with that? I suppose. But alot of credit goes to Gail. She is something special. She oozes genuine kindness. And her love for the earth is magical. We also have a 16 mo old daughter (Kai) at Galoshes. She too is so so very happy, incredibly intelligent, curious, & kind. How can you get that lucky twice? One word: GAIL. From the start, she recommended that we move Zane to pre-school at 30 mos because she felt that her home wasn't a big enough space for older toddlers to run around. So, a responsible parent would have started looking at pre-schools prior to him turning 2. But I didn't. Because I knew deep down that Gail's dream of opening her own pre-school was going to come to life. I had such faith that it was all going to work out. Shame on me. In hindsight, I should have gotten him on a wait-list somewhere. But again, I just believed the stars would align.  And low and behold, dreams do come true. I remember the day that Gail told me about the GOOD EARTH SCHOOL. I buckled at the knees and cried my eyes out. We moved Zane over to the Good Earth School when it opened back in March. Perfect timing. He was 30 mos & truly did need the space to run & climb & hike & paint & garden & sing & dance. Boy, is he thriving! They plant their own food to eat...farm-to-table style. Gail provides a vegetarian lunch everyday. The parents provide the AM & PM snacks. But we've got this "Snack Duty" program where we bring snacks for the whole class 1 day/2 wks. Makes it much easier. In any case, Zane has fallen in love w/ nature. Quite literally. We've seen photos of him literally laying in puddles of water swimming along. It's fascinating. Did I mention they play music in the woods?

Gail not only makes you want to be better parents, she makes you want to be better people. You will consider yourself LUCKY...BLESSED, in fact...if you're able to enroll at the Good Earth School & to have her help raise your kids. She's an inspiration.  And we not only call her Zane & Kai's caretaker, we're honored to call her our friend. 

Long-winded...yes. But y'all deserve to hear it. And quite frankly, Gail deserves to hear it as well.  

-Jess (& Walt) Daugherty

Review for Galoshes Daycare and the soon-to-open Good Earth School (Pre-school):

All of these reviews are spot on and the quality of care at Galoshes is still amazing. After hours spent on the internet, visiting an array of places in the East Bay and Marin and having my child attend another daycare for a few months, I worried that I would either find a daycare that was nurturing and loving OR one that focused on child development. It's is surprisingly hard to find both. I want my baby to develop and grow and be a kind, caring, super genius (!) but I also want her to love the people at her daycare and kiss them and hug them and miss them! I find all of this at Galoshes. The quality of the activities is impressive. The littlest babies to the 2.5 year olds participate AND benefit. The outdoor classroom is REALLY a classroom: fun and so thoughtfully designed to enhance what is already beautiful in nature.

SO, I am both excited and relieved that Gail will be applying her decades worth of child development experience, education, legit cooking skills and gut instinct to the Good Earth School. It's Reggio-inspired. The focus is NATURE and being outdoors and using the outdoors as a place to learn. It's a calm, beautiful environment and really, you should just go and visit.

Ok, ok one more thing! Gail has a gift for finding and training other teachers. Talk to her references from years ago or now and they will go on and on about those teachers and Gail. I love Amy and Melissa. My daughter loves them too! And they are in-tuned with the needs of the kids. When one of them is having a rough day, they might spend more time being hugged and held. Or maybe a teacher will spend time with a child in a quiet area, which can be really helpful. When I visited, it really struck me how happy and friendly all of the kids were. I could go on and on, but I won't! Call Gail. Go visit! Daycare or preschool! Did I tell you that my baby loves quinoa and veggies? She's inspiring my husband to eat veggies! Will that convince you?

http://thegoodearthschool.com/contact/