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 and all of the SF Library system.
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.
MEET OUR SAN FRANCISCO STAFF!
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.
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!
MICHELLE (pronouns: she/her)
Hi, I'm Michelle; I've always loved sharing what I know so the world can grow! Throughout my school life, I've had amazing opportunities to teach karate, drumline and chemistry. My love for science led me to higher education in chemistry but after a few years of working in the biotech industry, I realized I was missing something in my day-to-day life. I went back to teaching with Tree Frog Treks in 2025 and realized how much I loved leading young minds in educational endeavors. That amazing community led me to Room To Grow! Now, I'm loving what I do every day and I'm so excited to spend this next year with everyone!
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