Located on the Loma Vista Immersion Academy campus, Bright Futures Preschool is a half-day preschool program funded by the California Department of Education’s Child Development Division and operated by Old Adobe Union School District's Child Development Department. We are a Quality Counts program and are designed to meet the developmental needs of three and four-year old children and to support their readiness for TK and/or Kindergarten.
Hours of Operation: Bright Futures Preschool operates (5) days per week, 180 calendar days of the school year. We follow the Old Adobe Union School District calendar each year and are open for the same 180 school days as our TK-6th grade students. Our program is a half-day program that runs from 8:45am to 11:45am each day.
About Bright Futures Preschool
Our goal is to provide preschoolers and their families with the tools they need to support each student's social-emotional, physical, cognitive, academic, and creative development, and to celebrate each child and their full identity. We are guided by the California Preschool Learning Foundations, California Desired Results, the California Teaching Pyramid, and NAEYC’s Four Goals of Anti-Bias Education. Our preschool teachers work closely with OAUSD kindergarten teachers to enhance the preschool curriculum & to prepare each student for success in TK and/or Kindergarten.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
Bright Futures Preschool celebrates the richness that every person’s unique attributes add to the community. We are committed to developing and maintaining an inclusive and equitable program, one that honors every family’s funds of knowledge, meets each student where they are in their personal development, and ensures that every student’s full identity is valued and supported. The Bright Futures team will work to integrate diverse representation throughout every aspect of the program, and will create a welcoming and respectful environment for all clients and staff.
Religious Instruction and Worship:Bright Futures Preschool refrains from all religious instruction and worship, including explicit celebration of holidays.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Bright Futures Preschool will begin enrolling for Fall 2024 class beginning March 3, 2024.
Step 1: Families who are interested in enrolling their child(ren) in Bright Futures Preschool should first complete the application to be added to our "Eligibility List," our program's waiting list. This application can be accessed at the link below. Hard copies are available at the Child Development Office at Loma Vista Immersion Academy, 207 Maria Drive, Petaluma 94954. Contact Program Secretary Vanessa Sandoval at (707)765-4366 or by email at vsandoval@oldadobe.org to arrange to pick up forms, or drop by the office between 7:30am and 3:30pm.
Step 2: Once your application is complete, please scan and email the completed application to program secretary Vanessa Sandoval at vsandoval@oldadobe.org or bring it to the Child Development Office at Loma Vista Immersion Academy, 207 Maria Drive, Petaluma 94954.
Step 3: Once we receive your application, we will place your family on our eligibility list. Families are added to the eligibility list based upon guidelines from the California Department of Education Child Development Division (info here and here). Reminder that students must meet both the age and categorical eligibility outlined here.
Step 4: When you are contacted for enrollment, you will be asked to complete an enrollment packet and to provide copies of all paperwork required by the California Department of Education Child Development Division for licensed California State Preschool Programs. All required paperwork must be submitted before your child can be assigned a start date at Bright Futures. We will work with you to ensure you have the paperwork in and complete :)
Step 5: You receive your child's start date and voila! You have a preschooler!! We cannot wait to meet them.
We wish that we had a spot for every child in need of preschool. But because our program is a California State Preschool Program (CSPP), we have strict program eligibility requirements that are set by the California Department of Education Child Development Division (source)
A child must meet both the age eligibility and the categorical eligibility outlined below in order to be enrolled in Bright Futures Preschool. Once a child is deemed eligible, that eligibility is good for 24 months, or up to two full program years. However, if a child's fifth birthday occurs on or before September 1 of the second year, and thus is eligible to attend kindergarten, they will no longer be eligible to remain in CSPP after they begin kindergarten or as of September 30, whichever comes first.
Age Eligibility: For Fall 2024 we are enrolling children born between 9/2/2019 and 12/1/2021, and will open to additional children as they turn 3 years old if we have openings to do so
California State Preschool Program (CSPP) services shall be limited to:
Four-year-old children: children who will have their fourth birthday on or before December 1 of the year that they are enrolled in the program, or a child whose fifth birthday occurs after September 1 of the year they are enrolled in the program and whose parent or guardian has opted to retain or enroll them in a California state preschool program.
Three-year-old children: children who will have their third birthday on or before December 1 of the year that they are enrolled in the program. Children who have their third birthday on or after December 2 may be enrolled on or after their third birthday.
Categorical Eligibility (one or more categories must be met):
Family is experiencing homelessness
Child has a disability/exceptional needs (see definition below)
Family is income eligible, with an income at or below 100 percent of the state median income. (Table below.)
Family is a current CalWORKS aid recipient and/or has a member of its household who is certified to receive benefits from Medi-Cal, CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Head Start, Early Head Start, or any other designated means-tested government program as determined by the CDE
Child receives child protective services, or has been identified as being abused, neglected, or exploited, or at-risk of same
After all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled, if the family has an income that is no more than 15 percent above the income eligibility threshold, a child may be eligible (this allowance is limited to 10 percent of the total contract).
Maximum Monthly Income for 15% above Income Eligibility Threshold
1–2
$93,110
$7,759
$8,923
3
$105,482
$8,790
$10,109
4
$122,993
$10,249
$11,787
5
$142,672
$11,889
$13,673
6
$162,350
$13,529
$15,559
7
$166,040
$13,837
$15,912
8
$169,730
$14,144
$16,266
9
$173,420
$14,452
$16,619
10
$177,109
$14,759
$16,973
11
$180,799
$15,067
$17,327
12+
$184,489
$15,374
$17,680
Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample File
Definition of children with exceptional needs/children with disabilities is the following (source):
(1) Children under three years of age who have been determined to be eligible for early intervention services pursuant to the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14 (commencing with Section 95000) of the Government Code) and its implementing regulations. These children include an infant or toddler with a developmental delay or established risk condition, or who is at high risk of having a substantial developmental disability, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 95014 of the Government Code. These children shall have active individualized family service plans and shall be receiving early intervention services.
(2) Children 3 to 21 years of age, inclusive, who have been determined to be eligible for special education and related services by an individualized education program team according to the special education requirements contained in Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2, and who meet eligibility criteria described in Section 56026 and, Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 56333) of Chapter 4 of Part 30 of Division 4 of Title 2, and Sections 3030 and 3031 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). These children shall have an active individualized education program and shall be receiving early intervention services or appropriate special education.
Bright Futures Preschool is designed to meet the developmental needs of students by building supportive relationships with students, offering a rich, play-based environment, fostering a love of learning, and creating a strong home-to-school partnership.
Learning takes place when children have the opportunity to build strong relationships and to freely engage with a variety of engaging objects in their environment. Using the Teaching Pyramid Framework, staff will support students in developing friendships and friendship skills, to identify emotions, to manage big emotions, to practice coping and self-regulation skills, and to practice social problem solving and conflict resolution.
The Classroom as “The Third Teacher” (inspired by a Reggio & Project Approach)
According to the Reggio Emilia educational approach, the most effective learning environment is one in which the classroom itself becomes “the third teacher” in the room. In such an environment, the adults become facilitators, introducing materials and their appropriate uses to the students in a whole group, small group, or 1:1 setting, but then letting students take the lead. This is an important balance to adult-directed lessons and activities, especially in preschool and expanded learning spaces. Students thrive in environments that are set up in a beautiful, inspiring, intentional way, one that is organized so that they can have agency as learners. For example, students should be able to access art and office supplies as needed. Every item should “live”in a well-designated place so that cleaning up is a simple and self-evident process, something that students grow to feel capable of doing themselves. In the Reggio Emilia approach, the classroom becomes a place that is welcoming, authentic, culturally competent, well-organized, beautiful, and representative and reflective of the local community. It should feature purposeful, natural, well-maintained materials. The layout should promote collaboration, flexibility, flow, experimentation, and exploration through play.
Language, Literacy and English Language Development
Language development is integrated into all areas of the curriculum. Staff will read to children, teach songs and rhymes, perform finger plays, and discuss and explore educational topics that are age-appropriate on a daily basis. Staff will engage one-on-one with each student each day, finding opportunities to check in regularly, to have conversations, to acknowledge and describe what students are doing and the ways in which they are meeting the classroom expectations: We are safe, We are caring, We are learners. The use of what the Teaching Pyramid calls Positive Descriptive Acknowledgements helps to build relationships between students and staff, helps students to feel seen and heard, helps to reinforce expectations, and helps to introduce students to new vocabulary.
Critical Thinking, Cognitive, and Creative Development
Learning in content areas such as reading, math, social studies, and science are integrated into the program through meaningful, active exploration with blocks, sand, food, music, art, story, garden, and observations of seasons, animals, and other natural phenomena. Children are given the freedom to explore the learning activities and interest centers, designed to illuminate a weekly/monthly theme. Children are provided with an opportunity for creative development through art activities, music and movement, and dramatic play. Creative activities will focus primarily on the children’s individual experience, interests, and process rather than the end product.
Physical Development
Staff will provide students with opportunities to use their whole bodies in play, music, and dance. Students will engage in “big muscle” activities such as running, jumping, climbing, and balancing in structured and unstructured outdoor activities. Students will engage in “fine motor” activities such as puzzling, writing, painting, beading, and drawing. Staff will provide a daily nutritious snack-- sometimes featuring fruit, veggies, and "taste tests" from our own garden!-- and/or families are welcome to provide a snack that they know their child will happily eat.
Handwriting Without Tears: Get Set for School
This early literacy and numeracy program is designed specifically for the preschool years, and uses hands-on, multisensory methods to build alphabet knowledge and to prepare students to write in a developmentally appropriate way. Staff will support students to play, build, sing, color and learn while developing pre-kindergarten academic skills. Students will be introduced to the alphabet, letter and number recognition and formation, counting, shapes, colors and drawing. Students will practice these emerging skills in small groups and with opportunities to use geo-boards, alphabet boards, to work in their “office” etc.
Home-to-School Partnership
Our program recognizes that a child’s parent(s)/guardian(s) are their first teacher and we respect and honor the learning that each child does in their home environments. We welcome family members in the classroom to join our teachers in partnership towards serving the needs of the whole child.
Our Teachers:
Lead Teacher Selfa Gonzalez My name is Selfa Gonzalez. I migrated to the United States in 1987. Got married in 1990, lived in Novato for seven years, then moved to Petaluma with my wonderful husband, Gamaliel and our lovely girls, Kathy and Andrea. I love my garden, and I enjoy spending time caring for my plants and fruit trees. Green is my favorite color, and I feel that the plants give tranquility when I feel stressed. I discovered my passion for teaching young children when I was a parent volunteer in Andrea’s preschool classroom in 2002. I started taking child development classes right after that to obtain my ECE teacher's permit. There’s nothing more gratifying than hearing young children’s honest expressions about their feelings for classmates and teachers.
Associate Teacher Michelle Quecke My name is Michelle Quecke. I grew up in Petaluma and have lived in Sonoma County most of my life. I am married to my wonderful husband, Mike, who is the Superintendent of a sanitary sewer district in Marin County. We are a blended family, with three children: Bailey, Lizzy, and Charlie. We enjoy spending time with our pugs, Popeye and Wimpy, or tending to our flock of chickens. We also love camping and backyard barbecues with family and friends. I have been working as an Associate Teacher for OAUSD since 2014 and love working with children! The unpredictability of the preschool age makes my day so much brighter. I love the way they see things in such an authentic way or how they express themselves! My hope as a teacher is to make a positive impact on a child’s life during the short time they are in preschool.
Who We Serve: We provide a developmentally-appropriate preschool program for children ages 3 to 5 years or until entering kindergarten. Eligible children have their 3rd or 4th birthday on or before December 1st of the current program year. Children who have their 3rd birthday after December 2 may be enrolled on or after their third birthday. More about eligibility here.
The first 24 eligible children, according to the criteria established by the California Department of Education Early Learning and Care Division, who fill out their application information completely and qualify under the said guidelines by June 30 each year will be accepted into the Bright Futures Preschool program for the upcoming school year. All applicants are placed on our in-house eligibility list, which follows mandated California Department of Education Child Development Division guidelines, and will be notified when an opening occurs.
Hours of Operation: Bright Futures Preschool operates (5) days per week, 180 calendar days of the school year. We follow the Old Adobe Union School District calendar each year and are open for the same 180 school days as our TK-6th grade students. Our program is a half-day program that runs from 8:45am to 11:45am each day.
Staff/Student Ratio: 8:1 or better; 24 students total enrolled.
Fees: The cost of this program is supplemented by our CSPP and Pre-K Family Literacy Grants, as well as our QRIS Stipend and additional one-time funds. There is no cost for families to enroll in or attend Bright Futures Preschool.
Volunteering: We value having parents and caregivers in the classroom! Please contact Lead Teacher Selfa Gonzalez for a Volunteer Application Packet.
Parent/Caregiver Advisory Committee (PAC): includes parents in decision-making and participation in the preschool self-evaluation process, planning and implementing family education workshops/training sessions to address the needs of families and to support student achievement and providing parents with resources to use at home along with all other learning activities. PAC meetings are scheduled throughout the school year. The time and dates to be determined.
Questions, Feedback, or Concerns: Please follow these steps should you have any questions or concerns about your experience with Bright Futures Preschool:
Contact Preschool Lead Teacher Selfa Gonzalez at 707-975-5058 or at sgonzalez@oldadobe.org
Contact Director of Child Development Rebecca Hachmyer at rhachmyer@oldadobe.org
Should you feel your concerns have not been resolved, please contact Community Care Licensing at 707-588-5026 or refer to Old Adobe Union School District's Uniform Complaint Procedures in the Family Handbook.
