From Berkeley Music Daycare to El Cerrito Preschool
Nomura Preschool’s commitment to education and the development of the whole child dates back to its founding in 1964 by Mrs. Faith Nomura when she opened a small music preschool and daycare on Blake Street in Berkeley, California. Born in Fukui, Japan to educator parents who founded a school in Japan which is still in operation, Mrs. Nomura began by teaching the violin to her young pupils, encouraging an environment where creative play and discovery developed alongside attention to good citizenship and a reliable routine.
Comprehensive Development for Toddler, Intermediate, and Pre-Kindergarten Learners
Over the years, Mrs. Nomura and her dedicated group of teachers, administrators and outside instructors have expanded the preschool curriculum and defined activities for toddler, intermediate, and pre-kindergarten classrooms. Indoor and outdoor play is a staple for each day, along with academic time, various age-appropriate learning stations, meal and snacks, and exploring the arts. A robust extracurriculars program offers preschool students something different for each day, from visual art, creative dance, violin, pre-piano, karate, and gymnastics.
The Richmond Annex Campus near Albany – El Cerrito
By 1984, the preschool had moved to its current location on Carlson Boulevard, straddling the borders of Albany, El Cerrito and Richmond in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. The current campus features a cluster of houses that offers a comfortable, home-like setting, with plenty of indoor/outdoor space for play. The preschool campus ensures an excellent venue for children to learn about themselves and their environment.
The campus has seen exciting changes in recent years. From 2007 to 2010, the preschool underwent a thorough remodeling. New tile and carpeting was installed, new paint applied, and bathrooms remodeled. A parent waiting room and all new classroom furniture were also added. In 2009, the preschool opened the Chicky House, a dedicated classroom facility and play area for the two year old age group. In 2011, the preschool had a new playground structure installed in the large interior courtyard (unseen from the street), providing the children with a graduated stage for exploration, play and cooperation. This new play structure was accompanied by new rubber flooring installed in all outdoor areas.
From the first music preschool in Mrs. Nomura’s Berkeley home, to the current campus of bright classrooms and common play areas, Nomura Preschool is proud to be a Bay Area community leader in preschool education, now serving families with preschool children in El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, Richmond Annex, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Kensington, Hercules, El Sobrante, and Pinole.