What are the hours of the school?
Cornerstone Children’s Center offers year-round care between the hours of 8:30 am–5:30 pm.

Do you offer both part-time and full-time schedule options?
To ensure the smallest possible cohort for each class we offer a full-time schedule (five days a week) and a limited number of part-time options (three days a week). This allows us to maintain classrooms with small teacher-child ratios in which children can develop relationships with a consistent group of peers. Full-time families have the option of shorter or longer days; those who opt for a shorter day can add extended hours as needed.

What is your philosophy?
Cornerstone is a Christian childcare center and preschool designed to support and nurture families and young children. We believe that children learn best through hands-on exploration of the world around them. Our school is play-based, child-centered, and teacher-supported, where play is used to master fundamental skills and concepts needed for later school experiences. Play supports all areas of development, and our teachers are responsive facilitators who help to enhance and expand each child’s own learning experience.

What is your policy on discipline?
Our role is not to punish children, but rather to provide clear, consistent limits and to teach children how to play constructively within those guidelines. At Cornerstone we use redirection to deal with behavioral issues. Teachers offer the children choices and follow through with what is expected from the choice the child has made. Children are set up to be successful through clear expectations on what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is not. Discipline (which is really teaching) is based upon an understanding of individual needs and appropriate behavior at varying developmental levels.

Children who need a little extra help may spend some one-on-one time with a teacher, working together to problem-solve to turn around the behavior. If children need to withdraw from a challenging situation in order to calm down, we have many areas within and outside the classroom in which they can have private time to regroup.

Can I tour the school?
We offer two different options for visiting Cornerstone. Both options respect our promise to our families to limit the children’s exposure to visitors. To schedule a tour, please email cornerstone@fpcberkeley.org or call (510) 280-6126.

The first is a classroom viewing of the class your child would be entering. Classroom viewings are scheduled during the week at 5:35 pm, after the children have left for the day. These viewings typically last less than 30 minutes, include a showing of all the spaces used by the class, and are scheduled once a family has completed the application process.

The second is our quarterly center-wide tour. This allows prospective families to see the whole facility, including classrooms, play yards, and gym space. These are offered on the first Saturday of February, May, August, and November. They start at 9:30 am and last about an hour. Completion of the application process is not required.

Do you need to be Christian or a member of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley to attend?
We serve and nurture all families in our community. Although there is a Christian emphasis at Cornerstone, families are not required to be members of First Pres Berkeley or hold similar religious beliefs. The spiritual aspect of our programming is just one of the many wonderful experiences that children encounter at Cornerstone. Our teachers share basic Christian ideas of love, caring for others, reconciliation and service, problem-solving, songs, and developmentally-appropriate Bible stories with the children in our care.

Does my child get to meet their teacher(s) before their first day?
We schedule an in-person Meet & Greet a few days to a week before your child’s start date. For infants, this allows you to discuss your child’s personalized daily needs; for older children, they have the opportunity to meet and interact with the teachers and meet new friends. Typical visits last about 30 minutes and take place on the play yard (non-infants only). At the visit, your child will also be introduced to the classroom space.