Frequently Asked Questions

This depends on which location you attend.

• Stockton Campus: serves children from 6 weeks - 6 years old (infant, toddler, and preschool ages)
• Hollister Preschool on Isabel Lane: serves children from 2 - 6 years old (preschool)
• Hollister Farm School on Santa Ana Valley Road: serves children 6 weeks - 6 years old (infant, toddler, and preschool ages)

Our programs are designed to meet the developmental needs of each age group while maintaining our core philosophy of nature-based, play-centered learning.

Our standard hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. We offer both full-day and half-day enrollment options to accommodate different family needs.

Our fundamental philosophy is that parents are their children’s best educators. We are here to assist you, and never want to be in the position that your child is spending more time with us than you, their parent.

While we prioritize full time students, we will accommodate families looking for part time care for their children if at all possible.

All campuses share the same educational philosophy, curriculum approach, and commitment to nature-based learning.

The Hollister preschool is our established location with a strong community presence. We are expanding this campus to include Meadowlark Farm School, slated to open fall 2025.

Our Stockton preschool opens in fall 2025, bringing our approach to a new community. Each campus has its own unique physical environment and local community connections.

Teacher-to-child ratios vary in each class. Our lowest ratio is 1:6, while our highest is 1:12, ensuring an excellent amount of individualized attention.

All our lead teachers have formal education in early childhood development or related fields. Our teaching assistants have experience working with young children and receive ongoing professional development. All staff members undergo thorough background checks and are trained in first aid and CPR.

Nature-based education integrates the natural world into children's daily learning experiences. At Meadowlark, children spend significant time outdoors in all seasons, using natural environments and materials for play and exploration. This approach develops children's connection to the natural world while supporting all areas of development.

We recognize play as children's primary way of learning, making sense of their world, and developing essential skills. Rather than using worksheets or formal academic instruction, our teachers create rich environments where children learn through meaningful play experiences. Teachers observe, extend, and deepen children's play while introducing concepts and skills within the context of their interests.

Academic concepts are embedded throughout our program in meaningful, experiential ways. For example, children develop literacy through storytelling, journaling about nature observations, and a print-rich environment. Mathematical thinking develops through cooking activities, building with natural materials, and sorting items found on nature walks. Science concepts emerge naturally as children observe, question, and explore the natural world.

"Risky play" refers to age-appropriate challenges that allow children to test limits, develop confidence, and learn to assess risks. Examples include climbing trees (to appropriate heights), balancing on logs, using real tools with supervision, or playing near water with careful oversight. We distinguish between hazards (which we remove) and risks (which we manage). Our approach to risky play is supported by research showing its importance in developing confidence, physical capabilities, and risk assessment skills.

You can read more about risky play and other outdoor research in our blog.

Yes! We believe there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Children at Meadowlark go outside daily throughout the year, with appropriate adaptations for extreme conditions. We provide guidelines for weather-appropriate clothing and maintain a supply of extra gear for children who need it.

We view challenging behaviors as communication and learning opportunities. Our approach focuses on understanding the needs behind behaviors, teaching social-emotional skills, and creating environments that support positive interactions. We use positive guidance techniques, help children develop problem-solving skills, and work closely with families to ensure consistency between home and school.

While each day flows according to children's interests and needs, our rhythm generally includes:

• Morning arrival and open exploration time
• Morning circle for community building
• Extended outdoor time
• Family-style lunch
• Rest/quiet time
• Afternoon activities (often outdoors)
• Closing circle
• Departure
• This flow provides a balance of active and quiet times, individual and group experiences, and indoor and outdoor learning.

Meadowlark provides vegetarian morning and afternoon snacks for all children. Lunch should be brought from home. Our school-provided food emphasizes whole, natural ingredients and introduces children to diverse, nutritious options. If your child has specific dietary needs or restrictions, we're happy to work with your family to accommodate them.

We recommend children bring:

• Weather-appropriate outdoor clothing (including rain gear and boots when needed)
• A complete change of clothes
• A labeled water bottle
• A small blanket or comfort item for rest time (for full-day children)
• Lunch

We provide detailed guidelines for each season to ensure children are prepared for outdoor learning.

We maintain open communication through:

• Daily brief exchanges at drop-off and pick-up
• Weekly classroom newsletters
• Monthly school-wide updates
• Individual family conferences twice yearly
• An online portal for photos, announcements, and information
• Family events and volunteer opportunities

We see families as essential partners in children's learning and welcome your involvement and communication.

Our enrollment process includes:

1. Submitting an initial inquiry form
2. Attending an information session or tour
3. Completing an application
4. Family interview and child visit
5. Enrollment confirmation and paperwork

For our Hollister campus, we maintain a waiting list due to high demand. For our new Stockton campus, we're currently building our founding community of families.

Yes, we accept various subsidy programs and offer limited scholarship assistance based on financial need. We're committed to making our program accessible to diverse families and are happy to discuss options during the enrollment process.

We follow standard guidelines for excluding children with contagious illnesses. Children should be fever-free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school. We provide a detailed health policy upon enrollment and appreciate families' partnership in maintaining a healthy environment.

We welcome family involvement in many ways:

• Volunteering in classrooms
• Sharing special skills or cultural traditions
• Participating in workdays and community events
• Joining our parent committee
• Contributing to our farm development

We recognize that families have varying capacities for involvement and respect whatever level of participation works for your family.

We do not currently provide transportation services. Families are responsible for transportation to and from school.

We're developing a 50-acre property near our Hollister campus into Meadowlark Farm School. This working organic farm will provide fresh produce for our schools, offer immersive agricultural experiences for children, and will become a campus location in fall 2025. The farm represents our commitment to connecting children with the sources of their food and sustainable living practices.

As we develop our farm property, farm visits will be available for families. We will organize parent-led tours, where parents will be able to bring their children to the farm, and we plan to bring certain animals to our other locations for show-and-tell experiences.

We'll share more specific information about farm program opportunities as they become available.

Yes, our developing farm program enhances our nature-based curriculum by adding agricultural experiences and direct food connections. Even before the farm is fully operational, we integrate gardening, food preparation, and agricultural concepts into our program at all locations.