Transitional Kindergarten at TBS
Since its founding as Berkeley Montessori School in 1963, The Berkeley School has known how to educate 4-, 5-, and 6-year olds in the same classroom.
With the rise of 4- and 5-year-old Transitional Kindergarten programs at schools throughout the Bay Area, we’re excited to show you how our decades of expertise inform the structure of our combined TK/Kindergarten classroom and equip students with the academic and social-emotional skills, awareness, and motivation necessary to move forward as learners and community members.
Our TK/K program is thoughtfully crafted to support social, emotional, and cognitive growth through community-oriented, experiential activities that build academic foundations. Small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and a curriculum tailored to the unique needs of 4-6 year olds help our TK/K students stay engaged while building the confidence, agency, and stamina needed for first grade and beyond.
Our experienced teachers foster a safe and welcoming place to learn. Through play and project work, students learn to practice what they know, take risks and ask questions when they don’t know, and collaborate with peers. Curiosity leads the way for both teachers and students, ensuring that planned instruction is infused with emergent opportunities that offer new pathways towards learning goals.
Outside of core classroom instruction in literacy, mathematics, and cultural studies, TK/K students enjoy weekly music, physical education/movement, visual art, Spanish, and STEAM classes, each in dedicated campus spaces that help students get used to “a big school.”
Core school hours are 8:30-3:15 M-Th and 8:30-2:15 F
Extended day program, known as The Depot, is available until 6pm M-F.
Sample TK / K weekly schedule:
We invite you to visit our campus, meet our caring educators, and discover how our TK/K program can give your child a strong, joyful start. Click here to begin our admission process!
You can always find our current tuition and fee schedule on our website, which we update for the following year in mid-January.
