Welcome to Hearts Leap Schools!

Hearts Leap Schools are a project of International Child Resource Institute (ICRI), a non-profit organization dedicated to the effort of promoting outstanding programs for children worldwide. Hearts Leap was founded in 1990 to provide a warm, secure, nurturing and stimulating preschool for local children and their families. Our program grew when we opened Hearts Leap North in 2008, Hearts Leap Lakeview in 2015, and Hearts Leap Beginnings in 2018.

Hearts Leap Schools are dedicated to creating and nurturing a child-centered environment of support, success and safety for each child and family who becomes a part of our community of lifelong learners. We believe that each child is an individual with unique cognitive, social, emotional, and physical strengths. These strengths can best be supported and developed by helping children to experience great success, solve problems, resolve conflicts and learn limits in a caring and stimulating environment. The environment is established through the development of experiences and activities that emerge from the exploring, problem solving, and imaginative play of children. 

Our pedagogical approach is founded on the basis of these principles

  • The Heart Lens: Our intention is that every interaction comes from the heart with a desire to truly connect with individuals and help them develop a positive sense of self.

  • A Relationship-based Program: We  commit to building strong connections between children, with families, and with the extended community. This extends to incorporate our anti-bias education goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

  • A Child-centered, “Emergent” Curriculum: At the core of Emergent Curriculum is the recognition that learning emanates from the play, imagination, and interest of the children. Teachers provide information, props and opportunities that take maximum advantage of critical moments in which the child is actively asking questions and exploring issues. 

  • Inviting & Engaging Environments: Children are provided safe spaces in which to take risks, explore new materials will all their senses, and dive into the world of their imagination.

Application AVAilable below

 

If you wish to apply to our program, please complete the application below and submit it along with an application fee of $50. This will reserve your child’s space on our Waiting List for any future openings.!

 

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at 510-549-1422 (Hearts Leap School and Hearts Leap Beginnings), 510-665-4200 (Hearts Leap Kensington), or 510-444-1725 (Hearts Leap Lakeview) for more information.

BECOME A TEACHER

We are currently accepting resumes from prospective Hearts Leap teachers. Reach our via email and share a little bit about yourself.

Learn More

Learn about each of our unique locations under “Our Programs” heading.

land acknowledgement

Hearts Leap recognizes that our schools sit on the territory of xučyun (Huichin), the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo (Cho-chen-yo) speaking Ohlone, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. This land was and continues to be of great importance to the Muwekma (Muh-wek-muh) Ohlone Tribe and other familial descendants of the Verona Band. This land has been loved and tended to by the Ohlone for over 10,000 years. We humbly and gratefully acknowledge all the ways in which we benefit from this land and we offer our respect to their Elders and to all Ohlone of the past and present.