Happy Hearts
& Curious Minds

Why Choose the JCCSF?

Our play-based San Francisco preschools offer year-round, full-day early childhood education for children ages 2 – 5 years old, allowing them to learn and understand their world through play. Inspired by the principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach and guided by Jewish values and culture, we support children through Transitional Kindergarten (TK).

JCCSF PRESCHOOLS AT A GLANCE

Three unique preschools. One welcoming community.

BROTHERHOOD WAY PRESCHOOL

Monday – Friday

Hours
9-Month: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
11-Month: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Extended Care
AM: 8:00 – 9:00 AM
PM: 3:00 – 6:00 PM

Dedicated Outdoor Space
4,300 square feet

Programs Available
9-Month, 11-Month, Summer Sessions

Learn More

HELEN DILLER FAMILY PRESCHOOL

Monday – Friday

Hours
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Extended Care
AM: 8:10 – 9:00 AM
PM: 3:00 – 5:30 PM

Dedicated Outdoor Space
5,700 square feet

Programs Available
9-Month, Summer Sessions

Learn More

ROSENBERG EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

Monday – Friday

Hours
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Dedicated Outdoor Space
7,000 square feet

Programs Available
11-Month

Learn More

Admissions

We can’t wait to welcome you and your little one to our family of preschools! Applications are open and tours for the 2027 – 2028 school year are scheduled from October 6, 2026 through January 28, 2027.

Ready to apply?

Submit your application, then register for a tour.

APPLY for 2027-2028

We also have spaces or the 2026 – 27 school year in our 2 year old classroom at Brotherhood Way Preschool. Email [email protected] for more information.

Plan a Visit: Open Houses

Attend an open house; they’re free, open to families of children who will be 2 years old by August 16, 2027 and are family-friendly, so feel free to bring your children. You will receive a confirmation email upon registering. No application required.

During our self-guided Open House, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Meet members of our teaching team and explore our classrooms and outdoor spaces.
Chat with current parents from our Parent Council.
Learn about our play-based approach and ask questions about the admissions process.

Helen Diller Preschool

Sunday, October 25, 2026 // 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Thursday, January 7, 2027 // 4:30 – 5:30 PM

HELEN DILLER OPEN HOUSE

Brotherhood Way Preschool

Thursday, October 22, 2026 & January 21, 2027
5:30 – 6:30 PM

BROTHERHOOD WAY OPEN HOUSE

You will need to complete all three steps below for your application to be considered complete.

Step 1: Submit an Application

When you select the “Apply” button, you will be prompted to either log into your existing JCCSF account or create a new one. Once you’re logged into your account, select “Personal Information” from the settings, and under “My Household” create a new contact for your child. Then when you continue onto the application, select your child’s profile to complete the process.

Any applications received after January 31, 2027 will automatically be placed on a wait list and be contacted for rolling admissions.

APPLY 2027-2028

Step 2: Take a Tour

Tours are scheduled from October 6, 2026 through January 28, 2027. Please note: Tours are for adults only. Enter one contact for registration and include the second adult in the “Additional Adult” box on the Questions page. If you’ve already applied, we’ll follow up by email with next steps. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Step 3: Fill Out a Questionnaire

After completing a preschool tour, you will receive a Post-Tour Questionnaire that needs to be completed by January 29, 2027 to complete the application process.

Decision Time

Admission letters are sent early March 2027 for fall enrollment.

Enroll

After accepting your spot, you’ll receive an enrollment agreement and a non-refundable deposit is due. We maintain an active wait pool and fill additional spaces as they become available throughout the year. Families who have applied, but not toured, will still be considered for mid-year vacancies.

Financial Assistance

If you wish to apply for financial assistance, please complete your application with FACTS and submit the required documents.

We encourage all families who may need assistance to apply. At the JCCSF, we believe that quality early childhood education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. Economic diversity enriches our classrooms, giving children a chance to learn from a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

Our Financial Assistance Program awards between 5% and 70% in aid to 95% of families who apply. We make every effort to support as many families as possible so that children can participate in our programs and thrive as part of our community. If you think financial aid could make a difference for your family, we warmly invite you to apply.

Visit our financial assistance page to learn more.

HELPFUL REMINDERS

To be considered for enrollment in the 2027 – 2028 school year, your child must be 2 years old by August 16, 2027.
You must complete all three steps of the application process.
Only one application is required for admission to all three preschools.

Questions about applying or touring? Contact [email protected]

Planning Ahead for Preschool?

Is your child not yet eligible for the upcoming school year, or did you find us after the enrollment period closed? Share your information in this form and we’ll keep you connected with JCCSF Preschool and future enrollment opportunities.

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

Your Email Address(Required)

Phone Number(Required)

Date of Birth(Required)

Residential ZIP Code(Required)

About Your Child

Child's First Name(Required)

Child's Last Name(Required)

Child's Name(Required)

First

Last

Child's Date of Birth(Required)

School(s) of Interest

Helen Diller Preschool

Rosenberg Preschool

Brotherhood Way Preschool

Are you inquiring for more than one child?(Required)

Yes

Child's First Name(Required)

Child's Last Name(Required)

Child's Name(Required)

First

Last

Child's Date of Birth(Required)

Communication Consent(Required)

By submitting this form, you consent to receive email communications from the JCCSF, including the Youth & Family Newsletter and information about JCCSF preschool, programs, and events that may be of interest to you. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in our emails or by updating your preferences in our email preference center. The JCCSF respects your privacy and will never share or sell your personal information.

OUR TEACHERS

Our teachers listen to and observe children closely to plan and proceed with each day’s experiences, co-constructing the learning experience and exploring together.

Average teacher-child ratio of 1:5
80 teachers on site across our three schools
Each teacher receives 100 hours of professional development per year

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

Our Parent Council is essential to the mix, building community for our families and supporting our teachers. From volunteering in the classroom as a Room Parent, to helping with Shabbats and events, you’ll share in your child’s preschool experience and make friends, too!

OUR CLASSROOMS

Our schools feature spacious classrooms and outdoor play areas, garden spaces and art studios. Each location is unique and lovingly decorated and appointed with games, toys, musical instruments and more.

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

The JCCSF Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programming in San Francisco is the bridge between preschool and kindergarten. Designed for children who are going to kindergarten the following year, TK helps build the academic readiness, confidence, and social-emotional skills need for a smooth transition to elementary school. Families often call Transitional Kindergarten a “gift of time.” It gives children the chance to grow academically and emotionally, ensuring they step into kindergarten ready to thrive. At the JCCSF, TK isn’t preparation, it’s a launchpad for a lifetime of learning.

DOING JEWISH AT THE JCCSF

We are committed to creating an inclusive community that’s infused with meaningful Jewish values. We celebrate holidays with our children and families throughout the year, as well as weekly Shabbat with fresh challah bread and juice. The JCCSF’s core values are drawn from our engagement with wisdom culled from millennia of Jewish traditions, which teach compassion and respect, lifelong learning, civic responsibility and social justice.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

We embrace diversity and believe that every child deserves a welcoming, supportive environment to help them achieve their full potential as engaged learners and valued members of society. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community where all families, regardless of culture, family structure, language, racial identity, gender, religious beliefs or economic class are welcome.

Image of preschool teacher playing with two children. Caption reads Teacher to child ration is 1 to 5 (average).

Image of parents holding child with diploma. Caption reads Over ninety percent of our graduates are accepted to their top choice of kindergarten.

Image of teacher reading to a child. Caption reads over eighty teacher on site with one hundred hours of professional development per year.

FAQs

WHAT IS REGGIO EMILIA PHILOSOPHY AND HOW IS IT APPLIED?

Over forty years of dedicated work from Reggio Emilia inspires us to further think about the rights of children, their autonomy, and to listen for what they know and want to know. This will challenge our inherited impulses to contain, correct, and guard children. Observing, documenting, reflecting, designing, and experimenting on the teachers’ part will make this ongoing shift possible. The listening and observation teachers do will enhance their ability to create sensitive contexts for children’s play and learning and then teachers can truly recognize the insights the children and small group work can bring.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

After welcoming the children to school, we begin the day with a time of open exploration that can include art, blocks, dramatic play, reading books, mark-making, science exploration or outdoor play. A mid-morning snack and meeting then take place before we move into small group facilitated experiences with classroom teachers and art/nature/music specialists. We then head outside for some playtime before lunch. Half-day students then have a closing meeting and prepare to go home, while full-day students transition to a rest period with either a nap or meditation. The afternoon continues for full-day students with another small-group experience and more time playing both inside and outside before we wind down for the day with a final meeting before preparing to be picked up.

DOES MY CHILD NEED TO BE JEWISH TO ENROLL?

No. Children of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to apply.

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE IN A CLASS?

Our average teacher/student ratio is 1:5, with slightly smaller ratios for our younger kids.

Age 2: Ratio is 1:4/5
Age 3: Ratio is 1:4/5
Age 4: Ratio is 1:6
Age 5: Ratio is 1:6

WHAT IS TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN?

Transitional Kindergarten is programming built into our JCCSF preschools and bridges preschool and kindergarten, giving children the confidence, skills, and academic readiness they need for a smooth transition to elementary school. For more information, visit the TK California website here: https://tkcalifornia.org/parents/

Peek Inside our TK Class

This is our first year at the school and our 3-year-old son is loving it. He has flourished and developed so much since starting in August. The teachers are caring, loving and provide an engaging environment for kids . . . This school has my highest recommendation!

Debbie F.

Brotherhood Way Preschool Parent

“JCCSF Helen Diller Pre-K is magical. The small class sizes and superior, tenured teachers create a special environment in which kids thrive and become over-prepared for the transition to kindergarten. Nobody knows more about SF Kindergarten placement that Karla, and you can tell how much she enjoys helping find an excellent fit for your child and family. And somehow, she always finds time to coach you along the way. She makes a daunting, complicated process feel manageable. Oh, and the results that she helps deliver speak for themselves.”

Greg G.

Helen Diller Preschool Parent

The school's approach, space, and leadership team foster an environment that builds good kids. During our time there, the parent community provided wonderful support and camaraderie as well.

Donald C.

Rosenberg Early Childhood Center Parent

Meet Our Staff

Contact Us

Have a question about our preschools? Reach out to our team — we’d love to hear from you!

Happy Hearts
& Curious Minds

Why Choose the JCCSF?

JCCSF PRESCHOOLS AT A GLANCE

Three unique preschools. One welcoming community.