About

The Cathedral Oaks Preschool team brings you a warm welcome and is glad that you have chosen to learn more about our program and how we strive to meet your developing child’s needs. We like to think of our preschool as an extended home environment where children are accepted and loved, a place where laughter and play is cherished, where learning is inspired by wonder, skills are achieved through exploration, and knowledge is attained through discovery.

Our doors opened in the summer of 1981. The uniqueness of our school is that it is housed in a 100+ year old historical landmark, the original one room school for the area, which is located on two beautiful acres in the foothills of Santa Barbara and surrounded by beautiful pepper trees.

We are a community of children, teachers, and parents committed to supporting each other in raising creative, loving children who know their immeasurable worth and are able to utilize their gifts and potential.

The innovative curriculum used at Cathedral Oaks Preschool is based on the most current research in child development. We are particularly influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to learning.

“Education is not a preparation of life, Education is life itself.”

John Dewey (1859-1952) American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer and a preeminent voice of American educational philosophy.

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"To be a Young Child at Cathedral Oaks Preschool is to be truly heard."

We are a private school and have been awarded to be a demonstration site for the “Outdoor School Project” in Santa Barbara County. We are also a certified "Green Care Provider" school. We have approximately 70-80 families of diverse culture, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. We accept potty trained children between the ages of 2 1/2 - 5 1/2 years of age.

COPS Mission Statement

To develop and maintain a high quality early childhood program based on current research, utilizing developmentally appropriate practices as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

To provide a safe and nurturing environment where children develop a love for learning, where parents gain knowledge about young children and where the teachers are encouraged to continue gaining education as professionals in this field.

To provide a place where children, families and staff are supported, valued and accepted as contributing community members with the same goal: providing the best education for our children.

To provide a program that is committed to respecting our resources, reducing our footprint on the planet and encouraging children to use ecologically sound principles both inside and outside the school.

To provide a program that includes both nature and the environment in its curriculum. A place where children are encouraged to take note of the plant and animal life that surrounds them and to treat them with respect.