Diller is an amazing preschool. The teachers, staff, facilities, and community are all fantastic. We are in our fifth year as a Diller family and we could not be happier with the program. My son loves going to school. He enjoys playing with toys during morning exploration, dancing at music time, painting in the Art Studio, gardening with the nature specialist, making challah in the classroom, taking walks to the Presidio, and so much more. My oldest son graduated two years ago after completing three years at Diller and he was so well prepared for kindergarten. Karla Cianci (Site Director) is also an incredible resource and advisor for parents navigating the kindergarten admissions process, which is beyond valuable. The parent community at Diller is wonderful. There are many ways to get involved in and out of the classroom. We felt welcomed into the community almost immediately. Our family is not Jewish, but we have enjoyed learning and partaking in some of the traditions, such as weekly Shabbat. I can't speak more highly about Diller. I'm so happy our family is a part of the community!

We are finishing up our first year at Diller and excited for our next year. We were so fortunate to have a spot open and available for our 2 year old when we were touring last winter and looking for admissions the following fall. We started right away and have seen so much growth and independence in our toddler, who was previously solo with a nanny. His teachers and classmates were all warm and welcoming from day one and he has been thriving - even with a mid-year start. He has opened up so much socially, verbally and demonstrates new skills and independence every day. We can't get him out of there at the end of the day. It's hard to find preschools that are friendly to two working parents but Diller does a great job being responsive to our needs. Loads of snacks, drive through drop off and pick up, free parking in the garage if you want to walk your student in, early and extended day, summer camps for 2 year olds, the list goes on and on.

The JCC has been a magical place for my daughter. She started there in the heart of Covid and the staff went above and beyond to be sure we as parents could feel as much of a part of the community there as possible. And as we’ve come out of the thick of the pandemic, it has been a joy to be a part of this warm community. My daughter looks forward to going to school every day and misses her friends on non-school days. The teachers meet the kids where they are and invite them to grow in every facet of that sense in a way that feels comfortable for the children but also instills a sense of pride in them as they challenge themselves. From various logistics such as drive through drop offs (so key in this city!) to the numerous ways to be part of the school community and form wonderful friendships as a family to the enriching experiences offered daily (they have an art teacher, nature teacher and music teacher on staff), the JCC has been the most amazing place where we’ve really seen my daughter blossom.

We can say unequivocally Diller students are all prepared to thrive in preschool and beyond. It’s amazing to see the growth from one year to the next. In our daughter’s first year, her teacher’s were fostering independence (‘Yes they can carry their own backpacks’) and teaching the fundamentals of things like scissor cutting. The following year, we saw our daughter’s cohort develop a deeper appreciation for one another (shifting from parallel play to collaborative, imaginative play) and exploring subjects ranging from space to global weather patterns. This past year, we are in awe of our daughter and her peers’ shared mastery of that pincer grip and confidence being able to do basic math and more importantly know what they love in and around the classroom. Our oldest daughter loved her three years at Diller (now off to kindergarten) and our whole family is looking forward to our younger daughter starting her educational journey at the JCC SF Helen Diller preschool in the fall. — Meghan and Andrew Winetroub

Our daughter is enrolled at Diller for both the morning and afternoon programs. We have had a wonderful experience so far. The teachers are warm, knowledgeable, diverse, and engaging. Administrative leadership is top notch, including adherence to licensing standards, teacher development, curriculum planning, and being accessible to parents. The school follows a Reggio Emilia philosophy with some Jewish perspective peppered in. Some families are Jewish, but most are not, and the curriculum compliments the community. The facility is just beautiful, with natural light, ample play spaces, and strong resources. I am really glad that we got in to Diller, and our little one is always excited to go to school in the morning.