Ms Katherine Barboni | The Grove Preschool at Kol Shofar

Our Programs

Programs at The Grove Preschool at Kol Shofar are led by loving teachers who implement a curriculum that attends to the whole child, promoting social, emotional and intellectual development, and encourages confidence and self-respect.

The Grove Preschool Program

The Grove Preschool at Kol Shofar prepares children to confidently and creatively meet the challenges of their generation. We are not just a preschool, we are a family; we are your community. We see each child as an individual, a seed to grow. We recognize that each child grows at their own pace. Through love, encouragement, play, exploration and fun, children learn about themselves, each other and the world around them. Our day- to-day schedule is infused with Jewish Values. We celebrate the rituals of Shabbat and Havdalah weekly and learn the stories of Judaism through our senses. We listen, taste, smell, sing, watch and feel the joyful celebrations of the Jewish calendar and seasons.

Our school is filled with loving teachers who believe that children learn and understand their world through play. Inspired by the philosophies of Reggio Emilia, we provide opportunities to promote social, emotional and intellectual development, and encourage confidence and self-respect, creativity, exploration and self-expression.

At The Grove Preschool, your child will have ample time to explore the outdoors, connecting with plants, trees, insects, animals, weather, and more with hands-on sensory experiences. We cultivate passionate learners, engaging children in authentic and meaningful experiences, as they build upon the foundational skills that lead to success in school and life.

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The Grove Pre-Kindergarten Program

The Grove Preschool’s Pre-Kindergarten Program is designed to help children gain the skills necessary to successfully enter kindergarten. It is a year full of captivating experiences to support the development of critical thinking skills before they enter elementary school. Pre-academic skills emerge as the children’s interest in literacy, numeracy, art and science take flight. These skills are encouraged and embedded in child-directed play and work, as well as teacher-directed large and small group times. Our Pre- K children will spend ample time outdoors learning about our environment with hands-on experiences. Our director will be available to support each family as they prepare for the transition and explore elementary school options.

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The Grove Preschool is a 5 days/week program. Our core day is 8:30am to 4:30pm. We also have an early release option which runs from 8:30am to 1pm and an extended day option that runs until 5:30pm.

Katherine Barboni

Director of Early Childhood Education

Ms. Katherine Barboni leads The Grove Preschool as the Director of Early Childhood Education. She brings great leadership skills and experience from her previous position as Director of Early Childhood Education at San Francisco's Congregation Beth Sholom. She has also held positions as Director of the Moldovan Academy in San Francisco and Interim Director of the Rosenberg Early Childhood Center at the San Francisco JCC. She holds an MA in Education from Mills College and a Bachelor of Science from Wheelock College in Boston.

Ms. Barboni has shared, "I look forward to working with Congregation Kol Shofar and the broader Marin community to implement a curriculum and program that centers on Jewish values, exploring nature, and celebrating all of life's joys together. I believe that the earliest years of our lives shape us in many ways, and the work we do with young children is profoundly important…and that fosters the irrepressible curiosity and love children innately engender.”