Rincon Valley Inclusive Preschool Program Testimonials
When we joined RVIPP, Ray was just a 'lil guy, an only child who was socially stunted due to the pandemic. We moved in June and, miraculously, RVIPP had a spot for the fall! I was tired from the move and exhausted from years of parenting with an infant through COVID. Every single morning, Teacher Heidi greeted us like Ray was her only kid and I was her bestie-parent. She seemed to never be phased that I always looked exhausted and barely hanging on. She was the rock we needed to get through. No matter the day, Teacher Heidi had infinite energy, positivity, and was also elated to see us at drop-off and pick-up. She was so supportive. She noticed that Ray needed a bit of extra help catching up, socially, and connected us with an early IEP to right that ship. I am forever thankful. Ray still remembers her and when we see her in the wild (around town or on Madrone's campus) it's a moment that lives with us for weeks. She then cared for Ray's younger cousin and always welcomed us when we would visit. She's absolutely the gold standard for young childhood educators. She supported us during a very draining transition in life and we will be forever grateful. Teacher Heidi always did a good job exposing the kids to a variety of things and new activities or toys. She would introduce new textures or stations to explore topics in a safe and fun way. She was great at managing Ray, who simply needed more time, patience, and everything explained and then he was good to go. She was able to do this because of their stellar teacher ratio. She could have easily resorted to timeouts or frustration, but I swear she's made of patience and held together by happiness. Assuming RVIPP continues to employ teachers of her caliber, the entirety of the young kiddo population in Rincon Valley will be transformed for the better.
- MaryAnne
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Choosing a preschool is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. I can say without a doubt that RVIPP was the best choice for our family.
What makes this program truly exceptional is the staff. Their warmth, compassion, and dedication goes far beyond basic childcare; they create a space where every child feels safe, supported, and valued.
Drop-off was always challenging for my son and I can’t fully express how much I appreciate the way the staff supported him (and me) through that process. They were patient, understanding, and so in tune with his emotional needs.
The teachers meet each child where they are and nurture their growth in such thoughtful, intentional ways. The sense of community they foster among the kids and with the families is truly something special. I loved getting texts and updates throughout the day with photos of my child's happy face knowing that he was safe and genuinely cared for.
If you’re looking for a preschool where your child will be not only educated but genuinely cared for by exceptional teachers who go above and beyond, I highly recommend Rincon Valley Inclusive Preschool. We are so grateful for everything they’ve done for our son—and for the strong, loving foundation they’ve helped build for his future.
-Kayla D.
The RVIPP program is nothing short of extraordinary. During their most impressionable and tender years, children begin to build a foundation not only in academics but also in a true love for learning and connection.
My neurotypical son spent two years in RVIPP rather than moving straight into TK, and it was one of the best decisions we could have made. The individualized care, warmth, and attention he received simply cannot be matched in a large classroom setting. Yes, he gained early exposure to the basics of core subjects, but what he truly gained was
far greater: friendships and meaningful connections with both neurotypical and neurodivergent peers. Through those relationships, he began forming his own moral compass rooted in diversity, empathy, and inclusion.
Now, as a second grader, I see the impact of those early years every single day. He actively welcomes and includes children who are different from him, offering kindness, patience, and friendship. At just seven years old, he embodies the role of both student and teacher, showing compassion and leadership beyond his years. I truly believe these qualities were nurtured and encouraged through his time in RVIPP.
RVIPP is a hidden gem in our community — a rare and invaluable program that fosters not only academic growth but also emotional and social development in the most beautiful way. It is a gift every child deserves, and I encourage every parent to discover what RVIPP can do to help their child blossom.
-Sasha C.
Our experience with RVIPP was nothing short of amazing. From the very first day, my daughter felt loved and accepted. The friendly, caring, and patient teachers helped her grow socially, emotionally, and academically.
What stood out most to me as a parent was the program’s commitment to social emotional learning. They taught kindness, empathy, and self-awareness.
Most importantly, my daughter’s preschool experience taught her to love school-I feel that is one of the program’s greatest gifts. She feels confident, curious, and joyful about learning and entered Transitional Kindergarten prepared and excited for school. I am so happy my child had such an amazing start to her educational journey.
-Lisa M.
My son attended RVIPP for one year at its beginning. The level of care was outstanding; we had come from another preschool and I was blown away by how wonderful the program was and how happy he was to go to school. I cannot recommend this program enough. On top of an excellent education and school exposure. Our son learned compassion and caring towards others who were different in their abilities. It truly shaped his ability to make friends and meet peers at their level and make connections. It is a one-of-a-kind program and I HIGHLY recommend it!!!
-Jessica B.
RVIPP was the perfect start for our daughter! When our daughter transitioned from a small in-home daycare to RVIPP, I was nervous. As a true mama’s girl and latchkey kid, I worried about her social-emotional readiness for a bigger school setting. But within the first two weeks, it was clear—we had found the perfect fit.
Her teachers were incredibly loving and supportive, going above and beyond to ease her transition, even creating special morning jobs just for her. Throughout the year, she blossomed—learning essential school readiness skills like cooperative play, following directions, and making friends. She also gained early exposure to letters, numbers, colors, and more.
The inclusive nature of the program was one of the most impactful aspects. Our daughter made friends with children of varying abilities and learned that everyone needs different tools and supports to thrive. She also benefited from expert lessons in Speech and Language, Adaptive Physical Education, and Occupational Therapy—experiences that enriched her development in ways I hadn’t imagined.
If you're exploring preschool options for your little one, I cannot recommend RVIPP highly enough. It was a beautiful, supportive start to our daughter's educational journey—and we are so grateful.
-Lea Y.
RVIPP was the perfect place for both of my boys! It provided a small, nurturing environment where they could grow, gain confidence, and learn important school routines—all while having fun! Whether they were mastering their shapes, letters, and numbers, or learning how to regulate their emotions and be kind to others, every lesson always felt rooted in play. The incredible team of teachers showered them with love and care, creating an atmosphere that truly felt like family and an extension of home. Being on an elementary school campus from the very beginning made their transitions to TK and Kindergarten seamless. Now, watching them thrive in TK and third grade, I’m reminded every day of the strong foundation they built at RVIPP and how it set them up for success on their educational journey.
-Michelle R.
Our son attended RVIPP for two wonderful years, and the experience was truly transformative. From the start, he was welcomed into such a warm, nurturing environment where he felt safe to learn, grow, and explore. The teachers not only guided his academic progress but also supported his social and emotional development with so much care and patience.
We were continually impressed by the thoughtful resources and encouragement provided, which helped him thrive in ways we couldn’t have imagined. By the time he graduated, I felt emotional knowing he had grown enough to flourish into the next stage, but also deeply aware that he would never again experience this unique level of love, care, and patience.
We are profoundly grateful for the time our son spent in RVIPP and for the lasting impact the teachers and support staff have had on our family.
-Elizabeth M
I would love to share just a small piece of our experience with RVIPP. After years of confusion and discomfort trying to find the right space for my daughter to thrive in an educational setting we were introduced to the inclusion program at Madrone Elementary School, and boy was I nervous although it was not my first rodeo walking into a space where we may or may not be welcomed back into. On my daughter’s first day we walked into Teacher Karina and Teacher Ally’s classroom and my daughter immediately ran under the first table she saw as she was a little uncomfortable not knowing anyone there or what to expect as we were new to this environment. My daughter has ADHD and it takes her a little while to adjust to new settings. During this moment both teachers not only redirected my daughter, in a way that instantly made her feel a part of oppose to making us feel like something was wrong and also included the other children in on this as well demonstrating to them that we all work differently. The instant comfort that we received in that moment was actually very emotional for me. I had been working with different specialist’s, North Bay Regional Center and all kinds of therapists and the love and acceptance that we received on that day will never be forgotten. If it wasn’t for this program, I’m not too sure where exactly we would be. The dedication and consistency held in that classroom instilled the strength as a single mother that I needed to have within myself to be the best Mom I could be. Not only did the RVIPP community allow my daughter to have an enjoyable learning experience, they also helped me become a better Mom. Thank you so much for all that each and every one of you has done for my girl and all the other children who enter that classroom. It’s so beautiful to see children working together at such a young age regardless of their backgrounds or needs. RVIPP provides each child with exactly what they need to thrive in an educational setting. Thank you so much for being here.
-Gabriela S.
Huge shout out to RVIPP! I simply cannot say enough great things about the teachers at RVIPP! Most preschools just do the basics of getting the children through the day. But teacher Ally’s class was so much more than that for us.
Our son was having a very hard time connecting with other children before we joined Teacher Ally’s class. The pandemic really took a toll on our ability to connect with other families with kids his age. Even at previous preschools he struggled making friends with the kids and leaned on the teachers for friendship and comfort. Unfortunately, at the other preschools this was seen as a problem that they were not equipped to assist with.
Fortunately for us, Teacher Ally's class was just the ticket for our child! He bounced with excitement to go in the mornings. He had made friends, he was expanding his knowledge, and had so many fun crafts to do! Additionally, he had made relationships with the teachers and felt safe with them. What a huge feeling or relief as a mother to finally feel fully comfortable leaving my child in safe hands while I go to work.
Overall, our son came out of the RVIPP class with more confidence in himself, and so many tools to learn how to make friends! He gained awareness of his and others feelings as well as challenges some others might face in their day to day lives. Now in second grade, he still talks about fun times he had at RVIPP and misses the teachers.
Since graduating from RVIPP, we have expanded our family to include a little girl. We will surely be taking her to RVIPP as soon as she can without hesitation.
So, if you are reading this, wondering if you should join RVIPP… run don’t walk. Do it ASAP! :)
-Finley’s Mom
Rincon Valley Inclusive Preschool has been a true gift to our family. Our daughter's speech blossomed during her time there—she went from being almost nonverbal at age 3 to thriving in TK, and now as a 2nd grader she’s above grade level in reading and vocabulary. Our twin boys are also thriving—”R” comes home singing preschool songs with joy, and “O”, who has physical differences and is naturally shy, now walks into school excited and smiling at his teacher. The small class sizes, high adult-to-student ratios, and supportive push-in services make RVIPP a place where every child can grow and shine.
-Nicole R.
My son struggled in other preschools, but at RVIPP he finally thrived thanks to the thoughtful structure and caring staff. With their support, his speech made incredible progress, and he entered kindergarten confident and ready for school, something I never imagined possible for my shy, previously non-verbal child.
As a parent, I felt deeply supported by the RVIPP team. They truly saw my son for who he is, when in other places he was dismissed and overlooked. Because of their dedication, he not only started kindergarten strong but is now in 1st grade, graduated from speech support, reading above his grade level, and thriving.
RVIPP gave my child the foundation he needed, and I will always be grateful.
-Eliza A.
My child, was part of Teacher Heidi’s class last year. I can honestly say it was the best experience for her as a 4 year old. The class provided her with the best nurturing, safe, kind and supportive environment. The teachers were highly qualified and experienced and the aides were kind and caring.
They also had additional counselors and therapists as needed and it was truly wonderful to see how much the children were taken care of.
She loved going to school everyday. She was excited for all the activities, singing, dancing, playing and learning! She learned several age appropriate lessons but I feel the most important was about being kind and getting along with others. I will never forget how special the class made her feel especially on her last days at this school.
I applaud the staff and school district for providing this wonderful facility. As we know, children need additional support to thrive outside of home and RVIPP provided just that.
-Gayathri V.
My daughter attended RVIPP for one year before heading to TK. Not only did the team ensure she started TK on the right foot and a love of learning, the community developed by the inclusive environment was outstanding. Having children with a range of abilities helped my (neurotypical) daughter gain empathy and the understanding that everyone is different and sometimes those needs different things and that's what makes our world beautiful. It elicited conversations at home that wouldn't have otherwise happened. I am so grateful for the work RVIPP is doing to make sure all of our children are seen, heard and cared for.
-Larkin O.
Our son’s experience at RVIPP was nothing short of incredible in the year and a half that he had the pleasure of attending. Our son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, shortly before starting at RVIPP. Though we were a little nervous, as this would be his first preschool experience, I had great hopes for him being in an inclusive classroom. Being a former preschool teacher myself at an inclusion preschool, I’ve seen firsthand the amazing benefits for all kids with all abilities who came through those doors. I knew our son would be in wonderful hands and that ease was exactly what we saw upon our first day at RVIPP.
We saw warmth, care, compassion and support from all of the amazing teachers at RVIPP who welcomed our son with open arms since day one. We could tell he was comfortable and opened up quickly to his lovely teachers. Not only did he learn new
academic skills, but his social skills flourished for the first time as well. Being that our son had speech delays and tended to be more quiet, we were hopeful this setting would facilitate some new friendships. And with the support of his teachers, our son started developing some great new friendships and confidence within himself. We saw many incredible strides in our son’s development that helped set him up for general education at his present school.
I loved picking my son up from school everyday and hearing about what he did that day or seeing a new art project he completed. He grew in tremendous ways since attending RVIPP. We miss this school so much and plan to enroll our daughter in the program when she is of age. Inclusion preschools are an incredible opportunity in our community to give children a first hand experience, from an early age, to other kids who come from all walks of life. These schools are incredibly beneficial to children. Thank you RVIPP for setting our son up for success in life, we are forever grateful to all of you!
-Shelby V.