L'Academy Lower Nob Hill
1040-1060 Geary St, San Francisco 94109
At L’Academy in Lower Nob Hill / CPMC, we support every child with compassion, curiosity, and a learning environment rooted in language and play. We offer full-time, year-round childcare and preschool for children ages 12 months to 6 years. Children learn in a Mandarin and/or Spanish immersion environment while building English readiness skills. Our curriculum blends Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and play-based learning to nurture every aspect of growth.
At a glance
What this means
Montessori mixes children by age and uses hands-on, self-correcting materials so kids learn at their own pace with lots of independence. Reggio Emilia is a child-led approach where learning grows out of children's own questions and projects, with teachers as guides rather than instructors.
Full immersion means most of the day is conducted in Mandarin Immersion, so children absorb the language naturally. It's normal for kids to understand little at first — they pick it up quickly.
Good questions to ask on a tour
- 1How do children's interests shape the projects you do, and can you share a recent example?
- 2What are the exact drop-off and pickup times, and is there any flexibility?
- 3What is the current monthly tuition, and are there different rates for different days-per-week schedules?
- 4How do you handle the transition for children starting mid-year or moving up from a younger classroom?
- 5What is your potty-training policy, and how do you support children who are still learning?
- 6How do you handle discipline, conflict between children, and big feelings?
- 7How much of the day is in Mandarin Immersion, and do children need any prior exposure to the language?
- 8Does having an infant/toddler program give siblings priority or a guaranteed spot later?
- 9How does the ELFA voucher process work with your program?
- 10What is your application timeline, and when do families typically hear back?