Kids on the Hill Preschool

Kids on the Hill Preschool offers a wide range of hands-on activities, including balancing, throwing and catching balls, riding bikes, climbing, skipping, running, jumping, and movement for body awareness. Children engage with manipulative items, puzzles, cutting, gluing, drawing, sewing, play dough, painting, collage, clay, textures, 3-dimensional projects, cooperative mural making, building, drumming, cooking, and other art, science, literacy, music, and movement activities. The program also includes children’s literature, puppet shows, storytelling, children’s own stories, creative dramatics, vocabulary enhancement, listening and speaking activities, songs, finger play, playing instruments, sequencing, classification, comprehension, prediction, thinking skills, hands-on experimentation, nature study, gardening, care of the environment, sharing, cooperation, manners, following directions, self help, and resolving social conflicts.

• Ages: 2–5 years old

Kids on the Hill Preschool describes itself as a high quality developmental preschool program that incorporates ideas from a variety of early childhood educational practices and philosophies. Its curriculum is centered on age-appropriate, success-oriented activities and emphasizes the development of the self in relationship to family, friends, and the community. The program notes the importance of nature, simplicity, and physical surroundings that inspire creativity, and it describes its outdoor play area as an extension of learning with nature study, gardening, building, running, jumping, climbing, drumming, and teacher-facilitated activities. The program is guided by Erik Erikson’s stages of human development to provide a place of trust, security, autonomy, and initiative for social and emotional development, and it is influenced by Reggio Emilia with an emphasis on aesthetic beauty and the project approach to curriculum planning. Children are grouped by age to address their developmental needs, and the program states that it supports the entire family unit and helps families meet the challenges of raising their children. Each day includes a “big circle” time when all are together as a school community for song, story, or topical lessons, and an afternoon extension time with a rest period followed by enrichment activities in areas such as cooking, literacy, art, science, or music and movement. The program day is described as full and busy yet not rushed, with long periods of play, meaningful gatherings, simple transitions, and a consistent, predictable routine.

The mission statement explains that Kids on the Hill Preschool works to provide a safe, secure, and creatively prepared learning environment and offers children avenues for discovery learning through play. It states that the school prepares young children by simple instruction, example, and loving care to become socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively ready for a bigger and dynamic world. The mission also states a belief in providing helpful guidance and tools that will give children a foundation to enjoy Kindergarten, have future school success, and make good life choices. Kids on the Hill Preschool is a ministry of Hillside Church of Marin.

The leadership team includes Director DeeDee Hanes; teachers Jackie Giuliani (Tiger Room), Barbi Martinez (Tadpole Room), Kyra Albers (Butterfly Room), and Genny Gomez (Dolphin Room); and Floating Teacher Dina Cheney. DeeDee Hanes graduated from Oregon State University with a BA in Elementary Education and from Portland State University with an MA in Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy. Jackie Giuliani has a B.A. in History from Sonoma State and completed Early Childhood Education coursework at the College of Marin. Barbi Martinez’s formal education in early childhood is from coursework taken at the College of Marin, and she has 30 years of experience working in various programs for young children aged 6 weeks to 5 years old. Kyra Albers received a BA in Child Development in 2004 and an MA in Early Childhood Special Education in 2007, both from Mills College in Oakland, and has worked in the field of early childhood education for 24 years as a teacher, early interventionist, and administrator. Genny Gomez is trained in ECE Child Development courses and Montessori education and was a head teacher at a Montessori school for 15 years. Dina Cheney has been working with children for over 20 years, from infants to pre-K.

Last updated May 16, 2026.