Sonoma State Children’s School

Sonoma State Children’s School includes activities such as art, music, dramatic play, block building, science, language and literacy experiences, climbing, swinging, gardening, riding toys, and playing in water and sand. The program describes outdoor play as vital to the young child and offers both planned and emergent curriculum implemented by trained teachers. The curriculum promotes respect, responsibility, resourcefulness, and resiliency in a nurturing, familial environment.

• Ages: 1–5 years old
• Schedule: Open Monday–Wednesday and Friday with full-day hours, and on Thursday with shorter hours

Sonoma State Children’s School is a program of Sonoma State University Associated Students and operates as the Child Development Laboratory on campus. It provides early childhood education services to children of Sonoma State University students, staff, and faculty families. The model school is staffed with Master Teachers who train Sonoma State University student staff in best practices and theory of early education. The program is NAEYC accredited and described as a developmental program for ages one through five years that is steeped in active sensory experiences and grounded in environmental ethics. The mission states that fostering a sense of trust and positive self-esteem and recognizing problem-solving opportunities through play are core components of the curriculum.

The school has been part of Sonoma State University as an idea since 1972, was housed in trailers until 1978, and continues to operate in its current building. It welcomes students from many disciplines to observe and learn from and about children. The population of students, parents, staff, and faculty represents diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and the stated goal is to utilize the richness of the campus community while providing optimum services to families.

The leadership team includes Melissa Nelson as Program Director; Bethany Lybeck Chapman as Master Teacher; Shannon Dublin, Kimberly Alvarado Reyes, Wendy Contreras, and Alexis Gonzalez as Early Childhood Teachers; and Tarik Kanaana as Health and Nutrition Coordinator.

Last updated June 26, 2026.