About us
Billygoats/Cabritas is a one-year pre-preschool program based in the natural environment of San Francisco, located in the Excelsior/Glenpark area.
The program
Billygoats/Cabritas is a one-year pre-preschool program based in the natural environment of San Francisco, located in the Excelsior/Glenpark area.
We take the children out doors on regular basis. All children develop confidence and a sense of identity within a nurturing atmosphere and consistent social group.
Through nature/play-based learning, they practice logical thinking, build social skills, adopt age-appropriate conflict resolution, and expand motor and language skills … all inspired by the beauty of nature!
Children develop the foundations for future academic learning by discovering the world around them, enriching their sense of wonder, learning the names and uses of common things, and questioning and creating their environment with what they learn.
At Billygoats/Cabritas, children, parents, and teacher learn from one another in a natural and balanced feedback cycle. Parents interact and socialize with other families within the Billygoats community.
They share issues related to young children and learn how to understand them. They benefit by working and interacting side by side with the teacher and other parents at parent education events and adult social nights.
The program
Billygoats/Cabritas is a one-year pre-preschool program based in the natural environment of San Francisco, located in the Excelsior/Glenpark area.
We take the children out doors on regular basis. All children develop confidence and a sense of identity within a nurturing atmosphere and consistent social group.
Through nature/play-based learning, they practice logical thinking, build social skills, adopt age-appropriate conflict resolution, and expand motor and language skills … all inspired by the beauty of nature!
Children develop the foundations for future academic learning by discovering the world around them, enriching their sense of wonder, learning the names and uses of common things, and questioning and creating their environment with what they learn.
At Billygoats/Cabritas, children, parents, and teacher learn from one another in a natural and balanced feedback cycle. Parents interact and socialize with other families within the Billygoats community.
They share issues related to young children and learn how to understand them. They benefit by working and interacting side by side with the teacher and other parents at parent education events and adult social nights.
The teacher
The Billygoats teacher, Angelica Guerrero, holds a California Site Supervisor Credential for Preschool. She worked as a lead teacher in preschool programs until she decided to become a mother, and has been working as the Billygoats director/teacher since 2005. She has worked for 15 years with BANANAS Inc. (Funded Child Care Referral and Family Services Agency of California). Angelica provides parenting educational workshops for both Spanish- and English-speaking communities and child care providers. She facilitates workshops and gives speeches at child care conferences in different counties.
Teacher responsibilities at Billygoats include: planning and documenting daily activities based on child interest (curriculum); supervising and supporting the natural curiosity and exploration of the children in a safe environment; providing first aid if needed; providing parenting education upon request and for the parent education events; engaging in daily communication with families about their child’s day and stage of development; supporting parents in shaping Billygoats based on every family’s needs; establishing and maintaining a positive relationship with children, parents, park administration, and families at the playground.
Parent participation
The parent on duty is responsible for bringing a morning snack and lunch for the six children in the group, as well as extra water. The teacher provides basic supplies for daily routines, arts and crafts, and gross motor activities. All the families will provide additional materials and toys for the activities, if needed.
Family jobs: Each family is assigned a job for the year, based on their interests and skills.
Parent education events: At least one parent from each family is required to attend three parent education meetings. Parent education meetings will be held on Saturday mornings from 9am to 11am, dates to be determined.
Social events: Billygoats hosts several social gatherings for parents to establish a solid community. We love party time!
Each family must also sign a contract and provide health information for their child as requested.
Parent participation in Billygoats involves three primary responsibilities: on-duty days, a family job, and attendance at parent education events and social events. These responsibilities are detailed below:
At Billygoats we keep all of our parent jobs simple so that we don't over-stress our families.
On-duty days: Each family is on duty one day every three weeks. Families with twins will cover one and a half shift for two children. On their day, the parent on duty will work with the teacher (Angelica) to support the group's activities. This means a lot of interaction with the teacher while we learn from each other and the kids! On Wednesdays, there is no parent volunteer and it is always hosted at Angelica’s house.
How we work
There are two Billygoats groups, consisting of six children in each.
The Bilingual group English/Spanish meets Mondays and Tuesdays. It is for children 24 to 33 months old by August 20, 2019. No experience with Spanish is required.
The Spanish immersion group meets Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays. It is for children 24 to 33 months old by August 20, 2019. Applicants to this group will have to understand Spanish already.
Half day program: Each group meets from 9:30am to 12:30pm on their designated days at either the Billygoats Child Care licensed facility or at the fieldtrip site, as planned in the calendar. Fieldtrips are usually held at either Glen Park playground or Douglas Park.
Full day program is from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday and Tuesday. Drop off and pick up is at Billygoats Site located in the Excelsior area, near Glen Park.
Children need to be 24 to 33 months old by August 20, 2019. They do not need to be potty trained. Children applying to the Spanish program need to have been exposed to Spanish already.
