PARENT EDUCATION COURSES

AVANCE

AVANCE is an Early Childhood Education program for parents and their children 0-3 years old. The AVANCE approach imparts parenting knowledge that directly impacts children's development while enabling parents to achieve their own educational and professional goals. AVANCE's renowned Parent-Child Education Program instills a philosophy of nurturing care, wellness, and language development in caregivers as they embrace their role as their child's first teacher and their home as the first classroom.

AVANCE classes are held at McDowell and McKinley Elementary schools.  

Different parenting topics are discussed at each meeting, including:

• Parenting classes (nutrition, health, discipline, etc.)
• Toymaking
• Community resources
• Early education for babies and children

At the end of the semester, parents and children participate in a graduation ceremony.

For more information call Petaluma Adult School at 707-778-4633 or the McDowell Family Resource Center at 707-778-4697.

Pasitos/Little Steps

Pasitos is a program for parents and their three and four-year-olds who are not attending preschool. The goal of the program is to help prepare children to be successful in school and provide parents with tools that will maximize their impact as the first and most important teacher and primary advocate for their child. Parents are encouraged to form a social network on behalf of their children. Pasitos participants attend weekly playgroup gatherings and monthly workshops.

Pasitos classes are held at McDowell and McKinley Elementary schools. The program is free, weekly, and bilingual in Spanish and English.

For more information call Petaluma Adult School at 707-778-4633 or the McDowell Family Resource Center at 707-778-4697.

Petaluma Parent Nursery School

Co-op classes are held at the Petaluma Parent Nursery School (PPNS) for children 2.9 - 5 years old. Parents volunteer at the nursery school in addition to paying semester and monthly fees. (Classes are currently held online. We are anticipating a return to hybrid instruction in the fall of 2021.)

• Caterpillars (2.9 - 3.9 years) attend school Monday - Friday, 9 - 11:45am. Gymnastics is held on alternate Wednesdays from 9 - 10am.
• Butterflies (4 - 5 years) attend school Monday - Friday, 9 - 11:45am. Class time on Mondays is occasionally extended to 1:30pm. Gymnastics or Butterfly field trip days are held on alternate Wednesdays from 9 - 10am.

For more information visit the Petaluma Parent Nursery School website or call 707-499-9193.

Ready for Kindergarten

Designed for children who have not attended preschool. Ready for K is for families who have a child entering TK or Kindergarten, at Grant, Mary Collins at Cherry Valley, McDowell, McKinley, McNear, Penngrove, or Valley Vista schools in the fall. (Visit the Petaluma City Schools website for more information about Transitional Kindergarten.) These free classes are held at McKinley School in the PPNS Classroom located at 810 Madison St. in Petaluma. Free childcare provided for younger siblings of children enrolled in Ready for Kindergarten. These two-hour classes are held two days a week!

Please call 707-499-9193 for more information.