Peregrine School

Peregrine School is an independent school that builds children’s capacity to learn, think and do in our ever-changing world. Located in Davis, California, Peregrine serves children from preschool through the 6th grade, drawing students from throughout the Sacramento Valley. Peregrine School educates the whole child, incorporating the latest research on teaching and learning into a child-centered curriculum that integrates hands-on scientific inquiry, critical thinking, wellness and the arts. At Peregrine School, we believe that the purpose of education is not so much to impart knowledge, but to build children’s lifelong capacity to learn. Peregrine prepares children to be the citizens of the future: collaborative, curious, creative,  and possessed of the self-motivation that will allow them  to thrive throughout life.

Our mission is to educate children to be creative, critical thinkers. We utilize the latest research in child development to create child-centered, project-based programs that emphasize the natural sciences, the arts, outdoor education, and environmental and social responsibility.

Peregrine has two campuses in Davis, California. Our South Davis Campus houses both an early childhood center and an elementary program, serving children eighteen-months-old through sixth grade. Our West Davis Campus houses an Early Childhood program for children ages two through five.

2009-07-03 16:23:48   does the name peregrine come from lord of the rings, fitting in with the nearby streets of the Village Homes? —TimMatthiessen

• Given the logo, it is more likely that it has to do with the Peregrine falcon. The "Duck Hawk School" doesn't have quite the same ring.

2011-03-23 14:21:10   I would love to get feedback from anyone who has a child in the Escuelita on what the school is like. —BlytheDurbinJohnson

2011-03-31 11:43:44   I have three kids at Peregrine and am extremely impressed and happy. I moved to Davis from the Bay Area about 2 years ago, and admittedly have high standards for my kids' schools. I visited/considered many pre-schools in Davis, and am extremely pleased with Peregrine. The kids have so much fun. They get individualized academic attention within a stimulating and inspiring curriculum. They also get plenty of fresh air and excellent food. Most importantly, all three of my kids are well cared for and very happy. I hope to keep my kids here for elementary. —SarahLamborn

2013-01-18 21:27:58   I have a child at the elementary and the preschool. I am very happy with both campuses. The small class sizes are amazing and the kids really get attention from the caring and involved teachers. The social and emotional support for my older child is tremendous. My younger child has many severe food allergies and the chef works diligently to ensure both his nutrition and safety. And the academics are taught in interesting, challenging, and developmentally appropriate ways. Love this school! —LizPhinney

2015-10-29 13:22:38   I was very disappointed in our experience with Peregrine (South), and we had to pull my four year old daughter out after a little over a month. The final straw came when they let her sit, crying, for two hours, soaked in her own urine. When confronted, the teacher said that she did not tell anyone that she had an accident- it was my child's fault, not the supposed care-giver's, that she was neglected. A child who has just turned four is evidently expected to be able to articulate clearly what is wrong despite being upset and ashamed. This was, as I said, merely the last straw; prior to this we had witnessed a teacher bodily dragging a child around (the child was goofing off), and we had seen several crying children ignored. Many mornings (especially in the summer session- we did the last summer session and a month in the fall) the teachers were totally unprepared to receive children in the morning. The advertised ratios are misleading: many of the kids are put in the back to play much of the time, and the teachers congregate by the doors to chat instead of interacting with the kids. I'm not sure that I can blame them, though, because it seems the teachers are not treated well enough to encourage them to stay long. Over a month or so in the fall, my daughter had at least two new teachers replace ones that had left. As if tuition wasn't high enough, they also tried to charge us fees other than the ones disclosed in the contract (after several email exchanges, these charges were removed). Needless to say, they did not return our deposit when we removed our daughter due to their mistreatment of her (the accident mentioned at the beginning of the review). —CButtons

2016-02-13 01:14:26   We've had one of our sons in Primaria (pre-school for ~4-5 year old level) at Peregrine West for a bit over a year and have not regretted the decision at all. There is good communication between the parents and the teachers. Each week (sometimes every other week) there is a blog/email post that goes out detailing key learning themes, which is great to reinforce at home. The teachers also seem to really take what the children are interested in and use that to shape the lesson plans. The nutritious lunch and snacks during the day are also nice, one less thing for us to grab in the morning. There is more teacher turnover than I had hoped for, but I have also heard this at other pre-schools / nurseries. I don't know if there is actually more or less turnover but it seems roughly equivalent going by conversations with parents from other schools. —mseelke

2016-02-16 17:35:02   We had our son at Hutchison full time since he was an infant and it was a hard decision to know if should move him away or not to Peregrine. Hutchison was very nice, but the two things that motivated me were dirt and food. I think it is UC Davis that has given Hutchison a somewhat sterile play yard with daily leaf blowing to make sure there isn't a stray leaf around. Contrast to Peregrine where the kids eat outside most of the time, dig around in dirt and go on walks in the rain. Peregrine also provides healthy and warm snacks and lunch. We enrolled him in the first class of Patitos (ages 18 mos to 30 months) at their new (2014) South site. We were guinea pigs, but they had wonderful teachers and after a few months there was a lovely rhythm and routine to the class. They listened when parents had suggestions and I felt that I could easily talk with the teachers and Lori Hammond, the director/founder. Our son is now at Escuelita (ages 2-4) at the west site, b/c it is closer to our home. While the ratio is still high I think the large class is definitely more challenging. I think they have about 16 three yo and 16 4yo in that one class. It is more chaotic, but I think happily so. I appreciate that they are willing to do things with the kids that many others wouldn't. They take them on mini field trips on the unitrans bus. They went to the Mondavi. These are things that most schools don't attempt until they are much older. My son comes home with tons of experiences. It may not be apparent the day of- we don't get slips of paper with info- so I have no idea how much he ate or slept unless I pointedly ask the right person. We do get weekly recaps, but several days later my son will bust out with information about camping and camp fires, b/c they did a unit on it. It isn't just book facts. It is based on conversations and experiences. I too felt this past summer was chaotic with many different teachers coming and going. Summer programs tend to be that way with new kids and sub teachers, but they are changing things so that Escuelita (ages 3-4) has a more stable program this upcoming summer. I wish the overall class size was a little smaller, but it is nice to have a diverse group of kids that he can learn from and play with. The teachers are also willing to explore any topic in a creative way. —TabathaYang

2016-02-18 17:22:24   My 6-year-old son joined the Owl class at Peregrine this January. I just want to say how grateful we are for teacher Juliette's warm encouragements, which has made our son's transition into a new environment smooth and easy. In many occasions, such as our initial assessment meeting or quick hallway chats, Juliette compliments on our boy being a good reader. My son mentioned to me one day with a big smile on his face: "today Juliette saw me reading Captain Underpants, she said: Wow, you are a super reader! Come here, I must give you a big hug!" Every kid is looking for a role in a new group, I guess Juliette's encouragement is exactly what my son needs to charge forward, now he dives right into 300-something-page graphic novels. At our story time before bed recently, he reads to me a few chapters everyday, instead of me reading to him! Thanks Juliette and Peregine! —Lisa-Davis