Our Philosophy

Creative Learning Center provides a climate for growth where children are helped to understand their world through the full use of their senses, their feelings, and their intellects. Our program focuses on three essential educational principles:
  • Enhancing a positive self-image - A child's self image is the most important ingredient in the learning process. At Creative Learning Center children develop a high sense of self esteem; a feeling of competence that breeds further success and motivation for further learning.
  • Providing a safe environment to explore social relationships - Social sensitivity is a slow arduous process that involves learning to understand how to share, cooperate and empathize. We believe that play is vital to a child's learning positive social values. Through play, children learn to initiate and sustain relationships, building interpersonal trust and emotional maturity.
  • ​​Introducing academics through "hands-on", interactive experiences - Each child is a unique individual with different levels of development. It is our role to assess each child and provide a broad spectrum of learning experiences geared to challenge the mind and body and cultivate curiosity and awareness of the world. Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of each individual child.

 Our Facility

Creative Learning Center was established in 1976 to provide a comprehensive Early Childhood Education program and resource center for the Diablo and San Ramon Valley communities.
​Our educational facility is especially designed with children in mind! Every feature of the indoor and outdoor learning environment is an extension of the school's philosophy and goals, and is carefully planned to meet the development needs of young children. We are fully licensed by the State Department of Social Services.
​Our facility is open to all children between 2 years and 6 months of age through Kindergarten. We offer year-round half day and school day options for Preschool and a 5 day school day Transitional Kindergarten program, all with credentialed teachers.

Our Staff

​The heart of any educational experience lies in the interaction of people with one another. The staff at Creative Learning Center includes teachers trained specifically in Early Childhood Education and diversified in age, experience and interest to provide a rich collection of talent and expertise. The teacher/student ratio is 1:8-1:10.

Teachers

Alyssa joined CLC as Tiger Co-Teacher in 2024 in our Transitional Kindergarten / JK classroom.  Teacher Chieko and the Tigers are so happy to have her be a part of our teaching team this school year.  She has Associate of Arts Teaching degrees in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education.
Chiaki ​joined CLC in 2021 as Teacher Aide and in 2023 became a primary teacher in the main classroom.  She is a published children's book author with many years experience in Early Childhood Education.  She is our Blue Together Time group teacher this year.
Chieko has been with CLC since 2010. She is teaching our school day Transitional Kindergarten / JK group this year. She received her B.A. from University of California, Davis, and her Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. Before joining CLC she taught in the SRVUSD, in the Palo Alto USD, as well as several ECE programs.
Emily has been a regular substitute at CLC in 2024 and 2025.  She is currently our Rainbow Together Time group teacher.
​​Laurie was a regular substitute at CLC for many years after starting as a Parent Participant in 1986. She was a daily Together Time group teacher in 2018-2020 and re-joined us in 2022.  She has been our Rainbow Together Time group teacher this year.
Linda joined CLC in 1999. She received her B.S. in Child Development from University of California, Davis, and previously taught locally, as well as in Oklahoma. She continues as our kitchen manager this year, helping our Together Time Groups every day!
Mandy joined CLC in August 2018.  She studied Early Childhood Education at American River and Sacramento City Colleges as well as Diablo Valley College.  She is our morning and afternoon Purple Together Time group teacher this year.
Tina joined our teaching team in 2021. She has worked with young children for over 26 years since receiving her BA in Child Development from San Francisco State University.  She continues as our Green Together Time teacher this school year.

Assistant Teachers

​​Amber joined CLC as Teacher Aide in 2023 in the main classroom.  We are thrilled to have her be a part of our teaching team as Assistant Teacher this school year while she continues to pursue her degree in Early Childhood Education.
​Anthony joined CLC in 2023 as Teacher Aide in the main classroom.  He has been an energetic and fun addition to our teaching team while pursuing his degree in Education.
Traci joined our teaching team in 2021. She has been in Early Childhood Education since 2008.  She was a preschool teacher for a small Pleasant Hill preschool from 2009 until they closed in 2020.  Traci will continue to be part of our CLC team this school year working behind the scenes on various projects.

​   Administrative Staff

Jodi Mascaro, Co-Owner and Director, is a dedicated, experienced Early Childhood Education professional. Her educational background includes Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from California State University, East Bay and a Bachelor of Science in Child Development from California State University, Fresno. Her 20 years of ECE experience includes Head Infant Teacher, with CSU, Fresno; Head Teacher, with the San Jose State University Child Development Center; and from 2004 to 2018, an ECE Specialist with the Chabot Las Positas Community College District.
Mike Mascaro, Co-Owner and Resident Handyman, has been in the medical technology and website world since 1994. He owns Diablo Microsystems an IT company that specializes in dental and small businesses. His team built and designed the website for BFI Waste Services, EastBayPreschools.com and BayAreaPreschools.com.
Julie Nejedly our School Administrator, joined our CLC staff in 2012. Her background includes a B.A. from University of the Pacific in Economics, work in investment banking and project finance, and a wealth of administrative and volunteer leadership experience in local schools and charities.
PARENTS also play a vital role at Creative Learning Center! We encourage hands-on parent participation. Parent conferences are also scheduled regularly to provide a time for more formal communication.
Why Creative Learning Center
  • Chosen "Best Preschool in East Bay" Readers' Choice Awards by Bay Area News Group
  • Our educational facility is especially designed with children in mind. Every feature of the indoor and outdoor learning environment is an extension of the school’s philosophy and goals, and is carefully planned to meet the development needs of young children.
  • Program schedule flexibility offers parents full or part week/half day or school day options.
  • The staff includes teachers trained specifically in ECE with a wide range of experience and interests, along with a credentialed Transitional Kindergarten / JK teacher who provide a diversified collection of talent and expertise. The teacher/student ratio is 1:8 to 1:10 and the staff turnover rate is extremely low.
  • "Curbside service” at drop off and pick up enhances convenience.
  • We offer strong communication with our parents through regularly scheduled parent conferences and monthly newsletters, as well as ongoing informal opportunities.
  • Continuous staff professional development gives teachers regular opportunities for professional growth and re-energizing.
  • We’ve been providing comprehensive Early Childhood Education programs since 1976.