Children's Center
offering ample opportunities for experiential learning, wonder, play, and exploration of the natural world
Program
- 6:1 Student-to-teacher ratio
- Emphasis on exploring the natural world
- Social Emotional Learning
- Art
- Music
- Movement
- Story-telling
- Early literacy activities
- Hands-on math explorations
- Rest time
Classroom and Outdoor Space
Age Range
The Tessellations Children’s Center serves children ages 3 to 5 years old.
All children applying to start in Fall 2024 must turn 3 by August 15, 2024.
Hours
- Monday – Thursday: 8:15am – 3:00pm
- Friday: 8:15am – 12:00pm
- Extended care is available until 6pm Monday-Thursday, and until 5pm on Fridays, for an additional fee.
Expertise
Stephanie Holson
she/her
Founding Children’s Center Director
Stephanie serves as Founding Director and Lead Teacher for the Children’s Center at Tessellations. She brings a deep understanding of child development to her work: she taught at Stanford University’s Bing Nursery School for 10 years, and holds both a BA in Child Development and MA in Early Childhood Education from Mills College. She excels at creating inviting spaces and compelling curriculum that enable young learners to continue their exploration and understanding of the wondrous world all around them. “I feel so lucky to spend my time supporting young children and their families,” she says. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find Stephanie spending quality time with her husband, two great kids, and their small menagerie of pets.
Jose Caraan
he/him
Early Childhood Associate Teacher
With a BA in Psychology and a minor in Child and Adolescent Development from San Jose State University, Jose originally planned to become a clinical and research psychologist. But after realizing his joy working directly with children at the university’s Child Development center, Jose switched careers to early childhood education. He has worked with infants to preschoolers, and has an inclination towards music and the natural world. He encourages children to develop their rhythm and ear for music, as well as explore the different lifeforms found in our world. A child at heart, Jose can often be found sitting on the floor examining something alongside the children. His life goal is to help others be the best versions of themselves. He hopes to build that foundation with little ones by giving them the excitement and confidence to explore the world around them.
Dusten Conlon
he/him
Early Childhood Teacher
As the oldest son of teachers in a blended family, it was almost as if Dusten was fated to become one himself. Taking a keen interest in the science of learning and development, he graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Cognitive Science. Specializing in Human Cognition, he researched how the brains of parent and child respond and synchronize to unexpected outcomes while playing games together. He has mentored undergraduates, homeschooled communities of rural students, and worked extensively with special needs populations. Beyond campus, Dusten hosts a weekly dinner and book club. He also enjoys musicals, keeping up with research findings, and being a Dungeon Master for his friends.
Bethany Domingo
she/her
Early Childhood Teacher
With a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and over seven years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Bethany has always been passionate about fostering a positive learning environment. She is devoted to helping students reach their full potential early to become the best versions of themselves, and is now moving toward a Master’s in School Counseling. She hopes to continue advocating for youth through education as long as possible, and is excited to join the Tessellation’s Children Center as an Associate Teacher. Bethany also finds joy in spending time with her friends, boyfriend, and three pets.
Debora Hoppis
she/her
Early Childhood Teacher / Director of Extended Care
Born and raised in Brazil, Debora has worked in education for 15 years, living in California for the last 10 years. She has an AS in Early Childhood Education from Orange Coast College, a BA in Pedagogy Education from Brazil, and is finishing her MS in Early Childhood Studies (specializing in Administration, Management, and Leadership) from Walden University. Debora has a long and impressive history working as Site Director, Child Development Instructor, and Teacher Trainer in a variety of environments, including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and play-based approaches. In addition, she led, created, and implemented a hands-on emergent curriculum for children 1-6 at the Apple Children’s Center with Bright Horizons. Also a published author, she’s currently writing a series of bilingual, self-empowering STEM books for young children. When she’s not in the classroom or writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, being outdoors, candle making, or finding new things to learn.
Kelly Li
she/her
Early Childhood Teacher
Kelly is passionate about providing a nurturing, supportive, and enriching learning environment for children. Her educational and professional background reflects a deep commitment to progressive and child-centered education. Along with her Master of Arts in Education from Heidelberg University (signifying a strong foundation in educational theories and practices), her Montessori credential highlights her training in a respected, widely recognized approach to early childhood education. In this spirit, she ensures the environment is carefully prepared to meet the developmental needs of each child. As a teacher, Kelly enjoys observing each individual child, tailoring the environment to nurture these unique needs. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and jogging in the woods, spending time with her cat, and helping friends by walking their dogs.
Jay Patel
he/him
Early Childhood Associate Teacher
Born in Lancashire, UK. Jay holds a BA in Graphic Design and a Foundation Degree in Art & Design. He worked at the award-winning Clitheroe Castle Museum for 10 years where he taught Arts & Craft activities to children of all ages. “I love to bring a spark to a child’s eye as they learn something new in fun, creative ways,” he says. In 2018, Jay and his family moved to the US and joined Tessellations as an After School Teacher inspiring kids in the Maker Space & Art Clubs. Now an Early Childhood Associate Teacher, he’s excited to be a part of every child’s learning journey and help design a creative curriculum. He believes in a play-based, child-centered approach and understands that children learn best through hands-on experiences. A father of 3, in his spare time Jay enjoys many things including art, photography, exploring nature, vegetarian dining, visiting museums, reading books, cinema, collecting video-games, graphic designing and organizing free craft kits & workshops for his local community in Sunnyvale.
Children’s Center Development Team
Anne Beneventi
she/her
• Certified Master Practitioner of Gifted Qualitative Assessment (GQA)
• Associate of the Gifted Development Center
• Former Chair of the Global Awareness Network of the NAGC
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)
Emma Ludwick
she/her
• 10 years at Bing Nursery School (Stanford University)
• Former lecturer on early childhood development (Stanford Dept of Psychology)
• EdM (Harvard University)
• BA Psychology (Stanford University)
• Trained in children’s mental health (Boston Children’s Hospital)
Rachel Bagnani
she/her
• Founding (and current) Tessellations Kindergarten Teacher
• 10 years Kindergarten teacher of the gifted
• Founding team member of Google Children’s Center
• MA in Education (San Francisco State University)
• BA in Child and Adolescent Development (San Francisco State University)
Susan Stanat
she/her
• 4 years serving as Admissions Director for gifted schools
• Gifted school board member experience
• Adept at educating families who are new to giftedness
• Trained in recognizing giftedness in the student population
Admissions Process - Initial Application Steps
All applicants are asked to complete the following initial application steps:
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Application Form and Fee
Please fill out the Application Form here. Once we receive your Application Form, we will email you instructions to complete the remaining application steps. The application fee is $95. Please contact us if this cost is a financial hardship. -
Student Information Form
This is a detailed form that helps us get to know your child in-depth. -
Student Video
We will email you a prompt to follow when creating your Student Video, and instructions for uploading the completed video.
Admissions Process - Finalists
After the initial admissions steps are complete, Tessellations will invite finalists to proceed in the application process. Finalists are invited to complete some or all of the following steps, depending on the age of the child and information needed by our Admissions Team. Please note that the order of these steps may vary.
- Playgroup
Tessellations teachers and a group of applicants with their parents/guardians will meet and engage in a fun activity together. This is not a test, but rather meant to provide insight regarding how your child engages in a group environment and to allow you and your child a chance to experience our program. -
Parent/Guardian Interview
This is a dialogue to gauge philosophical fit between families and the school.
Admissions Decisions
When the application process is complete, the Admissions Team will make an admissions decision. A number of criteria will inform the admissions decision; however, no single criterion will determine the final decision.
Upon acceptance, a contract will be sent to the parents/guardians for review and signatures.
Once accepted, a signed contract and deposit toward annual tuition secure your child’s place in our program. We consider qualified candidates in the order in which they apply.
Important Admissions Notice
The Tessellations Children’s Center admissions process does not require a Gifted Qualitative Assessment and is for admission to the Tessellations Children’s Center only. All Children’s Center students who wish to attend the K-8 program will need to apply after turning 4 years of age and complete a Gifted Qualitative Assessment.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Tessellations admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation. Tessellations does not discriminate on the basis of these factors in the administration of its educational policies, financial award programs, or any other school-administered programs.
Tuition
Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year will be $41,500.
Financial aid is available to qualified families and is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Tessellations generally raises tuition slightly every year (as do most independent schools). We do this primarily to allow our teacher salaries to keep up with cost-of-living expenses. Of note, our staff salaries account for over 65% of our budget every year.