Old Firehouse School

Old Firehouse School is a preschool in Lafayette, CA, serving families with children from infancy through age five across five campuses throughout the Bay Area. Located at 984 Moraga Rd, the Lafayette campus offers a full-day, year-round program rooted in attachment-based and Reggio Emilia-inspired education, emphasizing nurturing relationships, curiosity, and the development of the whole child, heart, mind, spirit, and body. The school’s approach is grounded in research and professional practice in child development, with consistent caregivers and minimal transitions to support emotional security and growth. It has earned a 5.00 rating from parents and families, reflecting its reputation for excellence and a deeply caring environment.

Founded in 1996 by Dr. Dorothy Stewart and Bob Buhl, Old Firehouse School began as a vision to create a haven where children’s potential could flourish through meaningful experiences and stable, loving relationships. The school’s mission emphasizes that the quality of a child’s early years shapes their future, and this principle guides every aspect of programming. The Lafayette campus, the original location, remains central to the network, with additional campuses in Walnut Creek, Mill Valley, San Rafael, and a nature-focused school in San Rafael’s Bayview neighborhood. The school is renowned statewide and internationally, attracting educators from across the U.S. and even Guatemala to study its model. Its leadership continues through the dedication of Dr. Stewart’s daughter, Jackie Buhl, and her husband, Bob, who uphold her legacy with passion and commitment.

The school sits on Moraga Road, just a short distance from Lafayette Creek and Happy Valley Creek, with Lafayette Elementary School and Don Tatzin Community Hall located within a quarter-mile. Mount Diablo Boulevard lies about a tenth of a mile to the north, anchoring the area’s residential and community life. The campus is situated in a quiet, green corridor that supports both natural exploration and community engagement.

Old Firehouse School stands out for its consistent excellence, recognized with multiple Parents Press Reader’s Choice awards, including Top 10 and Top 5 honors in recent years. It is known for its deeply researched, child-centered curriculum, highly trained staff, and a long-standing commitment to quality early education. The school’s reputation for fostering secure attachments, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence is widely respected across the region.

In Lafayette, Old Firehouse School is a trusted pillar of early childhood development, where a nurturing, research-based approach prepares young learners for lifelong success.