Frequently Asked Questions

Find out if TDS is right for your family! Call or email Caren Drezner, Head of School at (415) 339-3991 or tds@badm.org.

Yes, we are licensed as a childcare center by the State of California and feature a staff of fully qualified teachers. Our Facility Number is 214005255.

We believe that our unique educational approach, which offers free-choice learning in an open-ended, child-directed environment, prepares children for lifelong learning. Through our emergent project-based curriculum, kids use math, literacy, creative problem-solving, and social skills to create the meaningful learning experiences they will need for later academic success.

At this time, we do not provide snack or lunch. Children must bring their own lunch and snack from home.

Once we receive completed applications, our staff determines which families are the best match for the program. Factors include scheduling, age of child, philosophical harmony, and gender balance of program.

No. The Discovery School requires enrollment for the school year. We are required to maintain a specific staff to child ratio at all times.

As a laboratory school, or lab school, TDS is open to top university researchers who are conducting studies on child development in a preschool setting. The lessons and research that come out of our preschool will shape the national dialogue on how educators design experiences to set kids up for lifelong success. Our status as a lab school also benefits TDS teachers. They receive access to cutting edge research from the leading thinkers in cognitive development and early childhood education, giving them opportunity to implement this innovative research immediately in the classroom.

The Discovery School is located at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) in Sausalito. BADM and The Discovery School are located in Fort Baker, part of Golden Gate National Park. Find Directions

Students spend plenty of time outdoors exploring the beaches and habitats of Fort Baker, fostering a deep connection to the natural world. Additionally, we have one-two 100% outdoor days per month, where students have an entire day of school held outdoors.

The Discovery School students receive full access to BADM’s exhibits and resources, including exclusive when the museum is closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Discovery School students have been accepted to the following elementary schools:

• Greenwood
• Lycee Francais- French School
• Manor
• Marin Country Day
• Marin Primary
• Park Elementary
• Presidio Hill School
• Reed Public School
• SF Public
• Saint Luke’s
• SF Friends School
• The Garden House
• The Nueva School