WINE COUNTRY DAY PRESCHOOL

Celebrating 40 Years in Early Childhood Education

BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

Sondra Asendorf is the vision behind Wine Country Day Preschool. A dedicated local educator with advanced degrees in education and curriculum development, her passion and expertise in early childhood education was channeled into the school’s founding. And fundamental to the shaping of that vision was Sondra’s belief in the profound and critical impact of early education on the development of each child and society as a whole.

Since 1982, Sondra’s life work has focused on Wine Country Day Preschool. The private family-owned and -operated facility was founded to provide a place where curriculum, teachers, facility, training — and of course, the children — could all come together as a vibrant organization.

Nearly 40 years later, that vision is still thriving. Sondra’s two daughters are proud to carry her passion forward. They indicate, “It’s about our Napa Valley community and providing a safe, nurturing environment for our children and parents; a place where a solid foundation is created and cultivated as they begin their educational journey. We admire and appreciate the legacy our mother has created in the valley, and we want to see it continue to expand and thrive with each passing generation,” said administrators Sheri Jennum and CJ Kaialoa.

Wine Country Day Preschool's mission is to provide personalized education that will inspire each child’s unique potential and desire for lifelong learning through a strong academic, social and environmental curriculum.

Naturally, thousands of local families have passed through these doors over the decades. Both sisters speak with pride and joy about the fulfillment of former students, now parents, returning to enroll their own children at age two and, eventually, the milestone of transition to kindergarten when they’re ready to depart at age five. They share these rewarding moments with Maria Duarte, Napa Site director, and Liz Bohan, over 30 years as a school director at the Yountville campus for children aged two to three years and a former school parent as well.

Active learning is a hallmark of Wine Country Day Preschool, which upholds high quality as the gold standard in early childhood education. Importantly, “children have a lot of choices” in the HighScope preschool program, a creative process that embraces teachers as facilitators. School leadership believes that “Teachers are the foundation of any successful program, and we take great pride in our outstanding team of dedicated professionals.”

In Yountville and Napa, the two locations are dedicated to different age groups. Both have indoor and outdoor facilities, lesson spaces, and playgrounds where age-appropriate play encourages learning, problem-solving, self-expression, music appreciation, and critical skills in language, math, art, science, and more. Programs are offered year-round on a morning-only or full-day basis, based on availability. Applications are now being accepted for 2021-2022 enrollment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION wcdkids.com // Yountville Site (for ages 2-3) 707-944-2244 // Napa Site (for ages 3-5) 707-252-9290