Mulberry celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2008!
Mulberry School was founded in 1963 as a one-room parent-cooperative nursery school. Local members of the American Association of University Women saw the need for a school in this area that included parents as part of the educational process. In 1965, Mulberry School moved to Hamilton Avenue in San Jose.
Mulberry remained a parent participation preschool until 1980 when kindergarten was added. The community kept growing, adding junior kindergarten the following year, then first grade, followed later by second and third grades. In 1993, the school expanded again as fourth grade began and was followed by a fifth grade class one year later. Mulberry now offers five preschool classes and elementary education from junior kindergarten through fifth grade.
After 40 years leasing space from a church in San Jose, the Mulberry community worked hard to find a new location which would accommodate the current needs of the school. In the Fall of 2006, Mulberry School moved to its present location on Belgatos Road in Los Gatos. With a 30 year lease at this former public school site, Mulberry considers it a permanent home and has made many improvements to the site including a complete new preschool yard, stages both inside and out, gardens and a drama stage to name just a few.
Through the years, Mulberry has served as an observation and teaching center for students in child development and elementary education programs. Additionally, Mulberry was recognized as one of the first two Positive Discipline demonstration schools in the nation. The credentialed teachers and experienced staff emmbers at Mulberry have provided countless workshops, seminars, and classes throughout the community. The Mulberry reputation is one of excellence.
The current long-range strategic plan will provide for Mulberry's future stability and security. Over the past four and a half decades, the school has grown from a single preschool class of 24 to a community of over 200 children ranging in ages from toddler through 5th grade. Through the years of growth, Mulberry has remained committed to the original vision of its founders. Our children's education must focus on the whole child and is best served by active participation of the parents in the learning and development process.