Belmont officials review preschool rebrand as staff seek to boost enrollment

The Belmont Parks & Recreation Commission on Wednesday heard a detailed update on the Belmont Community Learning Center preschool and a proposal to rebrand the program to clarify offerings and increase enrollment.

Recreation Supervisor Ingrid Orianna told commissioners the city’s preschool has served the community for 41 years at the Barrett Community Center, operates under a California state license, and averages about 48 children daily across two classrooms. Orianna said the program maintains class sizes of 24 with three teachers and can open a third classroom to add about 15 spots if demand increases. About 8% of enrolled families currently receive tuition assistance through the Child Care Coordinating Council (4C’s), and roughly 98% of participants are Belmont residents.

Orianna and staff said enrollment declined after statewide expansion of transitional kindergarten (TK) programs. She told the commission that local TK enrollment has risen — Belmont Redwood Shores School District TK increased about 43% since 2023, and countywide TK grew roughly 34% — and that those shifts are the primary driver of lower preschool enrollment rather than a longer-term decline.

To respond, staff presented several operational changes already in place or planned: extended part‑day hours, a five‑day part‑day option, a 30‑minute extended‑care block to permit earlier drop‑off, integration of extended care into regular hours effective Sept. 1, a parent communication app, and a vendor search to offer hot lunch options. Orianna said the program also recently changed providers for better family-facing services and is using 4C’s voucher referrals to reach families needing tuition assistance.

The staff proposal includes a rebranding: replace “Learning Center” with “Preschool” in the program name, simplify the logo to improve online searchability (using the words “Belmont” and “preschool”), and adopt a cleaner, modern mark (staff presented options featuring a butterfly motif). Commissioners praised the design and recommended keeping the program’s founding year (1985) to signal longevity while adding a short slogan — suggested phrases included “Learn, Play, Grow” or nature-themed lines — to help convey the program’s character.

Commissioners and staff discussed targeted outreach strategies: distributing information in newcomer packets from realtors or large apartment complexes, tapping school‑district and PTA communications, coordinating with after‑school providers such as Stepping Stones to reach families with multiple young children, and connecting with local service organizations and housing programs that serve families in need. Orianna said staff have begun internal employee outreach and will continue to explore partnerships and county resources to expand awareness.

Orianna said the preschool currently offers snacks and is evaluating options to provide a hot lunch service appropriate to the program’s size. She noted that some peer programs use grants to provide meals to all students, and the city is researching grant and vendor options to deliver comparable services without raising fees.

The presentation closed with staff proposing outreach tied to Belmont’s centennial, alumni events, open houses and use of before/after photos to highlight classroom improvements. No formal action was taken; commissioners offered support for the rebrand and asked staff to return with implementation details and timelines.