Glorida Dei, which translates to "the glory of God," was founded in 1963, and the church building was created in 1965. The Gloria Dei School was established in 1970 and the completion of the current school building followed in 1978. Tucked behind trees that provide a barrier from busy Ralston Avenue in the Belmont hills, those arriving to the church and school by car must follow signs through a winding road and even basketball courts to reach the end.
The school teaches children in kindergarten through 5th grade, and before and aftercare programs are offered.
Central Elementary School is one of six elementary schools in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, and one of the four in Belmont. Central Elementary feeds into Ralston Middle School, which follows the same core curriculum as Central - language arts, math, science, history/social science, foreign language, health, and visual and performing arts. Parents may become involved in activities such as the chess club, family social night, grandparents' day and the ice cream social. The campus includes 18 classrooms, a music room, library, learning center, computer lab, multipurpose room and administrative offices, which were built in 1964 and modernized in 2004. Two portable classroms were added to the campus in 1998. Dolphin Park, which has a playground, several benches and a dolphin-shaped fountain, is located at Central Elementary as well.
Rocío Guitard Vocal Studio offers private voice lessons, group lessons, seminars and workshops to help you determine and achieve your singing goals. It accepts all ages and levels to build a solid vocal technique. The studio is small but comfortable and peaceful. There are three instructors who are also active performers. Rocío's superior technical knowledge has also made the studio the only school endorsed by the Otolaryngologists at Stanford University School of Medicine, helping their patients recover their voices through vocal therapy.
Curiosity Corner of Belmont is part of the Fox Elementary school system. Established in 1980, it is a day care center that is designed to meet the needs of the neighborhood community. The center strives to instill individuality, self-discipline and creativity into children. As a school, it tries to maximize the child's potential and personal development. It is open to all students of Fox Elementary School.
Universe of Colors is part of Playgroups Unlimited. It specializes in teaching children foreign languages using immersion techniques. This location focuses on French, Spanish and Mandarin. Parking is located off of Emmett Ave.
The Community Learning Center occupies rooms 5, 8 and 9 of the Barrett Community Center. It provides hourly and part-time child care, as well as a full-time pre-school program to children ages 2 - 6. It offers a balance between outdoor and indoor, structured and free play daily through age-appropriate activities. The curriculum helps children develop and express their emotional, social, physical, cognitive and creative skills.
The Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church is a multi-ethnic parish, though the majority of families are of Greek descent. With more than 700 families participating, the church also offers three schools, a pre-school, a Greek school on weekday afternoons and a Sunday school.
There are about 70 students enrolled in the pre-school, 150 in the Greek School and about 200 who attend Sunday school. All three schools offer classes during both the school year and summer.
A number of social activities are also offered at the church, including the annual Greek Festival.
The NDNU Early Learning Center is located on the Notre Dame de Namur University campus, across from the elementary school. It uses Montessori methods, and its curriculum promotes learning while having fun. The back of the center opens up to a secure area with lots of room to play in the grass or the jungle gym. Hours vary depending on time of year so it's best to call for an appointment. This area of NDNU is closed to visitors before 4pm, to protect the children.
Cipriani Elementary School is one of six elementary schools in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, and one of the four in Belmont. Cipriani Elementary feeds into Ralston Middle School, which follows the same core curriculum as Cipriani - language arts, math, science, history/social science, foreign language, health and visual and performing arts. Parents may become involved in a number of activities, including the adopt-a-book program, field trips, the hot lunch program and in the classroom. The school has 16 classrooms, a library, a multipurpose room and administrative offices, which were built in 1954 and modernized between 1994 and 2004.
Kidizens is an educational program designed to teach children life skills and offer them an opportunity to engage with their peers to learn about topics like economics and civics. Children use Legos to design cities that they then live in and govern in all matters, including making laws and dealing with issues such as crime and the economy. While learning about these issues, children will experience leadership opportunities, debate, public speaking and social interaction. All programs are age-specific, though programs do eventually interact with each other.
Carlmont Parents Nursery School in Belmont is a pre-school that is full of a variety of activities for children. The school involves the parents in many of the activities, encouraging a rich learning environment. Carlmont is for children ranging from 2 to 5 years in age. The area is lush with green trees surrounding much of the area and a large playground. The staff is friendly, fun and creative.
Challenge School of Belmont is a Mandarin immersion school. It focuses on an academic curriculum and a mix of guided play to allow children to acquire the language naturally. The classrooms here, filled with art, are open and bright.