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Lakeside School has a wonderful history, and we are excited to share a little of it through the eyes of someone who experienced it firsthand. Colleen Meola attended Lakeside School in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Her memories offer a fun glimpse into what life was like at our little mountain school more than 60 years ago, including what has changed and, perhaps more importantly, what has stayed the same. “I remember finger painting, and then eventually real painting for one of our extracurricular activities. I loved that. I don’t remember the name of the teacher that taught us. I do remember liking it much more than math.

“The teacher I remember the most was Mrs. Reeder, who I think taught second grade. She taught us how to be quiet and pay attention. She also taught us organization, to be on time, and to not be a pain in the tail. "

“I also remember science class at the lake. I have always loved living things, and this activity absolutely fueled it. I remember our walks up there and looking at all the bugs and all the different plants and having our science teacher tell us about all of it. It was such a wonderful activity, that the city children never had the opportunity to do. How blessed we were.”

Lakeside School welcomes you to our annual Harvest Festival, on Sunday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy bounce houses, games, pumpkin carving with the Cub Scouts, and delicious barbecue available for purchase. For more information, visit www.lakesidescf.org.

We thank our generous 2026-2027 sponsors, including Adventure Ready Motosports, Denali Tree Service, El Gato Automotive, Ewing Family, Fourier Image Lab, Los Gatos Roofing, McKenzie Ranch Tree Farm, Mountain Network News, Pizzeria Vittoria, San Jose Water, Lonestar & Skyland Ranch Christmas Tree Farms, KB Photography, and Tai Zhan plant-based bakery.

Our regular morning core program, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., is currently full and waitlisted. This is a wonderful reflection of the changes we’ve made to serve the needs of our community. At the same time, we know it is challenging for families looking for full- time preschool here on the mountain and are waiting for a space to open.

To create more opportunities, we’ve opened our extended-day program to families on our waitlist and to the wider. We have spaces available, for children ages two to six, between 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. Loma kindergarteners are welcome after 1:30 p.m, adding another option for care on the mountain alongside Kids & Co.

Our extended-day program is a great option for families who need additional afternoon care, whether it’s a full afternoon or just a few extra hours. Afternoons at Building Blocks include a quiet rest period (story time, art, stretching, and more) or a nap, depending on the age and stage of the child. This is followed by developmentally appropriate, child-led play.

Drop-ins are available based on staffing and spaces available that day. Building Blocks for Your Younger Child. For families with infants who are interested in Building Blocks in the future, we encourage you to schedule a tour and join our waitlist.

Getting on the waitlist early allows your family to be in the queue as your child approaches age 2, or whenever you’re ready for them to join us. Joining our waitlist does not commit you to enrolling. We’re grateful for the continued interest and support from our mountain community, and we’re excited to find new ways to welcome more families into Building Blocks.