The School that Rhoda Built

Location: Phoebe A. Hearst Preschool, 1315 Ellis Street, San Francisco
Space is limited. RSVP at sfac.education@sfgov.org

Rhoda Kellogg was an early childhood scholar and collector of children’s artwork who served as the Phoebe A. Hearst Preschool’s director from 1945 to 1966. Her investigations focused on the art of young children and in particular, on early graphic expressions. During her tenure at Phoebe A. Hearst, she collected approximately one million drawings by young children of ages two to eight. Ms. Kellogg’s legacy and her belief that children excel when given the opportunity to create and explore continues to inform the preschool program today.

Join current director Irene Byrne for a tour of the school which Kellogg had a hand in designing, creating a unique space for children to learn and explore in their most formative years. 


Irene Byrne, M.A. joined the the Phoebe A. Hearst preschool in 1995 and became the director in 1996. Irene obtained her B.A. degree in psychology and English from University College Dublin, Ireland and her M.A. degree in education from San Francisco State University. She also holds a Montessori Teaching Credential from Sion Hill College in Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland. Her publications include Birthing: Choices You Have to Create the Best Birth Experience for You and Your Child, Finding a Preschool for your Child in San Francisco and Marin, and her latest book, Preschools by the Bay.
phoebehearstpreschool.org