Our Classes
2024 - 2025 SCHOOL YEAR
Our Classes
1-DAY CLASS (Wednesday) - 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
(18 mos to 3 yrs)
*Ages are based on September 1st of the current year.
Our parent/child class provides a relaxed introduction to preschool for toddlers as young as 18 months up to 3 years of age. The program allows for the development of large and small muscle coordination, language development, sensory awareness, creativity, cognitive skills and an increased sense of autonomy.
Each class provides young learners with a choice of activities including playdough, dramatic play, manipulative toys, puzzles, many art mediums, blocks, outdoor play and a simple snack project. At 10 o’clock, children are gathered for a large group experience, with a focus on science, cooking or music and movement. During the last fifteen minutes of class, children and parents sit together for songs, fingerplays, and short stories, all led by the teacher.
Parents stay with their children during class, take turns bringing the communal snack, and take turns with clean-up at the end of each class. In addition, parents attend monthly Parent Education meetings (also referred to as the General Meetings), whichare usually held on the second Wednesday of each month, and participate on a school committee equal to about an hour a month.
4-DAY CLASS (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday) - 9:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
(2.5 yrs to 5 yrs)
*Ages are based on September 1st of the current year.
9:00a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Our three preschool rooms are ready at 9am with a number of play areas from which the children may choose. The Music Room is where the children’s cubbies are, along with musical instruments, playdough table, housekeeping corner, dress-up area and manipulative toys. The Block Room consists of a science project, blocks, puzzles, puppet area and other developmental toys. The Art Room is where the children prepare a snack and their daily art project. A reading corner and creative art table are also available. Outdoor play is also an option they may choose. The play yard offers the children a number of activities including sand play, painting, carpentry, riding toys, and climbing structures as well as lots of running room.
The children enjoy free choice in play activities until snack time, which takes place about halfway through the session. At this time, the children sit in small groups in each room, with a working parent sitting at each table. The working parent leads the children in playing a short game or activity, helps serve the snack and encourages conversation. Snack time provides a small group community and a short, cheerful rest for the children.
After snack time comes supervised outdoor play and “Circle time” with the teacher; the children participate in stories, songs, games and fingerplays in this large group time. Age grouped activities will happen throughout the week, in break out groups, after snack.
We also offer enrichment of monthly field trips. Past trips include behind the scenes at the library, into the kitchen at a local pizza place, and into the receiving bay and food storage at the local grocery store, to give you an idea of the experiences we target. In addition, a music and movement teacher-led activity are incorporated into each class schedule.
Parents participate once a week or once every other week in the classroom, depending on your enrollment choice. Parents take turns bringing the communal snack and preparing it with the children. In addition, parents attend monthly Parent Education meetings (also referred to as the General Meetings), which are usually held on the second Wednesday of each month, and participate on a school committee equal to about 2 to 3 hours a month.
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Recommended for the group of children who will be starting TK or kindergarten the following year, our afternoon 4-Day program offers a dropoff component for parents and is staffed only by teachers.
This Pre-K class dives deep into social learning, functions as a cohesive group, learns how to get needs met in a social setting, and allows children to take on leadership roles at their own pace around their own interests. Following an emergent curriculum, we craft learning around the interests of the students. We will have lunch together, do some group work indoors (i.e. art or engineering), have some outside time with gross and fine motor practice (and, if this year follows last year, loads of practice with physics at our large sand and water area), followed by some quiet reading, snack and then free choice play outside.
Upon arrival at school, the teacher will greet your child. She will informally assess your child in order to provide the wisest supervision during the session.
The three preschool rooms are ready with a number of play areas from which the children may choose. The Music Room is where the children’s cubbies are, along with musical instruments, housekeeping corner, dress-up area, pet corner and manipulative toys. The Block Room consists of a science project, blocks, puzzles, puppet area and other developmental toys. The Art Room is where the children prepare a snack and their daily art project. A reading corner and creative art table are also available. Outdoor play is also an option they may choose. The play yard offers the children a number of activities including sand play, painting, carpentry, riding toys, and climbing structures as well as lots of running room.
The children enjoy free choice in play activities until snack time, which takes place about halfway through the session. At this time, the children sit in small groups in each room, with a working parent sitting at each table. The working parent leads the children in playing a short game or activity, helps serve the snack and encourages conversation. Snack time provides an alternative from free choice time and a rest for the children.
After snack time comes supervised outdoor play and “Circle” time with the teacher. During Circle time, the children participate in stories, songs and finger plays.
Our preschool schedules are designed to provide enough routine so the children feel the comfort of knowing what is going to happen next, but have the opportunity to make choices. The program is varied occasionally with field trips and special learning opportunities provided by the seasons and multi-cultural events.