Preschool

For children ages 2 years 9 months up to turning 4 years old

Our preschoolers, who are 3 or almost 3 at the start of the school year, are the youngest students in school. Some have attended playgroups, family daycare, or other early childhood programs, but for many, this is the first time they’re part of an organized school program that meets several times a week. For some, it’s also the first time they’ve ever been away from a parent or caregiver all morning. That’s why our preschool curriculum is geared to making the children feel safe, nurtured, independent, and capable all on their own.

The preschool classes typically spend their whole morning together with a lead teacher and 2 teaching assistants. They begin with an hour of free choice time in the classroom: playing with toys & games, building & sensory materials, and exploring the dramatic play area. During this first hour, they also create a directed art project that allows them to creatively represent an aspect of the theme the class is exploring that week, and open-ended art activities are also available. During this part of the morning, the teachers are facilitators of the children’s play, encouraging them to broaden their exploration of materials and building language by tying vocabulary to their actions.