The Preschool is a group of sixteen  three to five year olds. Most children stay for two years before moving on to Kindergarten. The room is staffed with two full time teachers and two part-time teaching assistants each day, with three adults present for much of the morning. 

A primary goal in the Preschool is to provide a warm, supportive environment that encourages children to explore their world,  gain self-esteem and flourish in a social setting. The program is centered on play, which serves as an important medium for growth in all aspects of development. For example, dramatic play provides preschoolers the opportunity to problem solve, negotiate, take others' perspectives and articulate one's thoughts clearly. Having the time to focus on such play is the most effective way a child can practice these social skills.

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Because preschoolers learn through active exploration and interactions, we provide many opportunities for them to touch, manipulate and explore a variety of materials that are concrete and relevant to their lives. The classroom has a dramatic play loft area, a large block area, a communication area, book nook, and art easels. By carefully observing interests and abilities, we offer an array of open-ended materials in all of these areas to provoke further experimentation. 

Learning how to cooperate, negotiate,and assert oneself appropriately is a large part of preschool learning. We emphasize conflict resolution strategies and empathy and kindness between children every day.

Our block area, book area, and communication areas allow us the ability to expand upon language, early literacy and mathematical skills. Storytelling and story reading permeates the classroom, happening both formally and informally every. In addition, preschoolers dictate their own stories throughout the year that their classmates act out.  

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