Our School
Founded 1971
A balance of heart and mind
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Our School
Founded 1971
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A balance of heart and mind
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Our preschool program combines the warmth and security of a small group with the stimulation of being part of a (very small) progressive school. The Birds’ Nest family group consists of about seven children per teacher. This small class size fosters a strong bond between the child and teacher as well as with other classmates.
A family atmosphere within the school benefits the social growth of all the students. Interacting with older children in this safe, secure environment helps younger children to gain self-assurance and emulate mature behavior. Self-expression is facilitated in individual interactions and group discussions. Children are encouraged and guided to participate as active members of a group in the classroom and in morning meeting. Conflict resolution skills are presented, including listening to others, sharing feelings and advocating for oneself.
Great care is taken to surround the children with a rich learning environment while providing stability and security that frees them to soak in everything around them, grow and blossom. We provide a supportive, structured, non-competitive program designed to allow a young child to develop clear thinking, balanced feelings and imitative actions.
Children are guided through a daily rhythm that enlivens the imagination, sparks creativity and provides a firm foundation for their growth and discovery, preparing them for their school years and lifelong learning.
Our program is full of circle games, storytelling, handworks, singing, creative and dramatic play, painting, modeling with clay or other materials, cooking and baking, building and creating, planting and gardening. Birds’ Nest balances individual and group activities with quiet learning experiences.
While promoting a wide spectrum of cognitive, social-emotional and spatial dynamic skills and concepts, these child-centered pastimes feel like play to the children. However, they are really learning through a variety of vocal, kinesthetic, auditory and visual modes.
The children are provided with age-appropriate activities to:
By providing diverse modalities in the educational environment, children receive enrichment and support with individual learning styles, leading them to richer, deeper learning. All the basic readiness skills are developed. Equally important, children experience success. For example, a child may have difficulty handling a pencil to write, but may excel at carefully forming a letter or shape from pretzel dough.
Artistic expression is integrated throughout our program. Drawing, painting, creating ceramic pieces (fired in the school’s kiln), dramatic expression, dancing and singing are included in the Birds’ Nest activities.
Observation of the seasons, ways of measuring time (using the clock, days of the week and months), family structures, traditions and customs, animals and insects, nature study, field trips, and more fills out the curriculum.
As part of Our School, Birds’ Nest children participate in all-school events. The Mendon Ponds exploration day, Winter’s Night (an evening of music and poetry), and the science fair are just a few of the school-wide shared adventures.
Informal assessment takes place on a daily basis through the close child-teacher connection. Twice a year, formal parent-teacher conferences are held to discuss each child’s progress. In addition, parents and teachers have contact throughout the year to discuss concerns, strategies, observations and questions. A comprehensive year-end narrative report details each child’s growth.
To register your child in this program, contact the school to receive an application and make an appointment to visit. Staff and parents can answer any additional questions you may have.