Understanding Our Classroom Ages & Groups
One thing that surprises many families when touring preschools is that “infant,” “toddler,” and “preschool” can mean very different things from school to school.
Some programs move children strictly by birthday. Others combine wide age ranges together. Some children move up quickly, while others stay with the same teachers longer.
August is the time when all currently enrolled children move up to the next age level and new friends join the class. Much like you remember from elementary school. The age of your child at this time is what determines what class they join, even if they are enrolling later in the fall or winter.
At our school, we organize classrooms thoughtfully based on developmentally appropriate practice. We provide continuity of care and minimize transitions to support the creation of strong attachments. We are open all year round and the age of children in each program is based on their birthday during that academic year. Our academic year is August through August.
| Class | Age Cutoff / Must be this age in August | During the Academic Year |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | Under 11 months | Turn 1 |
| Toddler | 12-23 months | Turn 2 |
| Young Preschool | 24-35 months | Turn 3 |
| Older Preschool | 36-47 months | Turn 4 |
Infant Program: for children turning 1 (during the academic year from August to August of the next year)
Our infant classrooms are designed to be adapted for babies from approximately 3 months through young toddlerhood, but not all at the same time! In August, at the beginning of the academic year, our classes are at their youngest point and have young babies that are just 3 months. As the year progresses, they grow and start to turn one. As they turn 1 they stay with the class and the teachers that they have grown attached. By spring there are no more young babies, and the teachers have adapted and changed rooms to accommodate the needs of older infants and young toddlers. In the spring and summer, the infant rooms have an age range of ~10-20 months. The children stay with their teachers, friends, and families that they have grown to know. They will move up to the toddler program all together at the end summer in August.
Toddler Program: for children turning 2 (during the academic year)
Our toddler classrooms are active, joyful places where children begin developing independence, language, friendships, and social-emotional skills. Just like the infant rooms they are at their youngest at the start of the school year in August. At the start of the school year there may be some friends who have just turned 1, in the summer, and then as they head into fall some of the oldest friends will start to turn 2. By the end of the academic year, the following summer, all the friends have had their second birthday and will move up all together into the preschool at the beginning of the next school year in August.
Preschool Program: for children turning 3 and 4 (during the academic year)
Our preschool classrooms are designed for children who are ready for longer group experiences, collaborative play, and more complex learning opportunities. Children must be 2 by mid-August when the new school year starts. Children that will turn 2 later in the fall will be enrolled into our toddler program. Children who enroll into the preschool program midyear have to have turned 2 before August. The young preschool group is for children who will turn 3 during the year and the older preschool group is for children who will turn 4. After two years in the preschool program the majority of children enroll into elementary schools.
At this stage, children are building the foundations for future academic learning through hands-on exploration, creativity, conversation, movement, and meaningful relationships. Many of these children have been with their friends and teachers from infancy and have moved up through the program once a year as a group. Continuity of care provides a strong emotional and social foundation for the children’s learning and development by minimizing transitions and keeping the connections and relationships that the children, teachers, and families create strong by moving through the program together.
Why Our Groupings May Look Different
We believe children develop best when they feel safe, connected, and known. Because of this, we value continuity of care and relationship-based learning.
That means classroom transitions are minimized and the curriculum, schedule and even the furniture is adjusted to meet the needs of the class as they grow through the school year. The schedules, materials and setups look very different between the beginning and the end of the school year. We want the school and the curriculum to do the heavy lifting of adapting to the developing needs of the growing children, not put the burden on the children.
Current Openings
We currently have:
· Limited part-time openings in our infant and preschool classes
· For the next school year, starting August 17th, we have one toddler opening for a child whose birthday is between September and December of 2024.
· For the next school year we also have 2 opening in our young preschool class for children who are 2 by August and will be turning three during the school year.
Tours are held the second Thursday of each month at 9:30am. No reservation is required.
✨ Please contact us to learn more about availability and enrollment options.
