Early Childhood

We ignite young children’s love for school and for learning.

Our program’s excellence is built on relationships with families and children, a rich and engaging curriculum, and commitment to all planes that prepare a young child to thrive: emotional, intellectual, physical, and ethical.

A little school within a big school

Our littlest students live in a corner of campus designed just for them, allowing for the intimacy and security of spaces that feel “just right”. They also enjoy countless advantages of being connected to a larger school community with extensive resources. Regular activities paired with older “buddies” develop important relationships and offer role models. Teachers create “field trips” to the big kids’ play and concert rehearsals, and older grades in turn cheer on Nursery's Turkey Trot and support Pre-K’s lemonade stand. Green Vale preschool also benefits from facilities including three gymnasiums, a theater, dance studio, library, labs, orchard, vegetable garden, science pond, and more.

Schwerin Early Childhood Center

Pre-Nursery, Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten at Green Vale occupy a world apart from the older grades: the Schwerin Early Childhood Center.

Our facility is a pride-point at Green Vale, with a design oriented to serve our youngest and smallest. Each grade enjoys its own wing emanating from a bright central lobby, the true hub of Early Childhood. A common space also allows for social interactions among parents at morning drop-off, a less rigid routine than at other schools.

Play on the floor—it’s heated.

See what’s happening outside—the windows are low to the ground.

Find the bathroom with ease—it’s connected to the classroom.

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Why Green Vale for Early Childhood?

Engaging Classrooms

GVS classrooms prompt exploration, expression, and initiative. The environment is fluid, aligning with children’s flexible minds and spirited bodies. Open-ended materials provide a blank slate for children to test ideas. Possibilities multiply when tools and toys are less literal.

Spaces & Resources

Our Early Childhood Center, with separate playground and drop-off area, provides a right-sized and designed learning environment for preschool and Kindergarten. With radiant heat for circle time, large windows just a foot off the floor, and a bathroom for each classroom, this is an ideal facility for age two, nursery, pre-k, and Kindergarten.

Parent Partnership

We view the family-school partnership as a sacred element of children's success in school. Beyond bi-annual parent-teacher conferences, opportunities for communication are frequent. Regular photos and written updates offer a glimpse into the child's life at school, and 1:1 email correspondence is also used to communicate more specifically about a child's experience.

Social-Emotional Learning

With at least three homeroom sections in every grade, we maintain small class sizes and individualized attention while also offering a more socially robust environment and access to a wider array of programs.

We design learning experiences that nurture these A.S.P.I.R.E. principles:

Awareness, Self-Confidence, Problem-solving, Independence, Respect, Empathy

Teaching & Learning

We believe that a curriculum based on exploration and play is the best way to build an academic foundation. Teachers begin with the ‘why’ behind each activity: what skills or capacities is each aspect of the day building?

Lessons are lurking in all activities/materials. Clay is fine motor. Bikes are gross motor. Blocks teach math. Group efforts such as a puppet show teach adaptability, self-control, teamwork, and negotiation.

Developmental Assessment

Our assessment and progress monitoring involve various tools and techniques, including observation, skill assessments, checklists, work portfolios, and parent-teacher conferences. Together these evaluate a child’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

The data and insights inform instruction to develop individualized learning plans that address each child’s specific needs. Written progress reports are mailed twice a year; formal parent-teacher conferences happen annually.

Teacher Features

Amber Carro

Mary Metzger

Early Childhood Curriculum

Browse Green Vale's curriculum in detail for Pre-Nursery, Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten.

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