New York, NY
Columbia Greenhouse Nursery School

Home-School Connection

OVERALL RATING (4.0)
Conducts an open house at start of school year
Conducts a parent-teacher meeting at start of school year
Conducts regular parent teacher conferences
Provides summary of child’s learning at end of year
Provides guidance on developmental goals for the following year
Provides guidance on best Kindergarten and elementary schools

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Savvy Source's Comments

"Parents are considered partners in the education of their young children and they actively participate in the life of the school. Teachers and parents communicate regularly through informal conversation and two planned conferences each year. Parents often make a contribution to the classroom, sharing an interest, a story, a special skill, or a family tradition, participating directly in their child's first school experience. Greenhouse is governed by a Board of Directors composed of parents. Parents also serve on various committees, publish a newsletter, and organize several fund-raising events during the year. Other events for parents include a curriculum meeting, family picnics, and several workshops on topics of interest. Greenhouse also provides individual guidance to help parents through the sometimes bewildering process of choosing and applying to their child's next school, whether public or private. Listed below are the events and meetings that usually take place each year. Parent/Teacher Welcome Meeting - a meeting for parents to meet their child's teachers before school begins. Special attention is paid to the plans for the first weeks of school and how separation will be handled. Family Welcome Picnic - a picnic to welcome all families to Greenhouse that is held on a Columbia campus lawn. Each family brings dinner and Greenhouse provides watermelon. Apple Day Bake Sale - a bake sale with apple desserts and other goodies that takes place on the Columbia campus. This follows the apple-picking trip that the two older classes take in the fall. Curriculum Night - a group meeting for parents that is organized in the Fall to discuss the early childhood curriculum set up in the classrooms and the teacher's plans for the year. Children's Concert - a unique musical experience for the whole family, usually performed by professional Greenhouse musicians. Parent Workshops - a presentation or discussion group several times a year on topics of interest to parents. Annual Winter Event and Auction - a fun evening with a catered dinner, lively auction, and dancing. Kindergarten Admissions Information Night - a meeting for those parents who will be applying to kindergarten in the following year. Spring Fair - an elaborate street fair on our block with games for children, wonderful food, rummage, pony rides, Castle ride, petting zoo, and a raffle. Family Farewell Picnic - a closing picnic that is held at the end of the year on a Columbia campus lawn. Parents bring a picnic dinner and Greenhouse provides watermelon for dessert." (SOURCE: http://www.columbiagreenhouse.com/parents.html)

Parent Community

COHESIVENESS RATING (3.5)

Parents:

- Are able to visit the school anytime we want

- Receive newsletters

- Encourage play dates out of school

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Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

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This game is a variation of '20 questions' and we played this with all four of our kids when they (read more)

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