Boston, MA
Beacon Hill Nursery School

Beacon Hill Nursery School functions as a community within a community - a place where teachers, children, and parents all play important roles in the educational process.

We are a non-profit school. As a non-profit organization, we are proud of our reputation as a community school. The School has been a significant factor in keeping Beacon Hill and surrounding communities family friendly for decades. All tuition goes directly into the operating budget of the school to support salaries, building, curriculum, program expenses and tuition assistance.

The Beacon Hill Nursery School curriculum is designed to both challenge our children and build self-confidence. Each teacher serves as a catalyst, orchestrating exploration, stimulating thoughts and processes, helping define limits - and guiding interpersonal relationships.

Nursery-aged children cycle through developmental stages at differing speeds. Because BHNS attempts to place children in the morning classes by age and social and cognitive readiness, teachers are able to present material in a way that most precisely meets the specific interests and abilities of each child.

A consistent 5-day routine provides a comfortable structure for our children. The carefully planned sequence balances independent activity with small and large group times, and quiet choices with active ones.

Children take responsibility for choosing many of their specific daily activities; this teaches self-reliance and accommodates individual preferences and learning styles

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YOUNGER NURSERY: Our younger nursery students, ages 2.9 to 3.11, enjoy having a space of their own where they can experience the joy of creating art works and playing with play dough, water, sand and other tactile and sensory materials. Initially, separation is a primary focus for many children; others welcome the opportunity to explore a topic of interest in depth. As the year progresses, the children's attention spans lengthen, and both discussions and projects become more involved. The children's social skills also bloom, as they learn about sharing, taking turns, and the value of cooperative play. They discover that they are part of a larger world, and that sharing toys and ideas is gratifying.

OLDER NURSERY:
Four- and five-year olds are becoming skilled organizers and untiring negotiators who appreciate fairness, reason and logic. Much time is spent exploring their wonderful ideas and making sense of the world around them via group discussion and hands-on experiences. Thematic units are longer and more complex, incorporating multiple mediums - and often requiring group planning and cooperation. The curriculum is designed to allow children to express their increasing confidence and independence, while meeting the challenge of their noisy curiosity, energy and endless enthusiasm.

8:45 - 9:00 Arrival
9:00 - 9:15 Opening Activities
9:15 - 9:30 Class Meeting
9:30 - 10:20 Activity Time
10:20 - 10:40 Clean Up, Bathroom Time and Snack
10:40 - 11:00 Singing
11:00 - 11:30 Outside
11:30 - 11:50 Quiet Time
11:50 - 12:00 Story
12:00 - Pick Up

KINDERGARTEN:
Four- and five-year olds are becoming skilled organizers and untiring negotiators who appreciate fairness, reason and logic. Much time is spent exploring their wonderful ideas and making sense of the world around them via group discussion and hands-on experiences. Thematic units are longer and more complex, incorporating multiple mediums - and often requiring group planning and cooperation. The curriculum is designed to allow children to express their increasing confidence and independence, while meeting the challenge of their noisy curiosity, energy and endless enthusiasm.

8:45 - 9:00 Arrival
9:00 - 9:50 Meeting
9:50 - 10:50 Choice Time/Snack
10:50 - 11:00 Clean Up
11:00 - 11:15 Favorite Book Time
11:15 - 11:30 Singing
11:30 - 12:15 Lunch/ Journals
12:15 - 1:00 Outside
1:00 - 1:30 Math/ Language Arts
1:30 - 2:00 Story
2:00 - Pick Up

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