Home-School Connection

OVERALL RATING (4.5)

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

Daily teacher-parent interactions, teachers also have dedicated time each week to connect with parents by phone, email or in person, weekly class newsletter describing activities, class dynamics, current conversations, issues and interests, weekly school newsletter including topics of interest to ECE, two formal parent-teacher conferences, class-parent meetings with teachers, parent education classes. Parents are also often invited into the classroom to experience their child's world or to share something about their child with the rest of the class. A few class social events for parents, children and teachers continue to foster the home-school connection including a class camping trip at the end of the four year old year!In the beginning of the year, we offered detailed guidance to parents as a group about the kindergarten process and how parents can approach the process sanely, with integrity and with an approach that will lead to a good school match for their child. We advise and support parents throughout the process.

Separation

OVERALL RATING (4.6)

Beginning of the year separation is handled through:
- Abbreviated schedule at start of school year
- Parents in classroom early on
- Extra staff dedicated to handle seperation
- Small group sessions
- Pre-entry meetings with parents at school

Director's and Parents' Comments

Director's Comments

For two year olds: A pre-meeting with parents describes our approach and philosophy about separation and the importance of the parent's role. Parents are encouraged to share questions and concerns. The first three classes are a short day with only half the class. An adult important to the child stays the entire first class getting to know the teachers and routines of the day. After that day, teachers and parents will formulate an individualized separation plan. Parents may stay in class several more days or may leave the second day. Parents and teachers will stay in close touch. For older children, teachers and parents design whatever makes sense for the child.

Parent #1
I think the parent community varies. I have found ( my experience) that it can be a little difficult for new families to find a sense of community in the classroom. Since they admit so few new families, many returning families are so busy with family life with older siblings and have already 'found ' their community in Little School and in their elementary schools that they don't have the time to make space in their busy schedules to make new connections in their younger children's classroom. Also some classroom parents really mesh well together and have become very good friends. I have not found that yet but I am really happy with the experience my daughter is getting at Little School. On the larger scale of community, Little School works really hard to try to get a cohesive community. They also have a large commitment to diversity and financial aid and are trying to expand their admissions. I believe that this will help Little School not be such a homegenous school.

Parent #2
The teachers at the Little School make a huge effort to know the unique qualities of each child and work with each one to separate and grow and thrive during the year.

Parent #3
None of these questions touch on the quality of teachers or school heads. The program can sound like the greatest thing in the world, but if the teachers are inflexible or inexperienced or unable to implement its philosophy in meaningful ways, it's just words on paper. The teachers have been here for, in some cases, more than 20 years, and the entire school feels like an organic, thought-out community: it's warm and caring and really wants the best for each kid, no matter where he or she is. It's not just trying to do the most for the kids in the middle in the ways that are most convenient.

Parent #4
The Little School staff helps me be a better parent. They teach me to be aware of developmental stages, to be supportive and loving responses to stressful situations, and the value of endless patience and kindness. They also train parents as substitute teachers. I've never had time to do this but have heard it is an amazing training and helps you be an even better parent. I am constantly awed by the quality of their staff and their ability to help me be a better mom.

Parent #5
Separation and building confidence to be in the classroom are primary focuses of the 2 yr old years. The school really supports children and parents in this regard.

Parent #6
The home-school connection is one of the many strong points at the Little School. Perhaps most important, the teachers are given devoted time each day to use for parent-teacher communication, and the school encourages and values this activity.

Parent #7
In a classroom of fifteen, I still feel the teachers, who are veterans of the school and who have been instrumental in creating the school's philosophy, see each child as an individual. They are always finding stimulating ways to help the children develop socially and to start the process of critical thinking.

Parent #8
I have three children ages 18, 13, and 3. As a normal course of events, my two oldest each attended two different elementary schools (switches occurred because of 'fit' but all were outstanding schools), my oldest went to an incredible High School in SF and is now thriving in college. Without exception, the Little School is the finest, best run, most developmentally appropriate of ANY of the schools my childrenc attended. The average long tenure of the faculty, the constant faculty development, the attention to curriculum and how it impacts the kids is beyond measure. In the 10 years since my second child began at the Little School, the school has only (hard to believe)gotten BETTER. The kids are safe, they are happy, they are inquisitive and consistently go on to kindergarten as curious and engaged learners. It just doesn't get any better.

Parent #9
Little School is really a magical place where the kids absolutely thrive. The families are really cohesive and we enjoy our social interactions with other parents

Parent #10
This is our first year with this pre-school. The questions requiring a full year of participation were not applicable, and separation questions were not applicable.

Parent #11
I could not be happier with this pre-school. It is exceptional in every way. The teachers are all superb with many of them with tenures of 10, 15 and even >20 years. I can not recommend it highly enough.

Parent #12
Even when our child was enrolled as 'just' a Summer School student, the teachers demonstrated a keen understanding of her individual strengths and weaknesses. It really spoiled us. The Little School's approach to separation puts other schools to shame. They believe each child and situation is different and work closely with each family to figure out the right strategy for each particular child.

Parent #13
It's a very active parent community -- I think it's hard not to feel guilty about contributing less as a working parent, but that's not because there's any culture of shame.

Discipline

OVERALL RATING (4.9)
Parents' Opinions
Parents at this school, on average, believe that conflicts between children: are handled extraordinarily well in a way that not only gives me confidence in the safety of my child but also reassures me that my child (and his/her peers) are learning the early skills needed to socialize effectively with one another

Overview

Director's Description of Approach Toward Discipline

Our purpose is two-fold: 1) to help children develop internal self-discipline that will last long beyond their years for us and 2) to invest in the social contract so that we can all benefit from being part of a positive community. To achieve the second, we offer logical choices and consequence. If the group wants to listen to a story, and you want to be noisy, you can quiet down in order to be part of the group or go somewhere else to be noisy until you are ready to join the group. To achieve the first, dialogue about behavior is a part of any discipline either at the time, before or after. Our response is based on our individual knowledge of the child and ranges from simple prohibitions and reminders, consequences such as being away from friends if you can't keep them safe to more elaborate plans intended to help a child gain self-control and self-awareness. For example, if a child aggresses during transitions, we might help her recognize this as a difficult time, encourage her to do some calming, organizing activities before transitions and practice with her ways to handle transitions. Thus, she gains the skills she needs and feels the success of her accomplishment

Director's Response to a Sample Discipline Scenario

Description of how teachers handle the following scenario: Child A and Child B are good friends and usually play together. One day, Child A decides to play with Child C and tells Child B, 'I don't want to play with you today. I'm playing with Child C instead.'

It depends on what we knew about the dynamics of Child A, B and C. For example, if this was an ongoing exclusion struggle, we would step in to help them navigate a solution that felt good to all or remind them of previous agreements. But if the situation was that Child A was ready to branch out and was working on asserting her needs, we would support Child A for having stated her desires in a way that kept Child B's feelings safe and then watch to see if Child B needed support figuring out what to do next.

Parents' Notes on Discipline, Health and Safety

Parent #1
The school is currently engaged in a capital campaign to re-do their already nice outdoor space, so that it matches their award winning interior design.

Parent #2
Teachers work on finding ways to help children be in the process of disciplinary incidents but it typically (at age 3) is teacher directed. The goal is to help children develop appropriate problem solving skills.

Parent #3
A new outdoor play area will be built soon at our school!

Parent #4
Conflict resolution and helping children to understand their feelings and communicate them are particular strengths of the program.

Parent #5
The school does a wonderful job of safety.

Parent #6
There are so many subtle things that differentiate what goes on in Little School classrooms. When you tour other schools, you get a sense that the visitors come first. Teachers don't hesitate to interrupt a conversation with a child to answer a prospective parent's question. The visitors are a necessary disruption. At the Little School, the kids come first. When you tour the school, they have you quietly sit on chairs around the perimeter where you can quietly observe what is happening closer to the kids' level. The first thing I noticed was how much of the communication occurred at the kids' level compared to what I observed at other schools. I could go on with the examples of how things are handled differently here.

Parent #7
The facilities feel imaginative and lived-in. Not too antiseptic, but clean and bright. The building has won design awards, and a new playground is in the works.

Extended Care

Notes on Schedule and Extended Care

Notes

2's 9:15 - 11:45 Tu/Th
3's 9:00 - 12:00 M/W/F
4's 9:00 - 1:00 or 12:30 - 4:30 M-F
5's 12:30 - 4:30 M-F
Optional lunch for Tu/Thu or M/W/F until 12:45
Optional early morning child care from 8:30 - 9:00
Optional extended care until 5:30

Application Process

Admissions Process

Director's Comments

Parents can come either for a small parent-led tour during school hours or a larger group orientation in the evening by the director (which includes video clips of the classroom). Parents will receive an application at either of these events. Because of the volume of applications, we are not able to have personal contact with applicants. We do notify applicants in March about September admissions. Applicants who are not admitted in the year they prefer can remain on our wait list until kindergarten and just update us by note or email each year if they remain interested. We do have openings in each of the two, three, four and five year old programs.