A Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 12 co-educational independent day school in Westchester County, New York

Lower School Curriculum Guide

Pre-Kindergarten

The pre-kindergarten program is designed for children who are four years of age before September first of the entry year. Under the guidance of early childhood professionals, children are actively engaged in a variety of learning experiences throughout the day. Teachers embrace the students' interests and curiosities to create a rich and engaging curriculum that promotes deep understanding, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. The classroom environment is designed to be nurturing and sensitive to the needs of the individual child, while at the same time, fostering a sense of classroom community.

Active exploration, inquiry-based learning and collaboration are central to the topics studied throughout the year, including: “All About Me,” Todd Parr and additional author studies, and polar animals. In conjunction with the science curriculum, the teachers expand on topics that include: the properties of matter, the five senses, the parts of a plant, the life cycle of butterflies, and the pond environment. To bring the curriculum to life, students visit the Rye Nature Center.