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Beginning School
Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten
A place to wonder, create, explore and discover
Beginning with our three- and four-year-olds, children are given opportunities to socialize and play, developing skills to build friendships and grow as valued members of a purposeful and safe learning community.
Children in the Beginning School develop a strong sense of self by taking on responsibilities and learning about their classmates through their Morning Meeting. Emphasis is placed on cooperation, friendship and peaceful conflict resolution.
The learning extends in our Beginning School as students attend special events including weekly assemblies and field trips and have Swain “buddies” in older grades.
Swain offers a full-day Kindergarten program, while Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten students may attend full-day or half-day. We understand that many families need a flexible schedule for a variety of reasons, so we also offer Extended Care before and after school, with special programming during many school holidays and in the summer.
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING
The faculty in Beginning School are highly qualified professionals, many of whom hold advanced degrees. To ensure that every child receives individualized attention, there are two teachers in each classroom: a lead teacher and a collaborative. A full-time School Counselor, Reading Specialist, and Learning Specialist provide assistance for faculty and students throughout the year, working with children and parents as often as possible.
With a student teacher ratio of 7:1, our faculty is trained to hone in on each student's learning style, working directly alongside parents and learning support to offer as individualized of a learning plan as possible for each child. At Swain's core, our teachers believe in designing learning to be child-centered, using research-based best practices and igniting curiosity in doing so. Every student learns differently, and we love helping them to find what works best for them.
THE CURRICULUM AND THEMATIC UNITS
Each week, students receive instruction in language arts, math, social studies, science, Spanish, movement, and music. Using developmentally appropriate strategies, our youngest students build early literacy and critical thinking skills, preparing them to be engaged readers, writers, and problem-solvers in our Lower School (grades 1-3). Technology is woven throughout the program, as a tool to enhance learning.
Creating a safe and welcoming community is part of our social and emotional curriculum. Swain teachers use Responsive Classroom techniques throughout the Beginning School. Within the Responsive Classroom pedagogy, teachers model positive words and productive routines while also redirecting misbehavior clearly and proactively with consistent language across all grade levels.
