Where will lunch be served?
Lunch will be served in the Westwater Room that is within the Dining Hall but separate from the main area and is equipped with smaller chairs and tables. During this time, we have the opportunity to teach and support polite table manners, independence with utensils and self-help skills. Now is a great time to encourage your child to try new foods, as we will be encouraging your child to eat a colorful and balanced plate of food, especially on dessert days!
*If your child has a gluten, dairy or egg allergy and will need an alternative menu, please be sure that this is communicated to your teachers before the start of school so that we can inform the dining hall staff.
Will my child need to nap?
Students are required to have a rest time each afternoon. While not all students will fall asleep, rest time is a period when students are quietly resting their bodies and minds to prepare for the remainder of a busy day at school. Students are permitted to bring a small stuffed animal and a small blanket for this time. These items must fit in your child's backpack for easy transport to and from school. The items must fit and will be stored in a 16.5x13-inch Sterilite latch box in the classroom. Let your child choose a stuffed animal that can be kept at school for an extended period of time. Blankets will go home with your child to be laundered at the end of each week.
What co-curricular classes will be offered to my child?
PreK students will participate in several special classes throughout their week at school. Morning classes include Spanish, P.E., Music and Library. The extended-day students will also participate in Art and Swimming.
Does my child need a backpack for PreK?
Your PreK child will need a standard-sized school backpack that can easily fit a letter-size folder. While you may be tempted to buy a smaller-sized backpack, these smaller backpacks do not provide enough space for a folder and the oversized PreK works of art and natural wonders that come home each day (prior experience has taught us that L.L.Bean's Junior Original Backpack is too small to comfortably fit school materials).
How will we start the school year?
On Monday, August 20, lower school families are invited and encouraged to attend an Ice Cream Social at school to kick off the school year. The schedule and agenda for PreK families at this event is slightly different than the rest of the Lower School. We want to provide the PreK children with the opportunity to meet their teachers and to tour/explore their classroom prior to the first day of school. From 4:00-5:30, in an open-house format, the PreK teachers will be in their classrooms to meet and greet you and your child. Please bring with you the items/supplies your child will need for the school year (i.e. tennis shoes, a set of extra clothes, etc.). In addition, we ask that each child bring a pair of rain boots to be kept at school for the remainder of the year. Be sure these items are marked with your child's name. After this tour, you and your family are invited to join the rest of the Lower School outside at the Ice Cream Social.
