About
“Learning to live together” with differences perceived positively is our cooperative philosophy; building self-esteem through mastery of skills in all areas of development is our goal. We believe everyone is special, everyone is unique, and everyone is loved.
HRNS strives to nurture the whole family by providing support, partnership, and resources that enable parents to meet the challenges of parenting. Parents at HRNS are committed to the education and socialization of their children and are eager to get involved. They provide snacks, share talents, pass on family tradition, and take an active role in their children’s learning when they work in the classroom. Our parents are valued for their dedication to quality education and their understanding of the uniqueness of each child. Our school thrives because of the partnership with parents.
Curriculum
HRNS’s curriculum is based on developmental theory and is carefully planned by the teachers. It is implemented with the belief that play is a child’s work. Play is the natural mode of learning for your child, who is learning at all times. Children move through sequential stages of development in four interrelated areas:
- Physical (gross and fine motor)
- Social (peer interaction, social skills and awareness)
- Emotional (self-esteem, awareness and recognitions of feelings, healthy balance)
- Cognitive (comprehension, language development, problem solving and skill acquisition)
We place equal importance on all major areas of development. Through careful observation of play, teachers are able to assess development and add challenges as needed to further individual growth.
Children develop feelings of competency and motivation for learning when provided opportunities for play and individual choice. Learning occurs when the child is actively involved with the materials of the environment: sensory experiences. Therefore the staff provides “hands-on” activities in creative art, music, science, math, literature, movement, and dramatic play. The Classroom is arranged to provide ample choices for children and to encourage independent thinking, and a gentle unfolding of abilities and age-appropriate mastery of skills The teacher’s role is to facilitate and enrich this learning process.
Art of many kinds is available to the children daily, from the simplest crayon and paper drawings to carpentry and multi-technique projects such as finger-painting and collage. Our philosophy is that the process is important, not the product, so adults are asked to please refrain from giving advice or help on art creations. Let the children use the variety of open-ended materials as they choose, as long as they are safe and respectful of their “neighbors” and the school property.
Staff
The staff consists of the director, teachers, and teacher assistants, educated and trained in Early childhood Education (ECE), and an administrative assistant. All staff members are required to continue their ECE education and complete annual First Aid and CPR training.
The director is responsible for the educational policies of the school and for the implementation of the school’s board of directors’ policies. The Director is also responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school. All staff personnel report to the director. She is available for conferences during school hours or by special appointment.
Our teachers are responsible for the daily planning, implementation of the program and supervision of students, parent helpers, and teacher assistants. Some classes may also include student teachers. HRNS teachers determine the daily schedule and curriculum. They hold scheduled parent conferences once during the school year and are available by appointment to discuss parental concerns.
Parent Participation
HRNS is a cooperative nursery school and as such parents participate in the governance, maintenance, and day-to-day operations of the school. Parents work in their child’s classroom 2-3 times during each six week session. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher as well as the other children in the class and the their parents.
Family Activities
Our Family Activities committee organizes a half dozen events each year, including a welcome picnic, pancake breakfast, and a family hike. These activities provide families with more opportunities to get to know each other and form friendships that last beyond the preschool years.
