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Noroton Presbyterian Nursery School
2011 Post Road
Darien, CT 06820
(203)655-3223
martha.duff@npns.org
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Passionate Teachers |
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The highly educated teaching staff at NPNS is passionate about early
childhood learning and dedicated to the Reggio Emilia approach to
teaching young children. At NPNS, the teachers work in teams to shape
the curriculum, drawing from their expertise and daily interaction with
children. Our teachers create close partnerships with the children to
stimulate their thinking and observe and document their work. Teachers
also develop strong cohorts from collaboration with their peers. The
school supports. |
Engaging Environment |
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At NPNS, we believe the class environment plays an important role in a
child’s ability and desire to learn. The classrooms are bright, engaging
and welcoming, specifically designed to foster a feeling of belonging.
Our teachers organize rooms rich in possibilities that invite children
to explore, create, cooperate and problem solve. These rooms include
dramatic play spaces, reading areas and project centers. |
Language & Literacy Based Curriculum |
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At NPNS we believe reading to children, and developing their love of
language and literacy is the best foundation for learning. Our teachers
encourage exploration of ideas using multiple approaches such as art,
creative projects, role play, music and puppetry. This provides
essential tools for children to understand and experience lessons in
different ways. Our emergent curriculum is based on the interests of our
children. |
Diverse Programs |
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NPNS provides the community with a full array of traditional early
childhood learning including Two’s, Three’s, Four’s, Pre-Kindergarten,
Extended Day and Summer Camp programs. Our focus on kindergarten
readiness is specifically reinforced in our transitional Pre-K classes,
which are designed to meet the needs of children who have not yet
acquired the social competencies that support a successful transition to
kindergarten. |
Cultural Arts |
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The NPNS program embraces the value of cultural arts to broaden the
experiences of children. Our program includes music, foreign language,
junior naturalists and performing arts. It also includes field trips to
theaters and museums. All trips are planned to support the curriculum. |
DESCRIPTION OF CLASSES |
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Twos: |
The toddler program is designed to support early social
development, familiarize children with group activity and help them move
from parallel play into interactive play. Sharing, taking turns,
language development and listening skills are carefully guided to help
toddlers grow in social awareness and competence.
Teacher
Ratio 1:3
Enrollment: Children must be two by September 1st
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Threes: |
The threes program is designed to further facilitate children’s
awareness of classroom as a community. Children freely explore
interest centers and choose friends to interact with. They are also
introduced to “meeting time” where active listening and verbal
communication are central activities. Songs, finger play, puppetry and
repetitive games provide the consistency and predictability that allow
the typical three year old the cushion from which to launch their
curiosity and investigation of the wider world.
Teacher ratio 1:6
Enrollment: Children must be three by December 30 of the enrollment year
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Fours: |
Our Fours program integrates the core skills for kindergarten
readiness through a print rich, language rich environment. Teachers
“play” with sounds, letters, likes, opposites, rhymes etc. to engage
children in the fun of learning. Weaving, patterning, coding are all
mathematical domains that fours have access to. Science activities
provide children with pre-conceptual skills, core social/emotional
skills such as prediction, observation, information gathering which then
follows into the areas of listening, building on ideas of peers,
collaborating and problem solving.
Fours have a cultural arts component that include trips to museums, live
theater, art galleries, nature center and events at the historical
society.
The fours program has weekly music instruction, young naturalist, and
Chapel service.
Teacher ratio 1:7
Enrollment: Children must be four by Dec 30 of enrollment year
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Pre-K: |
Our Pre-K program meets five days a week. This program is for children
who have completed a 4s program, but would benefit from an additional
year of nursery school.
We provide a print-rich and language-rich environment, in which books,
visual displays, verbal interaction, and field trips broaden the
children’s understanding of the familiar world. Songs and creative
movement in shared group time further enrich our comprehensive
curriculum. |
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN |
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This program is designed for children who have attained kindergarten
readiness competencies in most developmental areas but would benefit
from an extra year for social and emotional maturation (children turning
5 between September and December). The focus of the program is to
provide children with the opportunity to further enhance their ability
to share, listen, follow multiple-part directions, take turns, problem
solve and develop the confidence to become active participants in
classroom activities. Our goal is to create a year of mastery where
children can explore what they have learned and deepen their ability to
apply this knowledge to their environment. The class focuses on small
group studies, event planning, science exploration, woodworking and
sculpting.
Entrance requirements:
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- Child must have completed a 4’s program
- Teacher recommendation
- Child must turn 5 between September and December
- Child must do school visitation
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EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM |
Extended day is a two-hour school enrichment program that directly
follows 3 and 4 year-old morning class or precedes the afternoon class.
The extended day program is designed to help children further develop
their social skills through eating lunch together and extended play in
addition to their regular school hours. The 4’s and Pre-K have the
opportunity to participate in organized thematic learning activities in
the extended day program. Each extended day class has a maximum of
twelve children who remain together for the entire session under the
care of two teachers. Children who attend morning class are brought to
the afternoon extended day by their teachers. Children who attend
afternoon class are brought directly to the extended day class by their
parents in the morning. All children bring lunch with them. Our
qualified staff offers security and a sense of continuity.
Programs include, but are not limited to: |
- Little Architects and Engineers
- Little Athletes & Good Sports
- Alphabetics
- Little Scientists & Explorers
- Little Learners
- Learning Through Play
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Children must be 3 by October 1 to participate in the fall session. |
STAFF BIOGRAPHIES |
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2010 - 2011 School Hours:
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AM Hours
2’s: 9:00 - 11:45
3’s & 4’s: 9:00 - 11:45
Pre-K: Mon. & Fri. 9:00-1:15, Tues. & Thurs. 9:00-3:00, Wed. 9:00-11:45
PM Hours (No PM Classes on Wednesday Afternoon)
2’s: 12:15-3:00
3’s & 4’s: 12:15 - 3:00
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"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders,
but they have never failed to imitate them."
- James Baldwin
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