Preschool

The Northern Light School Preschool classroom is designed to inspire a joy for learning and discovery. In a nurturing and inclusive environment, each child develops at their own pace across a variety of areas, including Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, and Cultural Studies. Activities in each area help children build independence, concentration, coordination, and self-confidence, while fostering curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.

Our preschool also introduces young learners to the rich diversity of the world around them, helping children celebrate differences, develop empathy, and begin building a foundation of cultural awareness that will stay with them for life.

Preschool Hours

Our preschool program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We offer morning care from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and afternoon care from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The preschool and preschool extended day program is licensed separately from the K-8 program and follows all regulations for a safe and nurturing environment. Enrollment is limited based on staffing, and drop-in extended day is not available. Enrollment for the extended day program is on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to families who submit their contracts earliest. Once the program is full, families will be placed on a waitlist and notified as spots become available.

Academics

Practical Life Studies

Practical Life teaches children to take care of themselves and their physical environment. They prepare their own snacks, learn to tie their own shoes and zip their jackets, and clean up after themselves. The desire of the preschool child is “to do it myself.” Practical Life activities are designed to allow them this independence. All of these activities take place in an environment that nurtures the whole child and supports their natural curiosity and love of learning.

Language

Sensorial Studies

Children live in a world of senses, and the sensorial materials enable children to clarify, sort, classify, and comprehend their world. Through sight, touch, sound, taste, and smell, these materials “throw a spotlight” on reality and play a key role giving children concrete examples of abstract terms. These materials also provide a basis for the development of other skills such as mathematics and language.

Math

The math materials are used in educational settings around the world. They are concrete manipulatives that give each child the opportunity to have a physical experience of mathematics that allows them to move into abstraction with a real foundation and understanding of math and its underlying concepts. There are materials for counting to 1000, materials made from golden beads that help them to experience place value, materials for learning beginning addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions as well as problem solving.