Village Nursery School

Founded in 1958

With buildings at 120 & 300 King Street
Chappaqua, NY 10514
238-4800

A non-denominational nursery school

Sponsored by the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer
120 King Street, Chappaqua, NY

Ruth Swetonic, Director

School office: 238-4800
Meeting House: 238-3615

A happy, satisfying and stimulating introduction to group learning coupled with social and personal growth are chief goals. Our objective is an atmosphere of acceptance for each individual child and family, placing importance on respecting the differences and rights of others. We believe that freedom of expression within sensible and responsible guidelines of responsibility will build a stable foundation for present and future learning and social interaction. Traditional values are encouraged, supported and taught.
Our goal is to continue the beginning made at home toward a healthy, happy, enthusiastic thirst for learning that will continue throughout and in preparation for the years ahead.

Standards
The Village Nursery School is registered with the New York State Education Department and has submitted annual reports and received periodic inspections since the school was founded in 1958. This means that the school successfully meets the criteria for teachers, classrooms, safety, health, equipment, curriculum, and outdoor playground requirements.

Staff
Each class has a head teacher and an assistant.
The head teachers are experienced teachers with degrees in early childhood education, having New York State Certification.

Assistants are chosen from among experienced child care/teacher applicants. They are chosen for their ability to contribute to a good and balanced program.

Mrs. Ruth Swetonic is the Educational Director of the Village Nursery School. Her previous experience includes 21 years of teaching, seven of which have been as a head teacher at the Village Nursery School, and two as the director of the schoolŐs summer program. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in Education. She earned her MasterŐs degree at Hunter College and took classes at Manhattanville College to qualify for early childhood certification.

The entire staff participates in on going education through regular staff meetings, membership in the Westchester Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEYC), and attendance at staff development workshops of WAEYC and the Child Care Council of Westchester.

The staff works closely with consultants in all areas of the young childŐs development growth. With early intervention and inclusion playing a greater and greater role in the lives of our children, we are fortunate to have a close working relationship with many County and School District therapists in all disciplines of developmental assistance.

Classes
Children are grouped in classes according to age. Each class has a head teacher and an assistant teacher. Class size averages 8 two year olds, 12 three year olds, 16 four and five year olds, Our teachers prepare carefully to meet the developmental needs of each child in all areas of growth. An enrichment year in a traditional preschool setting is available for five-year-olds. In 1994 we launched our two-year-old which has met with great enthusiasm.

Days & Hours
For the current school year morning classes run from 9:15 until 11:45 AM; afternoon sessions are from 12:45 to 3:15 PM and 12:45-2:30 for the 2Ős.

Three-year- olds may be enrolled for three to five-morning sessions per week. There are two separate classes with two teachers for each class.

Four and Five year olds maybe enrolled for five sessions a week (morning or afternoons) or three sessions (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons). There are three separate classes, each with two teachers.

Two-year-olds may be enrolled for either of two sessions: Thursday and Friday mornings. 9:15 Đ 11:45 AM or, currently, Thursday and Friday afternoons, 12:45-2:45 PM Each class may have eight children with two teachers.

Programs
The Village Nursery School provides a varied program of play activities and educational experiences appropriate to the pre-kindergarten childŐs various levels of development. Teachers consistently assess and plan for individual and group growth in social, emotional, and cognitive and physical areas. They carefully observe the childrenŐs needs and progress encouraging their natural curiosity and creative abilities in the classroom, on the playground and on field trips. The children will learn how to learn. Ę

Conferences
Individual conferences with all parents are scheduled twice each year. Teachers and the director are available at any time, however, for conferences with the parents if desired. Parents are strongly encouraged to visit and participate in their childrenŐs classes.

An open house is scheduled during the Fall for parents to become better acquainted with each other, with their childrenŐs teachers and to become more familiar with our program.

Again, we welcome your visit to our school anytime to observe classes, to se are facilities and to meet our staff. Just call before coming so we can prepare an extra snack.

238-4800 (office) 238-3615 (Meeting House) Ę Ę

in nursery schoo your children will...

LEARN to work and play cooperatively with other children, appreciate other childrenŐs work, respect other boys and girls and their rights, share materials, ideas, and experiences, eat with others and practice good manners.

PLAY vigorously in the outdoors, developing the large muscles, learning rules, taking turns, enjoying nature, observing changes in seasons. Teachers work with the children and are always on the playground to challenge and redirect.

BE encouraged to discover and create with materials in his/her environment; experiment with materials such as paint, clay, glue, scissors, wood, collage materials, etc.

LISTEN to stories, to teacherŐs directions, to other children, to music.

PRACTICE language through conversing one-on-one or in groups, singing songs, thinking and clarifying ideas, expressing her/himself.

CARE for and learn about pets and plants and watch them grow.

DEVELOP an interest through use of good books Đ looking at them, enjoying them, listening to them, reading and making their own books, taking care of them.

GAIN independence, caring for self and belongings, dressing, undressing, and hanging up clothes.

LEARN about responsibility by returning toys and materials to their places, helping teachers and other children at snack time, cleaning up and preparing for activities.

GAIN self-confidence and security in large and small groups, developing a positive self image for future learning growth. Ę

a typical nuersery school day...

The program is flexible, as are the teachers, as they work with the children, treating each one as a unique individual, alternating between active and quiet activities providing guidance, encouragement, materials, and stimulation.

arrival & dismissal
Parents are welcome to walk their children into the classroom each day or to "drop off" with one of the staff who will welcome the child at the curb and walk him/her to the classroom.

Parents may walk in to pick up their children or may "pick up" at the curb. In the latter case, the childŐs teacher will walk him/her to the car.

indoor free play
Children are given an opportunity to choose their own activities and are encouraged to express their own ideas and discover new materials. Children learn best through play. "Learning Centers" are set up in each classroom to stimulate imagination for the children who provide natural curiosity and enthusiasm. Dramatic and creative play develops by using toy vehicles, dress up clothes, animals, puppets, dolls, the items in the housekeeping corner, blocks and each otherŐs ideas.

Paste, scissors, paint, wood, clay, tools (like hammer and nails), other art materials and puzzles to help them develop small motor muscles of hands, arms and eyes are available for projects and creative expression.

cleanup
Cleaning up encourages individual and group responsibility.

wash-up & snack
Good health habits are taught and children learn to sit at the table and interact with good manners. Language continues to emerge and develop with table conversation. Teachers sit and encourage the childrenŐs conversation during snack.

circle time
A part of every well planed program for young children includes direct learning experiences in a group. These " together times" include the use of sharing times, finger plays, stories, structured learning and discovery segments, music and musical instruments, games, poetry, rhythm and creative movement exercises.

Listening to stories, records, and music provides a restful change of pace from the other activities of the day. The children learn songs with and without the piano. Children are encouraged to look at books of all kinds. At least one story is read to the children each day. Classes often plan dramatizations and puppet shows as a group after hearing a story they have enjoyed.

trips & special activities
Our school is in an ideal location in the center of town, a childŐs walking distance to many places. Trips to points of interest in the community are planned during the year. These trips take place as they fit into the theme focus in the classroom. Examples of such trips are library, firehouse, post office, local store, fruit stand, nature walks. We also have special guests come to our classrooms such as a pediatric dentist, a fireman, a policeman, storytellers, and animal handlers. To enrich our program, we call upon the special talents of our parents and other adults in Chappaqua, and surrounding communities. Parents are encouraged to participate in our program and to visit at any time. We welcome suggestions from parents.

the little gym on wheels
Is a new addition to our program about which we are very excited. Once per week for half hour sessions, trained and certified staff from The Little Gym come with their equipment and conduct gymnastics and sports skills training with our 3 and 4 year olds who register to participate.

outdoors
Outdoor play is an important part of the pre-kindergarten program. It helps develop large muscles and builds self-confidence. Children engage in running, jumping, climbing, digging, planting, watering, pushing/pulling, etc. Again, the staff is always present to challenge, redirect and supervise.

The children learn about their environment: the weather, the care of pets, plants and gardening through sensory experiences, simple experiments and actual experiences on our playgrounds. Nature walks and field trips are planned. Four and five-year-olds take trips to locale nature sanctuaries, orchards, Muscoot Farm and hospital (a big hit with both children and the parents who go along).

238-4800 (office) 238-3615 (meeting house)