Our highly trained, professional staff far exceeds the state requirements for education. All lead teachers hold a minimum of a Bachelors Degree. We are committed to Early Childhood and acknowledge the significance of consistency and stability in the lives of these very young children, staying with them for the three years they may be with us.
The curriculum at Stepping Stones is designed to meet the needs of the children as a whole; yet accommodates each and every child as an individual. This is made possible by an exceptionally low pupil to teacher ratio. Class size is limited to 18 children with a certified teacher and two full time assistants. Parents volunteering in class are considered an additional pair of hands and are not counted in our 6-1 ratio.
Stepping Stones School strives to provide an exciting, developmentally appropiate learning environment for children between the ages of three and six years. We encourage play, discovery, and problem solving that are vital to the development of every child. Music and interactive storytelling experiences are provided on a weekly basis to foster creativity, another important skill for future achievement. Children are accepted into our classes according to their birth date. All children must be three, four, or five years old by September 30th to qualify for each of our respective programs. These dates are arbitrarily set by the state of New Hampshire public schools system.
Teachers help engage our children in a way that makes learning both challenging and fun. They are encouraged to take an active part in their own learning process. We provide a child-centered developmentally appropiate curriculum which stimulates intellectual, social, physical and emotional growth. We believe each of these plays an equally important role for future academic and social success.
Field trips and guest speakers are an important extension of our curriculum. Our school classes have a theme related trip and/or guest speaker at least once a month. Recent trips include a variety of museums, theatrical performances, nature experiences. Guests include potters, weavers and wildlife educators.
Parents are an integral part of our program. They have been their child's first teacher and we have a tremendous respect for them. Our Preschool and Kindergarten seek to be an extension of your family. We encourage our parents to actively participate in their child's class. Our teachers are available as a resource for information and seek to maintain a relationship with you.