The Neighborhood School

our mixed age, heterogeneous classroom, children of many different backgrounds learn to become part of a community that fosters not only tolerance but also true respect for all people. The spirit of our founding by teachers, the director and parents is an important theme for everything that we do. Family involvement is vital and we encourage you to contribute to the school in any number of ways and share your opinions about the school decisions. Our school has 13 classes spanning pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. Our classes are grouped in multi-age configurations to allow each child to develop both academic and leadership skills. This also allows the children and teachers to know each other and work together over a longer period of time. Many of our students are in ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching) classes with both a special education teacher and a general education teacher. All children receive physical education, technology and Spanish instruction. Arts collaborations includes the PTA-supported Studio in a School, the MILES program of the Third Street Music School and the Dance for Life program of Arts Connection. We believe that children learn by making sense of their world and their experiences. We have seen that they learn best through first-hand experiences with people, materials and places. Trips are an important part of the curriculum, along with the use of concrete materials, dramatizations and simulations as ways for children to recreate the themes and concepts they are studying. Children explore and make hypotheses and discoveries of their own. Teachers provide a program rich in relevant, meaningful and functional experiences. In-depth studies of themes integrate language arts, thinking, science, social studies, mathematics, physical education, and the arts. Classroom work is conducted collaboratively so that children learn to work with others cooperatively in social groupings.