Ivybrook Academy West Omaha

Our educators are not standing at the front of the room delivering lessons. They're beside the child, observing, documenting, and responding.

This is what it means to be a guide rather than a lecturer. Our teachers watch for the moments when a child is ready for a new challenge, and they introduce it at exactly the right time.

They document learning so they can tailor their approach to each student. They ask open-ended questions that encourage children to think deeper rather than simply giving answers.

The result is a classroom where every child is met where they are and gently encouraged to grow from there.

The learning environment at Ivybrook Academy is intentionally designed to teach.

Child-height shelves invite students to choose their own work. Defined areas for reading, building, and creating give children ownership of how they move through the classroom.

Every element is placed with purpose, designed to build independence, encourage focus, and support a child's ability to self-direct. When the environment does its job, children feel confident enough to take the lead in their own learning.

Is your child ready for preschool? Here is what readiness looks like.

Most parents focus on whether their child can sit still, follow directions perfectly, or separate without a single tear. While those milestones matter, they do not paint the full picture of early childhood development.

Here are a few true signs they may be ready:

‣ Interest in peers: They are beginning to show a genuine curiosity about other children.

‣ Basic communication: They can express their foundational needs through words, signs, or gestures.

‣ Emerging independence: They are starting to explore the world on their own terms, even in very small ways.

‣ Familiarity with rhythm: They have some experience following a daily routine, even a loose one at home.

If your child is not quite there yet, that is perfectly okay. Readiness is not a deadline. Every child arrives on their own unique timeline, and a thoughtful preschool environment is designed to meet them exactly where they are.

Preschool for toddlers at Ivybrook Academy looks like this.

For our youngest learners, the work of preschool is sensory and physical. They are pouring water between containers, learning to put on their own shoes, and discovering that one tool makes a mark different from another.

Every later academic skill, from handwriting to mathematical reasoning, starts here, with the hands.

Discovery enrichment is built into the fabric of every day.

We believe that a complete early childhood education requires consistent, daily exposure to a wide variety of disciplines. That's why our curriculum allows every child to experience:

‣ Spanish for early language acquisition.

‣ Music to build rhythm and literacy foundations.

‣ Movement to support focus and gross motor development.

‣ Art for open-ended, authentic creative expression.

‣ Literacy in individualized and small-group settings.

At Ivybrook, enrichment is the standard for how young children naturally learn, grow, and experience the world.

Preschool readiness is not just about your child. It is about you, too.

Most parents underestimate the emotional shift of this milestone. Sending a child to school for the first time is a major transition for the entire family.

Signs you are ready:

‣ You have processed that the first few drop-offs may be hard but your child will find their new routine
‣ You trust your child to have experiences you won't witness
‣ You are clear about what you want them to gain (not just supervised)
‣ You are excited to see your child at pickup, bubbling with excitement about their own day

Touring a preschool is one of the best ways to know if you're ready. You learn as much about yourself as you do about the school.

TEACHERS OF THE MONTH!

Ms. Dawn and Ms. Kristy

PreK Teachers!

Ms. Dawn and Ms. Kristy are excited to lead our new PreK class that will be opening in August! Their love of art and passion for early childhood education truly shows in everything they do each day!

We are so excited to be celebrating them this month, if you see them in hall make sure to stop and say hi!

A complete early childhood education requires more than just one way of learning. At Ivybrook Academy, our individualized curriculum is intentionally designed to blend the unique strengths of multiple proven philosophies.

What does this look like inside our classrooms?

‣ Building Independence: Through the Montessori method, children learn self-direction and focus by selecting their own tasks and mastering fine motor skills.

‣ Building Collaboration: Through the Reggio Emilia approach, children engage in group investigations and project-based learning that spark curiosity and peer communication.

‣ Honoring the Individual: Guided by Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, we ensure our teaching methods adapt to how your child learns best.

By bringing these philosophies together, we help children develop into critical thinkers who are equally comfortable working on their own and collaborating with their peers.

Montessori curriculum benefits that parents tend to notice first.

‣ Independence that looks like confidence

Children practice doing real tasks in a real classroom: choosing work, finishing it, and resetting their space. Over time, that becomes “I can do hard things.”

‣ Strong attention and follow-through

Montessori work cycles are designed to build sustained concentration, which is one reason families often describe Montessori classrooms as calm and purposeful.

‣ Hands-on learning that sticks

Montessori materials are intentionally tactile and sequential, helping children “feel” concepts before they’re asked to perform them abstractly.

At Ivybrook Academy, Montessori is one part of a blended curriculum that includes the Reggio Emilia approach, creating the foundation on which our students grow into capable, curious learners.