Making Early Childhood CountLake Forest Country Day School

From first steps to first grade.The time flies by. One minute your child is just learning to walk and the next she is running across the playground. One minute he’s babbling in the highchair and the next he’s seated at a worktable writing his name.

As a parent, you know that the Early Childhood years are a time of rapid growth. You recognize that your child needs different levels of support and challenge at each new stage of development. You probably also know that, for young children, learning should be joyful and play-based. Does that mean all preschool programs are the same and all you need are wooden blocks, crayons, and a playground? Clearly, the answer is no. Highly-qualified Early Childhood educators are able to create developmentally appropriate learning environments and engaging challenges that will promote social, emotional, cognitive, creative, and physical growth; nurture school readiness skills; and meet the individual needs of your child.

So take time to explore your options. Visit classrooms. Ask questions. To aid you in thinking through choices, Lake Forest Country Day School educators have prepared this booklet describing our basic offerings. We know our school may not be right for every family. The only way for you to find out whether LFCDS is the best place for your child is to do your own research—so, please, read on. We hope you will be inspired to call or stop in and check out everything we do to make the Early Childhood years really count.

Congratulations on having little ones at home. Enjoy these very special parenting years.

Michael RobinsonHead of SchoolLake Forest Country Day School

A Message from the

Head of School

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Your eager young learnerSmall hands. Small feet. Small stature. Big, wide-open eyes, curious about everything.

Your child deserves the best possible start, which means finding a warm, engaging educational environment where each child is known and valued —a place where highly-qualified educators will foster a love of learning.

For generations of local children, that special place has been Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS). We offer developmentally appropriate Early Childhood programs for children ages 2–5 that establish a strong foundation for academic success. Experienced, caring teachers nurture each individual student’s growth and development. Two co-teachers per classroom and small class sizes ensure lots of personalized attention.

One Small Child.

LFCDS Early Childhood Programs

2 Two good friends.

“Good morning, friends!” It’s circle time in 1st STEP and two-year-old students are getting ready to sing their multilingual greeting song. This early opportunity to interact with peers is well-aligned with their developmental needs. As physical, social, and language skills develop in their second year, children begin to take their first steps toward greater independence. The LFCDS 1st STEP educational program offers these young learners the opportunity to make new friends and explore the world around them in a safe, structured, nurturing environment. Our thematic, hands-on, multi-sensory curriculum includes early literacy, math, science, and music instruction, as well as art projects and outdoor physical activity on a playground designed just for this age group. LFCDS Early Childhood professionals and an active parent group engage new families in the school community and provide supportive parenting resources, making this program a welcoming first school experience for both children and parents. 1st STEP: For children who are turning two during the 2012–2013 school year.

Tuition: Three-day morning program —$5,025 Two-day morning program—$3,850

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:6

1st STEPfor two-year-old children

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“You can have one, or two, or three.” The three-year-old manager of the LFCDS Preschool Farm Stand carefully counts Pink Lady apples into a basket for her “customer.” At age three, children are eager learners who test their knowledge of the world through dramatic play and hands-on activities. They explore the world through their senses—riding tricycles, putting together puzzles, and drawing with crayons. The LFCDS Preschool program offers a developmentally appropriate play-based curriculum that builds the foundation for academic success with thematically connected, engaging activities. Children enjoy counting and measuring; listening to and dictating stories, songs, and poems; learning to write letters and numerals; going on outings; doing finger plays in Spanish; and conducting simple science experiments.

LFCDS preschool children have the option to extend their morning through lunchtime, until 3:30 p.m., or until 6 p.m.

Preschool: For children who have turned three on or before September 1.

Tuition: Five-day morning program—$7,500 Three-day morning program—$6,000 Additional charges for extended day options

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:8

Three apple trees.

Preschoolfor three-year-old children

Is that a classroom or a beehive? Honeycomb shapes hang from the ceiling and four-year-old students are buzzing about, as industrious as the honeybees they are studying. Like good scientists, four-year-old children are observant and inquisitive, always asking “Why?” The LFCDS Junior Kindergarten (JK) program is designed to maximize children’s natural curiosity by helping them explore patterns and connections in the world around them. Literacy and math activities are integrated throughout the science-based JK curriculum. As students go on nature hikes, make observations, and record their findings in journals, they gain confidence in their ability to make sense of the natural world. Specialists teach Spanish, music, and physical education.

JK students are transitioning from half-day preschool to full-day senior kindergarten, so the weekly schedule includes both full and half days. In addition, JK children have opportunities to extend their half days through lunchtime or until 3:30 p.m., or extend any day until 6 p.m. through the Extended School Program.

JK: For children who have turned four on or before September 1. Tuition: Three full days, Two half days—$ 13,000Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:9

4Four interesting creatures.

Junior Kindergartenfor four-year-old children

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“The princess jumped on her horse and the knights followed her to the dragon’s cave.” Writing a fairy tale as a class is just one way the LFCDS Senior Kindergarten (SK) program fosters a love of learning while building fundamental academic and life skills. The SK curriculum emphasizes Language Arts, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as growth in comprehension, interpretation, and vocabulary development. Mathematical problem-solving, scientific investigation, social studies, art, music literacy, Mandarin Chinese, physical education, and free exploration fill each day with rich learning and growth opportunities.

Senior kindergarten is the bridge to the Lower School. Starting in November, students participate in weekly community meetings with students in grades 1–4. SK children have the opportunity to stay until 6 p.m. by participating in the Extended School Program.

SK: For children who have turned five on or before September 1.Tuition: Five-day full-day program, includes OrganicLife lunch program—$15,500 Additional charges for extended day optionsTeacher-to-student ratio: 1:10

Five enchanted characters.

Senior Kindergartenfor five-year-old children

1st STEPA professional violinist, Sally Stephenson (left) has performed with orchestras and opera companies around the world. She is certified by Musikgarten and has been teaching music to young children for almost twenty-five years. Sally has taught in the 1st STEP classroom since 2009.

Sue Buhrmester (right) received her National Nursery Examination Board certification in the United Kingdom, then earned an AAS degree in Early Childhood here in the US. Sue has been the Early Childhood Director at the Gorton Children’s Drop-In Center in Lake Forest for thirteen years. She’s excited to be joining the 1st STEP faculty in 2012.

PreschoolHaving taught both two-year-old and four-year-old children in the 1st STEP and Junior Kindergarten programs, Jen Baurer (left) is well-prepared to teach three-year-old preschool students. Jen, who earned a reading teacher endorsement as well as a BS from Illinois State University, delights in developing childrens’ early literacy skills and love of reading.

Frances Robinson (right) likes to get her hands dirty. Introducing preschool students to composting, planting, harvesting, and eating lettuce from their own garden, she increases their awareness of the interconnectedness of the natural world. Frances holds both a BA from University of Massachusetts and an MEd from Marymount University.

Junior KindergartenHonesty, trust, respect and compassion are values that inspire Therese Lupton (left). Her work in the Junior Kindergarten classroom is enhanced by her gentle manner and empathy. Therese earned her degree from Benedictine University and has completed graduate school courses at National Louis University. She has taught at LFCDS for twenty years.

Mimi Aiston (right), amateur paleontologist and avid hiker of National Parks, has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and has presented at educational conferences. Mimi has been teaching Junior Kindergarten at LFCDS since 1990. She thoroughly enjoys introducing children to science through the study of nature.

Anna Morgan (left) has earned a BA in Child Development, as well as an MEd and an MAT from Vanderbilt, Harvard, and National-Louis, respectively. Anna brings the passion that motivated her as a student to her work as a teacher. She taught in Glencoe for four years before joining the faculty at LFCDS in 2011.

Kelly Scott (right) graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Child Development. Formerly the director of a pre-kindergarten/kindergarten program, she has also taught preschool, first grade, and second grade, which helps her to differentiate instruction for the children in her classroom. She started at LFCDS in 2006.

Our LFCDS Early Childhood

FacultyOur Early Childhood programs are guided by three experienced administrators: Sara Walsh, Director of 1st STEP; Sally Bullard, Head of Lower School; and Anne Hoisington Hutchinson, Assistant Head of Lower School. We’d like to introduce our Early Childhood faculty members to you.

Senior KindergartenMegan Mathy (left), favorite aunt of many nieces and nephews, earned a BA in Early Childhood education from Northern Illinois University. She taught third grade for four years before making the transition to Senior Kindergarten, where she has enjoyed teaching five-year-old students for the past seven years.

According to Shira Schwartz (right), the challenges and rewards of teaching stem from the effort to figure out how each child’s brain works, because then you can help them leverage their strengths. Shira holds a BA from Indiana University, an MA from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an MEd from Loyola University. She has been teaching at LFCDS since 2007.

Formerly a certified Child Life Specialist in pediatrics at Evanston Hospital, Kimberly Kohl (left) earned her Master’s in Early Childhood education from Erikson Institute in Chicago. Kimberly loves working with children to build literacy skills. She herself is a freelance writer whose work has been published by the National Association for Gifted Children.

Jennifer Farrell (right) has a BS from University of Illinois. She has worked at LFCDS for thirteen years, first as Director of the After-School program, later as a Junior Kindergarten teacher, and currently as a Senior Kindergarten teacher. Jennifer, who once worked at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, loves museums almost as much her beach house in Door County.

Make a joyful noise! Maria del Rosario Hempen, the LFCDS Early Childhood and Lower School music teacher, does just that every day. Her students learn about rhythm, melody, musical genres, and more in an engaging, fun way. Maria, who has won a number of vocal competitions, earned a BM from DePaul University. She has taught at LFCDS for seven years. Maria is one of several specialists; others provide instruction to Early Childhood students in world languages, physical education, library skills, and science.

Why did LFCDS kindergarten teachers trek across Kenya? Or climb narrow stone steps to the top of a castle wall in England? Supported by professional development funds from the School, LFCDS teachers have gone to great lengths to research and develop engaging curricula for their young students. Megan Mathy and Shira Schwartz traveled to Africa. Jennifer Farrell and Kimberly Kohl studied castles in the United Kingdom. Children in their classes benefit from learning about the daily lives of people in another culture and another historical period through fun, interactive, richly detailed learning experiences designed by teachers who have done their research first-hand. These are just two examples of the level of professional commitment to excellence that characterizes LFCDS faculty, many of whom have won multiple teaching awards.

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1Count the LFCDS advantages.

At Lake Forest Country Day School, we build strong character and instill a passion for learning.

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Two experienced co-teachers per classroom.In each of our Early Childhood classrooms, two highly-qualified co-teachers collaborate to create a safe and stimulating learning environment. They work closely with colleagues who

teach grades 1-8 to ensure that students are well-prepared for future academic challenges. Small class sizes allow them to individualize instruction for each child. At LFCDS, teachers

are caring professionals who genuinely love children and understand how they learn best.

Three years of World Language study at a young age.Early exposure to the sounds and syntactic structure of different languages, as well as an appreciation of different cultures, helps lay the foundation for children to develop as global citizens. Preschool and Junior Kindergarten children are taught Spanish. Mandarin Chinese instruction starts in Senior Kindergarten and continues in Grade 1. At LFCDS, we teach a well-coordinated spiraling curriculum in each subject area, including world languages.

Four habits of mind.How many kindergarteners know that “metacognition” means “thinking about

your own thinking”? LFCDS students are introduced to this concept early on, helping them to recognize how we all make choices in the ways we respond to challenges. Emphasis is placed

on positive habits such as persistence, managing impulsivity, listening with empathy, and thinking flexibly. These and other habits of mind taught at LFCDS are characteristic of peak

performers and people who lead lives of purpose and integrity. At LFCDS, character education starts early.

Five developmental domains.Each child develops at his or her own pace. The LFCDS Early Childhood program, from 1st STEP to Senior Kindergarten, is designed to stimulate and support each individual child’s growth and development in five learning domains: Social/Emotional, Language, Physical, Creative, and Cognitive. These domains all influence a child’s development. At LFCDS, we focus on the whole child.

FAQn

Frequently Asked Questions About the LFCDS ExperienceHow selective is the admission process?We believe a positive school-parent partnership is in the best interests of the child, so we seek families who embrace the values, curriculum, and community that LFCDS offers. Admission decisions are based on learning development assessments and classroom visit experiences.

When do we need to apply?While our priority application deadline is January 1 of each year, we do have a rolling application and admission process. We continue to accept applications if spaces are available. Occasionally we are also able to place children in classes mid-year. Limited spaces for the 2012–2013 school year are still available.

Can we afford LFCDS?Our affordable tuition rates for 2012–2013, listed in this brochure, range from $7,500 for half-day preschool to $15,500 for full-day senior kindergarten. LFCDS offers need-based financial assistance to eligible families.

How can we learn more about LFCDS?We enjoy meeting families who take their children’s education seriously. Call (847) 615-6151 and speak with Sara Walsh or Judith Arnstein, either of whom will be happy to answer your questions and set up a campus tour. Or just stop by! We’d love to meet you and your eager young learner.

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