Our Classes for 2020-2021
| Seedlings | Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | M/W/F | Tu/Th |
| Monthly Tuition | $415 | $230 |
| Max Class Size | 12 | 12 |
| Age* | 2.5 to 4 | 1.5 to 2.5 |
| Class Times | 9:30-12:30 | 9:30-12:00 |
Important notes about our 2029-2021 classes:
- Class Schedule. Classes run from Sept 2020-June 2021. We broadly follow the Seattle Public School calendar.
- Open Circle is not a drop-off program. Caregivers are actively involved as assistant teachers in the classroom.
- *Minimum age as of 9/1/20. Age exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please email registrar@opencirclepreschool.org for more information.
- Families enrolling additional children receive a 10% discount for each child on tuition in the same priced or lower priced class.
- Generous full and partial financial aid packages are available. Please see our Financial Aid page for details.
Class Descriptions
All our classes have a focus on our environmental and social justice/anti bias curriculum. Read more about the curriculum here.
Seedlings
Seedlings is a multi-age classroom for children 2.5 to 4 years old as of September 1 2020. The Seedlings class focuses on supporting our students’ social and emotional development. Through play, students learn to understand their feelings, develop peer relationships, and interact with new communities. The Seedlings curriculum is focused on anti-bias learning though friendship: getting to know our classmates, teacher & parents, neighborhood, and community. Students are also introduced to the school’s natural environment through outdoor play and activities, as well as the inclusion of organic elements and sensory materials in the classroom. Developmentally, these are years of exponential growth for children when we focus on encouragement, exploration of the child’s world and building confidence.
A typical day as a Seedling
We begin the day by greeting each other and enjoying free play, including art, music, and sensory-based activities. At circle time, we practice participating in group activities like songs, stories, and dance. Later, snack time allows for open conversation, sharing with friends, and practicing new skills like pouring and passing. After snack, the class heads outside to explore our natural environment, either in the school’s playground and garden or in the neighborhood. At the end of the day, we have a closing circle, sing our goodbye song and head home, energized by all of our new experiences.
Our multi-age classroom
Seedlings is a multi-age classroom that welcomes children from age 2.5 to age 4 as of September 1, 2020. This multi-age environment benefits both older and younger students: By teaching and modeling their more-advanced physical, emotional and intellectual skills to their younger classmates, older Seedlings build pride in their abilities and strengthen their mastery of these skills. As eager mimics of older children, younger Seedlings receive constant natural opportunities to observe and practice the next steps in their development.
Parent involvement
Parents and other caregivers are children’s first teachers, and as such, they play a valuable role in the Seedlings classroom. Caregivers typically work 1 shift per week in the classroom, with occasional 2-shift weeks. Parent work in the classroom includes time actively teaching and interacting with the kids, as well as helping out with tasks like snack preparation and clean-up.
Parents learn from each other and from the teachers — if you’ve ever been unsure how to handle a conflict over a toy at a playground, you will learn many techniques and have the opportunity to practice them frequently! It’s also a great way to get to know children whose strengths and weaknesses are different from your own child’s, which will expand your parenting toolbox.
Potty training
Seedlings supports children at any phase of potty training, including kids who haven’t started.
Sprouts
The Sprouts class is for children 1.5 to 2.5 as of September 1, 2020. Similar to Seedlings, the class focuses on social and emotional development, with emphasis on the emerging communication skills so important to this age range. A typical Sprouts day follows the same order as Seedlings, with slightly less time for free play and circle in consideration of less developed attention spans. Sprouts caregivers typically work 1 shift per week in the classroom, with occasional 2-shift weeks. Sprouts supports children at any phase of potty training, including kids who haven’t started.