Preschoolers live in a magical time! Adventure is always afoot, and there are great discoveries to be made. The Preschool is a wonderland of opportunity to explore, discover and encounter the world all at arms length, and in the spirit of good fun! Preschoolers develop a remarkable sense of well being, accomplishment and independence at the Laurel Hill School.

The Preschool curricula offer days full of excitement and discovery.  Using a fully individualized and experiential approach, children are exposed to the basic social and academic concepts that they will need for advanced instruction in kindergarten and beyond.  At LHS, we never underestimate the capabilities of very young children to grasp, process and interpret information, and we provide exposure to a world of ideas and concepts.  As always our teachers work with children at their own pace and comfort level so that they finish each year with major cognitive milestones achieved.

The Preschool classrooms are fully incorporated into the school environment, with access to special equipment such as playgrounds and walking paths suited to their developmental stage.  Daily time outdoors on our grounds helps balance the schedule of each busy day.

the setting

The Laurel Hill community comes together to work and play on a pristine campus. Our over ten-acre campus provides a natural setting of woods, fields and orchards, all accented by lush floral landscapes. Complete athletic facilities blend with the landscape, and our student garden and farm add an exciting rustic feature to the grounds.

Classrooms are modern, colorful, bright and spacious. The building facilities include a reference and leisure reading library, computer lab, science lab, gymnasium, and music and foreign language rooms.

The Laurel Hill grounds boast an outdoor theatre, a preschool playground, adventure playground, full size playing fields, basketball and tennis courts, a hockey rink, a batting cage, and more.

Staff

Every class in all grades is assigned a teacher and an educational assistant. Teachers at Laurel Hill are all New York State certified in their respective disciplines.

Professional, warm, and caring, our faculty is sensitive to the unique qualities and needs of each child. Teachers and educational assistants possess the vital capacity to guide boys and girls with wisdom, and to regard all children with respect.

Our faculty is engaged in extensive ongoing professional development workshops. Prior to the beginning of each school year The Laurel Hill School provides each staff member with opportunities to investigate and experience a multitude of new strategies, methods, and educational programs to be utilized in their classrooms. Class size is small and the educational setting is based on genuine warmth, affection, and high incentive activities.

The colorful environment is an expression of the energy and imagination of the students and faculty.

security

As a full service educational program that has served very young children over thirty-five years, Laurel Hill is well aware of our families' concerns for their children's security.  Special security measures and visitation policies are in place for our littlest students, and are described in detail in our Orientation Pamphlet.

We value the special relationship between parents and our school.  Communication is the key factor that strengthens relationships, and creates a positive experience for you and your child.  We encourage you to contact your child's caregiver or the program Director whenever an issue or concern arises, and we pledge to keep you informed on a daily basis.