Rhinebeck Community Nursery School
Where Play Becomes Learning
Rhinebeck Community Nursery School was created in 1997 by a group of parents & teachers wanting to provide the community with a developmentally appropriate nursery school. We are a Child Centered, Play-Based Preschool for three, four and five year-olds.
Our mission is to provide a supportive and stimulating environment in which young children may develop positive peer and teacher relationships, while becoming independent, competent, curious and joyful learners.
our programs
Children must be three years of age, by December 1st, to attend.
Tuesday & Thursday
mixed age class
The TTH class has 14 children and three teachers giving much opportunity for guided play and teacher supported peer interactions. Each day is a new adventure exploring paint, blocks, sand, water, dramatic play, puzzles and meeting for a quick story, song and dance on the rug.
The morning ends on the playground where children run, climb, dig and tend our vegetables and flowers in the raised garden beds. The class quickly develops a sense of community and friendships as the children play and grow together.
Mon, Wed & Fri
4 & 5 year old class
The MWF Four year old class also is configured with 14 children and three teachers. The children revel in the give and take of discussions while exploring science, nature, art and literacy. The children explore, experiment and collaborate on group projects, building on one another’s experiences and ideas.
Teachers play a critical role in enriching the activities while assessing the children’s interactions giving support and perspective when necessary to promote empathy and understanding of others.
Monday – Friday
4 & 5 year old class
If a child enrolls in the The M-F Class that means they attend both the TTH and the MWF Classes (14 children and 3 teachers). This creates a mixed age group of children adept at interacting with both younger and older peers. Projects and activities are differentiated so they can be done as simply or as complex as the child is ready for.
These children develop the strongest sense of belonging to the school as they participate in themes at a greater depth and understanding, often contributing to our evolving curriculum based on children’s interests, nature and seasons.
Our Philosophy
Quality children’s literature is the inspiration for our art activities, science experiments and dramatizations. Storytelling and retelling with flannel, puppets and dramatic props gives children mastery over characters and action.
Children learn through hands on discovery and experimentation. Voting, graphing, math & science concepts evolve through play and teacher guided activities.
Supported Social and Emotional development allows children to reach their fullest academic potential by giving them the foundation and resilience to express feelings, ask for help and persevere when things don’t go as planned.