Pre-School

The preschool program at the Nantucket New School is designed to provide a positive introduction to school.  The preschool campus, set in a welcoming, home-like setting, has been carefully designed to promote socialization and independence. Children learn and grow best through play, and our multi-age classes of three and four year olds encourage play beautifully. Younger students are able to participate in more advanced play initiated by older students.  Conversely, older children take on leadership roles and are able to act as role models for younger children. Rather than holding all students to the same developmental expectations, children work and play at their own pace. The first year is devoted to acclimating to a school environment and developing social skills.  Concepts are introduced in a multi sensorial way and children are provided open-ended opportunities to explore, experiment and discover at their own pace.  During the second year, students are given opportunities to revisit concepts from the prior year and develop a deeper mastery of concepts through more independent learning and modeling for the younger children. Learning is done on a project based or thematic level, allowing more opportunities for student involvement, creative thinking and encouragement of the children’s innate sense of curiosity. We strive to foster creativity, encourage independence and inspire a love for learning, setting a solid foundation for future education.