Infant & Toddler Center & Early Childhood View Book

Never too young to LEARN FOR LIFE.

2 About Hathaway Brown 4 Campus & Facilities 6 Infant & Toddler Center 8 Early Childhood Program 10 Knowledge in Action 11 Distinguished Academics 12 14 16 18 20

Specialty Classes Play-Based Learning Nature-Based Learning Project-Based Learning Social-Emotional Learning

23 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 24 Extraordinary Educators

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They Are Never Too Young To Learn For Life Hathaway Brown is a dynamic and compassionate community dedicated to excellence in the education of girls and boys in our Infant and Toddler Center and Early Childhood program. The true mission of the school is reflected in our motto, “Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus,” which means preparation for life.

We believe each child has an innate joy of discovery and love for learning.

Therefore, Hathaway Brown empowers our youngest learners to explore and investigate. Our approach celebrates the excitement of learning and sets a foundation for students to learn for life.

HB is a celebrated community of parents, students, faculty, staff, and alumnae. Caring, nurturing, and extraordinary educators partner with families to ensure their children are safe and loved. And here, your child will begin to establish meaningful friendships.

LEARN FOR LIFE SIGNATURE APPROACH Hathaway Brown’s Signature Learn for Life Approach inspires students to develop a love for learning. It integrates: • Distinguished academics • Empowered students • Knowledge in action • And a celebrated community.

This model, facilitated by incredibly nurturing and caring teachers, sets students on the path to be curious and engaged learners.

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Campus & Facilities At HB, you’ll find infants and toddlers listening to the Upper School orchestra, attending a Middle School art show, or joining a Primary School dance concert. It’s the beauty of educating students ages six weeks to 18 years old all on one campus.

Our newly renovated, 16-acre, Shaker Heights campus was intentionally designed for students to develop intellectual curiosity, self-esteem, and confidence. ITC and EC students explore the entire campus; and have a wide-range of educational opportunities!

Facilities Include: • Carol and John Butler Aquatic Center • Multi-Sensory Playground • Doan Creek • Educational Oliva Gardens and Frances Comey Stevenson ’82 Bird Sanctuary • Hobbit House • IDEA Lab and the Marge and Dan Moore Makerspace • Mixon Family Playground

Mixon Family Playground

Hobbit House

Carol and John Butler Aquatic Center

Early Childhood Classroom

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Infant & Toddler Center The Infant and Toddler Center (ITC) was established in 2001 by former Hathaway Brown Middle School Director Nancy West. First named Nammy’s Place, West developed the center to provide care for faculty and staff children — signifying that Hathaway Brown is intentionally focused on families.

Today, the coed ITC cares for and educates infants, toddlers, and two year olds whose parents are faculty, staff, alumnae, and members of the broader community.

INFANTS, TODDLERS, & TWOS • Open weekdays, 7:30 – 6 p.m. from mid-August through early June with an optional summer program • A low student-to-teacher ratio that exceeds state standards • Weekly Music and Movement, Library, and open gym classes • Nature-based learning opportunities • Optional safety and survival swim lessons • Experienced educators empower students to practice receptive and expressive language, and motor, cognitive, and social skills • Nutritious meals and snacks are prepared on-site daily

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Early Childhood Program The coed Early Childhood (EC) program features an innovative preschool and pre-kindergarten curriculum delivered by dynamic, engaging, and knowledgeable faculty. The program is for families seeking care, curriculum, and socialization for their young children.

PRESCHOOL For students who are three years old at the start of the school year, preschool allows girls and boys to move beyond parallel play and introduces them to project-based learning. In preschool, there’s also an emphasis on socialemotional skills through Conscious Discipline.

• Attendance options include half or full days, three or five days per week • Before care, lunch, extended day, and after-school club options are available • The curriculum also includes Music and Movement, Library, and Physical Education PRE-KINDERGARTEN Pre-kindergarten continues support of students’ social-emotional needs with an emphasis on preparation for kindergarten through nature-based learning, project-based learning, and an introduction to the Storyline curriculum. This program is for four and five-year old students.

• Attendance options include half or full days, five days per week • Before care, extended day, and after-school club options are available • The curriculum also includes Music, Dance, Library, Physical Education, Art, and Spanish

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Knowledge in Action We know children learn best through age-appropriate exploration — independently, one-on-one with a teacher, and in small and large group gatherings. Every day on campus, you’ll find ITC and EC students fully engaged in our play, project, and nature-based curriculum.

At Hathaway Brown, our curriculum introduces children to sensory and open-ended materials that enhance their early mathematical mind and help sharpen their gross and fine motor skills. Additionally, it helps children apply knowledge in action while building foundational social-emotional skills.

Specialty subjects such as Art, Physical Education, Music and Movement, Library, Spanish, and off-campus field trips are vital to ensuring ITC and EC students have a well-balanced learning experience.

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Distinguished Academics Hathaway Brown’s curriculum is

MATH

nationally recognized because we

A foundation for mathematical thinking

thoughtfully prepare students for a lifetime of educational growth.

Our core curriculum promotes literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, and social skills, while also embracing the

is established with hands-on, multisensory exploration. Shapes, patterns, relationships, measurements, and numeracy are introduced and enhanced with tools that highlight mathematical

importance of play and fostering a love

concepts.

for learning.

Opportunities for problem-solving in

LITERACY & LANGUAGE

a collaborative social context become

Hathaway Brown creates a literacy-rich learning environment that encourages oral expression and the development of phonemic awareness through interactive stories, songs, and workshops.

Print concepts are enhanced through shared reading experiences, journal writing, a variety of text types, and a classroom where print is seen in many contexts.

HB’s use of Fundations establishes a foundation for early reading, spelling, and handwriting skills.

Additionally, each classroom has a rotating library of books related to current projects, seasons, diversity, and other themes occurring in a child’s life.

Students also regularly visit the library for storytime, puppetry, and to borrow books.

the basis for data analysis, making predictions, and drawing conclusions.

SCIENCE Children are natural scientists! They collect data, analyze, and make predictions as they interact with the world around them.

Science in our ITC and EC curriculum is process-oriented, exploratory, and hands-on. Activities integrate naturebased learning which cultivates an appreciation of the natural world and encourages a sense of curiosity and wonder. Our curriculum develops knowledge and understanding of scientific principles with activities based on observing, making comparisons, classifying, measuring, predicting, and communicating.

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Specialty Classes Specialty classes, or what we call specials, allow students to develop new skills and interests beyond the core curriculum. Our specials enhance children’s knowledge and promote confidence and self-expression.

ART

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Within the classroom, teachers

PE empowers students with fitness,

encourage experimentation with

coordination, and teamwork. Our

different tools for visual design. These

curriculum addresses locomotor and

activities include understanding

manipulative skills with activities to

colors, shapes, and texture while

refine body and spatial awareness,

developing fine motor skills.

balance, and sensory integration.

MUSIC & MOVEMENT

SPANISH

Music, movement, and rhythm

Spanish is an informal introduction

develop sensory motor skills and

to a world language with basic

capitalize on every child’s natural

vocabulary learned through song

sense of creative expression. Pre-

and movement while also being

kindergarten students also attend

exposed to different cultures and

Dance class to enhance their

communities.

movement repertoire.

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Play-Based Learning Research shows children learn best through play. ITC and Early Childhood classrooms have a variety of learning centers where girls and boys are free to explore. The learning centers promote literacy, mathematics, and scientific inquiry.

SENSORY TABLES Materials like sand, water, or soil fill these tables and teachers regularly add items that allow for measuring, pouring, scooping, and digging. Children collaboratively interact with one another, develop stronger senses, and learn about shapes, sizes, and volume.

BLOCKS, TINKERING, AND MATH With wooden tiles, blocks or Magna-Tiles, students learn to take turns and experiment with mathematical thinking. Loose parts and recycled materials allow them to tinker or create while working on spatial awareness and measuring skills.

On the floor or at a table, children are exposed to number sense, patterning, sorting, matching, geometric principles, or Ozmo mathematical technology games.

DRAMATIC PLAY In this learning center, project-based learning comes to life with props, setting, and other elements. Children have the opportunity to engage in collaborative and creative play. Here, we see children grow their vocabulary, and develop an understanding of the world around them.

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Nature-Based Learning Making connections with their surroundings allows children to have an appreciation of the natural world while learning how to take risks, resulting in a willingness to take on new challenges and a diminished fear of failure.

Nature-based learning occurs for both ITC and EC grade levels and is supported by a variety of campus outdoor learning spaces. Children are introduced to our campus spaces such as the Bird Sanctuary, Oliva Garden and Greenhouse, and Courtland Woods. By pre-kindergarten, they travel weekly to Case Western Reserve University’s Squire Valleevue Farm. Students also visit Shaker Lakes, Penitentiary Glen Reservation, and Lake Metroparks Farmpark.

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Project-Based Learning Project-based learning helps children flourish and apply knowledge in action.

The use of project-based learning in every subject and the Storyline curriculum calls for in-depth investigation of a theme allowing children to engage in problem-solving and collaboration. Literacy (reading, writing, and language), Math, Science, and Art are all integrated in the child-centric theme.

A child’s learning is elevated through project-based themes. For example, a preschool class expressed an interest in airplanes. This project took flight with the students learning and constructing parts of the plane and “traveling” to various countries to learn about the important cultures and traditions practiced at each destination.

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Social-Emotional Learning Social-emotional intelligence is an essential skill for preparing young learners to understand their feelings. For nearly 20 years, Conscious Discipline has been at the foundation of Hathaway Brown’s socialemotional curriculum. The Conscious Discipline philosophy creates a positive, self-regulating environment for children that enhances social-emotional learning.

By creating connections through modeling, rituals, and routines between adults and children, Conscious Discipline ensures optimal development and learning for all. It turns everyday discipline issues into teachable moments.

“Hathaway Brown provides students with a supportive learning environment to promote cognitive, social-emotional, and physical growth and well-being.

We address the needs of the whole child — designing developmentallyappropriate lessons and hands-on learning experiences.”

MEGAN PFITZENMAYER EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER

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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Hathaway Brown strives to create a sense of belonging among members of our school community. We are committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning community through the admission process, hiring practices, professional development, curricular programming, and school culture.

Our commitment to DEI extends past grownups and is thoughtfully integrated into our ITC and Early Childhood curriculum. With literacybased themes, teachers spark conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. And parents are invited to the classroom to share family traditions, this allows our youngest learners to recognize and celebrate differences.

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Extraordinary Educators Creative. Dedicated. Caring. That’s how we describe our educators.

They are committed to helping ITC and EC students learn and grow.

Our teachers are your family’s partner in education. And they joyfully meet our students’ developmental, social-emotional, and academic needs.

When you join Hathaway Brown’s celebrated community, you entrust us with your child’s growth and development. Classroom teachers use tools such as a mobile app in the ITC, daily journals in EC, and routine conferences to ensure you’re in the know.

Additionally, more than half of Hathaway Brown teachers hold advanced degrees including our ITC teachers who are also trained in infant and toddler first aid and CPR.

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“I am constantly impressed by HB’s purposeful approach to schooling.

From classroom setups, to the consistent language used across the divisions, the daily routines, and the student-led projects, every detail is thoughtfully considered.”

RACHEL BLACKBURN ITC, EC, AND PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT

Come see for yourself!

The best way to learn more about Hathaway Brown is to visit. Schedule your tour online at HB.edu/Admission or call 216.320.8767.

Hathaway Brown School 19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, OH 44122

72310/500

216 320 8110 • hb.edu Girls K–12 Coed Infant Care and Early Childhood