Early Childhood Program

E A R L Y C H I L D H O O D P ro g ra m

In their words.

The Advantages of

Lancaster Country Day School

Young children who are exposed to highquality care settings exhibit better language and mathematics skills, better cognitive and social skills, and better relationships. - Julia Koppich

From the Head of the Early Childhood Program

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For our Early Childhood “In Their Words,” we focus on three areas – specialized facilities and faculty, healthy parent-faculty partnerships, and commitment to an intimate and successful environment for growth. We are confident these advantages provide our children the best possible arena for social, emotional and intellectual development in the region.

Each “In Their Words” places the microphone in front of our community. But we also encourage readers to go further, to speak directly with those who know us best. A close look and in depth conversations with our families and faculty can help you with what may be the most important decision in your life as a family.

– Christina Simonds

Shared Voices on tHree EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM Advantages 1

Faculty And Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2

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Vibrant and Committed Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3 Small Classes And Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5

Cover Quotation: Out of School Influences and Academic Success, StateUniversity.com, http://education. stateuniversity.com/pages/2306/Out-School-Influences-Academic-Success.html (accessed September 13, 2011)

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Faculty and Facilities

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National research affirms a causal relationship between sensibly structured physical activity and improved academic and cognitive performance. Countless cross-cultural studies conclude that students who experience thoughtfully developed artistic and musical guidance optimize their emotional and academic potential.

The availability of specialized facilities and faculty is a feature that we recognize as unique to a place like LCDS. Our kids have physical education classes in a full-sized gymnasium with a trained PE teacher, get art instruction from a talented in-house artist, enjoy story-time time with a skilled and passionate librarian, and embrace their moment in the

With the highest per-child investment in specialized faculty and

spotlight on stage in our theater.

facilities in the region, Country Day continues to cultivate the

No other school offers this

whole child with a special level of breadth and depth.

blend of opportunities and specialized faculty starting at the age of three.

Lori and Dave Kapferer, Parents

Programs and specialized faculty for art, music and PE are important. Country Day’s administration has been willing to invest in equipment, in the right space, and in the best teachers. For us, that is what sets the Early Childhood program apart.

Traci Jacobs, Parent 2

LCDS truly fosters a broader community. Our family’s goal is to cultivate a love of learning and engender our son’s already fun sense of humor and captivating smile.

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Vibrant and Committed Parents

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Families who provide supervision and support, and who have high aspirations for their children, tend to enhance those children’s chances of being successful students. Far from

We couldn’t be more pleased, as his enthusiasm, confidence and extra large grin have done

preventing families from being a part of our community of learning, Country Day embraces the advantages of our especially motivated and well-educated parent base.

nothing but grow at LCDS. Melissa and Seth Obetz, Parents

Some good area schools’ philosophies prohibit parent involvement in the classroom. We wanted our child to know, in every possible way, that both their school and our home placed an equally high value on learning, on healthy development and on the arts. LCDS provides an inclusive, sensible

We love that the doors are always

transition to independent learning, and a window for us to understand how to supplement their in-class progress at home.

open for parents to be involved.

Sharing lunch, a day in class, or a field trip are encouraged by faculty. When considering preschools for our children, the inclusion of Early Childhood classes in the broader LCDS community and the inclusion of the parents in the education of our children set LCDS apart.

Beth and Chris Sigmund, Parents 3

Liz and Tim Peters, Parents

When we enroll a student, we enroll a family. We want synchronicity. We want our students to know, from the most impressionable age, that a feeling of capability and community are “the norm.” LCDS understands the role parents can play in the building of a partnership that enhances a love of learning and genuine academic success.

Sheryl Krafft, Faculty

LCDS teachers communicate Through a blend of time-tested and creative out-of-school

openly with parents as they

engagement and thoughtfully structured in-class opportunities,

witness students’ academic

LCDS maximizes the growth and development of every child in a

and social transitions. My

seamlessly supportive environment. children were taught to become

In the classroom, on field trips and on special occasions, I have felt

functional, productive members

welcome and included. Country Day’s unique, cooperative relationship

of the community. The school

between teachers, parents and children has built a different school community. The harmony between home and school and the results of that

helped me follow my children’s development every step of the way.

relationship distinguish LCDS for us.

Nicci Townsend, Parent

Cheryl Hicks, Parent 4

As a family new to the area, we researched Early Childhood programs with fresh eyes.

Country Day had the best resources and staff, and after

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Small Classes and Fit

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Education research worldwide affirms that small classes yield benefits. Chris Zurawsky of the American Educational Research

watching how attentively the instructor engaged each child, we knew we had found an

Association writes, “Small classes lead to statistically significant improvements in reading and mathematics, and benefits were greatest for students who started in small classes early.”1

ideal place.

Susan and Lynwood Stagg, Parents

At LCDS, our Early Childhood program’s small classes allow teachers to pay proper attention to each pupil. Students are expected to participate actively within their comfort zones, and to

We have had four daughters

become involved citizens over time. Attention to learning goes up

of different personalities go

and disruptive and off-task behavior goes down.

through LCDS. Our youngest 1

was bright but painfully shy when she entered Junior Kindergarten. Small class size and a highly skilled faculty enabled her to overcome her insecurities. Today, she is one of the most outgoing and confident second graders you might meet. Country Day made all the difference.

Ellen Stover, Parent 5

Resnick, Lauren B., ed.; Class Size: Counting Students Can Count,” Research Points, Fall 2003, Vol 1, Issue 2; http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/ Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/ RP_Fall03.pdf (accessed September 29, 2011)

We did extensive research into Early Childhood programs. After our tour, classroom observation and time spent speaking with educators, we knew we had found the right place for our daughters. The small class size provided meaningful outcomes in a nurturing environment and placed the development A measure of selectivity in admission provides an environment especially conducive to high achievement. Louis Menand, in a June 2011 article in The New Yorker entitled “Live and Learn,”

of the individual child as the focal point.

Becky Miller, Parent

wrote simply, “Institutional selectivity correlates positively with learning.”2 One of our recent graduates, Currently, Country Day is experiencing the greatest number of

a “lifer” at LCDS and

applications in the history of the school. In establishing classes

an undergraduate at Yale

that fit together well, our traditionally rigorous program can

University - Jonathan

have greater focus, efficiency and harmony. Appropriately

Rajaseelan - attributes his

high expectations are always healthy. Country Day’s admission

status as a Davidson Scholar

process allows successful learning to unfold even more easily.

and his success in college to many sources. Country Day’s

At parent and teacher meetings, the teachers know so much about our

small class sizes facilitated

children that it is clear to my husband and me that they really care, and

identifying his gifts at an early

that they have a strategy for their most efficient development. Each year,

age. This, along with the

we feel we can partner with teachers on a higher level.

school’s flexibility, allowed for

Becky and Todd Bartos, Parents

greater challenge, engagement, and achievement.

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Menand, Louis; Live and Learn: Why We Have College, newyorker.com, http://www.newyorker.com/ arts/critics/atlarge/2011/06/06/ 110606crat_atlarge_menand (accessed September 29, 2011)

Todd Trout, Assistant Head of Upper School 6

After a week at LCDS, my daughter said “Mommy, I still love you just as much, but I think I love Mrs. Krafft, too.” It was an especially comforting moment as a parent.

Dr. Vinitha Amanullah, Parent

725 Hamilton Road • Lancaster, PA 17603 • (717) 392-2916 • www.lancastercountryday.org