Academics

Early Childhood | JPK, PK & SPK

#RippLearns

Through academic play, our youngest students are free to explore, discover, and experience the joy of learning.
Young children learn best through play and need play in order to grow socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Through careful observation and a deep understanding of developmentally appropriate practice, our teachers thoughtfully create play-based environments where each child is free to explore, discover, and experience the joy of learning. Materials are selected and changed based on the needs and interests of each child and the class as a whole. 

Our Early Childhood educators use project based learning to guide students through engaging lessons and meaningful activities that promote critical thinking and foster a love for learning. 

In these early years, teachers create experiences that are crucial for acquiring literacy, math, and language skills that will set them up for a lifetime of learning. While playing and engaging in project based learning, students have ample time to practice important social skills such as sharing, cooperation, and kindness. 

New Faculty Spotlight



Devon Piekarz spent the last two years teaching at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, and prior to that, she was at the Madison School for Young Children in her hometown of Madison, Connecticut. Devon received her B.A. in Psychology with a Minor in Education from Fairfield University and an M.A. in Elementary Education from the American College of Education. In her free time, she loves to sit at the beach and read, cook (her mom is a chef), and spend time with her big family. A fun fact about Ms. Piekarz is that she has a dog named Meatball!

Junior PreKindergarten (JPK)

List of 4 items.

  • Overview

    Junior PreKindergarten is specifically designed for the developmental needs of three year olds. Exploration of the world at a personalized pace, fostering a love for learning, and developing social skills form the core of our Junior PreKindergarten program. Teachers provide nurturing environments with open ended materials and limitless opportunities for creativity that encourage every child to be curious, responsible, and happy. Our program is designed to meet the needs of our youngest students and challenge them appropriately. 
     
    The curriculum is emergent and project based. Through the children’s enthusiasm for a topic, the teachers create a sophisticated project based unit. These units incorporate language, math, communication, motor, and social skills. The project based units are in depth, allowing children to learn to think deeply and make connections. All