Cedar
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www.clns.org
Where Play Is At the Heart of Learning
Founded in 1959, Cedar Lane Nursery School is a co-operative nursery school
where parents work together with dedicated teachers to create a joyful
educational experience for their children. At the heart of our school is
respect for children and their ability to learn through play. Under the
leadership of Cedar Lane's teacher-director Bernadine Occhiuzzo,
we encourage our children to explore, experiment,
ponder, and create. The school's program and physical resources offer children
ample opportunities to develop a sense of belonging, competence,
purposefulness, and responsibility.
Cedar Lane
is a non-sectarian school housed in Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church,
located in a beautiful wooded setting adjoining Rock Creek Park. Our three
classrooms are spacious and bright with reading nooks, easels, room for large
block and vehicle play, as well as dramatic play, science and other activities
that encourage learning through play. The school has a large playground with a
variety of equipment, including swings, a sandbox, and several different kinds
of climbers, allowing for active and imaginative outdoor play.
Parents at
Cedar Lane play an integral role through their participation in the classroom
and in all aspects of the school's administration. The degree of parent
involvement and the school's size, limited to a total of 35 two-, three-,
four-, and five-year-olds, make possible an intimate and nurturing program
focused on each child's developmental needs.
Eligibility
By September 1st of the school year, children must
have had their 2nd birthday to be eligible for the 2s program, their 3rd
birthday to be eligible for the 3s program, and their 4th birthday to be
eligible for the 4/5s program. An effort is made to keep a balance of
boys/girls and ages. Enrollment may also be limited based on the needs of the
current group. Subject to Board approval, children turning 3 or 4 in September
who demonstrate capabilities warranting admission to the respective 3s or 4/5s
programs may be admitted to those programs upon the recommendation of the
Teacher-Director.
Hours
|
Two-year-olds |
Tuesday
and Thursday |
9:30 am
to 12:00 pm |
|
Three-year-olds |
Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday |
9:30 am
to 12:15 pm |
|
Four- and
five-year-olds |
Monday
through Friday |
9:15 am
to 12:15 pm |
Lunch Bunch
is available from Monday through Thursday and runs from 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm.
Extended Day is available Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 12:45 pm to 2:30
pm.
Daily Schedule
The school day generally begins with a brief free play
period before children join together for the daily gathering. During this time
they may sing, play or move to music, listen to a story, share news from home
or talk about events at school. After a break for a healthy snack, the children
enjoy an extensive outdoor recess where they can run, climb, swing, play in the
sandbox or participate in organized games or imaginary play. The children then
return to the classroom and choose from a variety of developmentally
appropriate activities, including art, dramatic play, building with blocks or
other materials, books, games, puzzles and science discovery. The children work
together to clean up and then choose books to take home and prepare for pick
up.
Field Trip and Visitors
Field trips, visits from guests and the participation of our diverse and
talented parent population offer the children an opportunity to explore and
learn about our community and its rich resources. To enhance these experiences,
field trips and guest visits are designed as an integral part of the
curriculum. For example, in preparation for a tour of the Garrett Park Post
Office the children set up their own classroom post office and wrote letters to
their families to be mailed during their tour.
Parent Participation
At least one parent from each family assists in the classroom an average of two
or three times each month. In addition, membership meetings are held monthly,
and each family is expected to take responsibility for some aspect of the
school's administration, such as arranging field trips or coordinating the
parent participation schedule. Over the course of the year, two workdays are
planned for families to help set up the classroom in September, and conduct
general maintenance in March.
Application Process
Applications are currently being accepted in a rolling admission process for
the 2012-2013 school year. If you are interested in
visiting the school, please contact Ashley
Del Sole, our Admissions Chair, at admissions@clns.org
to make an appointment. By mid-February, we will send decision letters to all
families who have submitted applications.
Cedar
Lane Nursery School is now NAEYC accredited (National Association for the Education of Young Children). The school is also a member of the Maryland Council of Parent Participation
Nursery Schools and is the first accredited co-operative nursery school
in Maryland by the State of Maryland Department of Education.
Admission of members shall not be restricted by race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation.