The Preschool Program Green Door

Key Takeaways

Home Away From Home: The Green Door preschool aims to spark excitement and confidence by honoring each child’s ideas and letting them explore in a safe, enriching environment
Structure and Freedom: Green Door 1 (age three) favors short group times and open-ended play; as children mature (age four+), they experience longer group timings, specialty classes, and field trips.
Hands-on curriculum: Learning centers inside include dramatic play, music, writing, science, art, pets, and puzzles; outside, children explore carpentry, sand and water play, gardening, nature hikes, messy art, PE, and ecological studies
Social-emotional growth at the core: Emphasizing skills like expressing feelings, resolving conflicts, building friendships, and developing self-esteem, all rooted in simple rules: “Take care of each other and our classroom.”
Parent partnership: Frequent updates, parent involvement in the classroom, room-parent roles, family organization (Family Circle), and regular communication ensure alignment between home and preschool

Requirements

Child must be 3 years old by September 1st
Child must be potty trained by September 1st.
Child must be current on immunizations

THE GREEN DOOR PHILOSOPHY

We believe that preschoolers learn best in a setting that is friendly, safe and enriching. We think of these first years as the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning. We hope to help the children develop a sense of excitement and exploration for all there is to know. We try to communicate that Family School is a place where one’s feelings and ideas are interesting and valuable. Our dream is to send each Green Door child off to the next educational step with a wonderful sense of confidence and the “I can do that!” joy that comes from feeling successful and appreciated.

THE PROGRAM

Green Door is usually the first major step away from a home setting into a structured learning environment. Our program is designed to support each child’s unique personal growth and discovery. While respecting all the important areas of development, our program emphasizes the social-emotional growth of the child. The important work of learning to separate, work comfortably in a larger group, express one’s ideas and feelings, resolve conflicts and experience consequences, and develop friendships and self-esteem, all occur in the Green Door years. The Beginning Green Door student, the three-year-old, has short periods of large group instruction and long periods with choices of prepared and self-directed activity. A familiar routine with only a few transitions and lots of encouragement, helps the young child develop confidence and enjoyment of the school environment. The Advanced Green Door student, four years and older, is usually ready for longer group time, additional instruction by specialty teachers, field trips, and exposure to exciting cognitive experiences.

THE CURRICULUM

The curriculum is designed to provide daily opportunities and ample time for exploration and discovery. The program takes advantage of our unique inside/outside classroom. Green Door is set up to be a lab for the curious preschooler. Examples of learning centers can be found below.

INSIDE LEARNING CENTERS

Dramatic Play
Puppetry
Science
Music
Writing Centers
Reading Library
Enhanced Block Area
Puzzles and Games
Arts and Crafts
Listening Center
Classroom Pets

OUTSIDE LEARNING CENTERS

Carpentry
Sand and water play
Gardening
Nature Hikes
“Messy” Outdoor Art
P.E. program
Large, well-equipped yard
Dramatic play area
Science studies (ecology, geology, botany)

Green Door is a constantly changing environment designed to reflect the young child’s interests. There are a variety of teaching themes each school year. Past themes have included The Nocturnal World, My Home Sweet Home, The Ocean, Wildlife in the Santa Ynez Valley, Community Helpers, Insect World and many others.

INTERVENTIONS AND DISCIPLINE

Preschool is the place to begin to learn to respect the rights and feelings of others. It is important and difficult work that happens every day in Green Door. Our rules are few and simple: “Take care of each other and take care of our classroom and its materials.” Keeping in close touch with each parent is very important in the preschool setting. We strive for constant communication between the home and classroom to keep each child’s progress well understood.

FULL DAY PROGRAM

All of the half-day program AND

1:00 - 1:20 Hygiene & Preparation for Rest

Books, Songs & Games

1:20 - 2:00 REST TIME

Individual cots, quiet, and dark room, music, back rubs & soothing from teachers
We do our best to support child's and parents sleeping needs

2:00 - 2:45 Book Looking & Table Activities

Board games, art activities, construction toys, Play-Doh, and more

2:45 - 3:00 Goodbye book

& closure of the school day

3:00 Green Door Ends

The children are picked up to go home or they are accompanied to the SYV Family School After Care Program.

HALF-DAY PROGRAM

8:30-9:00 Children Arrive

9:00-10:00 Opening Circle

The critical work of listening, taking turns, expressing ideas, and exploring concepts all take place.

10:00 - 11:30 Open Choice

Every day the children have a long period of exploration, skill building, learning and play both inside and outside.

11:30-12:00 Second Circle

The closing circle recaps the morning and brings closure to this half of the day.

12:00 - 12:50 Hand washing and lunch

Lunches are provided from home.
After communal lunch, the children play on the yard.

12:50 All school chores