Primary School
Toddler and Pre-K Programs: Ages 2 to 5 years
"Our 4 year old has been with The Atelier since age 1 and we could not be happier with his experience. The teachers create a positive and nurturing environment that celebrates individuality, promotes problem solving and inspires learning through lots of play! Our son has thrived in an environment that allows him to express his interests and emotions through music, movement and art while still fostering his love of all things letters/numbers. He is encouraged to become a kind friend and explore the world around him. We love receiving photos and documentation each day and being able to openly communicate with his teachers. Our kiddo wakes up excited to go to school, and to know he is well loved and cared for on a daily basis is all we could ask for as parents. We are so grateful and lucky to have The Atelier in Columbia!"-Abby and Jim Owen
We all know that learning does not begin at age 5 when kids enter elementary school. Research shows that during early childhood our brains soak up information about their world at a rapid pace. That is why we use the name Primary School for our youngest learners, including toddlers (2-3.5 years) and pre-kindergarten (3-5 years), rather than "preschool" which literally means "before school." We strive to provide the very best educational environment possible at The Atelier School, a commitment that we uphold even with our youngest students. The earliest years of child development are some of the most crucial, for both socio-emotional and academic growth. Our teachers provide a warm and nurturing atmosphere in which students feel safe and loved, and provide a wealth of interesting opportunities designed to help them discover their world. In our classes, we respect and trust our students as capable learners, and introduce a broad range of subjects (including geography, biology, chemistry, and more...) through a variety of expressive media. In doing so, they begin building important scaffolding, upon which they will construct a lifetime of knowledge. An exciting, fun-filled arts-integrated education at The Atelier Primary School is the perfect introduction to elementary school!
Daily Schedule
Half-day
(Does not include lunch)
(Does not include lunch)
7:30 am: Early Drop-Off
8:30 am: School Day Begins
8:30-12:00 pm: Morning Provocations
Including:
*Morning Meeting w/ Yoga Practice
*Family-Style Snack at 10:00 a.m.
*Outdoor Time
12:00 pm: Say goodbye to half-day friends
8:30 am: School Day Begins
8:30-12:00 pm: Morning Provocations
Including:
*Morning Meeting w/ Yoga Practice
*Family-Style Snack at 10:00 a.m.
*Outdoor Time
12:00 pm: Say goodbye to half-day friends
Full-day Afternoon (nappers)
12:00 pm: Lunch
12:30-2:15 pm: Nap time
2:15-2:45 pm: Afternoon snack
2:45-3:30 pm: Outdoor time
3:30 pm: School day ends
5:30 pm: Extended pick-up
12:30-2:15 pm: Nap time
2:15-2:45 pm: Afternoon snack
2:45-3:30 pm: Outdoor time
3:30 pm: School day ends
5:30 pm: Extended pick-up
Full-day Afternoon (non-nappers)
12:00 pm: Lunch
12:30-1:00 pm: Quiet rest time
1:00-2:15 pm: Afternoon provocations
2:15-2:45 pm: Afternoon snack
2:45-3:30 pm: Outdoor time
3:30 pm: School day ends
5:30 pm: Extended pick-up
*All snacks and lunch provided by the Atelier are allergy-friendly*
12:30-1:00 pm: Quiet rest time
1:00-2:15 pm: Afternoon provocations
2:15-2:45 pm: Afternoon snack
2:45-3:30 pm: Outdoor time
3:30 pm: School day ends
5:30 pm: Extended pick-up
*All snacks and lunch provided by the Atelier are allergy-friendly*
Primary School Tuition and Enrollment
2023/2024 School Year
Our Primary school is for students ages 2-5, and offers both a half-day and full-day options, 5-days per week (Monday-Friday). Our half-day program is 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and our full-day program is 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
We also offer options for early drop-off (7:30 a.m.), and extended pick-up (5:30 p.m.). Half-day includes morning snack, and full-day includes morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack provided by the school.
Our toddler program is designed for children 2 to 3 years of age. The Pre-K program welcomes children ages 3 to 5 years old. Children must be the age listed by the start of the school year, and pay the monthly tuition commitment for the school year.
The tables below show the monthly half-day and full-day tuition prices, before care, and after care.
We also offer options for early drop-off (7:30 a.m.), and extended pick-up (5:30 p.m.). Half-day includes morning snack, and full-day includes morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack provided by the school.
Our toddler program is designed for children 2 to 3 years of age. The Pre-K program welcomes children ages 3 to 5 years old. Children must be the age listed by the start of the school year, and pay the monthly tuition commitment for the school year.
The tables below show the monthly half-day and full-day tuition prices, before care, and after care.
Fees & Deposit
Application Fee: A one-time $75 non-refundable fee to apply to the program
Yearly material fee: $125 non-refundable assessed at the start of each school year
Tuition Deposit: A deposit equal to one month's tuition is due upon acceptance into our program. This tuition deposit is applied to your last month within the program upon graduation or withdrawal from the school.
Yearly material fee: $125 non-refundable assessed at the start of each school year
Tuition Deposit: A deposit equal to one month's tuition is due upon acceptance into our program. This tuition deposit is applied to your last month within the program upon graduation or withdrawal from the school.
We follow a progressive curriculum based on child development.
We believe in educating the whole child. This is why we highlight growth in 5 core areas of child development through our creative experiences. Areas of development overlap and influence each other throughout the learning process.
We believe in educating the whole child. This is why we highlight growth in 5 core areas of child development through our creative experiences. Areas of development overlap and influence each other throughout the learning process.
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Social and Emotional
Learning how to interact with others. This may include helping themselves and self-control, learning to recognize and express feelings more effectively, or understanding and responding to the emotions of others. Cognitive (Thinking Abilities) Learning and solving problems. Cognitive development is promoted by having opportunities and encouragement to figure out how the world works and how things are organized. Through authentic open-ended activities, your child will experience opportunities to strengthen problem-solving abilities and abstract thinking. Speech and Language Learning how to understand and use language. Provocations incorporate vocabulary and encourage letter recognition and phonics through creative games, sandpaper letters, and sensory trays, Children explore both non-fiction and fiction books throughout the classroom and enjoy being read to by their teachers. |
Sensory Development
The development of the five familiar senses: hearing, smell, taste, touch, and vision. Artistic and musical experiences facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Physical Growth in the physical abilities that aid children in exploring and interacting with the world around them.
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Documentation is an integral part of the learning process for the child, family, and teacher. Throughout each class the teacher is observing interactions among children and materials (discoveries, new connections, frustrations), dialogue, approaches, or learning strategies. These observations are shared within the student's personal documentation portfolio. Student work is shared on classroom walls and in our welcoming lobby.
Take a peek inside one of our classrooms...
The following section shows an example of teacher's documentation gathered during our explorations of outer space.
Our students thoroughly enjoyed learning all about outer space! We've been experimenting, observing, creating, dancing, and reading all things space and they just can't get enough!
Interested in our program? Contact us about scheduling a tour!