Philosophy

The active participation of parents in the life of the school is an essential component of the educational experience at Oak Park Neighborhood School.  Our families are actively involved in meetings,  celebrations and events.  We want parents to be part of the school not only by receiving feedback from teachers about their child's work but also when decisions about the school and about educational approach are taken.  Partnering with parents is essential for consistent, positive experiences both at home and at school.  Parents are aware of what is happening in the classroom through posting of daily schedules and lesson plans.  Teachers provide written assessments on each child’s development and opportunities to learn more about the development of young children through sponsored seminars and newsletters.   This all supports an open environment of communication between the parents and the teachers.

At Oak Park Neighborhood School we recognize the critical role our teachers play in preparing your child for a lifetime of learning.  All of our teachers are highly experienced educators in the development of young children.  Our expectations are high and we demand nothing less than the following from our teaching teams:  

• To help children see the connections in learning and  experiences.
• To co-explore the learning experience with the children.
• To provoke ideas, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
• To take ideas from the children and return them for further exploration.
• To organize the classroom and materials to be  aesthetically pleasing.
• To organize materials to help children make thoughtful decisions about the media.
• To help children express their knowledge through representational work.
• To document children's progress: journals, photographs, and portfolios.
• To have a dialogue about the projects with parents and   other teachers.
• To foster the connection between home, school and community.

Our environment is designed to provide a variety of sensory experiences in an aesthetically pleasing manner, using both indoors and outdoors as learning spaces.  Classrooms are light and bright.  Items found in nature are incorporated into the classroom materials and considered an important part of developing an appreciation for the world around us.  Teachers carefully arrange the room and display all materials so that children can make thoughtful decisions when working and exploring. Documentation of children's works, plants, and collections that children have made from outings are displayed both at the children's and adult eye level.  Common space is available to all children in the classroom that includes dramatic play areas, sensory tables, atelier/art center, library and reading nook, block center and worktables for puzzles and scientific learning.  Our classrooms provide an enriched environment that nourishes each child's development.