Our Pre-Kindergarten and Pre-K+ Programs

Our parents and community always ask on our tours...what is different about your Pre-K program than other preschool programs in town? Great question!

What Makes Our Pre-K Different

At Barrington Schools, as children transition from preschool to the Pre-K classroom, we are beginning the process of preparing them for kindergarten. Like most Pre-K programs, our experienced teachers take great care to tailor the weekly themes and lesson plans to meet the needs and interests of the individual students. That’s a given.

What makes us unique is that we offer two distinct Pre-K options. Our Pre-K classroom is designed for 4-year olds transitioning from Preschool while our Pre-K+ classroom supports children who may be attending kindergarten part-time or those benefiting from an additional year of Pre-K before starting full-time kindergarten.

Inside the Pre-K Classroom

In Pre-K, children begin to learn to write their names, recognize letters and sounds, transition away from daily naps, learn how to serve their own food and pour from pitchers. This family style of sharing food is important as children grow and develop. As Jesse Hoffman, owner of Barrington Schools notes, “I want them to make a mess here, so they do not make a mess at home. Let them learn how to do all of this at school.”

They have access to centers for play exploration such as dramatic play, puzzles and games, our library, a safe space where a child can go to be alone and decompress, building station with blocks and Legos, and the ever-popular art center. “They are learning a little more independence in the Pre-K classroom.”

Inside the Pre-K+ Classroom

Pre-K+, designed by Jesse, is a space for children who may be attending kindergarten part-time or those benefitting from an additional year of Pre-K.  According to the Dublin Barrington center director, Hailey Shapland, “In this classroom, the teachers are working with children on a second year of Pre-k adding on extra things, making it more challenging so they are engaged and not getting bored.”

Pre-K+ gives them the space to attend school and remain with children their age. Jesse shares, “I started this classroom for my daughter so she would remain with kids her own age all day, rather than being in the Pre-K classroom with 4-year-olds.”

Our Approach to Learning 

Each classroom’s schedule is structured to create opportunities for student-led discovery while incorporating various cross-curricular activities. There is a daily schedule that is the same daily so the children know when they will eat, move to center activities and get play time outside.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served at the same time every day. Outdoor time is structured twice daily, weather permitting. The teachers do an amazing job of creating curriculum and planning for each day of learning. Parents like to know what their child's day will be like and are generally interested in the curriculum, according to Shapland, so the planning makes it easy to provide the information to the parents when they ask.

Why Parents Choose Barrington Schools

With the understanding that all students learn differently and at varying rates, the teachers at Barrington utilize classroom time to engage each young mind in unique activities. We focus on kindergarten readiness skills such as beginning writing, letter recognition, phonemic awareness, counting and cardinality, and reading readiness. In addition, we want children to learn about what they are interested in.

“If a child notices a bug outside and is interested in it, the teachers will pivot and bring that bug into the classroom and teach about that bug species. It allows the children's interest to be guided into the curriculum.” This is just one example of how Barrington incorporates student guided curriculum into each classroom daily.

We take great pride in the education offered at Barrington. We believe that offering Pre-K and Pre-K+ programs allows to continue nurturing kids in a way most beneficial to them and their readiness for kindergarten.  who are not ready for kindergarten and those that are in kindergarten part-time.

Each day, we will strive to help your child meet key milestones while also providing a safe, independent environment in which to learn. Schedule a tour today to learn more.