Mission Statement
Newtowne School is a parent cooperative preschool located in historic Harvard Square that serves children ages two to five. Newtowne's deeply engaged faculty works closely with families to nurture and stimulate young children as they make the transition from the world of home to the world of school. Parent involvement, both inside and outside the classroom, creates a strong sense of community that enriches the school. Throughout our 40-year history, Newtowne has always been a responsive and flexible place, open to innovations in early childhood education and to the evolving needs of our community. Our mission is to:
- provide a warm, caring environment that welcomes children and families of diverse backgrounds.
- encourage young children to explore, experiment, create, and pursue challenging projects.
- develop children's self-confidence, self-expression, independence, and love of learning
- guide children as they learn to play together and negotiate new relationships.
- foster an appreciation of differences in personality and culture.
- promote peace in our classrooms and in the world beyond.
- prepare children, in a gentle way, for a more formal education in the years to come.
Educational Philosophy
Children find meaning and joy through play. Our commitment to this essential truth is seen in our rich, developmentally appropriate play-based curriculum.
Inspired by the progressive educational tradition of Reggio Emilia, we believe that children are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with adult-given knowledge, but are constructors of their own learning and experience. The teacher's role in such an environment is to facilitate, guide, observe, support, and inspire children.
This principle of "constructivism" has been developed in the renowned municipal preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Reggio schools are characterized by a deep engagement with the child at every level: the design of space; the pacing and schedule of the child's day; the availability of high quality, mesmerizing materials; and, above all, the quality of a child's relationships.
The classroom environments at Newtowne are carefully designed to promote a sense of wonder, inquiry, and human connection. We believe that the environment is a teacher; our bright spacious classrooms offer quiet spaces for children to work in small groups, cozy corners for being comfortable or alone, and engaging play structures at varying heights and angles for active gross motor and dramatic play.
During the course of the day, children have the opportunity to use different learning spaces for explorations involving nature, stories, engineering, mathematical reasoning, and music. Each classroom features a writing center and an expressive arts studio where children can develop their ideas in a variety of media. We also have a larger arts studio staffed by our all-school Atelierista, where children can find material resources, creative inspiration, and a dynamic place to let their imaginations run wild. At Newtowne, we believe that the expressive arts represent the many "languages of childhood."
Experienced Faculty
Newtowne teachers spend time each day reflecting on each child's development, as well as documenting children's projects with the use of journals, cameras, and a record of the child's own words. This documentation makes learning visible - for children, parents, and teachers.
As teachers observe, respond, and reflect, they encourage children to take their own learning seriously and become more deeply involved in it. This approach promotes a level of cognitive and emotional engagement that prepares children for the critical thinking they will need as they grow older.
Newtowne benefits from a richly talented and experienced faculty. Our EEC-licensed teachers have extensive training in early childhood education, and many have graduate degrees in related fields. Our cooperative teaching model enables teachers to understand and support children more fully than in a traditional school structure; we learn from parents as they learn from us. The school's location within a thriving community of educators also inspires innovative, dynamic teaching practices, self-reflection and professional growth.
Parent Cooperative
Cooperative preschools offer a near-perfect fit for the principles of Reggio Emilia: the presence of parents in the classrooms allows us to "go deep" with children and respond more fully to their interests and needs. All Newtowne teachers are committed to Reggio-inspired teaching practices. In addition to our in-house training, some of our teachers have studied Reggio principles at the graduate level, and our Director has visited schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. We welcome parents' involvement in our journey of teaching in the "Reggio Way."
At Newtowne, parents contribute in the following ways:
- Parent jobs. Every parent has a job, ranging from roles in school management and administration to fund-raising, enrollment, and classroom maintenance.
- Classroom help. Parents help out in the classroom approximately one morning every three weeks, assisting teachers with curriculum and classroom management, providing snacks, and sharing their interests and family traditions with the community. Parent helping allows parents to be actively involved in the classroom and to gain insight into their child's world.
- Newtowne events. The school relies on help from families at school fund raising events and at the annual Spring Fair.
- Work days. Twice each year, parents come together at the school to help teachers clean and prepare the classrooms for the children.
Newtowne & Working Parents
Newtowne can be a viable and rewarding choice for working parents when at least one parent has a flexible schedule and can fulfill the responsibilities of belonging to a cooperative. As a preschool, Newtowne is not designed to provide full-time childcare, yet the school addresses the needs of working parents with its five-day week and the early drop-off, extended day, and summer camp programs. As a cooperative school, Newtowne fosters a strong sense of community for families. This warm supportive atmosphere helps parents at work feel more comfortable, assured that their children are in good hands.
Commitment to Diversity
Newtowne is committed to providing a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic learning environment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or family structure.
Scholarship Fund
Newtowne has a scholarship fund for qualified families and we strongly encourage families seeking financial aid to apply.