Q: Where are you located?
A: Lakewood Avenue Children’s School is located at 1701 Lakewood Avenue, minutes from Duke University in a residential neighborhood near Lakewood Shopping Center.
Q: When is the School open?
A: The School is open from 7:30-5:30, Monday through Friday. Children can arrive and depart according to their parents’ schedules, but we do encourage parents to arrive by 9:30 so their children won’t miss all the fun. To encourage strong, continuous relationships, Lakewood does not offer part-time care. Lakewood operates year-round and our yearly calendar includes several holidays and annual breaks.
Q: How many and what age children does Lakewood Avenue Children’s School serve? What are the class sizes?
A: School enrollment is limited to 33 children divided into three classrooms: a Toddler Class for 8 one-year-olds, a Middler Class for 8-10 two-year-olds, and a Preschool Class for 15-17 three-, four-, and five-year-olds. Each class has two teachers.
Q: What would my child’s daily schedule be like?
A: Your child would find that each school day includes a rich combination of indoor and outdoor activities: art, sand and water play, science, language and literature, math, music and movement, dramatic play, block building, large motor play, and self-help and care activities, including lunch, snacks, and nap. Children spend time in both group and individual activities, and field trips and special visitors are planned for all age groups.
Q: How does the School maintain relationships with families?
A: Partnerships between parents and teachers are fostered by communication via anecdotal records, informal talks, and regular conferences, and by classroom events such as parties, field trips, and special projects. Whole school events are scheduled throughout the year, such as the Hello Picnic, parent/teacher volunteer projects, class field trips, and Graduation.
Q: How do I go about enrolling my child?
A: Email the Director and schedule a visit to the school; if you like what you see, complete an application (there is a $50 application fee). We usually enroll new students in September, but occasionally unexpected openings occur during the school year. We give preference to siblings of enrolled children, we try to balance the class by age and gender, and we encourage diversity in the School. If you are offered enrollment and decide to accept, you will need to make a non-refundable deposit of one month’s fees. This deposit will be used for your child’s first month of schooling.
Q: What are the qualities of the Yale Model and the Reggio Emilia approach used by Lakewood’s program?
A: Yale University offers high-quality early childhood programs through a network of residentially-based centers, many of them set in renovated homes. This system allows families to access child care in an intimate, home-like setting. Reggio Emilia is a small city south of Milan, Italy, recognized globally for its high-quality municipal early childhood program. The Reggio approach emphasizes beautiful surroundings for children, the development of the whole child, and relationships among children and their families, teachers, and community members. An excellent anthology on the Reggio approach is The Hundred Languages of Children edited by Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini, and George Forman.
Q: How do I learn more?
A: Contact the Director, Betsy Ferney, at 919/493-5882 or by email.