Within Doane’s early childhood classrooms (Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten), you will find our young adventurers learning through play, inquiry, and exploration.  

Our whole-child approach to teaching and learning supports and nurtures all areas of children's development and learning--from social-emotional and cognitive skills to literacy, math, and science understanding.  

We whet our learners’ curiosity with a rich, immersive, and thoughtfully prepared environment that inspires them to ask questions and empowers them to discover answers.  

Here’s an example: one day, our learners are excited to notice that a pumpkin has appeared in the classroom, and that the shelves of the library are displaying many titles about pumpkins. Questions naturally begin to emerge, and teachers guide students through a series of interdisciplinary, hands-on experiences to learn more.  

• Our young mathematicians develop numeracy skills as they scoop seeds, estimate how many there are, and then count them.  
• As our aspiring global citizens carve the pumpkin, they learn more about autumnal celebrations around the world, building literacy and multicultural awareness.  
• Scientific thinking helps our students to understand the life cycle of a pumpkin and to plan an experiment that will allow them to figure out the conditions that inhibit or encourage decay and decomposition.

We know that children learn best in a supportive and loving community characterized by positive and caring relationships—that’s what Doane’s mission statement is all about. It’s our honor to guide our learners in developing their social-emotional intelligence.  We support our students in becoming better able to express and regulate their own emotions--and to identify and empathize with the emotions of their friends and peers. As our learners grow and mature, we encourage and empower them to engage in clear communication, social problem solving, and effective collaboration.  

In our Doane family, positive and caring relationships exist not only between teachers and students, but between teachers and families as well.  

• We invite families to participate in decision making and goal setting for their child.
• We engage families in two-way communication.
• We share resources and information.
• We encourage families to share their unique knowledge and skills and encourage active participation in the life of the school. 
• We regularly share videos, photos, and student work so that families can see their child’s progress and learning in action.  

Want to learn more? Complete our inquiry form so we can send you information about the school and application process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lower School Grades 1-5