Welcome from the Head
Welcome to The Little School!
From the first time I walked onto campus, I have marveled at the way curiosity shapes our students’ experience of learning. At The Little School, we’ve designed a program to capture and cultivate children’s engagement and wonder. Curious thinkers make connections. So, we make sure that each child’s experience with us balances academic, social and experiential learning within a deeply caring and connected community.
Our 12.5-acre campus provides a unique lab for play and exploration. Each day, our students are outside constructing their understanding of the natural and social world.
As they design complex forts in our forest at recess or, as we call it, Outside Time, they also hone their engineering and collaboration skills. As they explore and catalogue different species of plants with our environmental science teacher, they observe, question, hypothesize, predict and test in a setting that brings their learning to life.
Inside our classrooms, children build thinking and social skills that allow them to meaningfully apply their learning as mathematicians, writers, readers, artists, scientists and friends.
Here, you will find a passion for creativity and expression that ensures our students find their voice and flourish, not only at The Little School, but well into their future. We are proud that our graduates are thriving in public and private middle schools across our region.
I invite you to visit and learn more about us. Bring your curiosity and discover what learning looks like here at The Little School. I look forward to meeting you!
Warmly,
Julie
Julie Kalmus
We were so excited that Studio Meng Strazzara and the Daily Journal of Commerce chose The Rivers Building as its Project of the Week!
- campus
The Little School
Take a look at what TLS has been doing the last two years! In our new publication, Expanding Possibilities, we share updates from our amazing community.
Amanda Haecker – 3rd grade teacher
Leading students in conversations about math helps them see patterns and connections and build a positive relationship with math.
- math
Max Honch – 4th/5th grade teacher
While some questions children may ask can feel uncomfortable to answer, they are critical for developing a class community.
- social emotional learning
Cindy Weber, Kristin Hornell, Jacqueline Latif and Mem Merrin – early childhood teachers
Outdoor play and learning across all seasons are valued at TLS. We have embraced our climate and are outside rain or shine.
- outdoor play
Jimmy Chu – third grade teacher
Learn more about the intersection of the outdoors and SEL (social-emotional learning) and how they offer fresh learning experiences.
- social emotional learning
Sarah Jamal and Morgan Padgett – 1st/2nd grade teachers
How can we use our understanding of children to offer opportunities to experiment with writing in meaningful ways?
- literacy
Katie Warden
Katie Warden teaches 4th and 5th grade students at TLS. She created a video that explains how multiplication and division are taught in her program.
- math
Aurora McCone and Taira McKinney – Kindergarten Teachers
With a diverse range of students, teachers are always excited for each student to show their strengths in their work.
- literacy
- math
Katie Warden, Max Honch and Maddie Rawding – 4th/5th grade teaching team
Many teaching teams at The Little School choose a thematic word to guide our integrated approach to academics.
- theme
Alice Hauschka, Assistant Head of School
Regardless of the age of the child, our teachers seize on their intrinsic curiosity and motivation to learn, as well as their inherent desire to be known.