Pre-Schools
Beacon Center for Children
Beacon Center is a non-sectarian, racially non-discriminating pre-school for 2 to 5 year olds. The Center also has as after-school program for the Greenfield children in grades K-2. The school picks up the children from the Greenfield School, upon their dismissal, and escorts them to Beacon. [more]
Beginnings Learning Center
Beginnings provides a loving, caring environment where children learn, through play, skills that will be important all through their lives. Social and emotional development is considered as important as academic achievement. Activities geared to each age group are offered to enhance this natural growth. [more]
Children's Village Child Care
Children's Village Child Care Center has served children and their families in the Center City area sine 1976. Nationally accredited (by NAEYC) since 1996, the center’s degreed teachers skillfully deliver a curriculum that responds to children’s interests and strengths. [more]
Formative Years
The Formative Years is a private, nonsectarian preschool and kindergarten serving the center city community. The program is designed for children between the ages of three and six years. [more]
Friends Select School
An excellent academic program, a diverse community, talented faculty and the timeless values of Quakerism create unmatched opportunity for students at Friends Select, a 480-student college preparatory day school. Students experience rigorous academic programs and competitive college placement, and acquire confidence, creativity and independent thinking.[more]
The Philadelphia School (Preschool - 8th Grade)
Coeducational, nonsectarian independent school in Center City. The school offers a theme-based, interdisciplinary educational program to 356 students in preschool through eighth grade. [more]
St.Peters School
St Peter's School (pre-school to grade 8) is an independent, multi-denominational, coeducational day school in the historic section of Philadelphia. It serves families from all parts of Philadelphia and South Jersey. [more]
Trinity Playgroup
Trinity Playgroup provides a toddler, an intermediate and a pre-kindergarten group. A post day program of after-school play, conversation, stories, games and the visual arts is available for all three groups. There is a flexible schedule and an enriching morning and afternoon program year round. [more]
Beacon Center for Children
2125 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-963-0748
FAX: 215-963-0439
Type of School
Private, Non-Sectarian
Grade Levels
Preschool (2-5 years)
and School Age Program (5-7 years)
Director
Linda Burns
http://www.beaconcenterforchildren.com/
Beacon Center is a non-sectarian, racially non-discriminating pre-school for 2 to 5 year olds. The Center also has as after-school program for the Greenfield children in grades K-2. The school picks up the children from the Greenfield School, upon their dismissal, and escorts them to Beacon. The school is open all year round; full time from Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6 pm. Part time schedules are available.
Philosophy
The center provides educational, emotional, creative and social guidance for children in a home-like environment. It is the goal of the school to promote a positive self-image in children and to provide enjoyable activates which stimulate their curiosity, imagination, and intelligence. The school believes in sensory learning through play, games and manipulatives, making a child’s first “school” experience a relaxed, friendly, and joyous one. The Beacon Center is dedicated to excellence in childcare. The ultimate goal is to form a union with parents to help children develop confidence and a strong self-image.
The Program
The Beacon Center is dedicated to creating a home-like atmosphere of fun, challenge, understanding, and communication that will ensure the optimal growth of children, parents, and staff. The program combines a balance of indoor and outdoor activity time, quiet and active periods, teacher directed and children selected activities, allowing children to experiment and explore the world first hand, to be creative, and to develop to their fullest potential.
Children are divided into small groups; thus the program focuses on their individual needs and interests. The program consists of indoor and outdoor play, music appreciation, storytelling, drama, puppetry, dance, cooking, reading readiness, math, science, arts and crafts.
Children bring their own lunches. Morning and afternoon snacks are provided.
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Beginnings Learning Center
620 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Tel: 215-627-3668
FAX: 215-627-7016
Type of School
Private
Grade Levels
18 months to K
Director
Jackie DeLombard
Web
http://www.beginningspreschool.com/
Beginnings provides a loving, caring environment where children learn, through play, skills that will be important all through their lives. Social and emotional development is considered as important as academic achievement. Activities geared to each age group are offered to enhance this natural growth. Children are encouraged to make appropriate decisions, exercise independence and resolve conflicts under the guidance of highly qualified teachers.
The school is housed in two buildings, one for the Nursery school (ages 18 months to 3.5 years) and the Preschool for children 4 - K. The Nursery has an outdoor classroom deck and adjacent play yard with newly refurbished composite surface and an 8-foot fence surrounding it.
The school is small enough so that each child gets individual attention, but large enough so that children are exposed to a wide range of friendships and experiences. The diverse family backgrounds found at Beginnings provide a valuable resource for broadening the children's exposure to other cultures.
Through various activities students experience a language-rich environment that stimulates them to learn reading, math, basic science, and language. Art, music and movement activities are part of the daily experiences. Each morning includes stories, circle time, snack, and indoor and outdoor play. Older children spend part of each morning at one of two local parks. The preschool/kindergarten has implemented a new readiness program created by the Children's Literacy Initiative of Philadelphia.
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Children's Village Child Care
125 North 8th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-931-0190
FAX: 215-413-2102
Type of School
Independent, Non-profit
Grade Levels
13 months to 12 years
Executive Director
Mary Graham
Web
www.childrensvillagechildcare.com
Children's Village Child Care Center has served children and their families in the Center City area sine 1976. Nationally accredited (by NAEYC) since 1996, the center’s degreed teachers skillfully deliver a curriculum that responds to children’s interests and strengths.
There are over 200 toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners and after-school participants enrolled in the newly renovated, state-of-the-art environment. Nutritious meals and snacks are served family style with daily opportunities to run, play ball, ride trikes and tumble.
Children's Village Child Care represents this century’s cutting edge of early childhood education by meeting nationally recognized standards for quality children’s educational programming in a setting that is respectful and responsive to all families.
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Formative Years
1925 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
215-735-3558
Type of School
Private, Nonsectarian
Grade Levels
Pre-K – Kindergarten and After School
Director
Ann M. Seelaus
http://www.formativeyearslearningcenter.com/
The Formative Years is a private, nonsectarian preschool and kindergarten serving the center city community. The program is designed for children between the ages of three and six years. After school and summer programs are available to a limited number of elementary school-aged children on a first come first serve basis. The after-school program offers homework supervision, snack, play, arts and crafts, and a chess club with instruction.
The Formative years is a supportive, caring educational environment which enables each child to have a happy, secure start in their growth as creative individuals. The development of the basic skills and competencies of childhood and preparation for the requirements of formal education are the major goals of the curriculum. Learning and recreational activities are flexibility planned around the characteristics, needs, interests, and goals of the children and parents.
The staff utilizes the well-equipped, open-education environment as well as the numerous resources of the city (parks, museums, libraries, etc.) to enhance each child’s intellectual, social, emotional, physical and academic development.
Parents are always welcome to participate in the children’s activities, including trips, parties and the daily program.
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Friends Select School
17th Street and The Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone: 215-561-5900
FAX: 215-864-2979
Type of School
Independent, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Grade Levels
Pre K -12
Head of School
Rose Hagan
Web
www.friends-select.org
An excellent academic program, a diverse community, talented faculty and the timeless values of Quakerism create unmatched opportunity for students at Friends Select, a 480-student college preparatory day school. Students experience rigorous academic programs and competitive college placement, and acquire confidence, creativity and independent thinking.
Excellent extended day, vacation care, and summer programs are available for families, most of whom live or work in the city. Conveniently located on the Parkway in Center City, Friends Select occupies a unique campus featuring roof-top athletic fields and tennis courts, and shares joint programs with Parkway institutions and museums.
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The Philadelphia School
2501 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
215-545-5323
Type of School
Nonsectarian, independent
Grade Levels
Preschool - 8th Grade
Principal
Sandra Dean
Web Site
http://www.tpschool.org/
The Philadelphia School is a coeducational, nonsectarian independent school in Center City. The school offers a theme-based, interdisciplinary educational program to 356 students in preschool through eighth grade.
At the Philadelphia School the aim is to create an environment in which students will develop a love of learning that will remain with them throughout their lives. The school makes frequent use of the resources of the city, and students regularly experience a greener, less urban world at a nearby environmental center.
In the tradition of progressive education, the schools individualized approach to learning addresses developmental issues: how a child grows intellectually, emotionally, morally, socially, creatively, and physically. The school maintains the highest academic standards and is responsive to new developments in education.
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St. Peter's School
319 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-925-3963
FAX 215-925-3351
Type of School
Private, Independent, Multi-denominational
Grade Levels
Pre K (3 year olds) to Grade 8
Principal
David J. Costello
Web
http://st-peters-school.org/
St Peter's School (pre-school to grade 8) is an independent, multi-denominational, coeducational day school in the historic section of Philadelphia. It serves families from all parts of Philadelphia and South Jersey.
The school is distinguished by its small size – about 200 students and its commitment to civility, kindness, and excellence. St. Peter’s School, established in 1834, offers a traditional, yet innovative, curriculum including literature, mathematics, history, science, music as well as art, French, technology, and PE/sports.
Extended day programs are available.
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Trinity Playgroup
2212 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-732-2519
FAX: 215-7342-7519
Type of School
Private, Nonsectarian
Grade Levels
18 months – 51/2 years
Director
Christa Cywinski
http://www.trinityplaygroup.org/
Trinity Playgroup provides a toddler, an intermediate and a pre-kindergarten group. A post day program of after-school play, conversation, stories, games and the visual arts is available for all three groups. There is a flexible schedule and an enriching morning and afternoon program year round. Parents can choose as few as two mornings a week and as many as five full days, with a variety of pick up times.
The school is located in a large, architecturally beautiful space in the Parish House of Trinity Memorial Church. In addition to the three classrooms, the school has a spacious gross-motor area with room for dancing, climbing, riding bikes, and other stimulating exercise. Outside there are two sandboxes, climbers, picnic benches, a log cabin, and wading pools and sprinklers for summer. The school also takes advantage of the superb location to visit nearby parks, playgrounds, their garden plot, and the Public Library at Rittenhouse Square.
A close relationship is maintained with each family. Parents are encouraged to participate in Playgroup activities at least six hours per year.
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