Kaile Thomas, Executive Director
Welcome
Welcome to The Little School! We are so glad that you are here.
The Little School was founded in 1984 by Leslie Roffman and Tim Treadway. The relationship-based philosophy from which the school was built has created long-term dedication and commitment on the part of staff, families, and children. The Little School is a place where everyone is recognized and accepted, where everyone’s strengths and passions play a key role, and where there are deep ties to each other that allow for unprecedented longevity and continuity for staff, families, and children. When you join The Little School, you are joining a lifelong community.
We believe that children thrive in an environment where they are appreciated, respected, and supported. As strong, reciprocal relationships are essential to all learning and growth, they are at the core of The Little School’s unique emphasis on social emotional development. Little School children learn how to identify and express their feelings, solve problems, work with peers, and build critical tools for self-regulation.
In addition to being a relationship-based program, The Little School upholds three core pillars as central tenets to our ethos: high quality early childhood education, inclusion, and diversity. We take strong family-school partnerships very seriously and invest in strengthening relationships and building trust between each teacher and child, child and family, and family and teacher. We build bridges of communication to connect the child’s school life to their home life. We draw upon the expertise of our staff and all educational stakeholders associated with the child to form a cohesive multi-disciplinary team and developmental plan. Our supportive community, where everyone feels respected and included, helps to create a solid foundation, upon which learning can thrive and relationships can flourish.
The Little School teachers are the heart of our school. Our commitment to early childhood education and to ongoing teacher development has allowed us to foster a remarkably dedicated staff, many of whom have been with the school from its early days. Teachers have been at The Little School for an average of 8.5 years, and several teachers have been here for 30+ years. Our teachers are adept at helping each child develop their unique strengths and talents, recognizing their individual learning style, and utilizing an emergent and hands-on curriculum that instills a love of learning and awareness of self that continues beyond the preschool years. Children’s interests are expanded upon, creating long-term projects, and scaffolding a myriad of learning opportunities, throughout the school year. The Woods Program for older students takes advantage of our location near the Presidio every Monday when our students explore the outdoors with long stretches of nature play and outdoor exploration. Teachers have ample time for planning, reflection, and communication, and work in collaboration with the whole school community.
The Little School is committed to serving children with diverse developmental profiles, including children with identified special needs. We value diversity in many forms, and Little School families come in all different shapes and sizes. Likewise, our staff diversity mirrors that of our families. Being an inclusive and diverse school benefits every child, teacher, and family within our community. We acknowledge and celebrate our collective similarities and differences, sparking a developmentally appropriate and ongoing dialogue about the importance of diversity. A wide range of learners encourages our teachers to develop strategies and learning tools for differentiated instruction, and to continue to elevate their teaching practice. One of our mantras is, “everybody has strengths and everybody is working on something. What are you working on?”
Our amazing facility, which we are honored to call home, was intentionally designed to welcome all children. In addition to our modern and mindfully constructed classrooms, with their lofts, sensory tables, cozy nooks, and peekaboo windows, our expansive indoor Sky Room provides a space for physical exploration and gross motor development with an emphasis on proprioceptive and vestibular awareness and input. Our yard is home to two sand areas, a stream, greenery, and plant life. Our outdoor area also houses a special Yellow Building, created specifically for intentional pullout sessions and small group work with children, including a padded sensory area and art space.
I invite you to visit The Little School to see us in action, where you will be inspired by our masterful teachers, the joyous and loving environment, and the intentional ways in which we partner with families and guide your child’s growth and development.
I hope to see you soon,
Executive Director