• To encourage the young child’s positive self-image and feelings of personal worth and value.

    • To support and guide growth and understanding of relationships with other people.

    • To provide a loving, nurturing environment for social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and creative development through many varied hands-on experiences and materials.

    • To perpetuate curiosity, eagerness to learn and joy of living in each child.

    • To scaffold learning and fully prepare each child for Kindergarten.

    • The curriculum is modeled after the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards.

    • Children in the 2’s program do not need to be toilet trained.

    • Children in the 3’s program are not required to be toilet trained, but it is strongly recommended. Families are encouraged to look for signs of readiness to begin the process. We will happily work with you toward achieving this goal.

    • Children in the 4’s program are required to be toilet trained.

    • We guide children using positive redirection implementing many tenants of the Conscious Discipline approach.

    • Teachers discuss appropriate behavior such as “running is for outside,” “friends are to be treated kindly,” “please use your inside voice,” etc.

    • Children are encouraged and given the tools to problem solve and verbally express feelings, needs and wants.

    • Our 2’s class has 3 teachers to a maximum of 8 children

    • Our 3’s and 4's classes each have 2 teachers to a maximum of 18 children, with additional assistance on an as needed basis.

    • These ratios are significantly better than those required by the Office of Early Childhood.

  • No, Saugatuck Nursery School is a non-profit, interfaith, and multi-culturally school licensed for a maximum of 48 students by the Office of Early Childhood.

    • SNS offers a 10-month school year and a 7-week summer camp with many programming options.

    • Two year old children may attend our morning program from 9am-12pm or 9am-1:30pm.

    • Three and Four year old children may attend our program from 9am-12pm or 9am-1:30pm.

    • Lunch bunch is available for our 3's and 4's. The two year old children have lunch during the school day.

    • We offer after school enrichment programs for our Four year old children Monday - Thursday. These take place at 1:30pm and conclude at 3pm.

    • Please refer to individual classroom options for greater detail.

  • There is the option for early drop off or lunch bunch, provided space is available.

    • Current and returning SNS families are given priority based on a point system and then on a first-come, first-served basis during the primary enrollment period.

    • All applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of points during the rolling enrollment period.

    • Please click here to refer to the enrollment terms and conditions policy.

  • For those families facing financial challenges, we offer partial scholarships, on the basis of need. Families seeking may contact the Director and submit an application to be considered. All information received will be kept strictly confidential.