Unity is unique in that we offer various schedules to accommodate families. Please don't hesitate to contact us by phone to set up a tour.
Toddler
Preschool/Pre-K
Ages 2-5
Come and play! The Unity School curriculum and daily routine are based on the HighScope curriculum, an inclusive child-centered program that uses a hands-on approach to develop cognitive, social, and physical skills.
Varied and fun activity centers offer opportunities for play, exploration, and learning at a relaxed pace. More structured, teacher-directed circles and small group times introduce new skills and develop the ability to work in groups. Classes for two, three and four-year-olds encourage plenty of social learning, while mixed-group opportunities provide a chance to stretch and grow.
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Each classroom develops a weekly or biweekly focus by brainstorming together and creating ‘concept webs’ that branch off from the previous week's focus. These webs often explore the world around us—from our own neighborhood to peoples and cultures worldwide; folk tales or dinosaurs; recycling and ecology; gardening or the solar system—wherever a child’s curiosity leads us!
Part-Day Preschool Room
Ages 3.5-5
We offer a part-day preschool class for children aged 3.5 to 5 years. This class will share a classroom with our after-school program, allowing us to hold the part-day preschool class in the morning from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Morning drop-off in this class begins at 8:30 am.
This class is distinct from our other preschool programs, as it follows the 4J closure schedule and is not offered in the summer. This enables our robust after-school program to use the classroom on their ‘No School’ days and full-time in the summer. As a result, the tuition rates for this class will be lower than those of our other preschool classes. Once you enroll, we will provide you with a calendar of days off to assist you in planning out your year. If summer care is needed, depending on room in other classes, we will try to accommodate you.
A unique feature of this class is the door that opens from the classroom to our beautiful organic garden, offering the children more opportunities for spending time in the garden than in the other classes. The classroom is the largest in our school, with a capacity of 27 children, but we will limit enrollment to no more than 14 children, ensuring plenty of space for everyone.
Summer Programs
Children need unstructured time in nature to immerse themselves in play. At Unity School, we provide outdoor summer activities, and our vast play yard serves as a classroom.
We spend nearly all our time exploring outside, interacting with mixed-age groups as children from all the classrooms play together in the yard throughout the day. We bring the classroom outside, offering sensory, dramatic play, science, and art activities in our large, shaded play yard.
We also furnish toys and props that promote large motor movement and cooperative play. We take field trips and do lots of gardening, too! We celebrate the beginning and end of summer with an ice cream social.
After School Program
K-4th
Unity is more than just a preschool! We have been proudly offering a comprehensive afterschool program for K-4th grade students since the 1980s—over 45 years! Additionally, we provide before-care services and transportation by bus to and from five nearby schools: Holt, Buena Vista, Gilham, Guy Lee, and Centennial. We also have full-day programs available during school holidays and throughout the summer for K-4th grade students.
Our school-age care program is located in our largest classroom, giving plenty of space to have various fun projects going on! After a full day of school, we welcome them with warmth and friendship. We understand that learning extends beyond the curriculum; therefore, in this class, we emphasize social and emotional learning, collaborative problem-solving, and becoming stewards of our Earth. We love providing the children with the opportunity to build community among their peers of various ages, and really try to incorporate what mentorship means around the younger children.
One of our primary focuses, beyond playtime, is building positive relationships with those around us. We emphasize positive conflict resolution, teach effective communication skills, and understand making mistakes is part of the learning process. Together, we work to foster kindness and nurture our development as caring members of our community.
In this class, we utilize the HighScope curriculum while paying close attention to the children’s interests so we can find activities they are interested in. This approach allows us to create exciting and engaging lesson plans that emphasize discovery and play. After a structured day with scheduled activities, the children have the opportunity to unwind. However, we will offer assistance with any homework they may have.
This classroom features a door that opens directly into the garden! Unlike other classrooms, students here can spend more time outdoors because they can easily step right into the garden. We often observe the afterschool group learning what it truly means to be environmentally aware and to be stewards of the land.
Another unique aspect of this class is that 83-90% of the students have been part of our program since age 2-3, learning the Unity way. It’s special and unique that the Unity team has had the opportunity to foster a long-time relationship and watch your child grow for nearly a decade. Your family will benefit from a stable and loving environment—a second home for your child as they transition from pre-kindergarten to elementary school!
Frequent field trips on no-school days demonstrate our commitment to modeling social responsibility and developing skills in public spaces as a group. We organize hiking excursions, picnics at parks, and outings to playgrounds. Our students have daily opportunities to work in our garden by planting seeds, caring for the plants, harvesting, and preparing meals with the fruits and vegetables they grow.
Our summer program runs Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm, and includes three field trips each week. We typically plan two major field trips a summer to places like Enchanted Forest or the Wildlife Safari. Additionally, we focus on outdoor play and discovery during our summer days!
