Our school day starts at 8:45 and ends at 11:45. Our typical day looks like this:
8:45 Arrival / Sign In
9:00 Morning Meeting
9:15 Free Play / Investigations
10:20 Clean Up
10:30 Book Break
10:45 Handwashing / Snacktime
11:00 Dressing / Outdoor Time
11:45 Parent Pick-up
UCNS is open from September through June. Our calendar follows closely, although not exactly, the Ithaca City and Lansing Central school district calendars. Children may enroll 5 days a week (Monday-Friday), 3 days a week (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), or 2 days a week (Tuesday/Thursday). *There is also an option to enroll for 5 days and choose which combination of days you would like your child to attend/to do 4 days. Some families have also chosen to start with 2 days and add days as the year progresses.
Our Facility
UCNS is located at 59 Dart Drive in Ithaca, NY, in a house that is owned and maintained by Cornell University. The building has been modified to accommodate the needs of a preschool classroom while still retaining its homey, non-institutional feel.
Our school has two inviting classrooms with lots of windows and natural light, a kitchen for food preparation and baking projects, a family room for socializing, a library, and an administrative office.
The classrooms are thoughtfully laid out to encourage children to engage in a variety of activities during their morning playtime including art projects, sensory tables, writing, reading, building, and imaginative play. Our classroom and the activities available evolve throughout the year to meet the changing needs of the children.
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”
— Fred Rogers, American television personality, 1928-2003
Our outdoor space is a large fenced-in yard. On one end, there are play structures, swings, playhouses, cars and bikes, a sandbox, and an outdoor water table. The other side of the playground is a grassy open area for running and experiencing the pleasures of the changing seasons—water play in hot weather, playing with leaves in fall, sledding and making snowmen in winter.