Children have the right to use many materials in order to discover and communicate what they know, understand and question. In this way, they make their thinking visible through their many natural "languages." A studio teacher works closely with children and teachers to enable children to explore many materials and to use a great number of languages to make their thinking visible.

What age does my child need to be for entrance into your program?

All children must be at least 1.7 by September 1 of the school year. Children who turn 1.7 during the year are not eligible.

How do I begin the application process?

Fill out this Application Form and send the $55 application fee.

What happens during the application process?

Once we have the application we invite you in for a tour for the adults. The next step after the tour is a playdate with your child in the classroom that he/she would be entering the following year.

Do you take children into the program in the middle of the year?

We’re generally full in September and only accept children if a spot unexpectedly opens up and a family leaves.

Do you have a sibling policy?

Siblings are eligible for early notification.

Does my child have to be potty trained?

Not for the toddler room or nursery.

What ages of children are in each room?

The toddlers are from 1.7 through 2.7. The nursery children are from 2.8 through 3.8. The pre-k children are from 3.9-4.9

How many children are in each room?

The toddler room has a maximum of 11 children. The nursery and pre-k have between 14 and 15 children

How many teachers are in each room?

There are two teachers in the toddler room between 8:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. and three teachers between 9:00 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. There are again two teachers between 3:30 and 5:45 when there are less children in the classroom. There are four permanent teachers in the toddler room. There are two teachers in the nursery and pre-k rooms between 9:00 P.M and 5:45 P.M. There is one teacher during drop off between 8:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. There are three permanent teachers in the nursery classroom and the same number in the pre-k classroom. Read more about our teachers.

Do you have music and movement or any “specialists” in the school?

Yes, we have a professional musician on staff who works in each classroom.

What kind of staff development do your teachers receive?

Teachers have opportunities to attend workshops and conferences based on the Reggio Emilia approach in Washington, D.C., Boulder, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Pa., Reggio Emilia, Italy and Pistoia, Italy. We also work with various consultants to strengthen our understanding and knowledge of the Reggio Emilia philosophy.

What calendar do you follow?

We roughly follow the New York City Department of Education calendar for major holidays and Federal holidays. The school makes determinations if we should close at other times in extreme weather situations. The current year’s calendar is available upon request.

What date do you open in September and when do you end your school year?

We open the day after Labor Day and we close the last Thursday in July.

What help is given to families whose children leave Family Annex after pre-k?

In the fall of the pre-k year, a meeting is held for current pre-k parents to hear about the experiences of former parents around both public and private schools. The director will then meet individually with families to talk about schools that would be a good fit for their children. All admission and referral forms will be reviewed by the director and teacher and submitted to the on-going schools. The director will follow up with directors of on-going schools as required or requested by parents.

A partial list of acceptances for our pre-k children includes: Speyer Legacy, Manhattan Country School, Bank Street, Trevor, Calhoun, Riverdale Day School, Studio School, Dwight, La Scuola D'Italia, The School at Columbia, The Cathedral School, Spence, Hunter College Elementary School, and St. Hilda's & St. Hughes. Children have also been accepted in bilingual public programs and G&T public programs.