We are both! Our qualified teachers, pedagogy approaches, and learning environments represent high-quality early childhood education. We also believe that when children enroll, the whole family enrolls and the first way to help a modern-day family is with their schedule. We hold a deep commitment to flexible scheduling while providing a high-quality preschool environment and early childhood education experience for our students.
Mostly. The U School follows the Ann Arbor Public Schools calendar as a guide; we begin and end our school year on the same days as AAPS does and are closed during the first week of Winter Break. However, the U School remains open to families during AAPS Summer Break, Winter Break Week 2, and Spring Break. We are closed for a few public holidays during the year. We are also closed to families for one week prior to the summer programming and one week prior to the start of the academic year for building-wide cleaning, organizing, and staff professional development. (Please refer to the public calendar for specific dates.)
Yes, many of them do. The three teaching positions in each classroom—Lead, Co, and Assistant—have varying degree/qualification requirements and preferences. Please refer to our U Team page to learn about the specific experiences and qualifications of our staff.
The U School follows an Anti-Bias Curriculum approach combined with a Place-Based Learning approach (read more about each here). This means that the school does not promote or celebrate any holidays. If a child celebrates a holiday and wants to share that with their class, whether formal or informal, we honor that for the child and view it as a welcome learning moment for our community. A classroom may also explore different holidays or celebrations as initiated and guided by the children’s learning interest, in line with emergent curriculum pedagogies.
The short answer is yes, it is. While some of the morning learning choices may be offered again in the afternoon, due to rest time and the need to accommodate different children’s energy rhythms, the afternoon can look a little different from the morning.
It’s calming time—an opportunity for children to rest on their individual mats with a blanket/pillow, and perhaps a cuddly toy from home, a book, or a rest choice box (which contains a small selection of toys to explore with, like Legos or a puzzle). Our goal is to make rest time comfortable and enjoyable for every child while they practice using their calming power, whether they choose to sleep or not.
Many, many times a day, in all kinds of weather! The U School holds a deep value for the rich learning that happens through interaction with and in nature. The only thing that will stop us from getting outside is severe weather, such as extreme cold, extreme heat, or thunderstorms (with lightening).
The U School serves three snacks daily (morning, mid-morning, and afternoon) that are gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan. These snacks are small and power-packed, with attention to nutritional values. We are committed to sourcing and serving as much organic and local foods as possible. In the afternoons, some of our snacks may be created and served by the children as part of classroom cooking projects. Samples of items the children have cooked and delivered include power bites, sushi bowls, granola, hummus, and plenty of soups! The snack menu is published for families at the beginning of each week.
The U School does not provide lunch. Children bring their own lunches to school that must be nut free (peanuts and tree nuts).
At the U School, we want our food to be as inclusive as possible for all humans. For that reason, our snack menu is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan foods. (As a school, we are a NO NUT facility. We require that children’s provided lunches do not contain nuts of any kind, including any peanuts and tree nuts.) For more specific dietary requirements of an individual child, all informed allergies and food restrictions are posted in each classroom. If your child has a food allergy or restriction, a plan can be made to substitute for alternative foods or you may choose to provide your own snack.
