Our Classroom
King Street is a place where a child can feel safe to try new things, a place to find out how strong they are and a place to be Free to be themselves.
If you watch children learn to walk, they don't read about it and walk, they watch, try it, stumble and try it again. - Susanne Kersta, Ph.D.
Daily Schedule
Our preschool day is broken into three main parts: Free Play Time, Outside Play Time, and Circle Gatherings.
- 8:00 Teacher arrives and begins school set-up
- 8:30 Snack and Float Family-Teachers arrive to assist with school set-up
- 8:45 Family-Teachers arrive ready to help finish set-up and meet with team at 8:50
- 9:00 Class begins with Free Play Time in the Gym and Art room or Home Center room (alternating weekly)
- 9:30 Snack open and available for children to eat
- 10:20 Last call for snack; children who have not yet eaten will go to the snack room
- 10:20 Art/Home Center closes (put away in these rooms)
- 10:30 Put Away Time; children leave snack room and Snack Family-Teacher closes the door
- 10:40 Circle Time in the Home Center
- 11:00 Transition to Outside
- 11:20 Outside free play
- 12:05 Put Away Time
- 12:15 Closing Circle Gathering (stories, songs, sharing, conversation)
- 12:30 Class ends, Family-Teachers remain to finish cleaning/final put-away; all children are picked up from Circle Time
Class Size
Each class enrolls no more than 16 children. One teacher and 4 parent-teachers attend each class. Two teachers on Tuesdays.
Who We Are at King Street
Nature Curriculum
At King Street, we believe that nature is a powerful classroom that extends and enhances the learning happening inside to the out-of-doors. In addition to the physical and intellectual growth that playing outside brings, children develop a connection to the Earth and ecosystems around them, which results in children and families striving to live in community and care for the natural world we all share.
Children play outside every day at King Street. A significant portion of the school day is spent in our large multi-tiered outdoor play space, rain or shine, hot or cold. They can dig, run, bike, swing, climb, balance, plant, slide, build, and create.
We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see. And touch. And hear.- Richard Louv
Author of Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle
Nature Day
Throughout the year, on Fridays, there are also several "Nature Days" planned where King Street teachers lead the school day off-site at local Seattle Parks, ranging from Seward Park to the Arboretum. These occur about once or twice a month. This gives children and families a chance to become acquainted with local ecosystems and develop familiarity with the natural spaces in their neighborhoods, while hiking, playing and exploring together.
"I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life." - Bill Watterson via Calvin and Hobbes
Sample Curriculums
Our teachers post new monthly curriculum via email to the community. Activities during the school day change daily or weekly.