About Us
Why Yadkin Path?
We are a place that, unlike many schools, meets far more than basic physical needs or academics. We are a home away from home that nourishes your child's emotional well-being and mental health. We are a Montessori school that specializes in nurturing cognitive development. We are a mini-community for your child, modeling positive real-world interactions in a safe, loving environment.
​
What does this mean for your child?
He or she will receive the opportunities and aid needed to become a balanced, inquisitive, confident, kind individual with a strong sense of self, love of learning, and the social skills to navigate the future.
What do we have to offer?
Child-Centered Curriculum
The phrase "child-centered" is trending right now, but what does it actually mean? Maria Montessori recognized the benefits of following the child long before "child-led" became a buzzword. At Yadkin Path it means that every item in the classroom serves a purpose for the child, is chosen to honor individual interests, and is supported by developmental research. It means our teachers carefully observe and know your child, tailoring new opportunities, materials, and lessons according to readiness and interest. Children are encouraged to recognize when they are tired, hungry, or need to go to the restroom and independently respond to those internal cues.
Space
Our spacious classrooms have almost double the square footage per child that other childcare facilities offer and we are the only facility in the county with meadows and wooded acreage for outdoor play.
Nature
Our children work closely with the environment, studying firsthand such subjects as ecology, natural history, and horticulture. They average several hours per day outdoors, compared to just 30 minutes per day at some schools. We have goats, chickens, and kitchen gardens for the children to enjoy.
Materials
Wherever possible, we use natural and beautiful materials and many of our "toys" are child-sized versions of everyday items with a practical life emphasis. Our children use real brooms, mops, and tools daily, as well as Montessori materials designed to isolate specific cognitive and academic concepts. They also have many sensorial, language, and creative activities to choose from.
Our Environment
Infant Environment: 6 weeks - about 18 months
Our infant environment looks nothing like daycare because we do not use bouncers, jumpers, exersaucers, or any other apparatus that would contain our babies and limit their mobility. They are too often used for the adult's convenience, but Yadkin Path's priority is the children. These devices contradict our goal of developing self-direction and motor skills. The room is designed with warmth, cognitive growth, and aesthetic stimulation in mind. Materials are visually appealing and carefully chosen for appropriateness (such as simple, color-contrasting images that are easy for still-developing eyes to see). There are floor beds available for naps, and we encourage children to recognize when they need rest, and practice self-regulation. Rather than being fed in highchairs, all infants capable of sitting enjoy their snacks and meals together at a low table, practice self-feeding skills, as appropriate. Our infant room strives as much as possible to be your child's second home, a warm, cozy nest.
Toddler Community: about 15 months - 3 years
Our toddler environment is arranged to emphasize autonomy and invite exploration. Children's belongings are kept accessible and within easy reach for even the tiniest toddlers, fostering independence and self-help skills. Shelf work covering practical life, sensorial investigation, language acquisition, arts and science exploration all engage toddlers deeply.
The Children’s House: 2.5 - 6 years
The Children's House is thoughtfully prepared and regularly adapted to follow the needs and interests of its students. All furniture and materials are child-sized, and children take an active role in the care of their environment: mopping spills, arranging flowers in vases, maintaining houseplants, and washing windows. Specialized Montessori materials isolate concepts, exposing children to geometry, geography, botany, writing, even the cubed root. Children who complete a full 3 year cycle in a Montessori Children's House tend to exhibit advanced subject knowledge, comprehension, and social skills.
Elementary Classroom: 6 - 9 years and 9 - 12 years
Our elementary space is deliberately designed to be engaging and interesting to the students who are then are able to link into the rich materials in the classroom and work alone or together to accomplish their academic and practical life tasks
The subject areas of our classroom include:
-
Language: handwriting, sentence parsing,sentence building, and word building
-
Math: concrete, hands-on, building numbers, building math problems
-
Science: scientific method used to answer questions posed by curious minds, science experiments, microscope skills
-
Library: great collection of fiction and non-fiction; leveled and phonics readers, encyclopedias, and other collections for research
-
Cultural: cultural geography, history, timeline
-
Building and Planting: woodworking equipment and other crafts; transplanting tiny plants
-
Art: art history, mediums, color wheel, basic elements of drawing, and prominent artists
Morning Preschool Program: 2-5 years (Pre-Kindergarten)
Our Morning Preschool Program offers a gentle introduction to a school setting for children aged 2, 3, 4, and 5 who are not yet in kindergarten. It provides the mental and cognitive challenges your child is ready for, without the commitment of a full day. The program follows a typical school calendar, running Monday through Thursday for 9.5 months, from August through May.
Morning Preschool Schedule Monday - Thursday:
-
2’s: 8:30 - 11:30AM
-
3’s and 4’s: 8:30 - 11:45AM
(4’s stay for lunch on Wednesdays until 12:30PM if desired) -
5’s 8:30AM – 12:30PM
(5’s stay for lunch every day if desired)
We require parents to tour Yadkin Path Montessori and for children aged 3, 4, and 5 to visit the classroom prior to acceptance/enrollment.
This is a stand-alone program and does not guarantee enrollment in Yadkin Path Montessori as a full-time student.
Adolescent Program: 12-15 years
More info coming soon - enrolling 12- and 13-year-old (or rising 7th grade) self-motivated, independent, curious students, preferably with experience in non-traditional educational settings, with the goal of growing with the students each year. Please contact us with any questions about this program!
The School Day
A typical day at Yadkin Path revolves around the traditional Montessori three-hour work cycle, allowing children to select their activities and hone their concentration without interruption. The schedule varies slightly between classrooms, particularly the infant room which follows the unique timetables of each baby's needs.
Arrival & Before School Activities
6:30 - 8:30AM
A typical day at Yadkin Path revolves around the traditional Montessori three-hour work cycle, allowing children to select their activities and hone their concentration without interruption. The schedule varies slightly between classrooms, particularly the infant room which follows the unique timetables of each baby's needs.
Morning Snack & Classroom Time
8:30 - 11:30AM
Maria Montessori observed that, provided freedoms within a carefully prepared environment, children settle into natural rhythms of concentration which she called "work cycles." During these cycles, children are free to:
• select activities that engage them
• recognize their internal cues and drink or eat accordingly
rest and have quiet time when needed
• develop prosocial skills through practicing "grace and courtesy," bonding with friends, and resolving conflicts peacefully
• receive one-on-one lessons the teacher prepares based on observations about each child’s interests and readiness
• enjoy at least 30 minutes outdoors, rain or shine (excepting air quality concerns and weather warnings)
Lunch
11:30AM - 12:00PM
Our students bring home-packed foods, following USDA guidelines.
Nap & Elementary School Departure
12:00 - 2:30PM
All children are assigned their own floor bed or cot and allowed to sleep as needed. Elementary students depart at 2:30.
Afternoon Snack & Classroom Time
2:30 - 5:30PM
The afternoon mirrors the morning work cycle, with more emphasis on outdoor free play. Students should depart no later than 5:30. We ask that parents honor our departure times as children may become quite distressed when they are not picked up when expected.
