In the 4s, children phase into a full day program at their own pace, beginning with smaller groups and shorter days. Again, teachers and parents work together to follow the children’s lead as they indicate when they are ready to be autonomous in the classroom.

After this transition, partnerships between the School and the families continue to be an integral part of Blue School’s learning environment. Parents are encouraged to participate in the classroom through the documentation of children's work, assisting in the art studio, serving as guest artists, helping with classroom activities such as book reading, cooking or playground trips, and joining us for lunch—one of the most social times of the day. We honor parents' unique role and believe that their connection to the program enriches it significantly.

The 4s meet four days per week with the option of an additional class on Fridays. The day begins with a "soft entry" that provides an opportunity for children to transition gently from the outside world to the classroom environment. Several activities are available for the children and parents as they arrive. This free-choice time allows for children to acclimate to the classroom environment and gives parents the opportunity to work alongside their child and connect with other members of the community. At the appropriate time, parents say goodbye and the children continue exploring until morning meeting.

Morning meeting provides the foundation of the 4s curriculum as it is where the community comes together. It is here the children’s interests and inquiries are shared as well as personal stories. Morning meeting is a literacy rich time where the children and teachers discuss the weather, calendar, attendance, and sing songs together. The day’s activities are also discussed. Early science and math skills are embedded as well as the children learn to identify, count and graph many different concepts.

After meeting, emergent themes are deeply explored parallel to free choice activities. During this time, the children work in both small and large groups, depending on the activity. The wide selection of activities encourages children to make choices independently and develop areas of unique and sustained interest. Children may decide to explore blocks or other building materials, to dictate stories or participate in dramatic play and puppetry, or to investigative science projects.

Teachers and children work together to expand these areas of interest. Working in small groups within this supportive setting encourages children's social and emotional growth. Throughout the day, teachers will guide children to express themselves clearly and to genuinely respect their peers' feelings. During small-group work, teachers have in-depth conversations with the children to find out what topics are sparking the most interest. Then, the teachers work to develop the children's inquiries into these topics by bringing in relevant books to read, organizing field trips, setting up information gathering interviews, or by initiating other forms of collaborative research. The art studio teacher will work with the children to translate their research into two- and three-dimensional artwork. Dramatic arts, music and language specialists also incorporate the children’s learning through those varying media.

Children have ample time for physical play throughout the day. In the Wonder Room, they can build structures and create their own dramatic play scenarios. They can also play games on the interactive light floor or choose to try rock climbing. The outside classroom, be it our community garden, the playground or taking a neighborhood walk is another part of the 4s day.

EXTENDED DAY
Extended day operates within our educational program as a way to support students who are ready to explore their interests as they evolve in a longer school day, which consists of two hours of additional class time.  The extension of our standard program offers children the opportunity to explore units of inquiry in greater depth.  This option enhances our program by facilitating continued exploration and socialization for students.