Ivy League School Excellence in Education. Quality of Character.

With an impressive history spanning nearly half a century...

At Ivy League School, we accomplish this mission through tapping into children’s multiple intelligences and distinct learning styles so each child is made to feel special and valued. From Pre-K through Elementary School, children enjoy a positive and nurturing environment where they are encouraged to try new things, think original thoughts, share of themselves and get along with others.

With one of the lowest student-to-teacher ratios on Long Island, Ivy League School has created an atmosphere where a high level of engagement between teacher and student ensures the development of good study habits, organizational skills, and a positive attitude toward learning. In addition to family, it is Ivy League’s highly experienced teachers who foster our students’ curiosity and promote their self-confidence, empowering them to become the creative and academic innovators of the next generation.

Ivy League SchoolA Pre-K through Elementary Independent School

To support and encourage a child’s lively intellect; promote independence and self-confidence; foster social competency, and inspire a love of learning.

Ivy League School has stayed true to its original mission:

Ivy League School is proud of its warm, safe and welcoming reputation, due largely to the partnership we establish with our students’ parents. This partnership has enabled Ivy League to become a “community” of sorts, a home away from home, where parents are always welcome in the classroom and encouraged to take an active role in our Parent-Teacher Organization. With frequent and open communication, parents and faculty work together to enhance the growth and development of every child.

By merging the best of research with a wisdom of practice gained over four decades of experience, Ivy League School continues to be at the forefront of independent schools. Our Pre-School offers a specially designed developmentally-appropriate curriculum where inviting learning activities stimulate and support emerging skills. Courses of study are designed to adapt to the world’s ever-changing events and new teaching methods are implemented once proven best for student learning. This flexibility, along with the stability of a seasoned staff, allows Ivy League School to deliver a comprehensive education that exceeds all local and national learning standards.

Ivy League SchoolA Pre-K through Elementary Independent School

Ivy League School Excellence in Education. Quality of Character.

Our staff is extremely sensitive to each child’s development, learning style and way of being in the world.

At Ivy League, we believe that pre-school is the place where children are most likely to develop a positive attitude toward school – establishing a connection between their early learning experience and how they will respond to, and pursue, future educational endeavors. Our aim is to create the most positive connection possible, which is why all of the Ivy League School staff is extremely sensitive to each child’s development, learning style and way of being in the world.

With low student-to-teacher ratios, our faculty consistently provides students with personalized attention, guiding them through highly engaging, multi-sensory learning experiences.

• Hands-on activities designed to develop, stimulate and sustain a child’s emerging skills

• Specialized teaching methods that integrate reading, writing and mathematical readiness skills into theme-based units that intrigue young children

Our specially-designed Learning Centers accommodate both purposeful play and planned, structured experiences. These centers provide a plenitude of instructional and developmental materials to help broaden learning and develop social skills while working with others.

“Productive Play”, as it’s called at Ivy League School, allows children to enjoy a wide range of activities that includes periods of art, music, storytelling, and block-building. A full-size gymnasium and vast array of outdoor facilities give children the opportunities needed to develop gross motor skills, engage in positive peer interaction, expand their creative flow with “pretend”, and of course, to enjoy learning.

Ivy League Pre-SchoolWhere the Connection Begins.

Mommy And Me ProgramLearning starts early at Ivy League School… with our Mommy and Me program designed for children between the ages of 18 and 24 months.

For one session a week, groups limited to six parents and their children attend this special program, where parents can connect with one another while also fulfilling their child’s urges to explore, learn and grow.

Program sessions are conducted by professional teachers and are composed of a variety of developmental activities – including music and movement – that allow children to have fun and learn at the same time.

Two-Year Old ProgramCreated to stimulate curiosity and develop intellectual processes… our Toddler program is the perfect place for 2-year olds. Held two days a week, each class is supervised by both an experienced teacher and assistant. Class sizes are limited to 8 to 10 children.

In safe and nurturing surroundings, teachers help children discover the world around them through:

• A “learn-through-play” environment that incorporates educational and manipulative materials for experimenting with objects and developing fine motor skills

• Language experiences such as songs, finger plays, games, poems and stories

• Child-centered classes with an emphasis on building self-confidence and independence

Three-Year Old ProgramIn a warm and nurturing environment, 3-year olds are able to reach important developmental milestones. A multi-sensory approach to learning, complete with visual, tactile and auditory experiences, enables each child to make the most of his or her emerging abilities and to feel happy and successful.

• A print-rich environment provides opportunities to draw children’s attention to letters, words and numbers

• Cooperative and creative guided play activities help children learn to share and take turns, foster language development or just “pretend”

• Daily opportunities for children to make mathematical and scientific discoveries using manipulative materials, puzzles, blocks and the outdoors

• Painting, sculpting, drawing, cutting and gluing enhance creative expression and fine motor skills

Pre-KHaving a choice of the perfect environment for your child is important… which is why Ivy League offers parents a variety of Pre-K classes from which to choose. Classes are designed to enrich both the mind and character of every student – providing individualized approaches to learning within an environment rich in fun, phonics, language instruction and self-esteem building activities.

Pre-School Options

Half Day 9:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. or 12:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Either 2, 3 or 5 days.

Mini Day 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Either 2, 3 or 5 days.

Full Day 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Either 2,3 or 5 days. Extended hours available.

Gifted Mini DayChildren who show superior learning and retention abilities and who are insatiably curious, thoroughly enjoy Ivy League School’s Gifted Mini Day Program. This program (typically groups of 20), is designed for the child who can demonstrate advanced literacy ability, has a zest for challenging his or her mind, and typically thinks “out of the box”.

• Broadens and deepens a child’s knowledge base with best practices adapted from research on teaching gifted children

• Enhances higher order thinking skills through a “learning-through-problem solving” approach

• Promotes creative expression, socialization and independence through structured and unstructured activity participation

Half DayA well-rounded program featuring specialized learning centers for children eager and ready to participate in organized learning situations. Mindful of the skills necessary at each developmental level, the teacher and teacher’s aide work with individual children, small groups and the whole group at different times during the day.

• Promotes language concepts, mathematical and scientific thinking, and artistic expression

• Allows the experience of integrated learning as children use all areas of the curriculum in meaningful ways

• Provides opportunity to freely express ideas through dramatic play, block-building, storytelling and story creation, music and creative arts

With a mix of teacher-directed and child-selected activities, children learn to make choices, collaborate with peers and become a part of a classroom community.

Mini Day An interdisciplinary connection is made across the Mini Day curriculum with an emphasis placed on laboratory-type science experiments, writing, and a phonics-based reading program.

• Encourages collaborative effort to solve mathematical equations, build maps, manage money and even run a classroom “store”

• Challenges each child’s developing capacities while allowing them enough time to practice newly acquired language, math and science skills

• Enables children to “teach” lessons in order to have fun while increasing confidence and self-esteem

• Cultivates children’s interest in the larger world through exposure to French, sign language, citizenship, music and art

Ivy League Pre-SchoolWhere the Connection Begins.

KindergartenIvy League School’s Kindergarten Program is renowned for providing children with the tools they need for reading, writing and reasoning. It also helps prepare children for the future by offering a variety of formal learning events and challenges they will experience in the years to come. Children work together in small groups to develop their problem-solving abilities and social skills, while simultaneously enhancing independent thinking.

The Kindergarten Program (optional schedule from 9:00 to either 2:30 or 3:30) is comprised of a stimulating and challenging (yet achievable) curriculum. Children are given constant support and are encouraged to reach their “potential” while increasing their attention span and developing solid work habits.

Students are worked with on a one-to-one basis. Ivy League’s low student-to-teacher ratio allows consistent communication, helping each child to:

• Develop beyond fundamental reading, writing and math skills

• Practice and reinforce learning through games, manipulative materials, media and the creative arts – all typically perceived by children as “play”

• Strengthen literacy skills by reading independently, and being read to, from an array of children’s literature and non-fiction titles

• Approach writing through an interactive process where children are encouraged to write in a free-flowing manner and eventually learn the many purposes, features and patterns of writing

• Learn about the world around them with a theme-based, integrated approach to social studies and science. This enables students to see the subtle connections across the curriculum and use newly acquired skills to learn more about plants, animals, the seasons, water, important holidays and so much more.

Full Day Highly academic and developmental in nature, our Full Day program provides an enriched environment focused on reading, math, writing and scientific principles. Using a creative approach to learning, students are involved in an exciting variety of learning centers designed to promote cognitive, artistic, physical, social and emotional development. Children are worked with on an individual basis so that they are able to learn at their own speed and gain maximum benefit from the full day curriculum.

• Builds comprehension, decoding and writing skills through storytelling, puppetry, dramatization, and book writing

• Exposes children to literacy and reading skill development (whole language and phonics-based) through an extensive language program

• Enhances reasoning and observation skills with daily, age-appropriate, science and math activities

Ivy League School fully integrates technology into every aspect of its curriculum. With a state-of-the-art Technology Center and computer access in every classroom, students are given the opportunity to publish their writing, engage in mathematical exploration, and retrieve, process and organize information through the use of Internet services. By offering a variety of technological outlets, Ivy League students are able to enhance their mind-set and expand their sphere of innovation and discovery.

Elementary SchoolIvy League’s Elementary School offers a highly interactive and thought-provoking curriculum. To help children reach their highest potential, our faculty uses models of teaching drawn from cognitive brain research on how children learn best. From first grade on, teachers stress higher order thinking skills and “habits of mind” that are the foundation of abstract thinking, imagination and judgment.

All Ivy League programs are based on three core principles:

Time and Opportunity:Students are taught according to their own, individual pace – giving them the time and opportunity required to achieve success. In an environment small enough for teachers to accommodate different learning styles, capabilities and personalities, yet large enough to provide multiple pathways to achievement, each child is made to feel special and valued.

Curriculum IntegrationIvy League School’s holistic learning environment is based on thoughtfully designed educational experiences that build common threads across the curriculum. These threads connect language arts, the natural sciences, mathematics, social studies, music and art.

Tec

hn

olo

gy

Individual Achievement Through Academic SuccessIvy League students become everything from avid readers and talented artists to fluent writers, proficient mathematicians and scientific thinkers. Their success can be attributed to Ivy League School’s ability to provide individual attention to each and every student, while holding true to the processes that catapult our students to high levels of accomplishment.

• Monitor student learning on a consistent basis in order to measure progress and revise an individual’s curriculum accordingly

• Maintain an engaging “community” where teachers communicate with parents about the growth and development of their child

• Participate in New York State’s extensive testing program – Ivy League students are typically high achievers on standardized tests

• Build a child’s self-esteem through academics and individual accomplishment

Language Arts and LiteracyIvy League’s innovative Language Arts and Literacy program applies both traditional and contemporary teaching approaches in order to develop proficient reading and writing skills. Throughout all aspects of the program, the curriculum features:

• A literature-based, phonics-supported program in which students are taught the connections between reading, writing, speaking and listening and how each of these tools is essential to the learning of all other subjects.

• Daily reading lessons where students are guided and taught the important skills necessary for comprehension (critical thinking), vocabulary development, narrative structure and fluency.

• Exposure to a vast range of literature – from fables and fiction to non-fiction and poetry, helping students to understand and appreciate different writing genres and use them in their own writing.

• Teaching the mechanics and conventions of writing. Students learn spelling, grammar, punctuation and how to revise and edit their writing so they can publish their own work.

Student literacy and writing development is monitored on an individual basis to determine pace and content, making certain that each student acquires his or her skills logically and sequentially.

MathematicsThe Mathematics Program at Ivy League is much more than simply numbers and equations. Our mathematical instruction across all grade levels provides students with the confidence and ability to use learned concepts to help solve problems at school and outside of the classroom.

Individualized for each student, the Mathematics Program is adjusted for students requiring more experiences, as well as for students possessing special math talents.

Lower Grade Curriculum• Number Properties and the four basic

mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – with daily practice to develop proficiency

• Application of mathematical concepts through problems and games that require logical thinking and experiences with different forms of measurement, geometry and simple equations

Upper Grade Curriculum• Learning from diverse angles which

allows students to solve mathematical problems using persistence and both analytical and conceptual thinking

• Mathematical operations using fractions and decimals, writing and solving equations, analyzing data, classifying plane and solid figures and expanding reasoning skills through solving multi- step problems.

Curriculum Overview

We believe that fostering inner creativity and incorporating fun into the curriculum are important parts of the learning process.

Arts, Athletics and ClubsAt Ivy League, we believe that fostering inner creativity and incorporating fun into the curriculum are important parts of the learning process. That’s where our Arts and Athletics Program comes in – a place where music, movement, games and team activities round out our students’ growth and education.

Throughout the year, students work with trained sports specialists and creative instructors dedicated to:

• Following a specialized Athletic Program that emphasizes the skills necessary to play an active role in team activities

• Stressing team spirit over competition so that children have the ability to have fun and compete at the same time

• Developing creativity and self-expression through aerobics, movement and dance

• A Music Program that teaches students about pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, the art of performance and musical instruments (i.e. The Suzuki Program)

• Inviting every student to participate and play in order to increase self-awareness, self-confidence, poise and inherent talent

• Inspiring involvement with a Club Program that meets both before and after school. From chess and karate to yoga, cooking and stitchery, children can expand their minds and talents in ways they never thought possible.

Students learn to ask “why” and are taught process skills such as classification, model creation, measurement, observation, inference, and prediction to find the answers.

From their immediate environment to the vast universe around them, students are brought into the world of science through:

• Learning about past and current inventors and scientists whose contributions have helped shape the world in which we live

• Teaching of: Matter and Energy, Motion and Force, Metamorphoses, Earth and its properties, Atmosphere and Weather, the Life Cycle of Plants and Animals and more

• Direct access to the natural environment via Ivy League’s expansive wooded campus and wetlands.

Social StudiesThe focus of Ivy League’s Social Studies Program is to have the people and events that have shaped our history, come alive. Using an innovative approach to learning, students discover how the past has influenced current events and how the combination of both will continue to affect the world’s future.

In order to gain an appreciation of our nation’s values and principles, everything from Family and Community Life and Citizenship to U.S. History, Geography and Global Challenges help to expand our students’ knowledge. Higher order thinking skills are developed through Ivy League School’s Social Studies Program with:

• Lessons about the different people, places and cultures from around the world

• Instruction through primary source materials, such as: photographs, field trips, art, literature and original documents

• The gathering, interpreting, organizing and analyzing data for research projects that help students think independently

• An extensive application of thinking skills to help students learn, understand and utilize these concepts within the real world

ScienceTo learn the nature of science, one must think like a scientist. At Ivy League, our Science Program not only teaches students the principles of science, but also encourages the curiosity, skepticism and open-mindedness necessary for appreciating and expanding on these principles.

Ivy League School 211 Brooksite Drive Smithtown, NY 11787

631-265-4177 Fax: 631-265-4698 www.ivyleaguekids.com Email: info@ivyleaguekids.com