Program
Program
Each of our four programs is team taught by three professional teachers, with parent assistance in the mornings. All are play based. Children direct their own play and are encouraged to move freely about our well supervised, enriched play spaces. Kindergarten readiness activities are a natural part of the day but our primary emphasis is the development of social skills, self esteem, and respect for others. All our programs are based on appropriate practices outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. For a child's eye view of the program see A Day at Friends.
Schedule
We run four concurrent programs each school year ("optional day" is an extension of the T/Th morning program). Each begins in early September and ends mid-June. We follow the Palo Alto Unified School District calendar for holidays and vacation.
| Days | Time | Age* | Class Size | Teachers |
| M W F Mornings | 9 - 12 | 4 | 27 | 3 teachers/ 2 parents *** |
| T Th Mornings | 9 - 12 | 3 | 25 | 3 teachers/ 3 parents *** |
| M W F Afternoons | 12 - 3 | 4 | 22 | 3 teachers |
| T Th Afternoons | 12 - 3 | 3 | 21 | 3 teachers |
| ** Optional Day: M or W | 9-12 | 3 | 6 | 1 teacher |
| *By Dec 2 of the year they begin school. May also include young 5's not ready yet for Kindergarten. **Open to T/Th morning students only. Children of Participating Parents and Board Members.have priority. ***Morning Program parents must be available to work in the classroom if needed. |
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Most children enter Friends at age three and stay until Kindergarten. Many begin in a TTh program then move to MWF their second year, but this is not required.
Children can attend a single morning or afternoon program, or combine them to create an all day experience.
A child may only be enrolled in two programs if he or she can benefit from them. Friends is a nursery school not a day-care and most children only attend 1/2 days. We do not offer a naptime; children who attend all day change rooms, teachers, and playmates mid-day, a transition that can be challenging for some. Children needing more than 18 hours a week would probably do better in a day care setting.