A Glimpse Into Our Early Years Program

At Riverstone, we believe that early childhood is a time of wonder, exploration, and discovery, and our Early Years Program is designed to reflect these beliefs while fostering a lifelong love of learning in our students. We achieve this through the framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP), which emphasizes inquiry-based learning and the development of the whole child. To that end, we strive to create a nurturing and engaging environment where children feel seen, known, heard, and loved so they feel safe to experiment, make mistakes, and discover their strengths and passions. The Early Years Programme at Riverstone is intentionally designed to extend beyond academics and emphasizes the development of social and emotional skills, student creativity, and a sense of connection to the world around us.

Our days are filled with a rich variety of learning experiences. At any given moment, you might find our Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students engaged in hands-on activities, exploring interpersonal relationships through imaginative and cooperative play, or delving into diverse cultures through stories, food, and celebrations. Our inquiry-based approach empowers students to guide their own learning. For example, during our garden unit in Pre-K, one class became fascinated with insects, leading to the creation of pill bug and worm habitats in their sensory bins. Another class, driven by their own interests, explored fruits and vegetables from around the world, resulting in them trying papaya and nance fruits. This flexibility allows us to nurture individual passions within the framework of the curriculum and simultaneously exposing students to new ways of thinking. You will see students learning foundational concepts in mathematics, literacy, science, and the humanities through multimodal experiences facilitated by expert teachers. You will also see students exercising agency and independence throughout their day in order to develop crucial skills like empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving. Additionally, some of the most important opportunities for learning at Riverstone take place outside the walls of our classrooms.

In the Early Years Program, students participate in exciting outdoor learning experiences throughout the year, including a learn-to-ride bicycling program, a series of rock climbing excursions, and a river rafting trip. These provide unforgettable experiences while also creating opportunities for students to build their sense of self-confidence, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership skills. Students also go on exciting field trips to places including MK Nature Center, Foothills Learning Center, and the Boise Art Museum to connect their learning to the world outside of school.  Additionally, Our campus affords us multiple large outdoor play areas and hiking and bike trails, access to Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and the Boise River within walking distance of our classrooms, which we take full advantage of on a regular basis!. Whether they are digging up worms on our playground, taking a walk out to the river, or observing the birds that call our campus home, our youngest students learn to appreciate the beauty and importance of the natural environment and develop a sense of stewardship for the planet.

We understand that each child is unique, and our experienced teachers provide individualized attention and support to each student in our care. We value the vital role that families play in their child’s education and encourage frequent family involvement through events like classroom visits, community picnics, and holiday celebrations. We seek to bridge the home/school divide and support families by sharing strategies and language parents can use at home with their child. Our small class sizes and thorough assessment practices allow us to truly know your child and share with you how best to support them as they grow in their literacy, math, and social skills. At Riverstone, we seek true partnership with our families so we can best support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of our students.

The Early Years are not an afterthought at Riverstone. From their first day in Preschool, students and their families are full-fledged members of our elementary school community. Our program is purposeful about supporting individual student growth while also intentionally creating opportunities for students to be a part of something bigger than themselves. If you have not already, we welcome you to come see the magic of our Early Years Program for yourself. Our doors are always open.