The Family School

Dedicated to Strong Children & Strong Families

 Mission Statement 

The Family School's mission is to prepare a diverse population of young children and their families for success in school and the community by providing the highest quality preschool and kindergarten education and integrated early intervention services.


The Family School's Programs

We offer a variety of programs to enrich your child's academic and social success. At The Family School, we not only enroll the student, but the family as a way to bring them together and to give your child a strong sense of community so they will have the proper support need to succeed.


Be sure to check our full list of programs!


Our Programs

About The Family School

Because we know that early childhood is a time to strengthen entire families, we say that we enroll not just children, but whole families. Family strengthening programs and family events are part of enrollment at The Family School. For those who wish it, individual meetings or consultations about parenting issues are also included.


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A Caring School For Kids 

We attend to the needs of the whole child, addressing academic, behavioral and social-emotional strengths and challenges for each child. If needed, children and families will find on-site, comprehensive special education, facilitated play and individualized programs. At The Family School all children benefit from seeing how adults help each individual student, and all students help and learn from each other.


Our Philosophy

It is our purpose to provide each child and parent with a positive first experience with education outside the home. For the child, we assume this is a first experience with separation, other children, and the world of school. For the parents, we assume this is a first experience with family education and support outside their own family. In child and parent classrooms we provide a warm and flexible environment in which each person is considered unique and worthwhile. It is the teacher‘s job to identify and build on strengths and facilitate learning. Children are offered the opportunity and the right to grow at their own pace and to experience a variety of situations with various materials. Parents are offered guidance in parenting classes and through individual consultation to identify their priorities and find ways that are comfortable for them to achieve their parenting goals.


It is our purpose to support functional family systems and teach people how to maintain them through children’s developmental changes and the pressures of the modern world.


It is our practice to base our teaching and parenting methods on current research about child and parent development. We are also committed to a hands-on learning approach for children and a concrete, discussion-based curriculum for adults.


We are committed to an individualized and therapeutic approach to working with children.

Discipline Practices

Here are some general principles that guide our discipline practices:


We believe that children do not want to misbehave or cause problems for others. Difficult behavior is usually an attempt on the part of a child to state a need.


Every attempt is made to figure out the need and tell the child about it. The adults at The Family School always try to state the desired behavior positively instead of negatively. For example, a child continually climbing on the chairs and tables, might be told “You need to climb. You want to move your arms and legs. Outside there is a climber.” 


The school environment is set up so that, as far as possible, children may touch and use everything within reach. This helps limit conflicts between children and staff or among children. If a child is using a piece of equipment inappropriately, he or she is re-directed or confronted with the logical consequences of behavior. For instance, those who throw sand may not play with sand until they learn to pour and dig in it instead. They may, however, choose another activity.


A child may need to show his or her anger. The adults at The Family School will help children label their emotions and will assist children in controlling their behavior.

About Our Student and Family Diversity

Income diversity

About half of our families are able to pay full tuition; we assist about half in various ways.


Family diversity

Families of all types are part of our community – single parent, traditional mother-father parents, same sex parents, grandparent and foster parent families – all are welcome!


Learning diversity

We enroll typical learners, as well as children with special education needs in each of our classrooms.


Behavior diversity

Each classroom includes children with behavioral challenges, as well as children on a typical developmental path.


Ethnic and language diversity

Our students come from English speaking as well as non-English speaking households.


Our students and families look like the world around us.


Important Files

Board of Directors Family School Staff

Notice of Non-Discriminatory Policy

The Family School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. 

The Family School's Programs

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  • School

    Our preschool and kindergarten programs are based on the latest research on effective early childhood education. The Family School is accredited by National Association for the Education of Young Children (naeyc). We are rated by Quality First as a five star program. At each age, we are dedicated to school readiness. We focus on the development of the whole child and we emphasize children’s social, emotional and problem solving skills. We are able to provide the comprehensive program because we have more adults in each classroom than other early childhood programs (we keep a minimum of a 5:1 ratio of children to adults).


    Two Year Old Program 

    This program is two to five days per week from 8:30 to noon or 2:30pm. Children must be two years of age by December 1 of the designated school year. Children entering prior to their 2nd birthday will spend a second year in this program. This is a year of learning about separation from family for a few hours a day, learning the routine of a school day, learning to trust adults who are not their family members and beginning to notice other children. 


    Three Year Old Program 

    This program is two to five days per week from 8:30 to noon or 2:30pm. Children must be three years of age by September 1 of the designated school year.  Language skills and learning to play, not just side by side, but together with other children occupy our threes. As they explore in a play based environment, the students are supported by teachers who take their learning to the next step.


    Pre-Kindergarten 

    This is a five day per week program from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Children must be four years of age by September 1 of the designated school year. Learning moves at a somewhat faster pace.  We prepare them for kindergarten by offering experiential activities that give them opportunities for growth in social/emotional skills, vocabulary development, fine motor, gross motor, and preacademic concepts. This is done through an inquiry based, critical thinking approach.


    Kindergarten 

    This is a five day per week program from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Children must be five years of age by September 1 of the designated school year. In our Kindergarten, our teachers facilitate opportunities for learning where children work together and actively engage in creation and discovery through developmentally appropriate, educational experiences. Our hands-on approach keeps them excited about learning as they work their way through mastering the Arizona State Kindergarten Standards.


  • Pre-Care, After-Care, & Summer School

    Pre-Care 

    Before school care is available for all classes from 7:30 to 8:30 Monday through Friday. Enrollment must be arranged in advance to assure staff/child ratios. Rates are listed on the Tuition Sheet. Drop-in requests will be considered when arranged through administration so staff/child ratios are properly maintained.  We try to accommodate when possible. 


    After-Care 

    After school care is available for all classes every day until 5:15 p.m. Enrollment must be arranged in advance to assure staff/child ratios. Rates are listed on the Tuition Sheet. Drop-in requests will be considered when arranged through administration so staff/child ratios are properly maintained. The after school staff are thoroughly trained to ensure consistency with the school day programs and with any special assistance children may need. Some less structured play time gives children a chance to find new ways to explore friendships with others.  


    The same adult to children ratios are maintained in aftercare as during the school day; between a third and a half of our students participate regularly.  Children who attend regularly get a discounted price and are assured a space; a child may drop in if the parent calls ahead to assure that there is room.


    Summer School 

    We offer an optional summer school program in June and July to our current students and, as available, to those who will enroll in the fall. Older students may come fewer than five days a week in the summer so that they may attend other summer activities.  Pre-care and after-care are available in the summer as well as during the year.


  • Transitions & Alumni

    Transitions 

    We are committed to ensuring that the transition from The Family School to a child’s elementary school goes smoothly for both children and parents.


    The Director and teachers discuss school choices with parents, taking into account each child’s strengths, challenges and interests.


    During the kindergarten year, children’s skills are assessed on an ongoing basis.  In January, those who might need extra support in their next school are evaluated for eligibility for such programs.  Our staff helps all students and families prepare for the transition to elementary school. There are discussions about what will be the same and what will be different as well as about problem solving strategies that can be used in a bigger school.  In some instances, staff visit prospective schools with students or parents.


    During the first year after Family School, children may continue to receive special assistance at Family School at no charge.  After the first year, there is a sliding fee scale for services provided. 


    Alumni Program 

    Every fall, we host an alumni barbecue for parents and students.


    Every year in May there is an alumni overnight at a ranch near Wickenburg.  The overnight now includes young adults who were among the first Family School graduates on through our newest graduates.  We camp near a creek, take a long hike and enjoy a campfire and sing along under the stars. 

  • Prevention & Intervention

    Prevention & Intervention Programs & Services

    We know from research and from long experience that many future problems can be avoided with appropriate prevention and intervention at an early age.  Our programs include individual behavior plans, individualized structured play, the Second Step violence prevention program, and parent consultation.


    All children are screened for vision and hearing. We utilize both the ASQ and DIAL 4 for developmental screening.  This screening helps to identify potential challenges to future success and includes screening of speech and language skills, gross and fine motor skills,  self-help skills, academic readiness skills and social-emotional development.  When needed, The Family School provides individualized intervention. If we are unable to provide service on-site, we help families pursue needed services.


    All staff are certified yearly in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI). 


    We collaborate with:

    • Excel Care Therapy for speech and occupational evaluations and therapy.
    • Melissa Lake PsyD for educational evaluations.
    • Linda Gray/Heartful Solutions for Families- Counseling and Play Therapy.

  • Family Strengthening

    There is a reason we call ourselves The Family School — because we “enroll families.”  From long experience and consistent research results, we know that children thrive and learn best when they experience stable, secure surroundings both at school and at home. We work with parents and families to achieve the stability, consistency and supportive environment children need to be ready for school and ready for life.  Our Family Strengthening Programs include:


    Parent Participation

    Parents of children in all classes are expected to volunteer 24 hours over the course of the school year.


    Family Events

    Each year, our students and families gather for several special events.  These events are great opportunities to get to know other families, to talk informally with teachers and staff, to share a meal and sing some favorite songs.  Events include a fall pumpkin carving festival, a stone soup luncheon around Thanksgiving, a festival of affection in February, the parent organized silent auction in the Spring and farewell fiesta each May.


    Parent & Family Support 

    We help to identify parent and family goals and to develop the knowledge and skills to achieve those goals. Teachers and the director maintain close communication with families about the school experiences their children are having.  Parents are part of any individualized program designed for a student’s particular challenges.  A variety of parenting classes are offered.  The whole Family School community is a supportive environment for parents and families.  The Parenting Resources page of this site offers recommendations for websites, books and other community resources for families.


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