Peabody Early Childhood Center

PEABODY EARLY CHILDHOOD CAMPUS: Nurturing Our Youngest Students

With an environment that is designed around the needs of the Cluster’s youngest students, Peabody provides a nurturing, developmentally-appropriate beginning to students’ school experience. Using Responsive Classroom techniques, teachers and staff encourage cooperation, empathy, responsibility, self-control, and collaborative problem-solving.

Children leave our early childhood campus with strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies needed for success in school. In the spring of 2011, 99 percent of students scored at or above the end of the year benchmark for early literacy. All classrooms are staffed by a teacher assisted by a paraprofessional, and Peabody offers a full complement of wraparound services, including dedicated special education teachers, before- and after-care, art instruction, library, physical education, and the very popular Revolution Foods serving breakfast and lunch.

Peabody Is Expanding!
Peabody currently serves 150 students Pre-K3, Pre-K4, and Kindergarten. However, at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, the autonomous School-Within-School, which has shared space at Peabody for more than 15 years, will occupy its own space adjacent to the Montessori School at Logan. The move will create room for both successful early childhood programs to serve many more students. Peabody will offer three Pre-K classes accommodating 15 three-year olds each, four Pre-K4 classes serving 20 children each, and five Kindergarten classes educating 22 children each.

Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum
Students learn through a variety of teacher-led and independent activities, including a daily “morning meeting” and student-chosen “center” time. Play is an important part of every day, with ample recess time and “specials” classes to keep students moving, while a daily rest period gives our littlest ones some quiet time each afternoon.

Arts Integration in Action
Peabody’s arts integration program uses the visual and performing arts as a teaching tool. Students have studied and created projects inspired by specific artists and their culture. Last year’s school-wide study of the art of Georgia O’Keeffe culminated in an exhibition of student art at The Phillips Collection. Students created their own “O’Keeffe’s” and worked with a professional storyteller to write and illustrate stories inspired by an O’Keeffe painting. Peabody teachers have dedicated many hours to professional development in the area of Arts Integration. Three Peabody staff members are Mentor Teachers at The Phillips Collection, which will be publishing their teaching guide for Georgia O’Keeffe next year.

The Story of Food
The Story of Food is a terrific example of the kind of learning made possible through collaboration and creativity. Using an innovative, hands-on early childhood literacy curriculum made possible by federal, community, and PTA grant funds, students explored gardens, farms, markets, and healthy bodies.

More Information About Peabody

Download the CHCS Brochure, Featuring Peabody (PDF)

Meet the Teachers at Peabody (Link)

Meet the Administrative Team at Peabody (Link)

Join the Peabody Early Childhood Campus listserv by clicking here or sending an e-mail to Peabody_ECC-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.  A free Yahoo ID is required to subscribe.

Learn about Peabody’s participation in a new DCPS food program with Revolution Foods (Link to DCPS Website)

Learn about our School Gardens (Link)