George W. Lutz Family Center – Highland Park

Physical Development

The full-sized gym and enormous age-specific playgrounds at JCYS Highland Park provide daily opportunities for each child to develop strength, stamina, and gross motor skills. There’s even a climbing wall where children can challenge themselves in a safe and supportive environment. Dancing and yoga build physical fitness and motor skills as students learn to move rhythmically and control different parts of their bodies.

Our physical curriculum also weaves food and nutrition education into the day. Our catered meals and snacks are nutritionally balanced and include multiple food groups to encourage children to try new foods. JCYS Highland Park is also known for taking a forward-thinking approach to food allergies and allergy safety. We regularly consult with a local pediatric allergist and constantly make proactive updates to policies and procedures to keep every student safe.

Social and Emotional Skills

Our social and emotional curriculum is the cornerstone of early childhood programming at JCYS Highland Park. We use an evidence-based approach developed at Vanderbilt University to encourage independence, curiosity, and self-confidence as children learn how to learn. Play-based classrooms foster children’s self-help skills as they begin to solve problems and make decisions for themselves. As children learn to play cooperatively, engage with their peers, and resolve conflicts respectfully, our staff are there to help and guide them.

Academic Foundations

JCYS teachers immerse children in a rich learning environment that lays the foundations for academic success. Reading and pre-literacy are integrated into every day: each classroom is full of printed words, teachers regularly read books to children, and we use the evidence-based Handwriting Without Tears system to teach handwriting in pre-K classes. Parents can even sign their children up for Spanish enrichment through Olé Spanish Services.

Each child’s day also features science, technology, and math (STEM) activities. Children practice science skills every day—in a play-based curriculum, everything is an experiment! We bring nature into the classroom to encourage interest in biology and the natural world. Teachers prompt children to build familiarity with numbers and math throughout the day by counting the people and objects around them (“How many children on the rug are wearing red?”).