Our Programs

The goal of our curriculum is to provide developmentally appropriate experiences where children learn about themselves, others, and the world with the support of respectful and responsive adults. The environment encourages exploration, experimentation, individualism and discovery while supporting emergent literacy and math skills, science, music and art. Parents participate in two parent/teacher conferences per year but easily connect with the teachers at any time.

3-Day Classroom

3-day

Age 2.9 before September 1. Meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:45 – 11:45 am.
Tuition for 2024-2025: $6,285

Through play, children explore the world and build their understanding, becoming creative, confident, self-motivated learners. The 3-Day program leverages a play-based curriculum as an “introduction” to the world of school. The program utilizes highly creative activities and child-led choices. Age-appropriate skills are embedded in the children’s activities.

The goal is to foster a love of learning, while building a strong foundation for the future. Teachers work with students to direct a curriculum that is a reflection of the interests, strengths and individual needs of those in the class. As the children work through this unique program, teachers seek to develop the whole child and enhance their physical, social/emotional and creative growth.

The 3-Day class organizes themes for the year based upon a seasonal design. Themes are carried through all interest areas in the classroom: art, drama, blocks, discovery table and manipulative puzzles & games.

5-Day Classroom

5day

Age 3.9 before September 1. Meets five days a week, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Tuition for 2024-2025: $8,680

The 5-Day program fosters cooperative play in four-year olds and enhances their confidence and self-expression. Social-emotional learning is a main focus, promoting self esteem, acceptance of others, community, and compassion. Teachers take a developmental approach to academic skills, focusing on the whole child, and including students’ physical, communication, and social skills in curriculum planning and program design.

The goal is to have children see themselves as problem solvers. Whether the problem is where to place a puzzle piece, how to share a toy or how to explain what happened in a story, children quickly learn the critical thinking skills that will help them use creative play to find a solution.

Teachers provide the children with activities such as easel painting, drawing, cutting, block building, play dough, books, pretend play, and puzzles. Art, literacy, and math centers have new and interesting activities presented on a daily basis. The class offers a consistent and safe routine of daily activities while engaging children’s innate curiosity and creativity. Children are excited to enter and explore their classroom each day, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of love for learning.

Typically, more than half of the 5-Day children attend kindergarten the following year. 5-Day focuses on preparing children for kindergarten by incorporating early literacy, math concepts, and social development through daily, fun classroom activities. The curriculum exposes the children to upper and lower case alphabet letters, numbers 1-10, shapes, sorting, patterning, and fine motor skills. Most children can write their own name by the end of the year. Additionally, the teachers individually talk with children who are attending kindergarten on what to expect and help prepare them for registration day. Many parents comment on the ease of transition from Bowen to kindergarten the following year.

pre-k Classroom

prek

Older Fours & Younger Fives. Meets five days a week, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.
Tuition for 2024-2025: $11,125

Pre-K helps our students travel successfully from preschool to kindergarten: an ideal program for older 4 year-olds, or young 5 year-olds who could benefit from another year to develop socially, emotionally, or academically.

Our program gives children the skills to tackle the challenges they will face in kindergarten. We provide a nurturing environment that promotes exploration and facilitates inquiry and critical thinking. Children learn by doing, while also learning from each other. The curriculum is built on a foundation that honors, respects, and nurtures each student's individuality. Activities are scaffolded to meet each child where they are in their learning, while encouraging self-confidence and excitement for learning.

Social Learning: The overreaching goal of the Pre-K program is to help each child feel valued, and learn how to be a positive member of the community. Skills and concepts students are working on include:

Respect for self, respect for others, and respect for environment
Collaborative work and play
Conflict resolution
Adaptability to transitions and change
Self-regulation skills

Social Studies: Our social studies learning focuses on community and citizenship through literature, family connections, service-learning projects, hands-on activities, and technology. Skills and concepts students are working on include:

Understanding of the world around them
Understanding of and respect for similarities and differences

Literacy: We aim to foster joy of reading through literature discussions, the incorporation of Lively Letters to support the literacy curriculum, literacy activities, and beginning writing. Skills and concepts students are working on include:

Developing a love of literature
Letter recognition and formation
Letter-sound correspondence
Rhyming words, alliteration, syllable counting
Different kinds of writing, such as journals, labels, letters, and stories

Math: Through hands-on, interactive experiences students explore problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, connect math to real-life experiences, and communicate their mathematical thinking. Skills and concepts students are working on include:

Counting
Number recognition
Shape recognition
Sorting by single and multiple attributes
Problem-solving with manipulatives
Understanding of addition and subtraction in everyday life
Collecting and interpreting data
Graphing
Patterning
Measuring

Science: Our science curriculum is primarily driven by the interests of the students. Skills and concepts students are working on include:

Generating questions, making observations, experimentation, and predicting outcomes
Representing knowledge verbally, and through drawing, building, and graphing
Using scientific tools (magnifying glasses, eye droppers, balance scales, etc.)

June bugs and extended day

junebugs

JUNE BUGS

The June Bugs Summer Program is only for children already enrolled in Bowen. It typically runs for 2.5 weeks in June, starting the week after Memorial Day. However, we attempt to coordinate our calendar to end on or before the Newton Public Schools calendar each year.

Every effort is taken to make June Bugs as camp-like as possible. The children spend a great deal of time outside, playing with sprinklers, hoses, exploring nature, and participating in science activities. Inside activities include arts and crafts, songs and stories, and movement games. For those children who are graduating in June, it is a wonderful way to conclude their Bowen experience. For those returning to Bowen in September, it helps in making the transition to the 5-Day or Pre-K classes.

EXTENDED DAY

Extended Day for 5-Day and Pre-K Bowen children is available Monday through Friday from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The goal is to create a fun and nurturing environment with structured activities, team building projects, and lots of space for free play. 5-Day students have lunch and quiet play until 1pm, when Pre-K students join the group and extended day activities begin.

Space is limited.