Montessori Preschool - Friends School of Wilmington - Quaker School-8th Grade Independent School in Wilmington, NC
AW-987294666
Montessori Preschool
Stepping Stones (2-3 Years)
Stargazer Morning Program (3-4 Years)
Stargazer Extended Program (3-4 Years)
Stepping Stones is intentionally designed for independence and discovery. Students enjoy a social experience in an environment that fosters their unique physical and psychological development between the stages of babyhood and childhood. As self-reliance increases, so too does a child's confidence in concentrating and completing work, respecting the contributions of peers, and participating in group activities.
Example Daily Schedule
8:15 AM
- Arrival and settling in
8:30 AM
- Morning meeting with story, song, and mini-lesson
9:00 AM
- Outdoor play
9:30 AM
- Snack and re-settling
9:45 AM
- Independent work cycles; small group lessons; enrichment lessons (2x/week in Spanish and Music)
10:55 AM
- Closing circle with song, finger play, and reflection
11:15 AM
- Outdoor play
11:45 AM
- Dismissal
Our Stargazer Morning program provides a nurturing, child-centered environment that allows for the continued development of each student's physical, emotional, and cognitive skills. Our classrooms invite children into an exciting realm of ideas and discovery, where they are able to assimilate information through concrete, experiential learning in a non-competitive atmosphere. Students learn to respect the work of others, to quietly indicate their need for support from a teacher, and to appreciate the value of others’ contributions in the classroom. They learn to share in the responsibilities of the classroom and to manage conflicts peacefully. Together, we build a caring social community that inspires each child to respect and celebrate the unique gifts that we—and others—bring to the group.
Example Daily Schedule
8:00AM
- Arrival; outdoor play; settling in
8:30AM
- Morning meeting with story, song, and mini-lesson
9:00AM
- Independent work cycles; small group lessons
10:30AM
- Snack and outdoor play
11:00AM
- Enrichment lessons (4x/week in Spanish, Music, Art, and PE)
11:40AM
- Outdoor play
12:00PM
- Morning program dismissal
The Stargazer Extended program provides a gentle transition from our Stargazers' morning’s activities, offering students a chance to continue their exploration in a familiar and relaxed environment. Open to all Stargazer students, the program runs from 12:00 to 2:45PM and includes a balance of structured activities and free play. This time allows children to further engage with concepts from the morning, participate in creative projects, and enjoy outdoor play. The extended day also offers additional opportunities for social interaction, helping children practice collaboration, share in classroom responsibilities, and navigate conflicts with guidance. It is a natural extension of their morning, supporting their growth in independence and community building.
Example Daily Schedule
7:30-8:00 AM
- Early drop off; outdoor play
8:00-8:20 AM
- Arrival; outdoor play
8:20-8:30 AM
- Morning meeting
8:30-9:50 AM
- Specialist classes (8x/week in Spanish, Music, Art, and PE)
9:50- 11:30 AM
- Montessori work cycle
11:30-11:40 AM
- Whole group lesson
11:40 AM-12:40 PM
- Lunch and outdoor play
12:40-2:20 PM
-  Rest time; Montessori work cycle
2:20-2:30 PM
- Closing circle
2:30-2:45 PM
- Outdoor play
2:45-3:00 PM
- Dismissal
With a highly individualized approach, each child IS the curriculum when every lesson is tailored to their unique interests and abilities.
Welcome to our preschool program, where the love of learning meets the science of teaching. We are so glad you’re here.
Step inside any Montessori classroom around the world and you will find kind, confident young learners engaged in hands-on activities alongside their multi-aged peers in a collaborative environment. At Friends School of Wilmington, our Stepping Stones and Stargazer classrooms are grounded in Maria Montessori’s revolutionary pedagogy and guided by our commitment to Quaker values, like community, stewardship, and simplicity.
Dr. Montessori recognized that “play is the work of the child” and highlighted the young learner’s natural curiosity for exploration and discovery. Our classroom and campus environments provide children with the tools to develop themselves in a space where creativity, exploration, independence, and discovery are not only encouraged, but celebrated. Whether through natural outdoor exploration or indoor peaceful work periods, each child is involved in their own educational process. Our materials and activities, or “works,” are designed to support self-directed curiosities and learning. With a highly individualized approach, each child
IS
the curriculum when every lesson is tailored to their unique interests and abilities.
When children are given the freedom to explore and connect with their environment, they develop a strong sense of self, sense of belonging, and social-emotional intelligence. Our goal is to help our students create themselves in a space designed specifically for them so that they may develop the skills necessary to become successful, responsible, and creative citizens of the world. We equip the child with basic skills designed to meet the developmental needs of a person who is new to their world and eager to find how they each contribute to its evolution. Every day, our students engage with others in an environment rich in language and diverse in culture, where healthy relationships are modeled and peaceful problem solving is supported.
As an educational model that has excelled for more than a century, we invite you to jumpstart your child’s lifelong academic and social-emotional success. Please enjoy reading more about our pedagogical approach as you navigate our website and join us by scheduling a tour to see how Friends School can support your littlest learners.
In Friendship,
Ciara Goins
Interim Preschool Coordinator
Practical Life
Sensorial
Mathematics
Language
Cultural Studies
This area focuses on everyday life activities and skills that promote independence, concentration, and coordination. Practical life exercises include tasks like pouring water, tying shoelaces, buttoning clothes, and using utensils, all of which aid in refining fine motor skills and instilling a sense of order and responsibility.
The sensorial area encourages children to explore and refine their senses. Through materials designed to stimulate sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound, children develop heightened sensory perceptions and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Sensorial activities help children differentiate various attributes like size, color, shape, texture, and sound.
The mathematics area introduces children to numerical concepts and mathematical operations through hands-on play. Montessori materials help children grasp abstract mathematical concepts by providing concrete and visual representations. Children explore numerals, quantities, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and other mathematical concepts at their own pace.
Language development is a crucial aspect of Montessori education. The language area includes activities that encourage spoken language, vocabulary enrichment, phonetic awareness, reading, and writing. Montessori materials facilitate the progression from recognizing letters and sounds to reading and writing words and sentences.
The cultural studies area encompasses a broad range of subjects, including geography, history, biology, botany, zoology, music, art, and science. These subjects are presented in a way that fosters curiosity and an understanding of the interconnectedness of all living things. Montessori education encourages exploration of the world's diverse cultures, natural phenomena, and historical events.