Let Me Play. Trust Me, I’m Learning.
At ESNS we feel that the lifelong process of learning is best fostered in early childhood through play. We believe that children learn best when they are allowed the freedom and opportunity to play and explore with limited, but structured, direction from adults.
Periods of activity and quiet play include:
Outdoor playground activities
Nature walks on the grounds
Dramatic play
Group games
Music-making
Cooking
Art projects
Block and building play
Water play
Field trips
Science projects
We focus on the children’s social and emotional development by encouraging them to identify and discuss their feelings and ideas, and to learn how to resolve conflicts with other people. Indeed, we believe that one of the most important tasks of early childhood is learning how to get along with others. And one of the best ways children learn to develop socially is through play. As children learn to enter play and cooperate with their peers, we gently guide their interactions in order to empower them to advocate for themselves, to include their classmates in their play, and to peacefully resolve conflicts when they inevitably arise.
The school’s program also focuses on the nuts and bolts of early childhood physical and mental development; the children have opportunities to practice their gross- and small-motor skills and they are encouraged to be creative, to explore, and to try out new things. Our daily routine provides many opportunities for the children to practice self-sufficiency. When we encourage children to actively participate in the care of themselves and the world around them, we foster a sense of independence and of pride.
We feel that the most conducive environment for playing is one that gets kids to explore what they are interested in. Thus we have no screens in our classrooms (TVs or computers) to distract them from engaging with what the class has to offer. We get the kids outside, year-round, and incorporate Nature themes in our activities.
Robert Bernstein teaches and makes music every week with the ESNS children. Eight years ago he became the music teacher for ESNS summer camp and that continued into the next school year. A musician for many years, Robert has loved music since early childhood and began playing drums in his teens. When he moved to St. Louis in 2003 he began teaching a Music Together program.
One of the essential ideas he learned from teaching this program is that it can never be too early to introduce and learn music. It is generally understood that learning a second language can start from infancy. Language and music learning share the same part of the brain, so introducing music at infancy can be beneficial AND fun – an important Music Together concept is, “Music learning supports all learning”.
A special note from Robert Bernstein to ESNS families:
“Hopefully your children will tell you at some point about some of the music we make at school. I hope you will take the opportunity to continue the music learning with them at home using some of those songs from our music time as well as introduce songs/music that you enjoy with them as well. If you ever want information about any songs we do in class (lyrics, etc.) just let me know!
I feel that music is an amazing art form, activity and learning tool. It can be experienced on many levels: physically (dance), emotionally and intellectually (among others). I try to include all of these aspects when experiencing music with the classes at ESNS.
It has been a pleasure and privilege to make music with the Green, Blue and Yellow rooms!”
Liz McCane (Science) has been bringing Nature on the Move to the school for eight years. She has a passion for kindling an interest in the natural world in young children, in hopes of them becoming lifelong stewards of their environment. Each month Liz presents a different topic related to Missouri wildlife, using pictures, artifacts and live animals to illustrate her message. A summary of the program is sent home with the students so that parents can reinforce their children’s understanding of the topic.
Membership with the Ethical Society is not a prerequisite for registration to the school.
Full of natural light, our three classrooms are warm and inviting. The cozy environment is enhanced by children’s artwork lining the walls and a wide variety of toys, games, and art materials within their reach.
Our popular playground is composed almost entirely of natural, sustainable materials and allows for creative free play and practice of gross motor skills.
The north end of our property includes beautifully maintained nature trails for children to explore, as well as an outdoor classroom.
Two of our classrooms open to a large porch containing a sandbox, sensory table, and plenty of room to run and play. The children enjoy observing the surrounding vegetation and wildlife.
A local farmer visits frequently to teach the children how to grow their own food organically. The children participate in every step from seed to harvest and at times our snacks are straight from the garden!
Affectionately dubbed “The Rainbow Room” by the children, music class and other large group activities are held here.
We chose Ethical Society Nursery School because we, too, believe in play-based learning. An unexpected bonus for us was how much the school and teachers nurtured our daughters’ social and interpersonal development. Playing and interacting with peers of all different backgrounds and beliefs at such a young age gave our girls the opportunity to develop skills that have allowed them to negotiate, and succeed, in any social situation in school. Our daughters have carried those lessons with them, and are open, ready, and willing to work with anyone and everyone, in and out of school. That is the lasting gift the school has given us and, for that, we are thankful!
Chris and Laura Chisholm, alumni parents
The Ethical Society Nursery School’s play based approach is very nurturing to a wide variety of children. The teachers adapt to each student’s individual needs and are open to educating and caring for each child in a variety of ways. The teachers make the Ethical Society Nursery School a very warm and loving place. I have spent a significant amount of time at Ethical and I absolutely love it. Additionally, the music class is very engaging and all the kids love participating in a fun and interactive special. Krystle Gaehle-Rapp, M.A., BCBA, LBA
My husband and I have been nothing short of thrilled with the experience our daughter is having at ESNS. The director and teachers are so attentive, caring, and communicative. Our little girl loves going to school and the social/emotional and developmental gains she has made since starting in the fall has been so exciting for us to see!Jenny, parent
A magical place to introduce your child to “school.” They truly understand the needs of 2-5 year olds and the importance of play based learning for healthy social, emotional and behavioral growth. It’s a warm, loving environment and has taught my son to love school. A true hidden gem in St. Louis!Kelly Mehan, parent
I have two children attending ESNS. They are both extremely happy and emotionally supported at the school not only the teachers and staff but also by the parent community. I am amazed by the social and educational strides they both make everyday. They are consistently challenged and encouraged to learn on a level that they are comfortable with. I am so impressed with the teachers philosophies on learning and the processes in which it is carried out. Heather McMillin, parent
When I drop off my daughter at ESNS in the morning, she runs into school excited to play and learn. The small size of the school provides a warm, nurturing atmosphere where all the teachers know her name. At the same time she has plenty of space to grow and develop independently. I love the school’s emphasis on the importance of play and I see how well-prepared my children have been for kindergarten. ESNS has been a wonderful preschool experience!Jenny Kissel , alumni parent
Emily still feels a connection to ESNS, and has such fond memories of her time there. It’s clear that she felt loved there (and still feels that love!) which is so wonderful. And that’s why I will always drive the extra distance for Sarah to go to ESNS…because you all have created the kind of environment where a kid knows they are loved.Jenny Bosworth, parent
I’m able to visit a variety of early childhood programs with Nature On the Move. The teachers at ESNS celebrate children’s natural creativity, imagination and individuality – it’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all program! The children’s responses to my open-ended questions are remarkable for their ingenuity and depth of understanding.Liz McCane, Nature On The Move
Having sent my two (now elementary-aged) daughters through Ethical Society Nursery School, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Not only were they both academically well-prepared for Kindergarten after having finished at ESNS, but additionally because of the unparalleled warm, nurturing atmosphere of the program, they developed strong and lasting relationships with their teachers, director, and classmates. They were honored as individuals and encouraged to develop in their own way throughout their time there, and for me, finding a pre-school that understood and cared about child development enough to foster that was invaluable.
Melissa Reif, alumni parent
The Ethical Society Nursery School staff is truly excellent, with warm, skilled, well- educated individuals who enjoy working with young children. The teachers are the single most important indicator of quality for any school. A note of introduction follows for each teacher.
Teacher (Three Day Green)
Tali has been teaching at ESNS for 4 years and this is her third year in the Green Room. She is the proud mother to 3 boys, Levi (14), Isaac (10) and Micah (4), who attend school in the MRH school district. Tali holds a MA in Psychology and Art Therapy from Antioch University in Seattle. She is a registered art therapist and has been working with children and adults of all ages in therapeutic and school settings for over 20 years.
Director
This is Jill’s fourth year as the Director after having taught in the Blue Room for nine years. Jill’s relationship with the school started as the mother of three ESNS graduates.
As a parent, Jill served on the ENSN board and as a substitute teacher. She has experience as a past board president at The College School, years of HR, AR and management work during the time she helped run a local bakery/café and currently coaches swimmers at Clayton High School. Jill has a degree in art history from Old Dominion University.
Music
Robert started teaching music at ESNS in 2005. He has a B.S. in communications from Boston University. He has been a drummer and performer for over twenty-five years and a lover of music for even longer. In addition to his time at ESNS, Robert teaches Music Together classes in the St. Louis area. His son, Lucas, an alum of the nursery school, is a junior in high school and his daughter, Emily, just turned 12 this summer.
Teacher (Three Day Green)
Lauren is new to ESNS, but not new to teaching. She is excited to return to the classroom after taking some time off to stay home with her 2 boys, Owen (6) and Alex (4). She brings with her over 15 years of early childhood teaching experience, and a passion for educating the youngest students. Lauren’s ties to The Ethical Society come from her past teaching experiences. She taught Early Childhood at The College School for 4 years where she got to work with many amazing students including Jill Allen’s oldest 2 daughters.
She also was the lead teacher and curriculum coordinator at The Goodvibe School for 8 years where she taught Tali Light’s oldest 2 sons. The past 2 years Lauren has been a substitute at Emmanuel Preschool where her boys attended preschool. She has also taught at schools in Charleston, SC and Miami, FL. Lauren holds a M.Ed in Early Childhood Special Education and a M.Ed in School Counseling from University of Missouri-St. Louis. She obtained a BS in Elementary Education from The College of Charleston.
Summer Camp Director
Stacie Zink-Duda has been teaching preschool at University United Methodist Preschool for fifteen years. All four of her children graduated from there. She currently loves teaching the four and five year olds who will be going to kindergarten the following year. Every week she also explores and teaches science to the three/four year olds and the four/five year olds. In the Spring every year, she runs an enrichment program called Yearning for Learning for the older children.
Stacie has a masters degree from SIUE in child clinical psychology. She just completed her sixth year as director at the Ethical Society Nursery School Summer Camp.
Teacher (Two Day Green)
A former board member and parent at ESNS, this is Maggie Horn’s fourth year in the 2-Day Green Room! She holds a BS in theater and French from Northwestern University and spent more than ten years performing in the vibrant Washington, DC theater scene. She wrote grants and raised funds for different arts organizations too. Maggie has three sons in the Ladue School District: fifth graders, Charles and Paul and second grader, Wesley. Maggie enjoys baking and experimenting with new flavors when cooking.
Teacher (Two Day Green)
After 4 years as a member of our super creative Extended Day Team, Ariel has joined Maggie Horn in teaching the 2 Day Green Room for their second year together. She has three ESNS alums, attending University City schools: Marley in 10th, Abe in 6th and Robin in 3rd grade. Ariel graduated, with honors, from Washington University with a degree in English. In her spare time, she teaches knitting classes at a local yarn store.
Teacher (Extended Day)
Courtney is in her second year teaching Extended Day at ESNS. She graduated, with honors, from Indiana University with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies. She also trained and worked as a birth doula for eleven years. Courtney and her husband, Jeff, have two boys, Finley (11) and Max (7.) Her hobbies include gardening, baking, reading and enjoying cooler weather.
Teacher (Yellow Room)
This is Mindy’s fourth year of teaching with Nuni full-time after having been a part-time teacher and substitute here at ESNS. Mindy has a B.S. in Elementary Education from DePaul University and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Iowa. She taught third and fourth grade in Chicago for seven years and spent one year teaching second grade at Kennard Classical Junior Academy in St Louis. Her son, Graham, is in 8th grade at Wydown Middle School and Sasha and Max are attending Clayton High School.
Teacher (Blue Room)
Laurence is new to ESNS; however, she is not new to teaching. Prior to teaching with Katie in the Blue Room, she was a preschool teacher in Kirkwood for 6 years. She graduated from Missouri State University with a degree in Business and minors in Marketing and French. She worked for 17 years at KSDK-TV in advertising sales before she retired to stay home with her girls.
She has been married to Ken for 25 years and has 4 daughters. Sophie, Caroline and Emily are triplets attending University of Missouri, Columbia. Her youngest, Hadley, is a junior at Nerinx Hall. Laurence enjoys exercising, travel, golf and family time. She also owns a screen printing and embroidery business on the side.
Science – Nature on the Move
Becky has retired as a lead teacher in a pre-K classroom after eleven years to take over the Nature on the Move program which exposes and educates young students about Missouri natural flora and fauna. She and her husband have worked very hard in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Conservation to improve their property in Northern Missouri for the benefit of their wildlife neighbors.
Her passion for conservation and education inspire young children to “take care of our community” by taking care of our wildlife neighbors and habitats. Her monthly topics include: backyard animals, the food chain, turkeys and hibernation. She brings pictures, pelts and live animals to help children understand the importance
of our natural world.
Teacher (Blue Room)
Katie is starting her 8th year at ESNS and 4th year in the Blue Room. She has her BS in elementary education with a concentration in children’s literature from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. She has taught pre-k through 4th grade and PE in four cities (including Monterrey, Mexico.) Her son, Mac, is in 11th grade at Chaminade. Her daughters, alumni of the nursery school, are Annie, a freshman at St. Joe’s Academy, and Mia in 5th grade.
Teacher (Yellow Room and Extended Day)
Nuni has been teaching in the Yellow Room since 1999, but started her affiliation with ESNS a few years earlier when her children were enrolled as students there. In addition to the Yellow Room, Nuni is also one of our Extended Day teachers. She holds a BA in English from Emory University. She was a teacher assistant for the University City School District, a photo stylist, and a sales representative before coming to the nursery school. Nuni has three children. Henry is a chef in Chicago, George works at the St Louis Zoo, and Oliver attends Clayton High School. They are all alumni of the school.
We build strong partnerships with parents for sharing and communicating through:
Ethical Society Nursery School
9001 Clayton Road
St. Louis, MO 63117
Director: Jill Allen
jillallen23@gmail.com
Tel: (314) 991-1353
