A Dynamic Place to Learn and Play

Summer remodel reshapes PreK and kindergarten classrooms

It’s a Thursday morning, and kindergartners are gathered in small reading groups throughout their newly renovated classroom. On one side of the bright and spacious room, a teacher guides three students in a phonics lesson. At a collection of low tables, two more teachers help students cut and sort images of objects that have “i” and “o” sounds. Huddled up on different areas of the freshly carpeted floor, students read to themselves, wearing blue headphones to follow along with a narrator, or use iPads to work on literacy skills.

Meanwhile, it’s free-choice time in PreKindergarten next door. Excited children dart around wooden play furniture, visiting a dress-up station to put on princess and pilot costumes, exploring a mystery box at the science station, pretending to be shopkeepers at a little market stall, and playing tambourine and piano in a corner stocked with musical instruments.

Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School’s PreK and kindergarten programs have a long history of creating balanced and child-centered learning opportunities under the guidance of warm and engaged teachers. Since 1971, generations of children have benefited from a dynamic teaching and learning environment designed to instill a love of learning and to celebrate each child’s unique potential. Santa Catalina’s ongoing commitment to providing resources that allow the PreK and kindergarten programs to remain at the forefront of education underscores the school’s abiding belief that the beginning is everything.

This summer, Santa Catalina renovated the PreK and kindergarten classrooms on a tight deadline and with funding made possible by generous donors, as well as with support from teachers, staff, and trustee volunteers. The $1.2 million remodel, including a new roof, was a priority identified in Santa Catalina’s Strategic Plan. Classroom environments have a profound effect on teaching and learning, and the remodel has kept the children’s needs front and center, drawing on the latest research into the ways physical spaces support educational growth and development.

Head of Lower and Middle School Christy Pollacci says, “These renovations are a dream come true. Our extraordinary program is now fully supported by the environment in which our youngest children play and learn.”

Color Where It Counts

The renovations transformed the PreK and kindergarten classrooms from top to bottom. The rooms are more clearly their own unique spaces, yet remain unified by a neutral color palette, movable furniture, and tall windows that span the width of each room, letting in plenty of natural light. The kindergarten classroom further benefits from new restrooms and a back door that opens onto the playground.

Of all the changes to come from the remodel, the shift to neutral colors is, ironically, among the most striking. Research shows that a neutral color palette helps children focus by cutting down on visual distractions. With a mix of tans, white, and gray as the main palette, the only pops of color in the room come from teaching materials and the students’ own artwork, which helps the children take pride in their work and gives them a sense of ownership of the room.

Lydia Mansour, director of PreK and kindergarten, explains, “Whatever we want their attention on is the only thing that’s colorful, not the background. If their tables are neutral and they’ve got several items that they want to explore, they’re going to be focused on what they’re exploring, not the colors of the furniture or their surroundings.” Kindergarten teacher Vanessa Krabacher adds, “We’re actually giving their eyes a chance to rest, which the research finds is really beneficial when we’re asking them to concentrate.”

On the Move

The student-first design of the classroom extends to the furnishings and technology upgrades. Each classroom is outfitted with a new Promethean board, a large TV-like screen that functions as an interactive whiteboard. The screens are adjustable to either the teachers’ height or the children’s height, depending on who’s using the screen. “When we move them down to the children’s level, the children can use their hand-eye coordination [to interact with the screen], which we know helps with retention of knowledge and skills,” says Mrs. Mansour.

The rest of the furniture is at the students’ height as well—not just tables and chairs, but shelving and storage so they have easy access to the hands-on materials that enhance their learning. Perhaps more important, all of these pieces are movable. That means teachers can easily configure the classrooms based on students’ interests and needs at any given time, such as by creating more space for a high-energy class to move around or expanding the reading area for a class that can’t get enough of books. “If we can follow the children’s lead and make the classroom fit what their needs are, then we’re supporting them in the best possible way,” says Mrs. Mansour.

Building Independence

The construction elements of the remodel come with many benefits as well. Both classrooms have kitchens and food prep areas, beneficial not just for snack time but for those times when food is used as a teaching tool. The rooms also boast a lot more storage space, allowing teachers to keep the learning areas clear of clutter. There are even dedicated cabinets for storing the children’s naptime cots.

Importantly, upgrades to the kindergarten classroom help promote independence. Having their own bathrooms means that kindergartners no longer have to cross into the PreK area to use the facilities. They also have their own door to the playground, which means no more walking around the building as a group to reach the play area.

Taken together, the colors, furniture, and child-first design help create classrooms that promote learning, invite curiosity, and encourage active participation. As Mrs. Krabacher sums up, “We’ve turned the classroom into an ally.”