About US

Mission

Our mission is to partner with families and provide a setting that honors who children are and how they learn as they begin their formal educational journey. Curiosity and creativity are celebrated and provide the stimuli for a responsive play-based program that kindles joy for lifelong learning.

Philosophy

“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”
– William Yeats

We are inspired by the power of curiosity that exists in a young child. We understand the importance of creating fertile environments in which that curiosity is ignited and fueled. There is an intrinsic intelligence in each child. As teachers, we embrace that intelligence and facilitate the development of skills through exploration, as that is what propels a child’s curiosity and forms the foundation for sustained and profound learning. We value a partnership with families, understanding that the parent is the child’s first teacher and recognizing the unique insight they can provide which allows us to individualize and enhance the learning experience for each child.

History

“A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Valley Pre-School was formed in 1949 by a dedicated group of parents who wanted to provide a quality pre-school educational experience for young children. In those years, the public school system did not offer kindergarten classes. Students began their public funded educational training in first grade. Once kindergarten was instituted into the Granby Public School system, Valley Pre-School cut back its offerings and taught only classes for three year old and four year old students.

Those founding parents wanted to provide the best educational experience by placing the emphasis on employing superb teachers well trained in early education and by purchasing quality educational equipment and supplies for their students. Tuition revenues were primarily used for these purposes. The parents of the students took on the responsibilities of administering the school and helping in the classroom as ways to reduce tangential costs. This unique partnership between teachers and parents has provided an essential bridge of learning and a sense of enduring community between home and school that is especially important in the education of a young child. The cooperative model has been the grounding for Valley Pre-School for over 70 years!