Business Profile: Little Oaks School, Shrub Oak
This summer, students at the Little Oaks School have travelled to outer space, explored the ocean deeps, and even competed in the Olympics—all without leaving their Shrub Oak classrooms. Specially-themed activities like these are just some of the ways children, aged from six weeks to five years, learn, grow, and play at the recently revamped childcare center.
When Shrub Oak resident Ray Carile, who also owns the fitness center Sweat, purchased Little Oaks from its previous owner in March 2012, he set out to design a program that would combine his expertise in fitness and nutrition with a curriculum that follows the New York State Common Core. In that spirit, pre-school students at Little Oaks learn foundational skills in math and reading, while also participating in a modified CrossFit training program and taking yoga classes.
“The kids are doing calisthenics, but it’s disguised as games,” Carile explained. “They’re doing squats but they think they’re acting like frogs.”
Carile has also introduced a nutrition program, which includes plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and cuts down on sugars and processed foods. Pre-schoolers are allowed to serve themselves both breakfast and lunch, choosing from a wide array of healthy options.
Teaching children to make healthy choices also helps them develop their independence, according to Carile. This confidence in their own decision-making skills extends to the classroom and beyond.
“When kids have a level of independence, they feel like part of the team,” explained assistant director and pre-k teacher Giovanna Pennella. “If a conflict arises between two kids, we come together as a class to find a solution. They feel like they have ownership in the classroom.”
Trust and independence form the core of Little Oaks School’s philosophy, and both Pennella and Carile cite the bonds children develop with their teachers as major components in the program’s success.
“At drop-off in the morning, you don’t see kids panicking,” said Carile. “They’re running toward their teachers to give them a hug, and at the end of the day no one wants to go home.”
These bonds run two ways. Teachers at Little Oaks, who are New York State-certified, make a special effort to truly “know” all of their students and adjust their teaching to meet each individual child’s needs. Because many of the children begin in the school’s infant and toddler programs before even starting pre-k, relationships with teachers are significant and long lasting.
“It’s so enjoyable to watch them develop,” said Carile. “[By kindergarten] they really become like little adults, very conversant and responsive. Shannon was giving me pointers on how to decorate the room- it was very cute to hear a five-year-old tell me, ‘Well, I think the refrigerator should go over there.’”
Besides developing these bonds with their students, the staff at Little Oaks makes a significant effort to involve parents in the school’s decisions. Teachers provide parents with daily reports about their children’s progress and activities, and the school holds a parent advisory board every other month. There, as well as on an end-of-year survey, parents are asked to give feedback about their children’s programs and offer any suggestions for improvement.
As seriously as the Little Oaks staff takes children’s development, it also makes plenty of time for fun and games. Classrooms are filled with blocks, puzzles, picture books, and stuffed animals galore. Hardly a space on the walls remains uncovered by bright murals or children’s artwork.
“The kids are always happy to see me because they know that when I come in, it’s playtime,” said Carile.
Indeed, when we walk into one of the classrooms, he’s greeted by a chorus of children calling his name and running up to give him a hug. One proudly shows off a helicopter, made out of Legos. We all agree that it can fly.
Little Oaks School includes preschool (three to five years), toddler (18-36 months), and infant ( six weeks to 18 months) programs, as well as before and after school daycare and summer camp. For more information, visit thelittleoakschool.com, where applications for fall registration are now open. You may also reach the center by phone, at (914) 536-2000.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
