Occasionally asked Questions

Here are answers to some of the more common questions we get about Discovery Schoolhouse, Inc.,

Jump to
• Schoolhouse childcare and preschool
• Discovery Arts!

Childcare and Preschool Questions & Answers

Is Discovery Schoolhouse  a Childcare Program, a Preschool, a Day Care Center, or a Nursery School?
We don’t like labels, and, to be fair, each of these labels means different things to different people.  We try our best to be an appropriate place for young children to spend a significant piece of their their day.  Whether your child is at home, at the zoo, in preschool, on a trip, in nursery school, in the car, at childcare, at a friend’s house, at grandpa’s, or at day care, their time should be well-spent, meaningful, and appropriate to their needs and abilities.  Call us a “schoolhouse” if you like!

What is Discovery Schoolhouse, Inc.?
Discovery Schoolhouse was opened in 1992 as a non-profit educational program by a group of parents and teachers to provide a high quality, full day, year round early childhood experience for young children, and in 2009 we started a community arts program for older children. Discovery Schoolhouse runs the Milton Early Childhood Alliance (MECA) and administers the state’s CFCE grant for the Milton community.

Does Discovery Schoolhouse have separate classrooms and how are children grouped?
At Discovery Schoolhouse we do not have separate classrooms for different age preschoolers.  For most of the day children of different ages work, play, and learn together.  This “family grouping” allows children to develop a wide range of relationships and opportunities for learning from each other.  For part of the morning children usually work with their Team Teacher in a small developmental group of children around their own age.  Toddlers are mixed with younger preschoolers in a small group, and they spend part of their day in their own smaller classroom.  However, everyone shares the whole large space, although usually not at the same time!  The mixed toddler-preschool group has some areas specially designed just for them, but also share the rest of the space.

The school itself is almost a “one room schoolhouse,” and generally accepts a maximum of 30 children at one time, so we will always be a small school, which is just how we like it!  The building was formerly a Milton Branch Library, and was the home of the KEDS kindergarten after-school for many years.

What is the curriculum at Discovery Schoolhouse?
Discovery Schoolhouse follows developmentally appropriate practices as outlined by The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  Although we were proud to have been accredited by the NAEYC for many years, we had to discontinue our accreditation during our relocation to the Kidder Building, as it is not transferable to the new space, and we decided to drop it after that for administrative and financial reasons.  The program is designed both to be age appropriate for 15 month olds through children entering kindergarten, and individually appropriate for each child’s interests and abilities.  Teachers at Discovery Schoolhouse have a strong understanding of the development and growth of children.

We like to see children doing things for themselves, learning to make good choices, thinking about their place in the world, caring for others, and being inquisitive.  We are more concerned with children’s social and emotional development than their “academic” skills.  So we like to see children learning to be friends, to get along in a group, to express their feeling appropriately, to share (a bit!), to speak in thoughtful, kind ways, to get their own things for themselves, to take care of their school, and to be comfortable both with others and alone.  We love reading, literacy, math, science, nature, art, books, singing, arts, and most of the “classic” activities for young children, but we don’t consider an end in and of themselves.  We are working at teaching children to be good, strong, independent, helpful, thoughtful, and inquisitive people.

Do I need an appointment to visit the school?
No.  You are welcome to visit and observe Discovery Schoolhouse at any time. However, if you would like a tour of the school and have someone available to answer your questions, we request that you call ahead to arrange a convenient time. This website will hopefully answer most of your questions, but if it doesn’t, please be in touch

Does Discovery Schoolhouse serve lunch and snack?
Breakfast and two nutritious snacks are served daily, and are included in the cost of tuition. Parents provide ready to serve lunches from home.

Why does Discovery Schoolhouse have an annual fundraising commitment?
Discovery Schoolhouse, Inc. is a non-profit, Chapter 501(C)(3) educational corporation.  We try our best to keep our rates as reasonable as we can.  We usually hold several fundraisers each year, and we depend on families helping out to make them successful.  The Family Fundraising Commitment is a just that.  We ask each family to make a commitment to raise $300 towards the school’s Annual Fund.  This commitment is separate and distinct from our other fundraisers.  In cases of bona fide financial need or other hardship it can be easily waived, but we really do hope every family participates. Often, we can have the donations matched by a charitable foundation.  Please also check with yuor employer to see if they will match your gift.

Discovery Arts! Questions & Answers

Where do the art classes meet?
Most classes meet at 101 Blue Hills Parkway.  Please enter through the back door to the lower level.  Occasionally classes will meet off-site.  Please see specific course description for details

How can I enroll?
Go to the Discovery Arts! registration page to enroll in an arts program.  If for any reason you have difficulty with the form, you can always email or call.