Hurley Nursery School is a private, non-profit, nursery school in the historic Ulster County town of Hurley NY that fosters emotional, social, cognitive and physical development in each and every child. Founded in September 1968 as a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian and nondiscriminatory school. It is administered by a Governing Board comprised of volunteer members. Within this Board, a President, Vice President, Vice President of Education, Secretary and Treasurer are elected annually.

Purpose

To provide a rich, stimulating environment in which each child may grow and learn at his or her own pace.

To provide the opportunity for nursery school age children to enjoy being and learning together.

Philosophy

We believe children learn to play and play to learn, and provide varied activities and equipment to promote this belief.We focus on four developmental areas; emotional, social, cognitive, and physical.

The most important is emotional development. Our goal is to help children feel good about themselves as individuals, as part of their families, and as part of our school community. We want them to see school as a positive and fun place to be, as this is the foundation of their education.

It is also important for children to feel comfortable in a social situation with children their own age and with adults who will provide comfort and direction.

The easiest area to address is their cognitive development. Children are like little sponges ready to absorb any information given to them, especially when it is presented in an age appropriate, interesting, and interactive way.

We also spend a great deal of time on small and large motor skills. Small motor skills involve the muscles in their hands used to cut, draw, and manipulate small toys. Large motor skills are the muscles they use to run, climb, and jump.

Having an appreciation for "limits", which are a very real part of life. Learning this at a young age helps children feel comfortable and safe. At the same time, children need to make choices and decisions appropriate to their age. Therefore our curriculum is structured around "freedom within limits".

The skills children develop at the Hurley Nursery School prepare them for Kindergarten and beyond. They have fun while learning appropriate school behavior. They make friendships. Each child is part of the group with a strong sense that they belong, which promotes self-esteem and self-confidence.