About

OUR VALUES

Our Mission

At Hancock Nursery School, our mission is to provide a safe and supportive play-based environment for children (ages 2.9 to 5 years) to explore, problem solve, expand their imaginations and develop the social skills to help them navigate in the years ahead.

Our Vision

All young children are viewed as whole, unique individual with different needs who when given time to play, investigate, explore and discover their environments, in a non-authoritative way, are capable to expand their social, emotional cognitive, language and motor abilities and empower themselves.

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What is Play?

Child Directed

Exploratory

Developmentally Appropriate

Emergent

Imaginative

Flexible

Our Beliefs

At HNS, We Believe…

children are born with a natural ability to learn from their experiences
the social/emotional health of a child is of the utmost importance in developing a strong self-image as a competent, capable individual
encouraging independence through role modeling and positive language
individualized support for children and their families
that all behaviors provide an opportunity to learn
that play, motivated by process, not product, is the work of children
all voices should be heard
learning is an ongoing process

We Value…

respectful and honest communication
collaboration with others
differences in perspectives and cultures
kindness and empathy to those around us
independence and freedom
responsibility and integrity
educators who are committed

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Play – the Best teacher of all!

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HNS THEN & NOW

Why Hancock Nursery School?

Hancock Nursery School, Inc., is a non-sectarian, non-profit educational corporation with 501 (c)(3) status with the Department of Revenue. Housed in the Hancock United Church of Christ (“HUCC”), HNS began as a private kindergarten known as Hancock Weekday Kindergarten in 1957. Once public kindergarten was opened in the Lexington Public Schools, the preschool became Hancock Nursery School, a preschool for three and four-year-old children operated by the HUCC, but without any religious affiliation or mission. In 2003, the preschool became a separate entity from HUCC.

We are governed by a Board of Directors (”BOD”) who follow a set of bylaws. The BOD is comprised of HNS parents, teachers, former staff and community members.

Hancock Nursery School strives to provide a developmentally and age appropriate preschool cognitive skills according to the individual pace and style of each child. Our teaching goals are aimed at the development of healthy self-esteem, independence, and respect for self and others.