About Our School
In 1926, Peggy Riser, the first teacher and director of Ravinia Nursery School, welcomed a dozen students into her Ravinia home. Today, as one of the oldest preschools in the state of Illinois, RNS has grown and matured with maintaining the coziness of home. In 1958, under the leadership of its Director, Rosalie Weinfeld and the Board of Directors, funds were raised to build “the Little Blue School” on Red Oak Lane. Over the years, many renovations were made to the school. In 1991 an additional classroom was added, in 1998 the play ground was completely redone and brought up to code, and then in 2001 RNS underwent an extensive interior renovation which was completed in 2002.
As the years progress, we continue to update and maintain our Little Blue School to make a comfortable and safe home away from home for all of our children. As we celebrate our 98th year, we continue to see how our magical school has touched many families within our community. We have now had the pleasure of sharing our special school with second and third generations of families!
Since it’s inception, RNS continues to be a nonprofit developmental preschool open to all families regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin or ancestry. No child will be excluded because of disability or special needs unless the program is unable to meet the specific needs of that child.
Our Philosophy
Our mission at RNS is to provide a quality preschool education to the children and families with whom we serve. Because we view children in the context of their family, our relationship with our families is a partnership between home and school. RNS is a developmental play-based preschool for children ages two years through five years of age. As a child’s first school experience, it is our intention at RNS to inspire a love for learning by providing an environment that supports and honors each child’s unique development and interests. At RNS, we believe children learn best through play. When children are free to explore their environment and the materials around them, the learning they acquire is meaningful. It is through this exploration that a child learns about the world in which they live. Children permitted to play freely amongst their peers develop skills for cooperation and collaboration. Building a strong social and emotional foundation that supports all learning is our primary goal in preparing children for kindergarten and beyond. The educators at RNS support the social and emotional development vital to the learning occurring in all other areas of development.
In addition to indoor play, outdoor free play is an important component of all our programs. Whether a child is attempting their way across the monkey bars, digging in the sand areas or riding a bike, they are attempting behaviors that involve taking risks, motor planning, balance and strength. While time on our playground provides countless opportunities for important gross motor development, we also believe outdoor play gives children the opportunity to expand their imagination beyond the constraints of the classroom. In addition, outdoor play reduces stress, increases attention span and improves mood.
