Our Philosophy

At CPS we treat all educational philosophies as important.

We believe in taking a pluralists approach to educational and developmental theory.

Learning looks different in early childhood; therefore we take great measures to encourage the growth of your child as a whole being.
When children feel naturally engaged in play, learning becomes a process they will want to engage with for the rest of their lives. We hope to leave your family with a lifelong love for learning.
Cognition in early childhood is like the wild west. We see it that our role is to key-in to the natural environment of each child’s internal world and provide their garden the specific growth it needs.
Nature is, and always will be, our greatest teacher. We strive to bring the classroom into the natural world and engage our students from the ground up (pun intended).
In keeping with the latest research, we provide a screen free school. Instead, we value the critical skills behind STEAM learning over mere screen usage.
Simply put, teamwork makes the dream work. When all variables in a child’s life align, we can best attune to the consistency and rhythm children need in and out of school.

Most families expect singular-method education: Montessori, Piaget, Waldorf, Play-Based, Constructivist, Reggio-Emilia…the options are endless!

So why pick one if every child is different? Instead, we lean towards replicating the natural environment children need to develop all the different parts of themselves. Having a wealth of approaches to draw from, allows us to meet each family where they are at.

“When we teach in pluralistic ways, there are two wonderful dividends. First of all, we reach more students, because some learn best through stories, some through works of art, some through role play etc. Second of all, we show what it is like really to understand something.”

—Howard Gardner Creator of the "Multiple Intelligences" Theory & Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard University.

Indoor classroom decorated with space-themed items, including a large rocket model hanging from the ceiling.

Child's hand dropping a green toy truck into a metal bucket labeled 'green' at a sensory play station with various other labeled buckets in the background.

A brightly lit children's playroom featuring a small table with green and white chairs, a chalkboard, a bookshelf with toys, and a window with a view outside.

A colorful and organized preschool classroom with a circular seating area on an alphabet-themed rug, a play tree with shelves, tables with chairs, a blue carpet with animal illustrations, and educational toys on shelves. The room is bright with natural light and decorated with murals of flowers, butterflies, and a girl on the wall.

Why Preschool?

Without question, early childhood (EC) development is the most important growth stage of a human’s life. According to a CoLab Evidence Report that examined EC brain development, “how a child experiences the world in the early years can literally shape the structure and function of their brain.” ¹, and yet, early childhood education is wildly overlooked. At Chandler’s, we hope to address this developmental gap directly.

If the majority of a child’s cognitive development happens before they reach school-age (90% before the age of five²), and often, our children are under-exposed to socialization, emotional regulation, linguistic experience, cultural immersion, and logical reasoning until they reach elementary school; this makes preschool less about education and more about providing healthy development.

A timeline of human brain development from pregnancy to death, showing key processes like cell migration, myelination, synaptogenesis, and neurogenesis at different ages.

Baker, S. (2017). Brain development in early childhood [CoLab Evidence Report].
Retrieved from https://colab.telethonkids.org.au/resources/
Lenroot, R. K., & Giedd, J. N. (2006). Brain development in children and adolescents: Insights from anatomical magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 30(6), 718–729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2006.06.001
Serfaty, Claudio A. “Tryptophan intake and the influence of serotonin on development and plasticity of sensory circuits.” Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition, 2011, pp. 2135–2151, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92271-3_136.

Children gathered around a table watching as one of them mixes or crushes green food coloring into lighter colored food in a stainless steel bowl.

Child coloring with crayons at a table with containers of crayons and colored pencils.

Bright and spacious preschool classroom with small tables, chairs, toy storage, and play areas for young children.

Two young children playing outdoors with soap bubbles, one boy excited with his arms raised and a girl wearing a pink hat and backpack.

What Makes Chandler’s Different?

Our founder, Ms.Carolina, set out to build Chandler's Preschool as a school system that made a difference in the lives of its families, as much as its students. From Grandpa to Tia, your Mama’s or Papa’s, CPS seeks to support you as you create your own villages. This was done intentionally by Ms.Carolina as a response to the loss of “the village” in modern times. At CPS we understand the evolutionary need for humans to grow up in communal settings, and we have finally created a learning environment that incorporates the developmental requisite of communal learning.

Further, Ms.Carolina sought to break the "daycare" mold in every way imaginable! She very purposefully built our Highland Park campus with the child in mind. She did away with large, overstimulating, adult-sized facilities by leaning into an at-home feel. By creating a smaller school of three classrooms, our facility feels more like a home away from home than it does an institution. The homey atmosphere also includes home-cooked, organic meals, all included in our competitive tuition.

Additionally, our campus is nicely tucked away, behind two code-locked gates, with a non-public facing entrance, all while avoiding major roads or busy boulevards. Safety has been a central fixture of CPS’s construction, which offers our families an invaluable peace of mind. We also make sure that our hours reflect the needs of working parents, and refuse to charge additional fees for a full day of care.

At CPS, our priority is the well-being of your child, inside and out. At our core, we hope to support your child's foundation of being a happy human through the cultivation of confidence and emotional regulation. We encourage our students to fall in love with learning, find novel ways to adapt, practice their community member skills, and lean into healthy challenges. Oh, and have lots of fun while doing it!

Enjoy a collection of thoughts and stories from our families on their experience at Chandler's.

Testimonials

Principles In Practice

Seven children playing with wooden blocks on a space-themed carpet in a classroom.

1. Holistic Human Development:

At Chandler’s, we approach early-childhood education holistically. Instead of merely teaching our students letters, shapes, and numbers, that would only be addressing a singular expression of human intelligence. Instead, we frame our education through the lens of human development as a more encompassing metric of intelligence vs. rote memorization.

In these early stages of life, intelligence looks different than how we as adults understand it. To us as early educators, successful human development can look like: strong fine-motor skills, ability to emotionally regulate, communicating bodily needs, ability to balance, participating in community, self-feeding, problem solving, integrating the sensorial body, adapting to novel challenges, being a caring friend, understanding self-safety; the list is endless!

All in all, these latter examples are what we call “functional intelligence”, i.e., the skills a human needs to onboard all future learning of all types, as the solid foundation a brain needs to grow exponentially.

Children playing and building problems solving at Chandlers Preschool in Highland Park.

2. Play as the Learning Vehicle:

Our school views play as the central human drive for cognitive development.

Through purposeful, well-designed experiences, children explore the world, develop problem-solving skills, and form meaningful connections. Our curriculum integrates imaginative play, creative arts, music, STEM inquiry, and outdoor exploration—establishing a thoughtful foundation for lifelong learning.

Preschool children engaged in puzzle play at Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park.

3. Individualized Learning Paths:

At Chandler’s Preschool, each child’s development is thoughtfully guided with intention and expertise.

Our experienced educators carefully observe and respond to individual interests, strengths, and developmental readiness, shaping learning experiences that honor each child’s unique path. This personalized approach fosters confidence, resilience, and a genuine love of learning.

Families partnering with educators to support early childhood learning at Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park.

4. Parental Partnership:

At Chandler’s Preschool, we view parents as valued partners in their child’s educational journey. Through thoughtful communication, professional guidance, and mutual respect, we ensure families remain informed, connected, and aligned every step of the way.

Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park provides a safe, inclusive, and thoughtfully designed environment for early childhood learning.

5. Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment:

Chandler’s Preschool offers an intentionally designed learning environment where safety, care, and inclusion are foundational.

Our thoughtfully renovated campus provides a refined, welcoming setting enriched with carefully selected materials and furnishings. We foster a culture of respect and belonging, ensuring every child is seen, valued, and supported within a warm and inclusive community.

Preschool children seated on a classroom carpet, attentively listening as a teacher leads a learning activity with flashcards at Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park.

6. Lifelong Love for Learning:

At Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park, we intentionally cultivate a lifelong love of learning by nurturing curiosity and establishing strong, enduring foundations.

Through thoughtfully designed, play-based experiences, children develop into confident, capable learners prepared to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

Two young children in a play area, with one girl in light-colored clothes standing on books and holding a yellow book, and a boy sitting on the floor reading a book, with a wooden bookshelf filled with colorful children's books in the background.

7. Screen-Free Learning:

At Chandler’s Preschool, we are intentionally screen-free, prioritizing real-world learning, hands-on exploration, and meaningful human connection.

Our technology-free classrooms foster creativity, communication, and social-emotional growth, allowing children to engage fully with their environment, their peers, and the world around them.

At Chandler’s Preschool in Highland Park, we view education as a lifelong journey shaped from the earliest years. It is our privilege to thoughtfully guide each child’s beginning with curiosity, confidence, and care—laying a meaningful foundation for future learning.