The Sapling Center lives on the campus of Germantown Academy and is rooted in the spirit and mission of GA to provide a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment for children from infancy through age 3.

PROGRAM FOR INFANT & TODDLER CARE (PITC)

At the heart of PITC is a commitment to care that respects the diverse cultures, individual routines, preferences, abilities, and needs of the children and families we serve. We view infants and toddlers not as passive recipients of care, but as curious, motivated learners who thrive through meaningful relationships. 

Our core principles: 

• Families are essential partners in shaping their child's care experience
• Every child is unique, with individual temperaments, development rates, and interests
• Responsive caregiving supports children's natural drive to explore and learn
• Relationships matter most – they're the foundation for healthy development 

HIGHSCOPE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM

How We Teach  

In a HighScope preschool program, teachers ignite children's interest in learning by creating an environment that encourages them to explore learning materials and interact with adults and peers. We focus on supporting early learners as they make decisions, build academic skills, develop socially and emotionally, and become part of a classroom community.

Active learning is at the center of the HighScope Curriculum. It's the foundation where young children gain knowledge through their natural play and interactions with the environment, events, and other people.

What We Teach

Learning and development in these eight content areas are guided by 58 key developmental indicators (KDIs). Each KDI identifies an important skill or behavior and reflects the varied pace of children’s development. Our curriculum is designed to help teachers appropriately support children at their current developmental level and gently extend their thinking and reasoning to the next level, paving the way for school and future success.

The HighScope Preschool Key Developmental Indicators provide the content by which we can measure the progress of active learning as it takes place. They enable teachers to interpret what young children say and do along a developmental continuum and provide the tools teachers need to create an environment in which these behaviors can occur and then to recognize, support, and build on them when they do. By using HighScope Preschool Curriculum content, teachers reinforce children’s play as the primary mechanism for learning and support each child in their growth through close attention, observation, and both physical and verbal interaction.

Learning is Focused on Eight Content Areas

Questions? Send a note to gasaplingcenter@germantownacademy.org.