Half-Day Preschool Program
Hilltop offers a half-day preschool program for children between the ages of three to five. We are open from 9:00am-1:00pm, Monday-Friday. Throughout the year, curriculum is developed based on children’s interests, passions, and challenges. A mixed-age classroom, our half-day preschool program follows the Seattle Public Schools schedule and builds a strong sense of community among the children.

FAQ
What curriculum do you follow?
What are the hours for the half day program?
How many days can my child attend?
Is there a transition plan for my child to get used to going to school?
What meals do you provide?
What if my child has allergies or needs to take regular medication?
Are there parent volunteer opportunities at school?

Stories from the classroom: Social-emotional development
Today Danny was sitting on the couch and looking at his family photo. He was quiet and looked like he could have been a little upset. I went over to check on him and see if he needed anything. So, I asked how he was doing.
Danny: “I miss my mom.”
Me: “Yeah, it can be tough to be away from people you love.”
Danny: “I just like those dots on her shirt.”
Me: “Do you like that shirt?
Danny: “Yeah, they are comforting. I like my sister, my dad and my mom.” He pointed to each person as he spoke.
After we looked at the picture, I asked what he wanted to play. He indicated that he wanted to build an airplane and so he went to gather the materials we needed to make some airplanes. He built an airplane with me, but became distracted when his friend came over to the table we were working on with a little origami frog.
Although this is just one snippet of his day, there are so many complex thoughts and emotions that are happening. Danny started off his day feeling sad and missing his mom. We talked about it, and decided that he might feel better if he found something to do and to play. Validating his emotions was an effective and necessary strategy so that Danny could move on. Knowing that it is okay to miss people you love when they are gone, he recovered well, and jumped right into the next thing.
Danny was able to navigate social situations at the same time as feeling sad and missing his family, showing his ability for emotional regulation. He was able to recognize these emotions, name them and then move on to what he was doing in the now. He was able to refocus on the current situation, focus on that and was wildly successful.