St. Paul’s Nursery School

St. Paul’s Nursery School is a nondenominational, nonprofit preschool and pre-K in historic Dedham Center for children starting at age 2.9. Its philosophy is summed up in the phrase play is the way: children learn by playing, creating, problem solving and exploring at their own developmental level. Teachers balance that play-based model with a well-rounded curriculum that includes art, science, cooking, music and early exposure to letters and numbers.

The school has two classrooms. The Stars room upstairs welcomes the youngest children, easing the transition from home to what is usually their first school experience and laying groundwork in sharing, problem solving and working together. Downstairs, the Rockets pre-K class builds on that foundation with group discussions, letter recognition, phonemic awareness, pre-writing and math activities so graduates are ready for kindergarten. Families come from Dedham and many surrounding towns.

What to Know

• The school has offered its preschool program for more than 50 years.
• Two-, three-, four- and five-day schedules are available, and extended days can be added when space allows.
• The school year runs September through June and follows the Dedham Public Schools vacation schedule.
• A sibling discount is offered, and families can request a tour or brochure.