Bonnie E. Corkum, M.S.Ed.
Welcome to Pinecroft, a very special, non-profit, independent elementary school that began nearly thirty years ago with a mission of offering a challenging curriculum and intensive individual attention in an atmosphere of respect, warmth and excitement. Our three founding rules of Respect Yourself, Respect Others & Respect Property are the rules we live by today. From the first day of kindergarten through fifth-grade graduation, we work on educating the whole child and creating an environment of mutual respect among students, teachers, families and our community.
Families seek a small setting for their children for a variety of reasons. At Pinecroft beginning in grade one, an individualized “plan” of work is created weekly for each child, allowing children to work independently when not engaged in cooperative or whole-group work. Children work at their own pace (slower for weaknesses, moving ahead for strengths) with plenty of opportunity to actively explore individual interests. With a child-centered curriculum that includes hands-on science experiments and other experiential activities, we work to instill a passion for learning right from the start – in an atmosphere charged with possibility and imagination.
Combined-grade classrooms (k/1, 2/3, 4/5) give our younger students an opportunity to work to a higher level and our older students a tremendous mentoring experience. Children in the k/1 classroom are “buddied” with Pinecroft Pals in grades four and five. All grades play together outside on the playground twice per day, where children explore their world through child-initiated play in the active presence of teachers.
In our popular after-school program, children have an opportunity to play outside, have a healthy snack, make crafts, participate in “theme” days and do homework. Our active parent organization has greatly allowed us to enrich the overall educational experience of our students. At Pinecroft, tuition is all-inclusive, with no extra fees for books, school supplies and educational field trips.
Pinecroft strictly limits enrollment in order to offer a very low student-teacher ratio, ensuring that our teachers connect with every child every day. Teachers know their students’ families, and they’re aware of major and minor events in a child’s life. They happily make themselves available to parents for discussion. Our classroom teachers hold master’s degrees in education. We’re proud of our dedicated and motivated faculty and our dynamic art, music and Spanish programs. Our self-reliant learners continue on to enjoy success in such prestigious schools as Moses Brown, Thayer Academy, Wheeler, Providence Country Day and more.
Pinecroft has enjoyed a long and strong affiliation with nearby Wheaton College. Wheaton students intern in our classrooms, art and outdoor physical education programs. Future teachers observe and do coursework here. Pinecroft students participate in community service projects like the Relay for Life event at the college.
We hope your visit to our newly updated website gives you a glimpse into our unique community. To truly experience the supportive and stimulating environment, we encourage you to schedule a visit and see for yourself the wisdom of choosing Pinecroft for your child’s elementary school experience.
