Italian Immersion Preschool (2-5 Years) 

For more information, please submit an Online Inquiry Form, or check out our Visit page for more info on upcoming Open Houses and Events. You can also take a VR 360 tour of our preschool campus.

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At the core of the PYP framework lie six transdisciplinary themes, serving as the backbone for our inquiry-based learning approach. These themes provide a structure that enables students to forge meaningful connections across subjects, diving deep into broad concepts that transcend individual disciplines. By exploring these themes, our students develop a rich understanding of both the human and natural worlds around them. The themes also provide IB World Schools with the opportunity to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum and effectively allow students to “step up” beyond the confines of learning within subject areas.

1. Who We Are
   Inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
    
2. Where We Are in Place and Time
   Inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
    
3. How We Express Ourselves
   Inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
    
4. How the World Works
   Inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
    
5. How We Organize Ourselves
   Inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
    
6. Sharing the Planet
   Inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

These trans-disciplinary themes help teachers develop a program of inquiries–investigations into important ideas, identified by the schools, and requiring a high level of involvement on the part of the students. The inquiries are substantial, in-depth, and usually last for several weeks. Since these ideas relate to the world beyond the school, students see their relevance and connect with it in an engaging and challenging way. Students who learn in this way begin to reflect on their roles and responsibilities as learners and become actively involved with their education. All students will come to realize that a unit of inquiry involves in-depth exploration of an important idea, and that the teacher will collect evidence of how well they understand that idea. They will expect to be able to work in a variety of ways, on their own and in groups, to allow them to learn to their best advantage.

Each grade level from 1 to 5 engages with all six themes through carefully crafted units of inquiry. Our early years program (Pre-K and Kindergarten) typically explores four to five units each year. Central to each unit is a conceptual statement - the "central idea" - supported by three or four lines of inquiry linked to specific subject areas.

At La Scuola, we integrate a wide range of subjects into our POI (Program of Inquiry): 

- Languages: Italian, English, Spanish (grades 4 and 5)
- Mathematics
- Arts: Visual Arts and Music
- Science: Homeroom inquiries, Environmental Studies, Technology, and Robotics
- Social Studies: Storia, Geografia, Racial Literacy (Pollyanna curriculum)
- Personal, Social, and Physical Education (PSPE): Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Physical Education (PE)

While we strive to incorporate these subjects into our transdisciplinary units, we also recognize the importance of subject-specific inquiries. This balanced approach allows for both integrated learning and focused, in-depth exploration of individual disciplines.

At La Scuola, the Reggio Emilia Approach® and the IB framework are integrated so teachers can collaborate with children to inquire, reflect, and explore their own questions throughout elementary and middle school. As a result, our students develop confidence in their ability to learn, think for themselves, express their opinions—often in multiple languages—and respect the opinions of others.

Early exposure to additional languages enables more neural connections to form in a child’s brain, actually improving skills in their first language. Our students are bilingual (many are trilingual) and as a result, have better control over their attention, decision making, and planning than students who learn in one language. Bilingualism is well known to be a strong predictor of academic success and lifelong happiness and Italian especially benefits students with an understanding of Latin roots and an increased ability to appreciate art, music, history, and science.

Statistically, children who study a second language score higher on verbal standardized tests conducted in English, perform better in math and logic skills testing, and are better at solving complex problems. At La Scuola, our language immersion begins with Italian, and we have expanded our offerings to include Spanish starting in Grade 4. Teachers differentiate language instruction according to student ability.

For our preschool students, the senses are everything! Our San Francisco (first image) and Silicon Valley (second image) Italian immersion preschool campuses were designed very intentionally by renowned architect Michele Zini of ZPZ Partners in Modena, Italy who is recognized globally for creating Reggio-inspired schools and ateliers. Each space on campus sparks interest by intentionally igniting the senses with color, texture, movement, beauty and joy. Take a 3D virtual tour.

Children do not need to speak Italian to enroll at La Scuola. Most do not.

Children need to be potty-learned to be in the Grandi and Grandissimi classes. 

Of special importance, a family-style lunch (made with organic ingredients whenever possible) is a cornerstone of a La Scuola  experience. We especially value coming together to share our meals, and we see this time as a special opportunity to enjoy and experience the social skills and friendships that naturally develop in this context.

For our San Francisco preschool campus we partner with Krista Gustaveson, owner of La Cucina, who cooks all meals on site. For our Silicon Valley campus, we partner with Flik Hospitality to provide foods that are fresh, wholesome, and safe to eat. Meals are organic and locally-sourced whenever possible, nutritionally balanced, incredibly healthful and veggie-filled, and encompass an international influence that will help spread the culinary wings of our children and give them an early exposure to healthy eating habits. Have a look at our preschool sample morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack menu below. Scroll to the right to view the full menu.