Junior Achievers

Temple Beth Shalom Children’s Center

670 Highland Ave., Needham, 781-444-0077, tbs-needham.com/tbscc. New director Marcie Berul—a former assistant director at the B.U. Early Childhood Learning Lab—is considered a rising star in local education circles. Parents looking for religious exposure for their children love the interaction the school provides with clergy in Friday classes. Facilities: Classrooms within the newly renovated Beth Shalom temple. Educational approach: Developmentally based, with a Judaic focus. Student-teacher ratio: 7-1. Programs offered: Half day, with an afternoon enrichment option. Tuition: $3,435–$5,380 for members; $4,170–$6,070 for nonmembers. Admissions: Member applications accepted for two weeks beginning October 15, after which nonmembers can apply. Waitlist: Yes.

Tenacre Country Day School

78 Benvenue St., Wellesley, 781-235-2282, tenacrecds.org. More intense than most preschools, this pre-K gives kids starting at the age of four the chance to hone skills like handwriting and geometry while offering a gateway into the Tenacre elementary school, one of the most prestigious in the area. Facilities: A schoolhouse with gym and library next to the Dana Hall School. Educational approach: Developmentally based curriculum with more-formal literacy and math components. Student-teacher ratio: 7-1. Programs offered: Half day and full day, with an afterschool option. Tuition: Half day, $16,570; full day, $17,160–$19,340, depending on number of days and time of year. Tuition assistance available. Admissions: Applications due by February 1. Parents meet with the admissions director and head of school; the child meets with a learning specialist and is evaluated in a play group. For pre-K only, preference is given to students’ siblings and children of faculty. Waitlist: Yes.

The Waldorf School

739 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, 781-863-1062, thewaldorfschool.org. This Lexington standout is known for working hard to ease children into school life by inviting parents to be regulars in the classroom until midway through the year. Facilities: Two historic buildings in East Lexington, adjacent to some 200 acres of forested conservation land. Educational approach: Waldorf. Student-teacher ratio: 6-1. Programs offered: Half day (morning and afternoon sessions available). Tuition: Two days, $5,140; three days, $6,990; five days, $10,690. Admissions: Applications due January 31; decisions mailed in March. Parents and children interview together with a teacher, and in some cases a learning specialist may be asked to observe the applicant at play. Waitlist: Yes.

Walnut Park Montessori School

47 Walnut Pk., Newton, 617-969-9208, walnutparkmontessori.org. Walnut Park stages “activity days” in which special groups or performers put on shows for the kids. The school also features afternoon enrichment programs in music, art, French, and even chess. Computer-based instruction is a point of pride—and the classrooms are equipped with Apple iBooks. Facilities: Classrooms, a gym, and a library in a 19th-century carriage house. Educational approach: Montessori, with a touch of spirituality. Student-teacher ratio: 6-1. Programs offered: Half day and full day. Tuition: Half day, $7,200; full day, $8,700. Admissions: Applications accepted year-round; decisions made in January. Parents (sans child) visit during designated days for one-hour sessions, followed by a Q&A with the principal. Waitlist: Yes.

Wellesley College Child Study Center

Page Building, 106 Central St., Wellesley, 781-283-2695, wellesley.edu/childstudy. At one of the most impressive schools in the Boston area, students benefit from the unique way the teachers communicate: They use scripted dialogue developed by the school to encourage kids to think for themselves and answer their own questions. Facilities: A gracious mansion on the Wellesley College campus, with a greenhouse, garden, and outdoor stage. Educational approach: Developmentally based lab school. Student-teacher ratio: 5-1. Programs offered: Half day. Tuition: Youngest class, $2,138–$5,149; for children of faculty/staff, $1,710–$4,119. Middle and oldest class, $4,482; for children of faculty/staff, $3,585. Admissions: Applications accepted between October 1 and January 31; decisions made in March. At least one parent must visit the school while in session. Preference is given to students’ siblings and the children of Wellesley College staff. Waitlist: Yes.