Drawing on her experience as a private school educator in New York City, Kristin Riciputi founded The Treehouse School with the belief that children learn best when strong academics, meaningful relationships, and real-world experiences come together. Rather than following a single educational model, Treehouse embraces a hybrid approach to learning that is reflected in our five-branch philosophy.

At The Treehouse, we believe children thrive when they feel connected to the world around them. Through regular visits to local banks, libraries, restaurants, police and fire stations, and other community landmarks, our students become active participants in their community. These experiences help children build confidence, practice respectful behavior in real-world settings, and develop meaningful relationships with the people and places that support them. By immersing children in the community, we foster a sense of belonging and teach that strong communities work together to support one another.

For many families, preschool is the first time they are receiving feedback about their child's development, learning, and interactions with peers. We understand that this can feel both exciting and vulnerable. That's why we approach communication with compassion, transparency, and honesty, ensuring families feel supported, respected, and included throughout their child's journey.

To further strengthen this partnership, we create many fun and interactive celebrations throughout the year, inviting families into the classroom to share in their children's learning and growth. These celebrations bring our school family together and are some of the most joyful moments of the year!

Early childhood education is an opportunity for a child to develop a strong sense of self. In order to care for those around us, a child must first learn how to care for themselves. We promote this confidence by encouraging choice, independence, and responsibility. Through helping to care for classroom materials, opening their own snack, solving conflicts with peers, putting on their own boots, and taking pride in completing everyday tasks, children are given meaningful opportunities to make decisions, develop self-confidence, and build a sense of ownership in their learning and growth.

We believe that education should extend far beyond the classroom walls. Through values-focused direct instruction, our children build essential social-emotional skills, learning what it truly means to care for others, navigate big feelings, and stand tall in who they are. Whether they are inviting a friend to join a game, helping a classmate in need, speaking in front of the class, or trying something new, Treehouse children learn that kindness and bravery are skills that can be practiced every day. We teach children that growth happens when they step outside their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and view mistakes as opportunities to learn. Through these experiences, our students develop the resilience, compassion, and courage needed to navigate the world with open hearts and confident spirits.

Preparing our students for the future is of the utmost importance at The Treehouse. We want to ensure that our students feel ready and capable as they move on to new adventures. This includes direct instruction in literacy and math through activities such as letter recognition, phonemic awareness, handwriting, counting, number sense, patterning, and early problem-solving. We conduct regular assessments and developmental screenings to monitor progress, identify areas for growth, and ensure each child is well-prepared for their next step into Kindergarten with the skills and foundation needed for success.