• Academics
  • Early Childhood
• Student Life
• Counseling
• Kudos Korner
• Calendar

Early Childhood

Soeur Teresita Rivet, OSU Early Childhood Learning Center

Following the flooding of Hurricane Katrina, the Ursuline Board of Trustees conducted a thorough needs assessment resulting in a comprehensive strategic plan to address campus renovation and maintenance. Of utmost importance in our restoration process and to the community of New Orleans is the rebuilding and revitalization of our early childhood program. Childcare and educational programs for the very young are at a premium in New Orleans, as more than half of these pre-Katrina programs and facilities have ceased to exist. Such programs that serve young families are essential to a vibrant future for New Orleans and Ursuline Academy.

Ursuline Academy has transformd a 100-year-old historical structure, originally constructed as the Sisters’ Laundry, into the Soeur Teresita Rivet, OSU Early Childhood Learning Center. This one-of-a-kind facility addresses all elements of early childhood development: cognitive, spiritual, physical, social and emotional. Every inch of the 4,500 square foot facility was planned to maximize a child’s ability to explore, discover and grow. The creatively designed physical space can accommodate approximately 100 students, ages 2-5.

The early childhood curriculum, which was designed with the expert help and advice of University of New Orleans’ Childhood Learning Program Director, Dr. Judith Kieff, is based upon the Reggio Emilia Approach to childcare and education used in Italy.  This model relies on consistent collaboration and problem solving activities that occur between parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders. The center of this effort is the holistic growth and development of the child.  Although Reggio is not directly replicable in the United States due to both cultural and political differences, many of the policies and practices used in Reggio are compatible with American Education and, if implemented, would improve the long-term outcomes of social, emotional, and cognitive development of children in the United States.

The process of developing a Reggio-inspired program is a value in and of itself. All involved learn valuable concepts related to collaboration, child development, reciprocal planning, and documentation of children’s growth and development. By documenting the development and implementation of a unique approach to early education, the Ursuline community will provide a model that will be valuable to public, parochial and private programs as well as for child-care education and teacher education programs in the metro area and beyond.

For more information, please contact the Director of Admissions
at admissions@ursulineneworleans.org or 504.866.5292.