For Ravenscroft’s youngest 108 students, the start of the 2026-27 school year marked the first step of their educational journey.

Luckily for those students, Ravenscroft used a new approach to make that first step a little easier.

Students starting PreK and kindergarten eased into the school year thanks to Discovery Days, which took place over two days ahead of their official start of school.

It is the first time Ravenscroft has implemented Discovery Days.

Over two days, students come to school and spend a full day with their peers, giving teachers a chance to get to know and assess them before assigning them to a class. Students play, meet teachers and become familiar with the school and their classrooms, allowing them to get comfortable with their surroundings before the official school year routine begins. 

After the two days, faculty members come together to assign students to classes based on their observations and assessments. The assessment considers not only students’ academic abilities but also their social-emotional skills. The goal is to create a well-balanced classroom for each teacher.

In the past, students were assessed the previous fall and then returned for their first day of school almost a year later. Head of Lower School Jen Baccus felt it was difficult to properly place a child after so much time had passed.

“Kids had grown and changed so much over the summer,” Baccus said, referring to the previous assessment format. “This gave us a fresh lens on all of these students to help us be more thoughtful about placing them with the best teacher fit and with the best peer group that we think for them.”

The idea of Discovery Days at Ravenscroft had been discussed for almost a year, and the staff began planting the seeds with the Lower School staff. As it turned out, the staff was excited to give it a try.

“Everyone was on board and willing to try something new,” said Assistant Head of Lower School Erin Cole. “Which I think helped make it really successful.”

Kindergarten teacher Andrea DeMarchi noticed how the two days helped students acclimate to their new environment, providing a snapshot of what they would experience throughout the year. They also learned procedures they would practice throughout the school year, as well as important things like where the bathrooms were.

As the two days went on, DeMarchi noticed students’ confidence growing, along with their independence and sense of belonging.

“At the beginning, some students were hesitant to try unfamiliar activities or interact with new peers,” DeMarchi said. “By the end, they were more willing to take risks, make choices, problem-solve and collaborate with others. They became more comfortable with the routines and with one another. The students’ natural curiosity truly emerged.”

Discovery Days also prepared teachers like DeMarchi to get to know students on a deeper, more meaningful level. By watching them interact with their peers and adjust to their new surroundings, teachers were able to learn about students’ personalities and gain a better understanding of each child.

“This allowed us to better support the students from the very beginning,” DeMarchi said.

Shannon Gill has a unique perspective on Discovery Days. As a longtime kindergarten teacher, she knows what it’s like to start the school year without the benefits of a Discovery Day. As the parent of a kindergartner at Ravenscroft, she marveled at how comfortable the experience made her son.

“They bring the kids in slowly, so it’s like a gentle start,” Gill said. “They’re building that class community, which teachers are big on nowadays.”

As Baccus observed the Lower School during both Discovery Days, she echoed Gill’s thoughts about the importance of community.

“To me, one of the best things about this place is the strength of the community, and I very much felt like this process of what we did was living out our mission and building our community right from the start,” Baccus said. “So to see everything, to see the teachers really buy in and work together on this. It went so seamlessly. I really was just kind of blown away by that.”