As one of Nashville’s premier private schools, Harding Academy constantly looks for new ways to educate and inspire students. Most recently, the school announced the growth of its Pre-K program, now offering two sections instead of one, allowing them to serve even more students.
We sat down with a few of the school’s faculty members to learn more about this expansion and how it benefits the student experience — both at Harding Academy and in life beyond school.
Why is the Expansion Important?
Harding Academy prides itself on offering The PreK-8 Model, which supports students from the beginning of their educational journey up until the very end. The new Pre-K expansion offers even more students the opportunity to build a strong academic foundation — through familiarity with classmates, faculty members, and core elements of the curriculum.
“Our curriculum is vertically and horizontally aligned, meaning what you learn in Pre-K is going to be the foundation blocks for what you learn in kindergarten, which will be the foundation blocks of first grade, and so forth,” explains Director of Admissions Julie Fortune. “That is across all subject areas, so what you’re learning in art in Pre-K then complements what you’re learning in art in kindergarten, too.”
A New & Improved Campus
The addition of more Harding Academy students means the campus itself also received a few upgrades. For starters, the school is currently building a new state-of-the-art Pre-K and kindergarten building slated to open later this summer — this addition will double as the new main entrance.
“There is no stone left unturned when it comes to the actual building and playground,” says Associate Director of Admissions Gretchen Banzhoff. “The building is going to be and feel like a safe place for students to run, play, and learn. It’s going to be a fortress for them.”
The classrooms themselves are full of natural light and foster a sense of community and collaboration. Pre-K rooms are divided by half a glass wall, so while there is still a physical separation between classrooms, teachers and students can look between the rooms to maintain a sense of cohesion and unity.
“Everything was designed with our youngest learners in mind, so we are looking at the space and working to capitalize on the fact that the classroom itself is also a teacher,” adds Julie. “These are spaces where we can intentionally have students take safe risks and maximize their learning experience.”
The building also connects seamlessly with the rest of campus, allowing students to physically see the flow of their educational journey at Harding Academy.
“You have Pre-K and kindergarten in one building, and then it matriculates to first grade, second grade, and third grade down the hallway,” explains Julie. “There was an incredible amount of thought in how the building attaches to the rest of the campus.”
Why Harding Academy?
While the Pre-K expansion has undoubtedly led to some exciting updates, many components remain the same. For example, what has long set Harding Academy’s Pre-K program apart from similar options is the fact that its students interact with the entire school — which ultimately leads to more confidence.
“Our Pre-K students are able to engage with the entire Harding Academy campus, and you build confidence when you feel safe and have that sense of belonging,” explains Admission Associate Erin Anderson. “Our Pre-K program does an incredible job at helping kids not only gain a sense of self, but also learn their role within the community, the classroom, and the entire school.”
Harding Academy also uses a Responsive Classroom approach, which focuses on developing students’ social and emotional skills alongside their academics. The approach begins in Pre-K when students are encouraged to be leaders through various exercises. For example, students create their own classroom rules, and instead of signing their names in agreement, they use their fingerprints.
“Exercises like this allow students to have more buy-in and confidence in rules because it encourages them to say, ‘No, we agreed to this. We all said that this is how we would treat each other in the classroom,’” explains Gretchen.
Harding Academy’s commitment to fostering confident, well-rounded students shines through its expanded Pre-K program and newly designed campus. By investing in its youngest learners, the school ensures a strong foundation for academic success and personal growth — setting students up to thrive both in school and beyond.
Harding Academy is located at 170 Windsor Dr, Nashville, TN 37205. To learn more, visit hardingacademy.org or call (615) 356-5510.
This article is sponsored by Harding Academy.
