Spring Hill Day School A premier academic preschool tailored

Before Andrea Kolomiets and Shari Brayer co-founded Spring Hill Day School (SHDS) in early 2015, the fast-growing community lacked options in terms of preschools. "We were teaching kindergarten together in Williamson County, and we realized there wasn't an academic preschool in this area," says Brayer.

"I struggled to find something for my son," adds Kolomiets, who has lived in the Spring Hill area since 2005. "There wasn't anything that fit our schedules that also had an academic basis. We felt like there needed to be another option for families, and everyone we spoke to was very enthusiastic about our idea, and we decided to pursue it." 

Fast-forward to today, and the school—located on O'Hallorn Drive in the middle of town—serves kids 18 months to five years old, offering two-, three- and five-day a week programs in which academic activities and lessons are part of a well-balanced day designed to develop a love of learning and an appreciation for the arts.

The idea is that the children experience a balance between teacher-directed activities and being self-directed and independent. Beyond the academics, the kids have the opportunity to expand their social skills, make friends, and have fun. 

As for the academic work, it takes place in one of six classrooms, which are staffed by a dozen experienced teachers, many of whom have impressive résumés in academia. That begins with co-founders/co-directors Kolomiets and Brayer, both of whom have master's degrees in education, with Brayer getting her degree locally at Belmont University.

The school also has its share of younger teachers who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in education and are working as assistants. Almost all teachers live in the Spring Hill area, and many have been with SHDS since it opened. 

The school also features a so-called storm room, which was constructed using concrete blocks with poured concrete fillings. In the event of severe weather, the storm room can hold over a hundred students and staffers. The size of that particular room also gives you some sense of the size of the classrooms.

"We're really proud of the fact that our classrooms are much larger than your average child care center, with extra-large windows. On tours, a lot of parents share with us that they are very pleased to see how much natural daylight there is," says Brayer.

Naturally, parents get to see the classrooms and common areas when they take a tour, which can be scheduled via the school's website at springhilldayschool.com. 

"They come and see the facility and meet with the classroom teacher to get a feel for what our program is like," says Kolomiets, who notes that the school keeps the traditional preschool hours from 9-3 but that there's an extended care program in both the morning and afternoon, so students can come as early as 7 am and stay as late as 5:30 pm. 

It's also worth noting that the school follows the Williamson County school calendar, which begins in August and ends in May, but thanks to rolling admissions, SHDS accepts children all year long. After a break at the end of the school year, SHDS also offers a part-time summer camp in June and July.

And while there is no required testing in terms of admissions, SHDS teachers like to assess kids when they first enter the class and then chart their growth over time, which is shared with parents at virtual conferences three times a year. 

"We get a lot of positive remarks from parents, as well as kindergarten and first-grade teachers in the elementary schools, who often ask where our students have been preschooled," concludes Brayer. "We feel [our students] are more than ready for the challenges of elementary school after they leave here."

Contact Information:

Spring Hill Day School

4006 O'Hallorn Dr.

Spring Hill, TN 37174

615-945-7434

info@springhilldayschool.com