Join the Southfield Family!
Thank you for your interest in Southfield School. We are pleased that you are considering us for your children. Our mission at Southfield is to develop a lifelong love of learning in our students. We do this by combining challenging academics and an unparalleled fine arts program with the area's finest faculty and a warm and caring school community.
We hope that you enjoy exploring our website. I know you'll want to take a look at the Southfield calendar and the exciting events in store for our Preschool, Lower and Middle School. Something exciting and challenging is always happening at Southfield. To learn more about our school, you may also request an information packet.
Of course, the best way to discover if Southfield is the right school environment for your student is to visit our campus. I invite you to schedule a tour or plan a visit during one of our events. To plan your visit you can call me at (318) 868-5375. We look forward to meeting you and your family.
Sincerely,
Clare Coburn
Admissions Director
Admission Office
Mon - Fri
8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
318.868.5375, ext -224
318.869.0890
Southfield School Earns National NAEYC Reaccreditation
Program Among First in Nation to Complete More Rigorous Accreditation Process
Southfield School, Shreveport’s only independent school, is one of the first early childhood programs in the nation to earn reaccreditation under the more rigorous guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Christy Colson, Southfield Preschool Director. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”
“The National Association for the Education of Young Children guides us in 10 program standards and hundreds of criteria as we plan for the needs of our children in areas including relationships, curriculum, teaching approaches, assessments, health and nutrition, and physical environment,” Colson said. With the exception of the Barksdale Early Childhood Development Center for military families, Southfield is the only preschool in Northwest Louisiana attaining this prestigious recognition.
Southfield was first awarded NAEYC accreditation in 1993. The School’s NAEYC accreditation has been renewed four times with the most recent accreditation lasting through August of 2012. Southfield is one of less than 10% of preschools in the nation which hold this exemplary accreditation.
“Our progressive approach to early childhood education and the School’s mission to develop a lifelong love of learning in our students fits well with the newly revised professional standards established by the NAEYC,” Colson said. Since it’s founding nearly 75 year ago, Southfield has provided Shreveport children with the best, most progressive educational opportunities. When it comes to early childhood education, Southfield led the way for local education when a modern kindergarten was added the curriculum in 1940.
The philosophy of the Southfield Preschool and Kindergarten program is based on the belief that children are individuals with unique personalities. Understanding that most young children develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically, and creatively through similar natural stages and that each child has his/her own timetable for development, preschool teachers strive to make the classroom environments and activities developmentally appropriate. Young children are offered the opportunity to learn about their world through concrete, sensory experiences that are stimulating and challenging.
To earn NAEYC Accreditation in the new system, Southfield School went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received reaccreditation from the NAEYC after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten NAEYC program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.
In the 20 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 11,000 programs, serving one million young children, are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs. “The new NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for preschools, child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “Southfield’s NAEYC accreditation is a sign that they are a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start.”
“Southfield holds itself to the very highest standards of transparency, accountability, and self-improvement. Our accreditations, both with the NAEYC and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, demand nothing less and they ensure that Southfield is always on the march toward ever higher plateaus of educational excellence,” said Jeff Stokes, Southfield Headmaster.
The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. As of September 2006, the Association’s revised program standards and criteria have introduced a new level of quality, accountability, and service for parents and children in child care programs. The new standards reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development. NAEYC is committed to utilizing the newest studies and analysis on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest-quality care and education possible.
Ways to Visit
What is it like to attend an Independent school? The best way to know is to spend some time here ... shadow a student ... go to classes ... talk to the teachers ... ask questions about the schedule; ask how much homework you might expect; ask about the theater productions and music lessons, the team sports, the food in the cafeteria, the community service projects anything at all ... just ask! When you leave, you'll have a much better idea of what Southfield is all about and if it is the right school for your child.
Open House
Southfield's Open House offers an opportunity for the whole family to visit Southfield. You may talk with students and faculty and take a tour of the campus. Your guide will be a current parent who will share his or her family's experiences at Southfield with you. If you have questions about Southfield or the admission process that you'd like to ask the Admission Director, Clare Coburn, she'll be available as well.
Open House for Preschool through grade 8
Sunday, February 10, 2007
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Schedule a Tour
Tours are scheduled by contacting Admission Director, Clare Coburn, at 868-5375 or by email at ccoburn@southfield-school.org.
Shadow a Student
Second through eighth grade students, who have applied for admission to Southfield, are invited to spend a day with us on campus shadowing a student. This is a wonderful way for a new applicant to experience Southfield. An admission test will be administered during this visit however the rest of the day is spent in the classroom with lunch in our cafeteria included.
Courtyard Days
Twice each year preschool applicants and the younger siblings of Southfield students are invited to join us for a Courtyard Day. The Courtyard is designed as a fun and developmentally appropriate way for Southfield to extend the preschool curriculum to the outdoors. The courtyard area adjoins the preschool classrooms and is divided into play-filled learning centers. On Courtyard days, our young visitors have the opportunity to participate in specially planned outdoor learning centers with other children their age. Please join us for the fun!
Southfield School is located in the South Highlands neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana. The eight-acre campus houses a preschool through 8th grade independent, non-profit school. Large trees, azalea lined walkways, and a rose garden all add to the charm of this site, first acquired by the School in 1936. In 2002, the campus began a major renovation project, including the construction of a new, 2-story middle school facility. The first phase of construction was completed in August of 2003. The second phase of construction, adding a state-of-the art Performing Arts Theater, was completed in August 2005.