Community Engagement at The Little School

When families begin exploring private elementary schools, one question often sits just beneath the surface: Will my child and our family truly belong here?

At The Little School, community engagement is something we intentionally create, nurture and revisit over time—across classrooms, with families and faculty, and even generations of alumni. Our goal is to ensure each current student and our graduates don’t just see The Little School as a place they attended, but as a place that “feels like home.”

That sense of belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It grows out of a layered, mission-aligned approach to community life; one rooted in curiosity, trust, connection and reflected in everything from daily classroom experiences to lifelong relationships that extend well beyond graduation.

Here, we’ll explore how community engagement at The Little School takes shape, and why it plays such a central role in the student and family experience.

Key Insights

• Community engagement is intentionally layered, supporting students, families, faculty and alumni through interconnected experiences that evolve over time rather than one-time events.

• Belonging is actively created, not assumed, beginning before enrollment and continuing through daily traditions, shared learning moments and long-term relationships.

• Students build trust and connection early through cross-age relationships, weekly traditions like Friday Sing and experiences that encourage collaboration, empathy and shared responsibility.

• Families are partners in community life, with meaningful opportunities to collaborate, lead and contribute through two-way relationships with faculty and the Parent-Guardian Association.

• Community engagement extends beyond graduation, with alumni returning as mentors, volunteers and leaders, reflecting lifelong trust, connection and stewardship rooted in The Little School’s mission.

Student-to-Student Connections: Building Belonging from Day One

At the heart of community engagement at private elementary schools is the question of how students connect with one another — not just socially, but also through meaningful learning activities. Here at The Little School, building those connections begins early and deepens over time.

Community-building happens through intentional structures, like cross-age (buddies) relationships where older and younger students regularly interact, learn and grow together. These experiences help students see themselves as part of something larger than their individual classroom, fostering empathy, leadership and mutual respect.

One of the most visible and meaningful traditions is Friday Sing, a weekly gathering where the school community comes together through music. Sometimes students sing familiar songs; other times, they share music connected to cultural observances or classroom learning. Families are often invited to join.

The event holds a deeper purpose as Regan Wensnahan, Director of Enrollment explains:

“Singing together as a community is one of the most profound ways that we as humans connect. Joining your voice with other voices and making something new together is a very powerful human experience.”

These shared moments create consistency and rhythm, giving students a sense of continuity and collective identity. Over time, students come to understand that community isn’t something that happens to them but, rather, something they actively help create.

Parent Involvement: Collaboration, Partnership, and Voice

Strong school community engagement extends beyond students. Families play an essential role, especially here at TLS, where parent involvement is built on partnership rather than one-way communication.

Parents and guardians engage through the Parent-Guardian Association (PGA), which works closely with faculty and school leadership to support events, service initiatives and community-building efforts. This relationship is deeply collaborative and reflective, continually returning to the school’s mission as a guiding framework.

Jenny Chiang, Community Events and Alumni Coordinator, describes how such interaction presents a unique opportunity for families. “It’s not just giving feedback—that’s a one-way street. [We ask] how do we create two-way relationships where parents can share their voices, take initiative, and still stay aligned with the mission of the school?”

Through events like Fall Fest, Global Culture Celebration, and service projects coordinated during Friday Sing, families help co-create experiences that reflect the diversity, values and interests of the community. These events are not only social gatherings but also learning opportunities that center children while honoring family identities and traditions.

Parents who may not have the capacity to volunteer extensively still find multiple ways to engage, whether by attending events, participating in affinity groups, contributing to storytelling efforts or serving on committees. The goal is to ensure that every family can find a meaningful point of connection.

Welcoming New Families: Belonging Before You Even Arrive

We know that the process of transitioning to a new school can be an exciting one, but also bring a sense of uncertainty. At The Little School, our community engagement begins well before a student’s first day.

New families are supported through a thoughtful onboarding process that includes newsletters, orientations, and summer playdates on campus. These gatherings give students and parents the chance to connect informally, meet faculty and current families and begin forming relationships before the school year starts.

The intention, Wensnahan says, is to help students and their families better imagine life at TLS. 

“You probably haven’t yet left your old community,” Wensnahan acknowledges, “but we want you to start thinking about coming and joining us.”

Current families and students often serve as ambassadors, helping welcome newcomers, answer questions and provide a friendly presence at early events. This layered approach ensures that families feel supported not just institutionally, but personally.

By the time school officially begins, our goal is to make it so that new families see themselves not as outsiders stepping in, but as members of a community that has been intentionally preparing space for them.

Alumni Connections: Lifelong Relationships That Continue to Grow

Community engagement at The Little School doesn’t end at graduation. In fact, for many of our students, it only deepens.

Alumni are invited back as volunteers, mentors, panelists and even staff members. Programs like 5th and 6th Grade Connections bring middle school and high school alumni back to campus to speak with students and families about their experiences, helping younger learners envision their educational journey ahead.

Chiang notes a consistent theme among returning graduates: “Every single alum who comes back talks about trust—in themselves as learners, trust in teachers and trust in this place. A lot of them say, ‘It’s my second home. I’m coming back home.’”

That trust is built early through relationships with teachers who model learning alongside students, environments that encourage independence and experiences that treat students as capable contributors rather than passive recipients.

Alumni involvement also creates intergenerational connections, allowing current students to see what lifelong learning and engagement can look like. In turn, alumni maintain a sense of rootedness and belonging that continues well beyond their years at the school.

Living the Mission: Curiosity, Trust, and Belonging in Action

Across all these layers—students, families, faculty and alumni—community engagement at The Little School is consistently grounded in its mission.

That mission emphasizes curiosity, authentic learning, trust and belonging, which shape not just what the school does, but how it does it. Every event, tradition and relationship is designed with intention, asking reflective questions along the way:

• Who does this serve?

• Whose voices are missing?

• How does this support children’s growth?

As Chiang puts it, “Belonging isn’t something you ever check off. It’s something that’s made and keeps being made.”

The long-term impact of this approach extends far beyond elementary school. Families leave with more than fond memories; they carry forward skills and perspectives that shape how they engage with the world.

“What we’re really talking about is global citizenship and stewardship,” Chiang explains. “Families learn that they’re empowered and that they can take risks, trust themselves and leverage their community to help everyone thrive.”

A Community That’s Actively Created — Together

As you can see, here at The Little School, community engagement isn’t a slogan. It’s a daily practice, one that evolves alongside the people who shape it.

Through intentional student connections, meaningful family partnerships, thoughtful onboarding and lifelong alumni relationships, the school creates an environment where belonging is real, trust is earned, and curiosity is celebrated.

For families exploring private elementary schools, this kind of community can make all the difference—not just during a child’s early years, but for the path that follows.

To learn more about community life at The Little School:

• Explore our website

• Schedule a tour

• Request more information