Learning and Belonging (LAB) School

Open Enrollment for Fall 2024

All Missoula area children are welcome! 

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Please call 406-243-4262 to enroll.

Our Mission

Providing University of Montana students opportunity to enhance understanding of young children and the teaching/learning process, the LAB invites preschoolers of all abilities, and their families, to participate in our caring community designed to promote lifelong learning (L) and (A) belonging (B).

thankyou_buchmans.png"For the past six years, my husband and I have entrusted our three boys to the amazing teachers at LAB Preschool. Throughout each child's journey, we have watched our boys flourish under your care. We have watched our children make their first footprints on this world as their own person. We have seen their faces light up at the sight of their beloved teacher. We watched the wonder of learning blossom in their young eyes as they launched on a solo journey through a typical day at the LAB. We relished the time spent in the car on the way home hearing the funny and excited tales of their day and the moments we missed."
-The Chatriand Crew

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"Words cannot even begin to come close to the gratitude we have for you, your staff, and this preschool. You have prepared my girls over these last 8 years for the next chapter 
in their educational journeys. Your support thru good and bad times will always be treasured. We will miss you so much!
-Fisher Family

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Our Philosophy

The LAB School models developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education pedagogy. Ample opportunity to observe these practices unobtrusively paves the way for teaching success. Plenty of hands-on, yet guided, experiences in assessment, curricula planning and lesson implementation enable students to put to practice content from coursework. Daily self-reflection and feedback from early childhood clinical specialists is key to improving teaching methods. Becoming part of a collaborative teaching team during field-experience aids in learning and boosts confidence. A LAB School field-experience ties together all these components and prepares teacher candidates for meaningful careers working with young children and their families. 

The LAB School maintains small group sizes to support the goals of meeting individual strengths, interests, and needs of every child. The classroom environment and engaging activities are created with respect for child development and the individuality of children. LAB welcomes and values the uniqueness of each child and their family. LAB supports each child’s active participation in real, meaningful projects designed to allow success and challenge at individual developmental levels. LAB introduces activities and materials that foster development of the whole child in multiple areas including creative arts, language and literacy, mathematics and numeric, physical development and health, science, social and emotional development, and social studies. LAB offers multiple opportunities for self-selected exploration, social interaction, and problem-solving to enhance children’s natural motivation to learn. LAB uses positive child guidance techniques that teach skills and support children’s emerging self-control. LAB respects families as the first and most important teachers of their children.

Video: Institute for Early Childhood Education

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Nationally Accredited & Locally Valued

NAEYC

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Contact

Kristin Dahl Horejsi
Director
LAB School
406-243-4262
kristin.horejsi@umontana.edu