About Our School
Hobson School is a play-based, nature-based, cooperative preschool, serving children ages two through four, that has been rooted in the Naperville community since 1964.
Hobson School is focused on teaching the whole child with a balanced emphasis based on social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth.
Our Executive Director and teachers have a deep understanding of early childhood development and the experience needed to guide young children in the learning process. Hobson’s curriculum is based on well-researched teaching practices that support the unique way that young children learn.
Using a play-based emergent curriculum, children choose what they do each day and their interests serve as the foundation for everything we explore together.
The intent of Hobson’s program is to develop confident learners. We achieve this by encouraging a sense of wonder and curiosity through playful exploration.
Our Philosophy
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Relationships Matter
Warm, genuine, trusted relationships between teachers and children are essential to learning. We aim to help children develop a sense of belonging where others care about them and they care about others. We respect each individual child and cultivate his/her unique promise and potential.
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Play is Learning
We believe that an important part of preschool is to provide an experience-based environment where children have opportunities that support their creativity and expand their understanding of the world around them. Through this active learning process, young children learn about the physical world as well as about themselves in relation to other children and adults.
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Nature Nurtures
Childhood is a time to experience the boundless joy and wonder of the natural world and it is critical to healthy growth and development. Children engage in outdoor nature play every day, year-round, in Hobson’s wooded setting. Hobson’s outdoor classroom is rich with opportunities for nature-based learning which extends to the indoor classroom as well.
Our Community
Hobson School is a cooperative preschool started by parents with a desire to offer their children the best possible preschool education in which the families can play an active role. Driving this philosophy is research which shows that positive relationships between teachers, children and families are central to children’s success in school.
Contributions from parents/guardians are integral to the daily life and operations of Hobson School. As we work together on behalf of our children we develop relationships with each other and create a valuable support system for our families. From the Executive Director and teachers, we gain a wealth of information about early learning, parenting, and child development. From the other parents, we gain the emotional and social support of families going through similar experiences at the same time.
We can be assured that when our children “graduate” from Hobson we, as parents, leave with more insight and information as well as new family friends to aid us in our parenting journey.
Our Teachers
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Beth Wilson holds Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Art, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction specialized in Early Childhood and Environmental Education from Southern Illinois University.
She has over 15 years of experience working with young children and their families in both traditional and complementary education settings.
Beyond her work at Hobson, Beth serves on the DuPage Children’s Museum’s Education Committee and the Board of Directors for the Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association. Prior to becoming Hobson’s Director, Beth was the Director of Early Learning Initiatives, Child Development Specialist at Chicago Children’s Museum.
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Lindsey has a B.A. degree in Psychology from Kalamazoo College, a M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University, and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
Prior to staying at home full-time with her children, Lindsey worked as a therapist conducting in-home therapy with children who had been placed in the foster care system.
Lindsey Wade participated as a parent over the five years that her two children attended Hobson, as well as in the roles of Membership Chairperson (3 years) and President (1 year) on the Parent Board.
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Kristyn holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on child development.
Kristyn has spent the last five years supporting young children and their families as a mental health counselor, providing counseling involving play therapy and art therapy approaches.
Kristyn’s experience also includes teaching preschoolers at Christ Lutheran Church and assisting with children’s programming at the Lemont Public Library.
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Stephanie holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with a certification in English as a Second Language.
Prior to teaching at Hobson School she taught kindergarten, preschool summer camp, and art classes for two-year-olds.
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Nicole has a B.A. degree in Psychology and Child Development from Northern Illinois University and has worked with preschool-aged children for over 15 years.
Nicole’s two children attended Hobson School and during that time Nicole participated in Hobson’s parent co-op roles.
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Jill Rye has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Northern Illinois University with all the additional credits needed for a Special Education endorsement.
She has two sons that attended Hobson, and as a parent, she served on the Parent Board of Directors for three years—as the Marketing Chair, Parent Personnel Chair, and as a Gala Co-Chair.
Prior to becoming an educator, Jill was a professional Opera Singer, Voice Teacher, and Opera Administrator.
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Laura holds a BA from North Central College and a Gateway Level 1 Early Childhood Credential.
Laura taught Hobson's Parent-Child class and prior to that she was the assistant in the early childhood program at Prairie School of DuPage.
Most recently, she was supporting children's learning as a paraprofessional at Prairie Elementary School in Naperville.