WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR.
Please use the contact form to schedule a phone call and a visit.

fingerpaint in class
flower-vase
ripe sunflower seeds

The Understory

Southeast Portland Preschool Ages 3-5

The Understory is open Tuesday- Friday from 8:45am-12:45pm. The children arrive ready to play, and have a hearty snack and lunch at school before saying goodbye in time for naps or other daily adventures.

The rhythm of the day…

Arrival

We circle together, singing songs of the season, doing finger plays, movement and poetry, and celebrating the cycles of nature and our relationships with each other. We discuss the happenings of the classroom and our shared learning and interests.

We have generous time for imaginative play, with a wealth of inspiring playthings and welcoming spaces, for children to engage their curiosity and friendships. The beautifully curated art studio welcomes children to develop expression through a variety of art media.



We eat together in a calm, sociable lunch period, with stories and books while we eat. The books and stories are related to the seasons, the natural world, our shared learning, and the children’s interests.



We play outdoors, in a big wonderful backyard filled with fruit trees and flowers, mud and sand and water. More than half the school day is outdoors, in all kinds of weather.



We share a simple snack together while we reflect on the day. Often, the snack comes from the fruit trees in the backyard, or from local farms and growers.

We close the day with a farewell song before greeting families and going home.



The rhythm of the year…

The school year begins in September, and generally follows the Portland Public School calendar of breaks through the end of the school year in June.

Our activities, songs, and stories change with the seasons. Several times a year, families are invited to join us for seasonal celebrations.

Children attend school four mornings a week, Tuesday-Friday, from 8:45am to 12:45pm.