King Opens Early Childhood Center, Sullivan Family Playground

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STAMFORD, CT - The King School community celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the new Early Childhood Center and Sullivan Family Playground on Saturday, April 5. The event marked the completion of the first phase of the school's Master Plan, creating state-of-the-art spaces specifically designed for prekindergarten and kindergarten students.

"These spaces are more than beautiful spaces – they are strategic investments in our educational approach,” said Head of School Carol Maoz. “They are a testament to the generosity of our families and a sign of confidence in King School's future."

The Sullivan Family Playground features numerous elements designed for exploration and creative play. At its center stands a Viking Ship, complete with slides and climbing structures, conceived and built by prekindergarten parents.

"The ship is a playful yet powerful symbol of the school's mascot and spirit," Maoz noted. "These spaces will inspire generations of learners, creating a legacy of discovery, creativity, and growth that extends far beyond these walls."

Head of the King Lower School, Sandy Lizaire-Duff, emphasized how the new spaces support the school's educational philosophy: "In the Reggio Emilia approach, our environment is the 'third teacher' — working alongside parents and educators to inspire learning. Every detail here has been intentionally designed to support our educational philosophy."

The Early Childhood Center features prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms filled with natural light, child-height bulletin boards, and interactive technologies. A time capsule created for the occasion will be unsealed during the junior year of current pre-K students and the senior year of current kindergartners.

Board Chair Mi-Sun Freeman, whose children attended King's Lower School, spoke about the transformative power of philanthropy: "Schools like King evolve not through wishful thinking but through the vision, commitment, and generosity of community members who believe deeply in our mission," Freeman said. "These spaces support the extraordinary work of our teachers, allowing them to apply their expertise and stretch teaching and learning in more innovative ways," she added.

Maoz and Freeman cut the ribbon, accompanied by lower school students and surrounded by cheers and enthusiasm.

After the ceremonial cutting of the playground ribbon, the eagerly waiting students were encouraged with the words affixed on the entryway of the new site: “Be safe, have fun, go play.”

The celebration included a musical performance by kindergartners and fourth-grade students who sang "Hooray for the World" and "Babala Gumbala," a traditional song from the Yaruba nation of Africa.

The new Early Childhood Center and Sullivan Family Playground represent King School's commitment to creating learning environments that spark curiosity and support the natural development of young children. They set the stage for future campus improvements outlined in the school's Master Plan.

King School is an independent day school in Stamford, CT, educating students in PreK through Grade 12. Students at King engage in an immersive and innovative curriculum that is anchored in an inquiry-based pedagogy that nurtures curiosity, intellectual growth, and character development.

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