Philosophy

Education is not a destination; it is a journey. Each child shares the responsibility for finding his or her own best path. By studying our children, we discover how they learn. Our enrollment is intentionally limited to allow for the development of each child’s potential. Small classes spanning a two-year age range provide extensive personal contact between the two teachers in each classroom and their students. Through the acquisition of strong academic and interpersonal skills, we seek to strengthen in the young the image they have of their best selves. Through helping children develop successful strategies for learning and guiding them to feel proud of their accomplishments, our students expand their images of themselves as competent individuals open to life-long learning. Our aim is to show that learning is a process of living and not just a preparation for future life.

History

PS#1 is a small, family-oriented, independent, non-profit elementary school. It teaches children basic academic and life skills and promotes a love, celebration, and joy of learning. “Pluralistic” stands for the sensible use of a variety of methods to reach a common goal and also for diversity in race, income, religion, ability level, and social class among its students. We are passionate in our goals, but not dogmatic in our techniques. The school’s core philosophy has remained the same since its inception.

Joel Pelcyger, Head of School, and Eleanor Coben founded PS#1 in 1971 in response to concern among Westside parents and teachers for the quality of elementary education: the need for small classes, varied teaching methods and materials, and stimulating, relevant programs. Within three years, thirty children were enrolled in three non-graded classes, the equivalent of grades Kindergarten through Fourth, a size that met the school’s capacity and enabled it to focus on improving the quality of its educational program throughout the ’70’s. PS#1 moved four times in the first five years of its existence. The first permanent facility, at 1447 Euclid Street, was donated to us in 1976.

As the ’80’s began, enrolled students, Alumni and their parents urged PS#1 to broaden its horizons and become a school for all the elementary years. The school at that time expanded its facilities and property and more than doubled its enrollment. PS#1 has been involved in purposeful planned incremental growth since then.

During 1995, we more than doubled the amount of property owned by the school. We exercised our option to buy two lots adjoining the West Campus on Euclid Street and purchased an additional vacant lot on 12th Street. We made some temporary improvements on these properties to incorporate them into our campus.

In the fall of 1996, we embarked upon a Capital Campaign to raise funds to build a new campus, to enhance the school’s technology, and to increase substantially our Financial Aid Endowment Fund to serve a more diverse student and family population. Beginning in 1997, we planned and began construction of a new campus to realize our dream of a unified campus on our full 35,000 square feet of property. Phase I of our new campus, which consists of seven classrooms and administrative offices, opened in November 1998. With this new development, we grew to a student body of 175.

In July 2000, the school purchased an additional lot north of the 12th Street classrooms. In 2002, a second additional contiguous lot was purchased to double the available area for outdoor use. In 2003, PS#1 built the Field of Dreams, providing a magnificent outdoor setting. It includes a basketball court, a soccer field, a stage beneath Santa Monica’s oldest oak tree for school-wide events, green space and several smaller, creative spaces for a range of school and educational activities.

In 2004 and 2005, a Master Site Plan for Phase III, including an eighth classroom, music and art rooms, a multi-purpose activity center, library, and expanded after school facilities was developed and adopted by the Board. Plans for financing the realization of this latest phase are being actively pursued.

A diverse Board of Directors including staff, parents, alumni parents and concerned members of the PS#1 community governs the school. We have a very active Parents Guild and a marvelous history of support – in the form of time, money, and hard work – from our school community.