The Gardner School of St. Louis Park
Academically-Focused Learning
Located just off I-394 and Park Place Boulevard, The Gardner School of St. Louis Park is only five miles from downtown Minneapolis, making it a convenient and centrally located school for families who live and work in the area.
Safe and Secure Environment
At The Gardner School, your child’s safety and health are our top priority. There are cameras throughout the building with a monitored live feed. We also implement a two-tier level of security for entry access. Every classroom is designed with safety protocols for each age. Our staff use food safety practices and are prepared to handle food and medication allergies. The teachers and staff are certified in pediatric first aid and CPR. We create a safe and caring environment for our students to learn and grow!
The Gardner School is excited to be in the St. Louis Park neighborhood. Our St. Louis Park preschool includes an indoor and outdoor playscape, a Kids’ Café, an enrichment studio, a private nursing room, and more!
We have gone above and beyond traditional childcare and preschool programs. The Gardner School offers an educational experience that builds academic ability, confidence, courage, and strong social relationships. Our approach ensures that each child is nurtured at the proper pace and level, providing them with a foundation for a bright future. For more information, please fill out the contact form below.
School Features
- Academically-focused learning with a research-based curriculum
- Real-time updates through the parent communications app with photos, nap and feeding times, and school announcements
- Safe and secure environment with two security checkpoints
- Inviting classrooms with experienced lead preschool teachers
- Delicious, healthy meals in the Kids’ Café
- On-site supplemental enrichment classes (sports, music and arts, computers, foreign language) in our enrichment studio and computer lab
- Open-door policy for daily check-ins
- Private outdoor playground with covered play area
- Spacious enrichment room for indoor play
- Yearly family and community events
- Convenient location in the St. Louis Park neighborhood
Academically-focused Programs
Camp Gardner
Infants
Pre-K
Preschool
Toddlers
Twos
St. Louis Park Campus Leadership
Nancy Klaber
School Director
What made you decide to have a career in education?
I have a master’s in early childhood education from the University of North Dakota (UND). Early childhood education and care is my passion. I am awed by watching children make meaningful connections between themselves and the world.
What makes you laugh about kids?
I chuckle when a child tells me something with a straight face, not realizing what they say is funny.
What is your favorite part of the day at TGS?
I enjoy conversations with families. What I learn from them helps to inform what we do in the classroom. We want each child to see themselves and their loved ones reflected in their Gardner School experience.
What does the term ‘Where Learning Begins’ mean to you?
Learning can begin when a child feels supported and safe in their surroundings and has a secure attachment to their caregiver. At TGS, we work to establish a trusting bond from the first time a child enters our school.
What inspires you?
Knowing that a child’s brain development benefits from positive, early life experiences inspires me. It is what keeps me strongly connected to early childhood education and care. I cannot imagine doing anything other than working with young children, their families, and caring early childhood professionals who desire to help each child reach their full potential.
How long have you been with TGS?
I have been with TGS since July 2023. Before TGS, I was the director of an independent school’s employee child care program for many years.
What is your educational background?
I have a master’s in early childhood education: birth to age eight from the University of North Dakota (UND). I have a bachelor’s in landscape architecture from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
What made you decide to have a career in education?
The opportunity to work with young children filled me with joy and led me to pursue a career in education.
What do you love most about working with infants through age 5?
I am amazed and humbled by the amount of physical, cognitive, and emotional development a child experiences during the first years of their life. It is an honor to have an opportunity to influence this growth positively. I want to make every day a remarkable experience for each child.
What do you love most about TGS?
I love seeing the care and thoughtfulness our teachers put into the daily experiences they plan. I am grateful for their dedication to educating and caring for young children.
What is your passion?
I want to ensure each child and their loved ones feel respected, acknowledged, and a partner in the TGS experience.
Jennifer LaGuerre
Assistant Director
How long have you been with TGS?
Since October 2023
Roles Served with TGS:
Assistant Director at The Gardner School of St. Louis Park
What is your educational background?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Science from North Dakota State University.
What made you decide to have a career in education?
I have always loved working with children. I started babysitting at a young age and working with children has always come naturally to me. All of my jobs have been in the childcare field, and I can’t imagine working in any other field.
What makes you laugh about kids?
I love seeing their personalities come to light in the infant and toddler age groups. As they get older, you never know what funny thing is going to come out of their mouths.
What do you love most about working with infants through the age of 5?
I love seeing them learn and grow each day and knowing that I am part of some of the most important years of their lives.
What do you love most about TGS?
I love connecting with the families.
What is your fondest memory of TGS thus far?
I can’t say that it is a memory yet, but I am so excited to be a part of opening a brand-new preschool!
What inspires you?
The children and families.
What is your passion or passions?
My passions are my family, traveling, photography, and working with children.
What does the term “Where Learning Begins” mean to you?
The term “Where Learning Begins” means that starting from birth, children are always learning and growing. Building a strong foundation is so important at a young age.
How important is early childhood education?
Early childhood education is so important in teaching children how to develop social-emotional skills, preparing them for school, and setting a foundation to help children develop the skills they need to become well-functioning members of society.
What would you tell new parents who are apprehensive about leaving their infant in the care of someone else for the first time?
We are so lucky that they chose us to care for their child(ren) we will send them updates and pictures. The first days are usually harder on the parents than they are on the kids!
