Private Greenwich Preschool Seeeks Enrollment Expansion

GREENWICH, CT — The Putnam Indian Field School, an independent, co-educational preschool for children from toddler through pre-K located at 101 Indian Field Road, is looking to obtain a special permit to expand its student capacity from 100 to 125, according to documents to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

The school is currently forecasting the possibility of 115 students on certain days of the week, and wants to ensure there is flexibility, said Head of School Jamie L. Quackenbush in documents on file with the town.

"This increase in our enrollment is not due to any desire on the part of the school to grow our student population," said Quackenbush, noting a five-year strategic plan that includes reducing the student population.

"However, we are a family and community-based school and we have an unusually large number of siblings of current families entering as two-year-olds in the fall of 2024-2025. We have always accommodated siblings of current students and want to ensure we are able to continue to do this next school year in spite of the abnormally high numbers predicted for next year."

The school believes the increase in student enrollment will not impact current traffic and arrival/dismisal procedures because of a few reasons.

Along with all of the newly-enrolled students being the siblings of current or recent graduated families who will arrive in the same vehicle, Quackenbush said the school has limited 2-year-old students' attendance days to two days per week.

Additionally, the 2-year-old program is a half-day program, and students can only attend in the morning or afternoon.

New students will be split between morning and afternoon sessions along with the 3-year-old classes, leading to less overall traffic at each arrival and dismissal time, Quackenbush explained.

Arrival times are also staggered throghout the day, Quackenbush said.

According to the school's website, Fred Weirdsma founded The Putnam School in 1973, which merged with Indian Field School to form the Putnam Indian Field School in 1978.

The application has not yet been scheduled to go before the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.