At Main Line Classical Academy (MLCA), the belief that “children are never too young to learn great things” shapes every part of the Kindergarten experience — from French songs at recess to memorizing poetry by heart. This K–8 classical school, tucked into a wooded campus in Bryn Mawr, has been shaping learners on the Main Line for just over a decade. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1 and a curriculum rooted in the great works of Western and world civilization, MLCA takes an approach to early childhood education that most families have never seen — and, once they do, rarely forget.

What Makes MLCA’s Kindergarten Different

From their very first day, kindergarteners at MLCA are treated as capable, curious thinkers. The school’s classical curriculum introduces children to rich literature, music, foreign language, mathematics, science, and the arts — not in a way that overwhelms, but in a way that invites genuine wonder.

French instruction begins in kindergarten, when children’s language receptiveness is naturally strong. Piano and violin also start in kindergarten and are built into the school day. Students encounter great works of literature — including Beowulf, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and Jason and the Golden Fleece — as well as classic poetry by Tennyson, Blake, and Rossetti. These aren’t performance exercises. They’re the building blocks of focus, memory, vocabulary, and a life-long love of language.

“We transferred to MLCA and never looked back. My boys were in 5th, 3rd, and K at the time. Now I have 4 at the school, and it has been a dream! The small and intimate nature allows the kids to thrive. They know every teacher, and those teachers know them. Meaningful relationships are forged between staff, students and parents giving a real sense of community. Teachers care deeply about the success of their students, and the children can sense that. MLCA’s building itself is warm and charming. Entering feels like entering a home. Students are able to learn deeply in seminar-style classes beginning in kindergarten. My 2nd grader knows about as much spoken French as a middle school student, maybe more! Our dinner table is full of stories about how Spartan boys were raised and the political structure of Rome. Remember, these are 5, 8, 10, and 12 year old kids!” — Christina Nicolosi, parent of 4 MLCA Students

Small Classes, Big Relationships

One of the most distinctive features of the MLCA kindergarten experience is its intimate class size. With a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio, every child is truly known — and every question is worth asking.

Founder and Head of School Dr. Asya Sigelman sets the standard for who teaches here: “MLCA’s teachers are our greatest asset: we are a team of historians and philologists, mathematicians and musicians, scientists and painters — professionals who love imparting knowledge and zeal to young minds as we guide our students on an intellectual journey both rigorous and joyful.”

The Lower School at MLCA is grades K–5. The administration’s philosophy is that principals and school leaders do not belong behind a closed door but out in the thick of things — teaching classes, playing four square, guiding study groups, eating communally alongside students. The school’s principal, Mr. Frank Chilbert, describes his approach this way: “The Lower School curriculum is designed to cultivate the child’s ability to attend to beautiful things. The depth of attention we wish for students does not come easily, however, and must be backed with perseverance and mastery of the great tools of learning achieved by a liberal education.”

A Device-Free Start to School

MLCA’s classrooms are device-free (no tablets or laptops), and the school’s philosophy around technology is intentional and consistent: screens are not the default. Children read whole books, not excerpts. They hold physical instruments. They solve problems out loud, together.

For kindergarteners especially, this creates a learning environment with fewer distractions and more presence — with each other, with their teachers, and with the material in front of them.

All MLCA families sign a community agreement that includes a shared commitment to a lower-tech approach at home — no phones and no social media. That consistency, parents say, makes a real difference. To learn more about Head of School Dr. Asya Sigelman’s perspective on screen-free learning, read our companion story: Main Line Classical Academy: Where Kids Are Invited to Think Deeply.

Building Renaissance Learners From the Start

MLCA doesn’t see the arts, math, language, and science as separate subjects to be divided and conquered. They’re woven together — and children begin experiencing that integration from their very first year.

A kindergartener might spend the morning memorizing a poem, the midday tapping maple trees on campus, and the afternoon working through a math puzzle. Music theory and French vocabulary are reinforced through song. Stories from ancient Greece show up not just in the classroom, but in the imaginative play of children who aren’t yet six years old.

“I recently had a thank-you-MLCA experience with my daughter while in Paris. We were walking around the Louvre and my 9-year-old daughter was pulling me along excitingly and pointing out all of Greek and Roman allegory that she could see … and seeing that we were in the Louvre, there was certainly a lot!! She recognized ancient, medieval, renaissance imagery. The paintings, sculptures and architecture “spoke” to her in ways that many of us (and certainly many other 9 year olds) miss. Her time at MLCA has taught her a lot, but one of the things I’m most grateful for is that from Kindergarten onward they are exposed to classical imagery, language and music; and they are taught to appreciate the beauty and history that underlies it all.” — Rebecca Winfield, parent of 2 MLCA students 

That, for MLCA, is exactly what kindergarten can look like when children are trusted with great things.

Is MLCA Right for Your Family?

MLCA draws families from across the Main Line and greater Philadelphia region who are looking for something different: a school where learning is joyful and demanding at once, where teachers are experts who love their subjects, and where children are never talked down to.

Whether you’re drawn by the school’s strong STEM curriculum — which regularly produces top Math Counts competitors — its foreign language sequence, its device-free/low tech philosophy, or simply the idea of your child memorizing Tennyson and loving every word, MLCA offers something rare: a kindergarten that takes children seriously.

Dive deeper into how MLCA approaches math and science in their story: A STEM Component to Education at Main Line Classical Academy (MLCA).

Learn More and Visit

Main Line Classical Academy welcomes families to experience the school firsthand through virtual info sessions and private tours. Register by completing the form on their Admissions page or emailing admissions@mainlineclassical.org.

Photos courtesy of Main Line Classical Academy, as seen in the Early Childhood Education Guide. 

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