Letter from the Beth Webb-Woods, Executive Director

Welcome to The Clifton School. I am proud and honored to be the leader of this organization, with such a well-deserved reputation for excellence. In 2007, when I joined the school, I felt as if I had come full circle. It was to attend Emory University that I came to Atlanta from Lexington, Ky. in 1966. Now more that 40 years later, I am back on Clifton Road, just a few blocks from my freshman dorm.

My years at Emory as a psychology undergraduate are some of my most memorable. I attended Emory as a graduate student and received a MAT degree in Elementary Education. After teaching first and second graders, who were not prepared for successful learning, recognition of the power and importance of the first five years of life for school success led me to Georgia State University to pursue a Master’s Certification in Early Childhood Education.

After serving more than eight years as the director of both Georgia State and Central Presbyterian Church child care centers, I became the Vice President of Professional Development for Sheltering Arms Child Care Centers. After 28 years of curriculum development and teacher education, I realized I missed being involved in the daily lives of children, families and teachers. I had long been aware of The Clifton School's reputation for quality and had done teacher training at the request of former director Dixie Bradley, when they were still in the “old blue schoolhouse.”

I am happy to be back on Clifton road and part of this exciting community of learners—children, families and teachers—all growing together as we strive to nurture and encourage each other. Engaging in the study of the world renowned schools of Reggio-Emilia, Italy has opened my eyes to new ways to support and extend children’s meaning-making experiences. Observing, documenting, and interpreting children’s thinking and learning to extend their understanding of the world is a very exciting process. As I watch experienced teachers weave daily moments into long-term investigations and projects, I am thrilled by the way they build upon children’s interests and questions. They challenge the children to be creative thinkers and problem solvers, while ensuring a strong foundation in the core curriculum areas. Our children and teachers practice the skills needed to work cooperatively and peacefully in this diverse, multicultural world, to think creatively and to build a strong foundation for life-long learning.

We appreciate your interest in our school and invite you to come and see what we are doing and share your thoughts and ideas with us as we continue on this education journey.

Beth Webb-Woods,
Executive Director
The Clifton School

We strive to provide experiences that flow from the children's own ideas.
We provide on-going training for our teachers with a strong emphasis on teacher collaboration.