Pre-K Program

Age range: 4 years to kindergarten or 1st grade entry

Teacher-to-child ratio: 1 teacher to 8 children

Overview. Our Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) Program is designed for the maturing 4-year-old up to 5- and 6-year-olds. Our curriculum reflects older childrens' growing interest in the world around them and in their developing cognitive and social skills. We increasingly focus on the physical world, with science, computers, math, and reading development. Art, music, dance, summertime swimming lessons, cooking, and field trips are all also a regular part of the Pre-K curriculum.

We keep the Pre-K class small so that each child can pursue their own ideas. In fact, children take an active role in developing project themes. For instance, finding snails in the garden may foster a whole unit on snails and slugs, while another child's enthusiasm for fire trucks may lead to a field trip to the local fire department. We also work to prepare children for the structure and group-oriented activities of kindergarten by:

• Supporting and allowing a full range of developmental behavior in the classroom
• Facilitating and encouraging children's movement, peer interaction, and active, creative learning
• Enabling children to work independently and in small groups, as well as in whole-class groups
• Developing weekly classroom projects to stimulate children's inner curiosity and creativity
• Allowing children to explore in a variety of learning areas that are clearly organized with defined boundaries and expectations
• Providing a print-rich environment with wide variety of writing, drawing, and reading materials readily available
• Taking field trips that explore the world around them