2 1/2 – 3 Year Old Class
Our youngest children will have active learning experiences that support all aspects of the developing child. Special emphasis will be on establishing routines and rituals, self-help skills, a strong sense of self-esteem, social/peer interactions and verbal communication skills. Experiences will be age and developmentally appropriate and foster discovery, exploration and creativity. These children attend program two days a week for two and one half hours.
Three-Year-Old Class
Children who are three years old will be supported in an environment that builds upon developing strengths. The inside/outside environments will provide project approach activities, music and movement, center-based small and large group activities appropriate for the three-year-old child. The daily schedule allows opportunities for observation, exploration, and creative expression while stressing the social/emotional development and the building of strong interpersonal peer relationships. These children attend programs three days a week for three hours.
Four-Year- Old Class/ Four-Five-Year Old Class
Classroom environments for this age group stress the development of the whole child and the skills needed to participate in a social group. Children have daily opportunities for more complex projects, using a greater variety of materials and equipment. A print rich environment that encourages language and literacy development is strengthened by opportunities for journal writing, table games that include letter and number Bingo, memory and sequencing games. Four and five year olds have the opportunity to attend class three (3) or five (5) days a week. Older children, those turning five between September-December, are encouraged to attend program five days a week. This age group may also elect to stay an extra hour at school to enjoy lunch with friends.
Kindergarten
Our age and developmentally appropriate program’s focus is based on the Arizona Academic Standards for Kindergarten and standards as defined by the Diocese of Phoenix Kindergarten Curriculum. Daily lesson plans provide integrated curriculum in these focus areas: religion, social development, reading, writing, logic-mathematical development, science, social studies, music, logical thinking and problem solving, and perceptual-motor development. The kindergarten day is broken into blocks of time based on four skill areas: literacy, project exploration, inside/outside choice, math, and read aloud activities. A typical kindergarten day has the following components: