Early Childhood Program

Preschool

Preschool at St. Edmund’s Academy is a developmentally appropriate environment that is designed to meet the needs of children who are 3 - 4 1/2 years of age. The goal of Preschool is for each child to reach his or her potential by experiencing activities that enhance social skills, creativity, imagination, experimentation and problem solving.

In Preschool, a nurturing, child-centered atmosphere provides cozy spaces for quiet play, as well as carefully planned learning centers located throughout the room. The Preschool children explore the environment by using all of their senses through the art of play. Play provides the children with the opportunity to demonstrate their individual talents, and challenges them to try new activities. Social skills and problem solving efforts are promoted and positively reinforced as teachers begin to guide the children in ways which exemplify our Core Values, Core Virtues and Code of Conduct.

In Preschool, small groups of children work together with a teacher to help enhance the individual child's developmental level. This also presents an opportunity to work on readiness skills in the areas of language, science, math, social studies, literacy, technology and the arts. Small groups are used throughout the day to help children attend to tasks at hand, listen and follow directions, and become more comfortable working independently.

The Preschool program provides an innovative curriculum with materials, experiences and teaching methods that are grounded in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) principles of child development. All Preschool teachers are members of NAEYC. There is one teacher with two assistant teachers for a classroom of 15 children - student to teacher ratio of 5:1.

Children in Preschool will leave the classroom to attend two twenty-minute “specialty” classes, computer class in the computer lab and physical education in the gym. Music and library are taught within the classroom by the music teacher and the librarian. A nearby play deck and playing field provide an opportunity for outside time daily. Lunch is served in the Preschool classroom.

Preschool parents have a choice between a Monday through Friday half-day session (8:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. without lunch) or a full day session (8:00 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.). We also offer Monday, Wednesday, Friday full day with Tuesday, Thursday half-day sessions. Family participation, such as reading a story, sharing a special project or joining a field trip, is always welcome.

PreKindergarten

PreKindergarten is a literature-based Kindergarten readiness program that provides a developmentally appropriate, safe, supportive and nurturing school environment designed for children 4 - 5 1/2 years of age. The goal for the PreKindergarten program is to focus on a child's unique developmental level and individual learning style. The PreKindergarten curriculum optimizes developmental outcomes by providing children with play and hands-on experiences. Curious minds are shaped into creative and critical thinkers.

In PreKindergarten, literacy is promoted in the classroom through the use of the "Easy Street Reading Program" designed specifically for early childhood education. Numbers, sequencing and fundamental math concepts are introduced daily. The PreKindergarten children enjoy a wide variety of activities that are planned based on a weekly theme, a letter of the alphabet or a story from our reading program. Activities are developmentally appropriate, hands-on, and engaging for the children.

The PreKindergarten child will develop problem solving skills as well as conflict resolution skills. Teachers will guide the children in ways which exemplify our Core Values, Core Virtues and Code of Conduct. The children will be given the opportunity to be important members of an early childhood community where cooperation, respect for others, and acts of kindness are encouraged and positively reinforced.

The PreKindergaren program provides an innovative curriculum with materials, experiences and teaching methods that are grounded in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) principles of child development. All PreKindergarten teachers are members of NAEYC. There are two teachers and two assistant teachers for a classroom of 26 children, a student to teacher ratio of 7:1.

Children in PreKindergarten will leave the classroom each day for two twenty minute "specialty classes" such as music, computer, art, physical education and library. A nearby play deck and playing field provide opportunities for outside time daily. Lunch is served in the school cafeteria.

PreKindergarten parents have a choice between a Monday through Friday half-day session (8:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. without lunch) or a full day session (8:00 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.). We also offer Monday, Wednesday, Friday full day with Tuesday, Thursday half-day sessions. Family participation, such as reading a story, sharing a special project or joining a field trip, is always welcome.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a very special place at St. Edmund’s Academy. The rooms are wonderfully spacious, complemented by nooks and crannies, delightful lofts and a wall of large windows looking out on the adjacent play deck. With four fulltime teachers, students spend much of their day in small clusters working on projects, moving from center to center.

Creative, child-centered, spirited, comfortable, challenging and enthusiastic are a few ways to describe the energetic classroom. The program has been created with the developmental needs of five and six-year-olds in mind. Through a collection of carefully designed activities, St. Edmund’s Academy’s Kindergarten works to expand each child’s competence and mastery in a multitude of areas.

Each day begins with a morning meeting to review the plans and schedule for the day, explore the calendar, and share ideas and experiences. Learning to listen to others, to express one’s own thoughts clearly, and to internalize the day’s structure are important to a feeling of predictability and trust. Children must feel safe, comfortable and understood in order to do their best. To grow in mind, spirit, and body, they must feel secure to risk making mistakes.

Students then move into groups, making choices about which activities to pursue. Block corner, dramatic play, painting, construction projects and other activities allow each child to work with classmates in a cooperative and self-determined way.

Small groups are teacher-determined and focus on the more academic tasks of Kindergarten: pre-reading and reading skills, mathematical problem-solving, and illustrating ideas.

St. Edmund’s Academy’s Kindergarten stresses activities that foster critical thinking, problem-solving and reasoning. While never “product-oriented,” the program stresses trying the new, working hard and doing one’s best. There is often no right or wrong, but there is always encouragement and praise for innovation, making connections and the satisfaction of knowing more and mastering new skills.

In the daily life of Kindergarten, the children will be guided by their teachers to behave in ways that exemplify the Core Values, Core Virtues and Code of Conduct.

Music, art, computer, snack, physical education, library, rest, and outdoor play round out a full and busy day.

The enthusiasm of five and six-year-olds is contagious, and despite the natural ups and downs of childhood, teachers and children leave at the end of the day tired, but with a smile.

Kindergarten at St. Edmund's Academy is understanding the whys, hows and wherefores of the way the world works, specifically:

• Independence
• Self-Confidence
• Risk-Taking
• Pride in Workmanship
• Letter Recognition
• Problem Solving
• Math Concepts
• Visual-Motor Coordination
• Communication
• Making Choices
• Following Directions
• Listening
• Cooperation with Peers
• Artistic Expression
• Resolving Differences
• Manners
• Respecting Others
• Handwriting
• Predicting Outcomes
• Completing Tasks
• Letter-Sound Correspondence
• Recognizing Similarities and Differences
• Understanding Time, Days, Months, Seasons
• Appreciation of Family and Friends
• Learning about and Living the Core Values