Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten
A child must be 3 years old before August 1st of the school year in order to qualify for admission to our Pre-Kindergarten program. Certain readiness skills are required. Children must be completely toilet-trained and have independent bathroom habits. Applicants for Pre-K must submit both the completed Questionnaire and Admission Application. There are limited spaces for 3 year olds. Placement in the Montessori or Pre-School class will be decided during the admission process. Parents may indicate their preferences on the application.
The Montessori Program is based on the techniques of Maria Montessori, who designed a program for multi-aged children. This program consists of individual presentations of lessons in addition to small-group activities. Sensorial and Practical Life tasks are presented by the teacher, who observes replication of the task by the child. In choosing their tasks for the day, children develop self-discipline and competence in self-direction and independence.
The Pre-school Program has traditional small- and large-group activities. Working in learning stations and in groups, children are taught to respect themselves and others and to develop cooperative relationships. A theme-based approach is used with a number and letter each week.
Children in both classes will learn to write, count and recognize numbers. Also, students will be introduced to letters by recognizing, writing and reciting the alphabet. Religion, science and social studies are included in class activities. Students are exposed to a variety of activities during the day such as Bible stories, prayers, music, center time, art, math, and physical education. The Happily Ever After language arts program by the Rowland Reading Foundation helps Pre-Kindergarten children develop concepts and vocabulary to comprehend written and spoken language by anchoring instruction in classic stories from children's literature. Children listen to a well-known story in the first lesson of each unit and return to it again and again as they move through the other lessons in the unit. The story gives them a common framework for new words and concepts. In addition, new vocabulary, skills, and concepts are introduced in a concrete way through a game that relates them directly to the familiar, physical world.
Pre-school and Montessori classes are five days per week. On the application, parents may choose their option of mornings from 7:45 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. or all day from 7:45 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. An after-school care program (for an additional fee) is available for extended hours from 3:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., if needed.
Kindergarten
The minimum age for Kindergarten is 5 years. September 1st of the school year is the date used to determine qualification. Applicants for Kindergarten must also submit the completed Questionnaire along with the Admission Application.
Our Kindergarten program prepares our students to be successful in their future elementary experiences while focusing on various subject areas: math, science, history, and language arts. The religion program is centered on spiritual growth through daily prayer, instruction, and celebrations. The Sadlier We Believe program introduced in Kindergarten continues through Sixth Grade. This program is rooted in Scripture. It is faithful to the traditions of the Catholic Church and spirited by the General Directory for Catechesis. This program focuses on the Person of Jesus Christ. The students are building a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The program supports faith that is living in the domestic Church and the universal Church.
The Nancy Larson® Science programs for elementary-age children have been adopted for Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. The topics chosen for each grade level reflect children’s interests and developmental characteristics. The programs ensure an in-depth study of topics that help promote long-term learning and understanding of concepts. Lessons build upon one another with the understanding that different sciences are interrelated. For this reason, we are not a “pick and choose” science topics program but a complete science program that will help students have a broader understanding of science. The Science K program focuses on the children and their interaction with the world around them.
The Rowland Reading Foundation language arts program Superkids has been adopted for Kindergarten to Second Grade. The Superkids Reading Program is a comprehensive reading and language arts curriculum with phonics at its core. As Superkids builds strong phonics and decoding skills, it simultaneously integrates instruction in comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. The program also develops students’ skill in writing, spelling, grammar, usage, and mechanics. It includes an online portal for children to play games and read interactive books and magazines at school or on their home computers.
Grading Scale (Grades PK-2)
A standards-based report card reflects a child’s progress toward mastery. A rubric that includes indicators of performance (M, P, I, N) is used for each marking period. Parents are able to see areas in which their child excels and/or needs help. Skills that have been assessed will continue to be developed throughout the year.