Age 3 & Potty Trained
This program supports those that will need two years of Preschool prior to entering Kindergarten.
This classroom accepts children who are 3 years of age by September 1st and potty trained. In addition, if your child has a birthday that does not make the “cut off” for Kindergarten (age 5 by September, earlier for private schools) or there is a need for an additional year of preschool, then this is the first Preschool Program for your child here at Cornerstone. This is a 1:12 Teacher Child Ratio with 12 students maximum per day with a floater.
The Preschool Program encourages and promotes a healthy balance of developmental and academic readiness by way of classroom instruction in teacher-led and child-initiated activities. The daily routine and structure of this program gives students ample opportunities for a well balanced classroom setting and experience. Students are encouraged and are able to work in large groups, small groups and independently of one another.
Our year round program and curriculum provides consistency and support for our students and families. Developmentally and age-appropriate materials and activities are offered daily. The use of a wide variety of materials that support many educational philosophies are used in this class. From Reggio Emilia and Waldorf Inspired Learning to the Montessori Method we understand that all children are unique to how they develop & learn and therefore we are supportive of all philosophies and use a variety of these materials to support the aforementioned. Furthermore, we have developed our own-hands on learning methods that further support a very interactive hands-on learning experience for all Preschool Students.
In addition to our own comprehensive and multi-faceted curriculum, the Learning Without Tears Curriculum is incorporated into our Preschool Program to strengthen the understanding between body awareness, shapes, letter shapes and sounds, and numerals. This tangible way of learning paves a direct path for drawing activities, pre-math and pre-reading skills in addition to strengthening and promoting strong fine motor capabilities. After the initial multi-sensory experience using a variety of materials such as the roll-a dough, stamp screens, and the wet and dry chalk boards the students then have the experience of working with printing materials such as crayons and pencils alongside worksheets when ready. You can learn more about the Learning Without Tears Curriculum at www.lwt.com.
The daily routine begins at 9:00 AM with either indoor or outdoor exploration. Between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM students are engaged in a morning circle, snack time, art, instructional learning time, small group & large group experiences, open play, science, cooking, sensory, music, and story time. At 11:30 AM, prior to lunch at 12:00 PM, students are outside enjoying outdoor activities such as swings, structures to climb, bikes, sandbox play, the large grassy area for football, soccer and other sports, water play, parachute play, and outdoor classroom exploration. Currently this classroom is partaking in Outdoor School daily except during inclement weather.
Life skills taking place in school are an integral part of our Preschool Program. This begins to pave way for a sense of independence and self-confidence. Children are encouraged to take care of classroom belongings, make healthy choices for centers & activities and are given opportunities throughout the day that result in a sense of accomplishment.
We offer Half Day Programs until 12:30 PM and Full Day Programs until 5:00 PM. You may choose from 2 days a week to 5 days a week. Set schedules are critical to balance teacher/child ratios. The Full Day Program allows for a quiet nap time beginning at 1:00/1:15 PM until approximately 2:45 PM. Quiet time materials are offered to those who are not “sleepers.” From 3:00 PM-5:00 PM we offer an afternoon snack, indoor/outdoor activities, and an afternoon circle time until we close for the evening at 5:00 PM.
Prior to enrollment, we will invite you to tour the campus and meet with the Director. During your visit, we will evaluate if your child is ready for a drop off program here at Cornerstone. We will ask for transparency with previous school experiences, language development and behavior development. We are able to nurture and educate young children of many different abilities but we are not qualified or equipped for serious behavioral challenges. We have a strong home school connection so that we can develop and implement a strong support system for your child, our staff and your family. Should concerning issues arise within the classroom that we can no longer support, we will ask for you to step away from the program until they resolve. Re-entry into the classroom will be evaluated prior if availability still allows, as we do not hold enrollment in these circumstances. We have implemented fair but strong policies concerning hitting, biting, and or other physical concerns in order to provide a safe and healthy classroom/school environment for all students.
If you would like additional information, please submit an inquiry or give us a call. We look forward to connecting with you. Follow us on Instagram at Cornerstone Preschool to see a glimpse into our daily life and activities here at Cornerstone.