Age 3.9 by September & Potty Trained
This classroom supports those students who will head to a TK Program following this class.
This is a 1:12 Teacher/Child Ratio with 12 students maximum daily and a floater to support as needed.
This 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.
This classroom routine begins at 9:00 AM with either indoor or outdoor exploration. From 9:30 AM-11:30 AM students are engaged in two morning circle times, AM Snack, large group and small group activities including academics, art, music, song & dance, literature, science, stem, open play, sensory activities and class exploration. At 11:30 AM students have the use of the backyard to run, climb, bike, swing, play sports and get their wiggles out and enjoy outdoor classroom activities until they are ready to eat lunch at 12:00 PM prior to our Half Day Dismissal at 12:30 PM. Our year round program offers students the consistency to prepare for Kindergarten Readiness Programs respectively. Varied Educational Philosophies such as The Reggio Emilia Approach, Waldorf Inspired Learning, The Montessori Method, Outdoor Classroom Curriculum, and our own multi-faceted curriculum supports all types of development and learning. We love having outdoor school and are outside on many of our days!
Learning times are thoughtfully planned and implemented based on the yearly curriculum, monthly themes, character education and the cohesive level of students together in this program. 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 (uppercase and lowercase), letter 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 in the previous programs, the students now have the experience of working with printing materials such as pencils alongside worksheets and supplemental materials and books. You can learn more about the Learning Without Tears Curriculum at www.lwt.com.
Resolving conflict amongst peers is an important social and emotional component of being “Kindergarten Ready.” Teachers are here to facilitate healthy dialogues so that children can communicate with one another respectfully and be empathetic to others’ feelings, ideas and differences. Our Character Education further supports identifying feelings and behaviors of others and within ourselves.
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 this older Preschool program. 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.
We offer Half Day Programs until 12:30 PM, Extended Day Programs until 1:00 or 2:00 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.
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.