WELCOME TO PRESCHOOL AND PREKINDERGARTEN!
In Assumption Catholic Preschool and Prekindergarten we are committed to helping children develop the skills and tools needed to succeed in elementary school and beyond. Our programs offer a safe, loving, and nurturing environment designed to provide each child with a positive introduction to their educational experience. Our warm and open classroom communities are rich with opportunities for learning and growth through age appropriate, hands-on activities. We work in connection with the Kindergarten teacher in order to provide a seamless transition to the next grade level.
PRESCHOOL AND PREKINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM
Religion:
All students learn that Jesus loves them through daily experiences at preschool. We emphasize the Golden Rule, polite manners, and overall kindness. Prayers and prayer songs are said or sung before our morning meeting, before snack and lunch, and at the end of the day. We also practice praying spontaneously.
The Preschoolers celebrate the liturgical church year in age-appropriate ways using songs, stories, and art. We end every week with Chapel time, during which we identify, and are all thankful to Jesus for our blessings.
In addition to our classroom prayers, we introduce the Prekindergartners to formal prayers such as the Lord’s Prayer, Guardian Angel, and Hail Mary. We use the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies faith formation program (“Seeds”), as our liturgically based religion program. Each lesson incorporates storytelling, listening, singing, and a tabletop activity. Prekindergartners attend the first part of school Mass once per month. At Christmas, the Prekindergartners present a Christmas Program and act out the Nativity for family and friends.
Social/Emotional:
The Prekindergartners participate in Second Step, an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum that fosters students’ emotional intelligence, empathy, and problem-solving on a weekly basis. The children learn to play, cooperate, and share with others as well as establish relationships and form bonds with friends. We encourage children to show awareness of others’ feelings and to use their words to solve problems, learn self-help skills, and gain independence.
Preschoolers take part in structured and unstructured play experiences. The children practice following classroom rules, rules of simple games and learning to sit in a group setting for a short time. They also begin to learn the art of social awareness through modeling and role-playing.
Language/Literacy:
We incorporate language and literacy in many ways during the day. Reading stories and looking at books during free choice and rest time, alphabet recognition, letter sounds and formation, introduction of sign language, and weekly visits to the school library are all age appropriate activities.
Math:
A variety of math games and manipulatives are utilized as we work on number identification, counting, shapes, and colors during small and large group time activities. We review the calendar, days of the week, months of the year, and seasons. Prekindergartners work on phone number and address identification and memorization. Centers, games, and activities promoting math readiness skills are also available daily.
Science/Sensory:
We are using Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to explore the force of pushing/pulling, ramps/paths, weather, and land formations. Other science topics throughout the year include All about Me, seasons, polar regions, hibernation, water exploration, rivers, ponds, streams and marine life. The science and sensory table change monthly based on our thematic unit. There is also a light table available and experiments take place periodically.
Music/Movement:
Music and movement are daily components of both preschool programs. The children have the opportunity to play musical instruments or rhythm sticks and participate in dance/movement each day. The prekindergarten children have music class with Ms. Varon, our music teacher, once a week, where they sing, move and play instruments while developing language and social skills along with coordination. The children play on the playground every day and the prekindergarten students will get physical education once a week with Ms. Eager in the gym. During the year they will focus on concepts that will use their gross motor skills. For example, learning and using various locomotor movements, working on throwing and catching skills, balance and cooperation or working as a team.