curriculum
Play is an essential part of learning. Children are encouraged to discover answers, properties, relationships, skills, and concepts for themselves through hands-on activities, all while freely tapping into the world of creativity and imagination. Our outstanding team of educators brings a warmth and energy to the day encouraging social development, necessary for supporting communication and cooperation skills with others.
Social, emotional, cognitive, and motor skills are developed through both structured and unstructured play. We recognize that each child has unique talents, learning styles and personalities. We promote kindergarten readiness by supporting pre-reading skills and basic math concepts. Our days are filled with a wide variety of activities.
Regular Daily Schedule:
7:45 Welcome – our day begins
8:30 Inside/Outside choice time – gross motor experiences, social, emotional
9:00 Inside circle time – music, dance, sharing, community
9:30 Snack time – social, community, fellowship
10:00 Small group activities – fine motor, art, drama, blocks, math, cooking, science, language
11:00 Outside time – gross motor experiences, social, emotional, sensory
12:00 Lunch – social, community, fellowship
12:30 Pick-up time (part-time)
1:00 Nap/quiet time – rejuvenation
2:45 Wake-up – snack, story time, arts, free choice
3:00 Blended classes – outside, inside time
4:30-5:15 Pick-up time (full time)
Although we have a regular daily schedule, we also have plenty of time to expand our segments based on special activities, field trips and visiting guests from our community. We try to have one field trip and at least one guest speaker each month. We are extremely fortunate to also incorporate a dance class, physical education class, and a weekly Bible Time – all at no extra cost to our families.
Program Description
The children of St. Mark Preschool are grouped according to age. The school offers a quality early childhood program, designed to enhance creativity, inter-personal and communication skills, and physical coordination appropriate to each age grouping. Since preschoolers are most responsive to activities in which they are involved in a “hands-on” manner, the classrooms are arranged into learning areas wherein the child can choose whether or not to participate. Materials in each classroom are rotated and enhanced frequently to stimulate children’s interest and encourage problem solving skills. Curriculum is child-centered as young children learn best when teachers build on the interests and abilities of the children. This will include activities in communication, science, math, art, social studies, language arts, music, dramatic play, and both small and large muscle coordination. Our program is enriched with class visitors and special events.
Areas of Development
Our program focuses on the following areas of development in ways appropriate to each age group.
Social/Emotional
St. Mark Preschool is a safe, accepting environment in which children can feel comfortable to be themselves. The children experience each other’s special and unique qualities within a loving and supportive atmosphere. Teachers help to build each child’s self-esteem while guiding and positively reinforcing responsible, cooperative behavior. Each classroom will incorporate anti-bias techniques and curriculum to encourage children to understand individual differences.
Spiritual
Our school is based on Christian principles. We have the unique opportunity to not only teach about God’s love and guidance through the Bible, but to model and teach the practical application in our daily lives. Bible stories will be taught on Wednesdays during our regularly scheduled Bible Time. Our values of love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, joy, and humility are modeled throughout the curriculum.
Cognitive
Children learn basic cognitive skills through experience in many activities during play. Many manipulative activities are offered to stimulate cognitive thinking and require the development of problem solving skills. The children enjoy developing these skills with objects for sorting, categorizing, sequencing, counting and quantifying, as well as taking apart and putting objects back together again. Open-ended science questions help children learn how to question for themselves and to be true thinkers.
Language/Communication
Children develop pre-reading and writing skills appropriate for their age. Letter and number recognition, expressive and creative drawing, storytelling, journal writing and discussion of events and topics of interest to the children, are all ways in which pre-reading skills are enhanced. Rhymes, chants, and songs are important ways to enhance language development. The children will be exposed to both written and oral language skills.
Discovery/Exploration
Children are exposed to the world around them by our developing curriculum of interest based on real life experiences. These interests develop from people, places, and things in a child’s world and are enriched through creative drama, class discussions, science exploration, classroom visitors, and more.
Creative Expression
Children will be given daily opportunities for creative expression and appreciation through art, music, and dramatic play. A wide variety of art media and tools, as well as musical style, form, and function are available for individual and group expression. Our creative rule of thumb is always that the process is more important than the product!
Small/Fine Motor
Small muscle skills are developed through daily experiences in cutting, tearing, coloring, painting, scooping, pouring, threading, weaving, connecting, play-dough play, finger-play, action songs, and more.
Gross/Large Motor
Movement activities that stimulate large muscle development include walking, skipping, running, marching, jumping, balancing, catching, throwing, dancing, parachute play, climbing, and bicycle riding. We will use the indoor classrooms, Clemen’s Hall, and the outdoor playground area.
Social, emotional, cognitive, and motor skills are developed through both structured and unstructured play. We recognize that each child has unique talents, learning styles and personalities. We promote kindergarten readiness by supporting pre-reading skills and basic math concepts. Our days are filled with a wide variety of activities.
Regular Daily Schedule:
7:45 Welcome – our day begins
8:30 Inside/Outside choice time – gross motor experiences, social, emotional
9:00 Inside circle time – music, dance, sharing, community
9:30 Snack time – social, community, fellowship
10:00 Small group activities – fine motor, art, drama, blocks, math, cooking, science, language
11:00 Outside time – gross motor experiences, social, emotional, sensory
12:00 Lunch – social, community, fellowship
12:30 Pick-up time (part-time)
1:00 Nap/quiet time – rejuvenation
2:45 Wake-up – snack, story time, arts, free choice
3:00 Blended classes – outside, inside time
4:30-5:15 Pick-up time (full time)
Although we have a regular daily schedule, we also have plenty of time to expand our segments based on special activities, field trips and visiting guests from our community. We try to have one field trip and at least one guest speaker each month. We are extremely fortunate to also incorporate a dance class, physical education class, and a weekly Bible Time – all at no extra cost to our families.
Program Description
The children of St. Mark Preschool are grouped according to age. The school offers a quality early childhood program, designed to enhance creativity, inter-personal and communication skills, and physical coordination appropriate to each age grouping. Since preschoolers are most responsive to activities in which they are involved in a “hands-on” manner, the classrooms are arranged into learning areas wherein the child can choose whether or not to participate. Materials in each classroom are rotated and enhanced frequently to stimulate children’s interest and encourage problem solving skills. Curriculum is child-centered as young children learn best when teachers build on the interests and abilities of the children. This will include activities in communication, science, math, art, social studies, language arts, music, dramatic play, and both small and large muscle coordination. Our program is enriched with class visitors and special events.
Areas of Development
Our program focuses on the following areas of development in ways appropriate to each age group.
Social/Emotional
St. Mark Preschool is a safe, accepting environment in which children can feel comfortable to be themselves. The children experience each other’s special and unique qualities within a loving and supportive atmosphere. Teachers help to build each child’s self-esteem while guiding and positively reinforcing responsible, cooperative behavior. Each classroom will incorporate anti-bias techniques and curriculum to encourage children to understand individual differences.
Spiritual
Our school is based on Christian principles. We have the unique opportunity to not only teach about God’s love and guidance through the Bible, but to model and teach the practical application in our daily lives. Bible stories will be taught on Wednesdays during our regularly scheduled Bible Time. Our values of love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, joy, and humility are modeled throughout the curriculum.
Cognitive
Children learn basic cognitive skills through experience in many activities during play. Many manipulative activities are offered to stimulate cognitive thinking and require the development of problem solving skills. The children enjoy developing these skills with objects for sorting, categorizing, sequencing, counting and quantifying, as well as taking apart and putting objects back together again. Open-ended science questions help children learn how to question for themselves and to be true thinkers.
Language/Communication
Children develop pre-reading and writing skills appropriate for their age. Letter and number recognition, expressive and creative drawing, storytelling, journal writing and discussion of events and topics of interest to the children, are all ways in which pre-reading skills are enhanced. Rhymes, chants, and songs are important ways to enhance language development. The children will be exposed to both written and oral language skills.
Discovery/Exploration
Children are exposed to the world around them by our developing curriculum of interest based on real life experiences. These interests develop from people, places, and things in a child’s world and are enriched through creative drama, class discussions, science exploration, classroom visitors, and more.
Creative Expression
Children will be given daily opportunities for creative expression and appreciation through art, music, and dramatic play. A wide variety of art media and tools, as well as musical style, form, and function are available for individual and group expression. Our creative rule of thumb is always that the process is more important than the product!
Small/Fine Motor
Small muscle skills are developed through daily experiences in cutting, tearing, coloring, painting, scooping, pouring, threading, weaving, connecting, play-dough play, finger-play, action songs, and more.
Gross/Large Motor
Movement activities that stimulate large muscle development include walking, skipping, running, marching, jumping, balancing, catching, throwing, dancing, parachute play, climbing, and bicycle riding. We will use the indoor classrooms, Clemen’s Hall, and the outdoor playground area.