Our pre-k program is designed for children who turn 4 before September 1. It is our educational goal to take known and familiar experiences of the child’s world and build on these experiences to offer a curriculum that is rich in family beliefs and traditions. We provide a secure and nurturing environment that fosters independence, curiosity and the development of age-appropriate skills. Big, Little School promotes self-image and a sense of identity for each child. Emphasis is placed on encouraging cooperative play and a balanced development in emotional, physical, social, intellectual and creative growth while also focusing on developing readiness skills for kindergarten, including pre-writing, pre-reading and self-help skills.
The curriculum features the “Handwriting Without Tears Program: “Get Set For School Readiness & Writing, Language & Literacy and Numbers & Math.” The Handwriting Without Tears program is a developmental appropriate hands-on learning approach that helps build basic skills. At mid-year children (who are ready) will start small guided reading groups. In these small groups, children learn one-to-one correspondence and are introduced to simple sight words. Pre-K children go on a variety of field trips each month along with weekly visits to the children’s library, motor development and music classes, cooking and art activities. Parents are welcome in the classroom and encouraged to attend classroom events.