Pre-K

Dear Parents,

Pre-kindergarten is an important step in the journey we want to be safe, challenging and engaging for our children.

Our program is a dream –come-true for me! For many years families have called to ask if we offer pre-kindergarten, and finally in the fall of 2005, I could say, “Yes!”

We wrote a curriculum for pre-kindergarten that precedes our all-day kindergarten program. In an all-day Monday, Wednesday and Friday week, our little ones take foreign language, computer, physical education, art, music and academics to prepare them for the challenging years that lie ahead at Clintonville Academy.

Visitors are welcome to observe classes and take tours to see our day-to-day activities. As we near the end of 30 wonderful years of serving learners through the eighth grade, I am proud to invite you to learn more about our school.

Please call any time to set up an appointment!

Sincerely,


Sally Lindsay
Director

Pre-kindergarten Curriculum

Our pre-kindergarten program is a child-centered curriculum emphasizing the academy’s time-tested approach to education. Using play, structured activities, and individual guidance, each child develops self-esteem as well as social, cognitive, and physical skills in a safe, nurturing environment.

Language and Early Literacy
At this early stage of a learner’s life, experiences with communication and literacy form the basis for later school success. Many opportunities to interact with responsive adults and peers in language and literature will be provided as a foundation for development of vocabulary, extended language skills, and to give a healthy view of the world around them.

Highlights of the language and literacy focus include: listening comprehension, vocabulary, speech production, verbal expression, phonological awareness, print and book awareness, letter knowledge, early word recognition, motivation to read, developing knowledge of literary forms and written expression, developing a sense of being a “reader”, sound-symbol correspondence , and alphabet - prekindergarten Letter People activities.

Mathematics
Curiosity and enthusiasm are building blocks for the early learner’s desire to explore ideas about patterns and relationships, order and predictability, and meaning and logic. The classroom environment will be rich in language, promote critical thinking, and encourage the learner’s explorations and ideas.

Key topics of the mathematics program include: number and operations, classification and data collection, patterns, geometry and spatial sense and measurement, use of mathematical language, one-to-one correspondence and predicting/estimating.

Science
Investigating and discovering are natural instincts for pre-kindergarteners who find being scientists a common curiosity they share. Asking questions, gathering information, communicating findings, and making informed decisions are steps learners take to better comprehend scientific processes.
Highlights of the year’s curriculum include: following science processes, understanding science concepts, life and life cycles, properties of objects, observing/touching, discussing/questioning , experimenting/predicting, recording, and pooling ideas.

Social Studies
Through social studies, young learners begin to develop an important self-understanding that will serve as the groundwork for learning about others and the world that surrounds them. Concentration on the nature of humans and their world, the legacy of the past, contemporary living and society will be the central focus for the pre-kindergarten curriculum.

Building blocks for the young learners inclue the topics: culture and community, history, geography and economics, observing, questioning, reporting, pooling ideas, research, awareness of similarities and differences among people.

Fine Arts
Young learners express ideas, thoughts, and feelings using many different symbols. Through their dramatic play, art, and music, young children are actively figuring what they know, how they think, and are using problem-solving skills to share their ideas in different forms. All arts allow children to interpret symbols and grow in all areas including academics.

Lesson plans include:
- drawing/painting /crafts with variety of materials
- collage making, printing with stamps, sculpture construction
- music making: singing, movement, instruments
- dramatic play/story telling

Art
As early learners are beginning to gain control of fine-motor muscles and practice hand-eye coordination, positive strides are made when they explore a great variety of materials and make discoveries about shape, color and texture in their art experiences.

Music
Playing simple instruments, singing and dancing are natural ways for children to express themselves. Music is another avenue for young learners to experience communication with others. They learn to experiment with music concepts, volume, tempo and sound. This is the start of their appreciation for different music forms, and is taught by a specialist in Kinder-Music.

Dramatic Play
Pre-kindergarteners love to express themselves through spontaneous and expressive productions of creative drama. These valuable experiences are encouraged to develop self-esteem, and willingness to stretch limits in music, art, movement, story telling and drama.

Foreign Language
As preparation for kindergarten at Clintonville Academy, pre-kindergarteners will study French in the fall of 2008. The foreign language introduction will precede the study of that particular language assigned for the duration of the child’s enrollment.

Lessons include:
- songs and literature
- simple commands
- colors/shapes/numbers/sizes/senses

Health and Safety
Positive health habits and routines are important lessons in pre-kindergarten. Basic concepts and attitudes regarding nutrition, safety, physical activity and hygiene are highlighted to help young learners develop healthy habits and understand safety practices.

Emphasis in lessons will cover:
- safety in school, in the home
- safety on the sidewalks, streets and the neighborhood
- fire safety

Personal and Social Development
Extremely important to the development of the whole child are education and encouragement in personal and social skills. In order to function comfortably and safely in a classroom and community, and to accomplish meaningful tasks, children must experience activities that promote positive social growth. Praise and encouragement for an individual learner’s strengths will help form positive personal skills.

Included in studies:
- making and keeping friends
- manners
- sharing

Physical Development
Movement is a crucial part in the center of young childrens’ lives. They participate in experiences that foster fundamental motor an movement skills, such and walking and running, which are necessary for successful participation in sports and games throughout life. Learners begin to develop gross motor skills that involve catching, kicking, and throwing. Fine motor skills are developing as well, especially those involving accuracy of movement and precision with which learners accomplish physical tasks.

Development of physical skills are covered in:
- physical education
- group games
- gymnastics
- movement
- fine motor actovotoes

Technology
Technology comes into important play as pre-kindergarteners expand their ability to acquire information, solve problems, and progress with communication skills. Frequent access and exposure to computers and related technology will enhance this learning. Children use engaging, pre-kindergarten level and challenging software, and technology to extend their knwledge and to enrich their learning of curriculum concepts and content. These tools are integrated throughout the curriculum.