A 1:8 ratio - A class size of twenty four students per day is just right for our four year olds! It is a group that is still small enough to allow the children to get to know each other and stress the importance of each child being a valuable participant and contributor to the class. We make the class slightly larger than the three year old group to serve as a transition to the class size they will experience in Kindergarten.

Three teachers at all times: - Individualized attention remains an essential part of a child’s first school experiences! Our 1:8 ratio allows the teachers to continue to provide the children with more comfort during separation anxiety, more assistance with bathroom needs, more frequent examples and reminders of appropriate behavior, and more involved classroom activities!

We are a developmentally appropriate preschool – We will challenge and nurture your child in a setting that is neither a watered-down elementary level, “super-kid” program, nor a chaotic daycare. It is a program that first meets the children’s important emotional needs of safety and belonging, and then provides ample, developmentally appropriate academic and social experiences.

The four year old students balance their day with individual choice time, large group time, and small group time. The emphasis is on becoming familiar with and learning to learn in different settings; the same settings that will be present in Kindergarten! All students participate in choice time and large group time. Children are broken into three groups of eight students each for small group time. We rotate the students so that they meet with each small group once a week.

Miss. Bev’s group - The main focus is placed on one letter of the alphabet each week. Students learn each letters’ sound, what the upper and lower case letter looks like and what words begin with the letter. There is also time spent learning to properly write each letter, both upper and lower case.

Miss. Nancy’s group – This group works on crafts that reinforce the letter or theme of the week. It is a time that allows the children to use their imagination while learning to follow directions. Opportunities to practice and refine coloring, cutting, and glue application skills are combined with plenty of fun, process-based projects!

Miss. Joyce’s group – Discovery Room provides a wide variety of enrichment activities for the children! Dress up/dramatic play, computer center, play doh, painting, water play, and sand play are just a few of the choices that are available! In addition, there is a featured craft, project, or activity that compliments the lesson plan for the week.

The form of discipline that is used in the classroom is a positive one that encourages students to be kind at all times. Each student is given a sticker chart and a sticker book to fill. Every child receives two stickers when they come to school, work hard and are kind to others. If a student exhibits unacceptable behavior, their first warning is issued. If the student reaches 3 warnings, they lose one of their stickers for the day. It is a very rare occasion that a student looses a sticker and we like to keep it that way! School needs to be a positive environment! By offering three chances (and two stickers), a child still feels control over the way their day progresses and can make conscious decisions to make better choices