Quality, Affordable Early Education Child Care Since 1903

Pre-K Program Highlights

Children must be 4 years old by September 1st to be in our pre-K classes. We will be working with your child on these skills during the year:

Personal and Social Development

Gaining self-confidence.
Following classroom rules and routines.
Interacting easily with one or more children and familiar adults.
Playing well with other children.
Playing cooperatively.
Taking turns and sharing.
Controlling impulses.
Expressing feelings appropriately.
Making value-laden choices.

Language and Literacy

Following two- or three-step directions.
Acquiring phonological awareness.
Listening attentively to a story.
Listening in order to understand and follow directions.
Associating sounds with the written letter.
Recognizing rhymes and indentifying rhyming words.
Staying on topic when speaking.
Reciting short poems, rhymes and songs.
Comprehending and responding to stories read aloud.
Recognizing his/her first and last name and the names of some friends.
Identifying upper case and lower case letters, A to Z.
Articulating clearly.
Describing pictures and inventing stories.
Writing his/her name correctly, in upper and lower case letters.

Mathematical Skills

Using simple strategies to solve mathematical problems.
Showing understanding of the uses of several positional words - in, on, under, over, next to, behind, beside, next to, front and back.
Ordering, comparing and describing objects according to a single attribute.
Participating in measuring activities.
Writing numbers 0 to 10.
Sorting and classifying objects.
Understanding the concepts of addition and subtraction.
Gathering, organizing, sorting, counting and displaying data.
Identifying coins - penny, nickel, dime, quarter.
Identifying at least 6 shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, diamond, star, oval).
Organizing and displaying data on graphs using objects and pictures.
Recognizing and writing the numerals 1 through 12 .

Intellectual Development

Putting together a puzzle of at least 12 pieces.
Drawing a person with 7 or more body parts.
Naming the days of the week in order.
Naming the parts of the computer and accessing and using age-appropriate software independently.

Scientific Thinking

Asking questions and using their senses to observe and explore materials and natural phenomena.
Using simple tools and equipment for investigation.
Making comparisons among objects.

Social Studies

Identifying similarities and differences in personal and family characteristics.
Beginning to understand family needs, roles and relationships.
Describing some people’s jobs and what is required to perform them.
Demonstrating awareness of rules.
Showing awareness of the environment.
Naming the city or town where they live.

The Arts

Participating in group music experiences, creative movement, dance and drama.
Using a variety of art materials for tactile experience and exploration.
Showing imagination and creativity in play.
Selecting different media to express emotions and ideas.
Expressing his/her own ideas through dramatic play activities.
Recognizing and naming a variety of art forms.

Physical Development

Moving with balance and control.
Walking up and down steps unassisted using alternating feet.
Throwing a ball overhand.
Marching in time to music.
Catching a ball.
Demonstrating spatial awareness.
Using eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Having some control of writing, drawing and art tools.
Performing some self-care tasks independently.
Following basic health and safety rules.
Learning about foods and nutrition.

Progress Reports are done three times a year. Teachers schedule conferences with you to discuss your child's progress.