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Pre Kindergarten

 

Saint Joseph's Pre Kindergarten provides an academically stimulation environment that honors individual learning styles and promotes emotional intelligence. In our classroom we strive to encourage and model respect, integrity, independence, dignity, resourcefulness, responsibility and life-long learning.

 

Along with personal and social development our Pre Kindergarten students attend age-appropriate 'special' classes such as; Computer, Art, Music, Spanish, Library Time, Yoga and Physical Education allowing them to expand their ability to acquire information, problem solve and communicate with others.

 

Pre Kindergarten Half-Day Program
Additionally, Saint Joseph's offers a part-time Pre-K option for parents. The part-time program is 5 half-days designed to strike a balance between children's developmental and emotional needs and the desire of some families who prefer a shorter school day. This program continues in keeping with our current Pre-K goal to nurture our students' God given gifts and talents. The program is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The morning schedule includes academics, class specials (music, library, sacred studies, art, physical education, and chapel) and lunch. Extended hours are available with a charge of $10/hour after 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

 

PHONICS, LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY


I. COGNITIVE LEARNING:
Cognitive learning pertains to the mental processes of perception, memory judgment, and reason. This is a very vital part of our daily curriculum.

  • Recognizes and recalls letters & numbers our of sequence
  • Recognizes first and last name
  • Reproduces beginning sounds
  • Recalls and recognizes some sight words
  • Recalls details of a story
  • Understands sequencing, patterning, and graphing
  • Follows verbal instructions
  • Works independently
  • Completes work in time allotted

II. FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT:
Equally as important are fine motor skills. Fine motor skills can be defined as small muscles movements which occur in the fingers, in coordination with the eyes. It is critical to understand the development of children's fine motor skills in order to understand the reasoning behind why they complete tasks in a certain way; writing, drawing and buttoning. The preschooler becomes quite adept in self-help, construction, holding grips, and bimanual control tasks requiring the use of both hands.

  • Writes and colors beyond a simple scribble
  • Controls pencil and crayon
  • Reproduces first name in upper and lower case letters
  • Works correctly with manipulatives and puzzles

GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT:
Gross motor skills include activities as throwing, catching, jumping, climbing, balancing, lifting, pushing, and carrying.

  • Can hop on one foot
  • Can walk backwards
  • Can skip
  • Can walk one foot in front of the other on a line

SOCIALIZATION SKILLS:
Pre Kindergarten children are sociable and becoming socialized. They spend as much time as they can with other children using language to facilitate and social interactions

  • Child can take care of belongings
  • Plays well with others
  • Participates in group activities
  • Cleans up after self
  • Express self verbally
  • Recognizes Teachers as authority
  • Uses good manners
  • Makes proper use of free time

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Much of a pre-school child's success depends on his/her emotional development. For many children this is a first-time experience away from their parents

  • Child can be taken away from parents
  • Maintains self control
  • Exhibits impulse control
  • Works and has normal attention span

YOGA:
Our Pre Kindergarten Yoga program is designed to promote stronger bodies and stronger character. The weekly lessons incorporate children's yoga, nature, and creative imagery for the students. The poses and breathing techniques combine the benefits of yoga with relaxation as well as nurturing each individual student's spirit. As they stretch their bodies and practice poses, the students prepare their minds and bodies for a positive day at school.

  • Poses
  • Breathing Techniques
  • Relaxation Techniques

ART:
PK Art provides the students with many ideas for creative activities that can be introduced to the children as fun, hands-on learning experiences. Each activity gives the class opportunities to work independently while improving certain skills that are vital to preschool children's development.

  • Working/Kneading Clay or Model Magic
  • Scissor Safety
  • Painting
  • Manipulatives

LIBRARY:
Storytelling and enjoyment of children's literature are the primary focus in our Library. Students are invited to share their ideas. Book care is discussed as well as basic library behavior. Various methods are used to reach the visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic learning styles.

  • Puppets and flannel board characters
  • Big Books
  • Stories set to music
  • Stories with Film Strips
  • Poems and nursery rhymes

MUSIC:
Music class is designed to create an environment where the students can't wait to come to class every week. The students are introduced to concepts that most schools wait until the students are much older. It is within this school's curriculum that the basics of reading music are introduced which includes:

  • Counting Rhythms
  • Note Values
  • Note Identification
  • Choreography
  • Singing
  • Music Theory Concepts
  • Introduction to Instruments
  • Music Appreciation via listening to various styles of music on the CD player and piano
  • Performing etiquette
  • Performance Opportunities on Stage

And all demonstrated through clever 'fun activities' that keep a very fast pace and exciting 40-minute period once per week.


PE:
Physical Education will teach the age-appropriate fundamentals of several sports; how to properly catch and throw a ball and how to how to catch and run with an irregular shaped ball as in a football; how to manipulate a ball with their feet as in soccer and work eye/hand coordination. Our students will learn to develop their athletic skills in a structured and fun environment.

  • Activities include:
  • Jogging
  • Running
  • Stretching
  • Calisthenics
  • Bouncing/dribbling a ball
  • Throwing and catching a round ball
  • Throwing and catching an irregular shaped ball
  • Structured Play

SACRED STUDIES:
Overarching theme is love of God, self, and others

  • Learn Jesus' summary of the Law and that God is Love
  • Learn that prayer is talking and listening to God
  • Exploration of various Bible stories
  • Peace Education with I-Care Cat (puppet) and friends
  • Practice service to others

SPANISH:
Along with early introduction and integration to Spanish through repetition the children learning through fun songs, reading of books in Spanish and English the following:

  • Colors = Colores
  • Numbers = Numeros
  • Greetings = Saludos
  • Animals = Animales
  • Names = Nombres
  • Body Parts = Partes del cuerpo