VPK Program Goals
Our goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment that instills a motivation and excitement for learning and exploring in each child. Our program focuses on meeting the following more specific goals:
* Help each child develop a positive self-image and build a confidence to succeed.
* Teach each child how to develop a positive relationship with others.
* Guide children into becoming independent and responsible.
* Help expand communication skills through verbal, writing and drawing activities.
* Help enhance each child's gross and fine motor skills.
* Prepare each child to be successful in Kindergarten and in a school setting.
* Guide each Child in building a relationship with Christ through Prayer, Worship, Fellowship, and Bible Lessons.
VPK Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:15-11:15 AM
Wrap-Around Hours:
M-F Drop off ~ 7:30 AM for $10/wk
M-F Pick up ~ 6:00 PM for $65/wk or $15/day
Daily Schedule
Schedule for VPK
8:00-8:15 ~ Drop-off kids with hugs and kisses.
8:15-8:25 ~ Morning Routine (Calendar, Morning Message, Weather, etc.)
8:25-8:30 ~ Learn through Dance and Music
8:30-9:30 ~ Reading and Writing Instruction with Centers
9:30-9:50 ~ Playground
9:50-10:05 ~ Wash hands and have Snack
10:05-10:25 ~ Science/Social Studies
10:25-10:45 ~ Math Instruction
10:45-11:05 ~ Bible Application (hands-on learning, songs, crafts, etc)
11:05-11:15 ~ Clean up, Pack up and get ready for dismissal
11:15-11:30 ~ Dismissal
Schedule for Wrap-Around Program
11:30-12:00 ~ Games
12:00-12:30 ~ Wash hands and eat lunch
12:30-2:00 ~ Movie and Rest Time
2:00-2:30 ~ Playground with Action Games
2:30-3:00 ~ Crafts/Hands-On Activities
3:00-4:00 ~ Free Choice Centers (Blocks, Playdough, Sand Tray, Drawing, Puppets, etc.)
4:00-4:15 ~ Story Time
4:15-4:30 ~ Snack
4:30-5:30 ~ Reading/Math Centers
5:30-6:00 ~ Clean up and Pack up, Dismissal time ~ Play game while waiting to be picked up.
Curriculum
Our Preschool curriculum includes learning in all of the following areas:
* Reading and Math Readiness* Small and Large Motor Development
* Critical Thinking
* Problem Solving
* Creative and Social Play
* Arts and Crafts
* Science Exploration
* Social Studies Discovery
* Dance, Music, & Games
* Character Education
The main curriculum we will be using is the Scott Foresman Curriculum. We will also be using additional phonics and writing curriculums, as well as, IT (Innovative Tools) for Bible Application.
Learning Centers
We believe children learn best when they are able to engage in a mix of auditory, visual and hands-on activities, especially in small groups. This is why we do a lot of teaching and learning in "centers." This is where students go to an activity for a short time and they get to continuously switch to a new activity, which keeps them motivated and excited to learn. Also, they do centers in small groups, which helps the teacher to work more one-on-one with each child. To help better understand what happens in these centers, here is a brief description of the different centers we will be using in the classroom:
Art Center ~ Use different mediums (paint, crayons, pencils, clay, etc.) to have children create a portion of a story or how the story applies to them, to communicate an idea, or create something by following step-by-step instructions.
Science Center ~ Use sand, clay, water, figurines, pictures, etc. to help students observe and explore things in their world. Also, students can conduct simple experiments to further understand a science concept being taught.
Home Center ~ Set up with household appliances for students to role play life application situations that our taught in the classroom. This center also helps with communication and working with others.
Prayer Center ~ Children are given a focus for their prayers (specific topic, friend, situation, etc to pray about). The children then draw, record, sing, speak their prayers.
Listening Center ~ Students use headphones to listen to a story that has been previously read in class. This helps them with fluency, vocabulary and listening skills.
Building Center ~ Children are given blocks and are encouraged to build their homes, theme parks, their favorite places to go, etc. This helps them to work as a team and use their imagination.
Puzzle Center ~ Children work together in a group to put a floor puzzle together. They not only have to work as a team, but they have to use problem solving strategies to figure out how to put the puzzle together correctly.
Dress-Up Center ~ Children use costumes, masks, and other props to act-out a lesson or role play life situations in order to help apply the lesson being taught.
Math Center ~ This varies depending on the concept being taught. This center provides the children with opportunities to understand concepts in depth by using manipulatives to figure out and actually see how the math concept works. They will be creating patterns, sorting, classifying, counting, using graphs, problem-solving, matching, writing numbers, sequencing, etc.
Senses Center ~ Utilize the senses to teach an activity or review a lesson previously taught.
Phonics Center ~ Students will identify beginning sounds of words and pictures, sort pictures according to their beginning letter, decode words by stretching out their sounds, match words to pictures, match letters to sounds, find a specific letter in print, etc.
Fine Motor Center ~ Fine motor or manipulative activities help improve eye-hand coordination and strengthen the muscles that are critical for writing and coloring. These activities also develop problem-solving skills.
Gross Motor Center ~ Young children need large muscle activity on a daily basis with both indoor and outdoor experiences. Time spent using large muscles during interactive play, not only helps develop coordination, it helps develop communication and team-building skills as well.
SPECIAL EVENTS throughout the year:
- Birthdays Family Christmas Gathering
- Mother’s Day Celebration Father’s Day Celebration
- Water Fun Day Pajama Day
- Easter Egg Hunt Thanksgiving Celebration
