Preschool General Information

2 1/2 YEAR OLDS:

Our classroom experiences provide your child opportunities to explore, examine, create and discover in a safe, nurturing environment. He/she will have daily opportunities to play in ways that foster self-expression, physical activity and interaction with others. Expect to see significant milestones in growth and development with increased vocabulary and spoken sentences. Sorting, naming and categorizing objects are typical activities and accomplishments. Gross motor skills such as running, jumping and climbing improve as your child’s strength and coordination markedly increase. Your child will begin to understand rules and evaluate events as good or bad. God’s loving care is modeled by caring teachers.

3 YEAR OLDS:

Your child will respond to new experiences with curiosity and energy in our classrooms. The pleasure of mastering new learning and basic skills through all five senses of seeing, touching, hearing, smelling and tasting will be the end result! Your three-year-old will grow in self-control by making choices to cooperate, share, play harmoniously, comfort others in distress and solve problems. Bible stories lovingly shared will teach and nurture who God is and depict character growth.

PRE-KINDERGARTEN—4 YEAR OLDS:

Our teachers intentionally plan for learning experiences that fully engage your child’s participation. Through early literacy activities, your child will gain an appreciation for pre-reading, writing and number concepts. You can be certain your child’s mastery of readiness skills through fun and motivating activities fosters genuine learning. Your child will recognize God’s presence in all they see and do.

Our teachers have thoughtfully designed a comprehensive, theme-based curriculum to support, integrate and encourage learning in multiple subject areas, including pre-reading, math, science, social studies, art and music. Phonics and vocabulary skills are enriched using a variety of children’s literature. Your child will increase in sense of purpose and positive identity, anticipating new opportunities, experiences, and milestones in growing up as a child of God.

CHRISTIAN VALUES

We integrate Christian values as defined by the following example:

• We affirm each child's worth and nurture the individuality of the child regardless of race, creed or ethnicity.
• We explore the meaning of living together. We teach that each person has rights and we value the rights of others in our classroom, our community, and our world.
• We emphasize stewardship of our world. We teach care for plants, animals, and all other living things.
• We recognize the importance of adults as models of acceptable behavior for children. They see in their teachers, such attitudes as gratefulness, sharing, patience, love, joy, fairness and assertiveness.

HOLIDAYS

Preschool will be closed on: Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Break, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Spring Break and Memorial Day. We usually follow Central Kitsap School District calendar for Christmas and spring vacations.

CLOTHING

Our activities include messy play such as painting, water, sand and clay. We suggest that children wear comfortable play clothes and sturdy non-kid soled shoes. Our Northwest weather changes quickly and children should always come dressed for outdoor play. Remember to label all coats, hats, mittens and other belongings. Please be sure your child is wearing clothes they can undo and do-up themselves. Please bring a change of clothing for your child in a labeled zip-lock bag on the first day of school, in case of accidents or emergencies.

CONFERENCES & REPORT CARDS

To keep parents informed of their child's progress, conferences are scheduled each February. Report cards are issued at this time and at the end of the year. Please feel free to talk with the teacher at any time. It is our desire to offer as much support and assistance as possible.

WITHDRAWING A CHILD

Please give the school office a two week notice if you plan to withdraw your child. At first children may say they don't want to come, but this is almost always overcome in a short time. It is our hope that you will give your child a chance to adjust to this new experience.

NEWSLETTER

This monthly publication contains important information for parents. Be sure to read it! If you do not receive one, please notify the office. The preschool teachers also publish their own newsletter which is sent home at the beginning of each month.