4-s

Junior Kindergarten: 4-year-olds

Throughout the school year, the four-year-olds develop the readiness skills necessary for Senior Kindergarten: recognizing and writing letters and numbers, using the Handwriting Without Tears program and the Zaner-Bloser method; knowing letter sounds and numerical concepts; identifying shapes, colors, patterns and sequences. Motor skills are further refined through activities such as tracing and sewing. Important socialization skills are introduced, honed, and practiced on a daily basis. The arts and sciences are explored using developmentally appropriate practices, not only in the classroom, but on the playground as well.

For the 2024-2025 school year, this level is for those children who turn four by September 1, 2024. There are fourteen – eighteen children in these classes. This program is from 8:30am – 11:15am and we also offer a state funded Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program from 11:15am-2:15pm, which is a seamless continuation of our morning program. We assess phonological awareness, print knowledge, vocabulary and mathematical awareness three times during the school year. The VPK program has successfully expanded opportunities for children to revisit concepts explore alternatives, extend a science experiment or art project, and further prepare for future success in school. Once in Kindergarten, our graduates score an impressive 95% for Kindergarten Readiness.

Our Junior Kindergarten classes put on class plays and programs at Christmas and in the spring. They participate in all in-house field trips, Chapel, and field trips to see a play in the Gables and visit to Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Our year concludes with our graduation ceremony which celebrates the children's overall achievements!