Junior Kindergarten
Junior Kindergarten boys can typically be defined by a few key words: energy, curiosity, and movement! Because our JrK teachers know so well the characteristics four-year-old boys, they also understand what works best for them in the classroom, and areas where they often struggle in school - especially expressive language, fine motor skills, and attention.
Our teachers reinforce each boy’s development through teaching, modeling, and practicing daily. Boys learn to work cooperatively in teams, while also building their emerging academic abilities in literacy and numeracy.
Students are explicitly taught skills to succeed in school by learning how to block out distractions, make eye contact, and learn to express themselves by using “I” messages. Boys take weekly classes in science, art, music, physical education, and library. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), our program meets the highest standards for early childhood learning.
Kindergarten
Our Kindergarten program develops boys' skills in several key areas. Boys are introduced to many of the reading strategies using various clues to help to identify words: visual, contexual, and phonetic. In our handwriting program, boys learn to use a proper grip, forming all their letters and work to begin writing sentences. The boys will continue to work on building phonemic awareness (separating sound parts) and their phonics (decoding letters) abilities. In math, the boys learn through incorporating many different mathematical concepts.
Kindergarten students participate in an in-depth immersive study of their local community, fables and stories across the continents, American symbols, Japan/Alaska, and a study of the Amish. They study music every other day (this instruction includes lessons in playing violin), physical education every other day, fine art every third day, and science every third day. The boys visit the library one day each cycle to enhance their love of literature and continue their love of reading.
In addition, the assignment of jobs gives each student a contributing role in the
makeup of the classroom team and reinforces a sense of respect for the
classroom environment.
We are proud that our Kindergarten program meets the highest standards for early childhood learning, and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).