Junior Preschool Program
The Junior Preschool program is designed for a mixture of two and three-year-old children who would benefit from a smaller group size. The smaller size allows the teacher to offer each child more individual attention. This arrangement is great for children who have not been in a group childcare situation before or those children who are not yet potty-trained.
Within the Jr. Preschool program children spend much of their time in free play where they choose the activities they would like to do. The teachers provide a wide variety of activities that promote academic concepts such as counting, colors, and shapes. They also offer the children time to develop socially and emotionally through interactions with their friends. There are short group settings where the teachers provide opportunities for Jesus time and circle time. The children are provided a morning snack and those children who are in extended care receive an afternoon snack as well. Parents must provide their child’s lunch. During snack and lunch, the children are learning table manners and social interaction. Time during the day is spent on the playground, and occasionally in indoor gross motor activities. During this time, these younger children learn to use their quickly developing bodies in new and different ways. Additionally, children in extended care are provided with cots on which to nap each day, which is a real necessity after such an active morning.
The Sr. Preschool program is designed for three and four-year-old children in classrooms meeting a maximum ratio of I teacher to 12 children.
There are several major goals for the Sr. Preschool program. Primarily, we want the children to learn to know Jesus. Academically, the program prepares children socially and emotionally for VPK, sets a solid foundation for self-discipline, and lays the groundwork for a life-long interest in academic learning and problem solving.
This program nurtures physical development of the children through nutritious snacks, gross motor activities, and rest time. The Sr. Preschool program also provides a daily snack. Those who are in extended care must provide their own lunch; however, we provide an afternoon snack. During these meal times, the children are learning table manners and social interaction skills. Children learn to use and manage their quickly developing bodies through free play and guided activities on the playground or in indoor gross motor activities. Children who are with us during extended care are provided with cots for a nap each day, which lasts a couple of hours. This is a real necessity after such an active morning. After rest and a snack, the children are again presented with opportunities for free play, gross motor activities, and story time.