Pre - Kindergarten
9am-2:50pm
This class is for children who have completed our 3-year-old program, or those who will be entering Kindergarten the following year. We maintain a small teacher student ration of 16:3. This classroom is intended to offer each student 5 full days of enrollment to benefit from all the opportunities ITAV has to offer, but ½ day options are also available.
Our Pre-Kindergarten classroom is a natural sequel to our 3-year-old program. Children continue to learn and benefit form both our indoor and outdoor classroom. While maintaining our mission to naturally encourage whole child development, this program also meets and exceeds curriculum guidelines set forth by NYS Pre-Kindergarten Foundations for the Common Core.
Literacy, Language and Math are effortlessly weaved into the daily activities in the Pre-Kindergarten classroom through morning meetings and open ended play.
Our goal for students in this class is build a strong foundation of academic, social emotional, and physical skills to ensure success and readiness for their Kindergarten year.
Schedule
9-10:15am | Arrival and Indoor Free Play
Children will be asked to “sign in”, put their belongings away and wash their hands. They are then free to explore the different centers offered throughout the classroom. These include dramatic play and dress up, science and nature, building, fine motor, art, cozy corner reading, and sensory play. This unstructured free play will end with the children working together to clean the classroom and put aways loose parts.
10:15am | Snack
Children will transition to inside where they will wash their hands and be seated for a family style snack provided by ITAV. All our snacks include fresh fruits, dairy, and healthy grains. Children are asked to provide their own refillable water bottle.
10:30am | Morning Meeting
This time together evolves throughout the year as their development progresses. This is a time for friends to officially greet each other and to reinforce learning through song, and story.
10:45am | Small Group - Whole Group Instruction
Depending on the activity the class will either engage in a whole group project or be split into smaller groups. This time is an extension of morning meeting where learning is continued through crafts and activities.
10:45am-12 | Outdoor Exploration
As a nature-based preschool, we are committed to fostering a relationship with nature and will start the classroom day outdoors in all weather. A crucial part of successful play in all weather is clothing. For appropriate outdoor clothing please see “clothing” in daily schedules. During this time children have the opportunity to explore the outdoor classroom, socialize, experience unstructured play, tend to the garden, or play on traditional playground climbing structures.
12-12:30pm | Lunch Followed by Clean Up and Bathroom
Lunch is to be provided by families and sent in in a lunch box that your child can easily open and close. Please keep in mind our mission of health when packing your child’s lunch.
12:45pm | Rest and Reflection
After lunch children will settle into their resting spot. Families are asked to bring in a towel or bedding each week for your child to rest on. Children do not need to nap, but after a very busy morning, rest is a natural rhythm to our day. For those that fall asleep they can continue to nap.
1pm | Enrichment
For children who do not nap, an enrichment is provided by either ITAV teachers, or valued community members. Enrichment classes currently include gardening, cooking, dance, music, art and soccer.
2:15pm- 2:50pm Bathroom, Outdoor Classroom Time, Dismissal
Children will use the bathroom, gather their belongings and we will end the day in the outdoor classroom for dismissal.