Early Years

The maximum capacity of children in one classroom is 17 and includes 1 core teacher and 2 assistants. The multiage grouping has been designed to meet the needs of the whole child focusing on early learning skills and literacy readiness. This structure allows for greater differentiation in the development of young children. All instruction occurs first in English and then Albanian. The continuum of learning in preschool is based on the “I can statements below”.  It is expected that students who are ready for kindergarten, will be able to meet these expectations:

I CAN . . .

Say how I feel

Be responsible and follow school routines

Think before acting or speaking

Show I care about my peers

Show I am happy about how I and my peers may be different from each other

Express myself through words, art, dance and song

Make new friends and include them in  my play and work

Problem-solve with peers, asking for help if needed

Be honest and helpful in my classroom

Think and talk about my growth as a learner

Choose what to play and do so independently

Say what I am curious about and initiate exploration

Show attention, effort and persistence in finishing work

Show creativity in my ideas and work with materials

Cooperate with peers in play and learning

Show and talk about different ways to solve a problem or question

Organize things and information

Remember and use things I experience and learn

The kindergarten program has been developed for children ages 4-5 and that have their birthday on or before December 31st. Students are placed into multi-age classrooms based on enrollment and balancing the overall emotional and academic needs of each classroom learning environment.

Kindergarten is an exciting time for learning. Students are actively engaged in activities and projects that help them learn about their world. We believe that Kindergarten students need to be active participants in their learning process and the teachers’ role is to guide students by encouraging them to explore their interests while also introducing them to new stimulating experiences. Our classrooms are designed to invite children to create, read, explore and learn. It is expected that students who are ready for 1st grade, will be able to meet these expectations:

I CAN . . .

• Ask for help and tell someone how I am feeling
• Recognize, write and know the sounds of letters
• Read and write simple words and basic sentences
• Recognize, write numbers, showing concepts of how many, more and less
• Show my understanding of adding and subtracting with objects and solving equations
• Write a simple story through picture and words
• Express how I, plants and animals grow from small to big
• Observe and describe change as part of a life cycle
• Talk about how we are in some ways the same and different, and why this is good