PreK for 3s and 4s

Five classrooms lead by Mrs. Alcantara, Mrs. Ferin, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Kuper and Mrs. Swan, along with paraprofessionals (teacher aides) for each classroom

Half Day PreK3:

• Monday through Thursday from 7:45-11:00 am
• Monday through Friday from 7:45-11:00 am

Full Day PreK3:

• Monday through Thursday from 7:45 am – 2:10 pm
• Monday through Friday from 7:45 am – 2:10 pm

Half Day PreK4:

• Monday through Friday from 7:45-11:00 am

Full Day PreK4:

• Monday through Friday from 7:45 am-2:10 pm

Extended Care

The Extended Care program is a convenient option for families that need child supervision before or after school hours.

All half and full day PreK students may participate in our Before School Care Program from 7:00 am – 7:30 am.

Full day PreK students may participate in our After School Care Program from 2:15 pm – 5:30 pm M-TH / 4:30 pm F.

Directed and run by St. Joseph teachers and aides, the program includes time for homework, play and snacks. There is an annual registration fee per child. Hourly rates are charged for the time children attend Extended Care and families are billed monthly. More information can be found under Tuition / Optional Fees. Specific details are available to current families in the Extended Care Handbook on FACTS.

Benefits of St. Joseph PreK Program

St. Joseph School is a Catholic community that offers students a challenging academic education while building their love of God and commitment to improving the world. We educate the whole student – mind, body and spirit – and encourage each child to become the person God calls him or her to be. Ultimately, our goal is to prepare children for academic and personal success in a faith-filled, nurturing environment.

An award-winning school, St. Joseph nurtures spiritual growth, provides challenging intellectual opportunities, and encourages each child to succeed.

Primary benefits include:

• Excellent curriculum and teachers
• Balance between education and social interaction
• Faith formation integrated throughout curriculum
• Opportunities for parent interaction
• Seamless transition to Kindergarten
• Convenient curbside drop-off and pick-up service

Curriculum

Religion

Our program utilizes the Loyola Press God Made Me (3-year-olds) and Allelu by Our Sunday Visitor (4-year-olds). These curricula focus on Bible stories, liturgical seasons, vocabulary that is important to the Catholic faith, and incorporates cross-curricular connections. Each lesson helps the children discover God, our loving Father, through song, activity pages, big book stories of Catholic culture, and prayer. Take-home activity pages tell about the week’s lesson and include family time activities that can be done at home.

Students will learn the Our Father, Hail Mary, Grace Before Meals, and various other teacher-led prayers. We recite these prayers at school and encourage parents to recite these prayers at home with their children.

Language Arts

Skills are incorporated into all areas of learning throughout the day. Children develop listening skills through the use of stories, poetry and rhymes, games, and following directions to complete a task. Speaking skills are practiced through Show and Tell, dramatic play, interacting with peers, and sharing experiences at group time. Daily story time led by the teacher helps develop a love of literature and provides a chance to introduce pre-reading skills.

Literacy

The Jolly Phonics Program is utilized to engage students in developing the tools necessary for early literacy skills. Jolly Phonics, which is introduced in the PreK3 program, is a fun and child centered approach to teaching phonics and decoding skills. With actions for each of the 42 letter sounds, the multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers. While Jolly Phonics is used in learning letter sounds, teachers use a large variety of theme-based books, anchor charts and hands-on activities that focus on the pre-reading skills needed to become successful readers. Skills covered are letter recognition, listening, comprehension, print awareness, left to right tracking, rhyming, visual development and fine motor skills.

PreK3 also uses Heggerty 2021 edition Phonological Awareness while PreK4 uses Heggerty 2022 edition Phonemic Awareness to learn rhyming skills, taking words apart to form new words, and language awareness. 

PreK4 uses The World of Wonders Preschool Curriculum, a comprehensive program that focuses on early literacy, social-emotional development, and foundational skills in science, social studies, math, and music & movement. It emphasizes developmentally appropriate instruction, classroom routines, and differentiated learning paths to meet the needs of all students. 

Mathematics

Our teachers use Hands on Standards to guide their math instruction that encourages students to build, model, create, and represent key concepts. Skills covered include number values, counting 1-10, addition, subtraction, measurement, sorting, shape attributes, patterns, and more. Through the use of manipulatives, games and activities, the children are able to use critical thinking skills, solve problems and reason to understand math concepts.

Science

We take a hands-on approach to science by letting the children’s natural curiosity teach them about the world around us. The children make observations, discover how things work, and see cause and effect relationships. Some concepts learned are volume, balance, life cycles, and physical properties of matter. Our science curriculum is supplemented by literature, art projects, and cooking activities.

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught using a developmental approach based on the most relevant research about how young children learn best. We break difficult concepts into simple tasks, use a variety of materials that engage little learners, all based on the belief that every child can achieve. Focus is on writing grip and letter formation.

Motor Development

Large and small muscle development is addressed in the program. Gross motor skills are improved through games, play, creative movement, and use of gross motor equipment. The Fine Motor Center provides children with opportunities to do puzzles, play games, and use manipulatives. While working at the Writing Center, the children are able to practice proper pencil grip and use of scissors.

Art and Music

The arts give the children an opportunity to express themselves. Various media used in open-ended art projects allows for individual creativity. Music is used to teach concepts, enhance religion lessons, and provide opportunities for creative movement and calming. It allows the children to sing with a group and learn words and melodies.

Social Skills

Students learn social skills necessary to get along with their peers and function in a classroom setting. Sharing, taking turns, caring for materials, cooperating with others, following directions, and communicating effectively are skills emphasized throughout the day.