Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church

Toddlers

The Saint Andrews toddler program is designed to help very young children make the adjustment to a group setting. Each class has two teachers and eight children. Our patient, nurturing teachers guide toddlers through the process of self realization and language development, helping them grow into inquisitive, talkative two year olds. In this first introduction to a school environment children learn by doing. Toddlers need to see, touch, smell, feel, carry and manipulate things to learn about them.

The toddler program includes

Indoor and outdoor play times
Activities to encourage gross and fine motor development
Daily art and music experiences
Books and stories
Group snack time for socialization
Lots of one-on-one interaction with teachers

Two Year Olds

Twos are naturally curious about the world around them. They love to do things for themselves and increase their vocabulary daily. The twos program is designed to help children develop a positive self-image and to respect and interact well with peers. At the start of the year twos engage mostly in parallel play with other children. As the year goes by they gradually learn a more interactive style of play. Each class has two teachers and ten children. Our teachers help children learn to be a part of a group and to use words to express their needs and desires.

The twos program includes:

Classroom centers designed for independent discovery
Circle Times to promote a sense of belonging
Daily art experiences
Quiet time for stories and reading
Indoor and outdoor active play for gross motor development
Activities that encourage fine motor development
Movement and Music class once a week
Group snack time for socialization
Lots of one-on-one interaction with teachers

Three Year Olds

Threes are very special at Saint Andrews. Each class has two teachers and ten children. At age three children are ready to take on simple classroom jobs such as line leader, door holder, etc. These children are ready for more content and are very interested in the world around them. Our program is designed to increase children’s ability to communicate with peers and adults, to develop good listening skills and problem-solving skills, and to take a active role in classroom activities. Dramatic play, Show and Tell, special cooking experiences, and listening and talking to classroom visitors are just some of the ways our teachers help create good school citizens.

The threes program includes:

Classroom centers designed for independent discovery
Circle Time for listening and talking
Participation in special classroom jobs
Daily art experiences
Quiet time for stories and reading
Indoor and outdoor active play for gross motor development
Movement and Music class twice a week
Discovery class once a week
Special chapel times throughout the year
Group snack time for socialization
Lunch Bunch and monthly Fire Drills

Four Year Olds

The Saint Andrews Preschool fours program is designed to get children ready for kindergarten with special emphasis on pre-reading, writing, and math skills. Fours learn to recognize and use the letters of the alphabet and their sounds and to identify simple sight words. Teachers create exciting and fun learning activities that allow children to write stories and use words in many ways. The fours curriculum is theme-based. Children are encouraged to relate what they learn to experiences in their own lives. Likewise fours learn to use numbers by classifying, sorting, making patterns and using graphs. Our program stresses self-help skills and encourages children to become independent community helpers.

The fours program includes:

Classroom centers designed for independent discovery and small group learning
Circle Time for listening and talking
Participation in special classroom jobs
Daily art experiences
Quiet time for stories and reading
Indoor and outdoor active play for gross motor development
Movement and Music class twice a week
Discovery class once a week
Weekly chapel times
Group snack time for socialization
Morning Drop-Off which encourages independence
Lunch Bunch, monthly Fire Drills occasional Field Trips

Five Year Olds

The Fives class, or Transitional Kindergarten, is perfect for children who want an extra year to prepare for public school (Kindergarten or 1^st Grade). The program takes children beyond the curriculum of the fours class and gives children more time to practice and strengthen skills needed for a full-day classroom. Using a theme-based curriculum, teachers create exciting and fun learning activities that allow children to write stories and use words in many ways. Classroom centers are designed for independent discovery and small group learning. Students have teacher-assigned tasks within these centers each week. In addition, fives have the opportunity to serve in various leadership roles throughout the year.

The fives program includes:

Centertime Activities designed for school readiness
Circle Time for listening, talking and leadership
Field Trips to enhance learning activities
Daily art experiences
Quiet time for stories and reading
Writing Center with focused learning activities
Indoor and outdoor active play for gross motor development
Movement and Music class twice a week
Discovery class once a week
Weekly chapel times
Group snack time for socialization
Morning Drop-Off which encourages independence
Lunch Bunch and monthly Fire Drills

Music and Movement and Discovery

All threes, fours and fives will have the opportunity to participate in both Music & Movement and Discovery. Twos also take part in the Music & Movement program. Music & Movement provides for participation in singing and responding to music, developing rhythm and developing gross motor skills through the use of games and equipment. Discovery is a hand-on lab program that allows children to explore and experiment, do science activities and gain an appreciation for the world around them. Both of these special programs complement the curriculum in our regular classes.

Special Needs Children

Children with special needs may apply to the Preschool program. After a consultation with the parents, teacher, and any other appropriate persons, the Director will make a determination as to whether or not the child can participate and succeed in the program based on, but not limited to:

the adequacy of the facilities
the abilities of the staff
the needs of the child as related to the teacher’s time
the impact of the child’s needs on the daily routine

If, in the judgment of the Director, the child should not be admitted to the program, the registration fee and any prepaid tuition will be refunded. The Director will also review the cases of children whose special needs become apparent after enrollment. A decision will be made by the Director regarding the child’s ability to continue in the program. Tuition will be prorated and refunded if the child is asked to leave the program.

Our Discipline Policy

We use positive discipline techniques to encourage children to take responsibility for their actions. Praise, positive reinforcement, redirection and "conferencing" are used to help children learn self-control. If necessary, "sit and watch" may be used for a very brief time.

Our Teachers

Saint Andrews teachers have degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education or course work in Early Childhood and related experience. Each classroom has a lead teacher and a full-time assistant teacher. All staff participate in continuing education programs every year.