Junior Kindergarten Program

More Time to Prepare For Kindergarten

After an unexpected disruption this spring and a shortened school year for most children, there are many questions about school this fall. Not feeling quite ready for kindergarten? Was your child’s Pre-Kindergarten school year abbreviated? Try Junior Kindergarten. Our full-day, adapted kindergarten curriculum ensures a successful transition to kindergarten. For children who may need it, it’s one more year of learning critical skills for elementary school, including:

Self-regulation
Following complex directions
Effective communication
Sustaining attention

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Junior Kindergarten Classroom

This classroom is designed to prepare children for a kindergarten classroom environment, with six focused learning areas to further skill development.

Dramatic Play Center

Imaginative play opportunities allow children to try on different roles and practice cooperation and communication skills.

Block Center

Children practice problem-solving skills through exploring how things work and using materials to build a variety of structures.

Fine Arts Center

Children develop self-expression and creative skills as they work with a variety of engaging art materials.

Science & Math Center

Children practice critical thinking skills and deepen their understanding of math and science concepts through simple science experiments and exploration of math manipulatives.

Writing & Language Center

Children strengthen verbal and written communication skills through vocabulary development, sound-letter correspondence, and word recognition.

Library Center

In this quiet cozy space, children deepen their appreciation of books and practice the critical literacy skills of story reasoning, print awareness, and alphabet knowledge.

Comprehensive Curriculum and Knowledge Areas

In the Junior Kindergarten classroom, your child will have an additional opportunity to gain the academic and social-emotional skills necessary to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. Our robust, comprehensive curriculum allows students to improve upon their knowledge of the world around them. Students will participate in a variety of experiences, both teacher-led lessons and independent learning opportunities, with a focus on these five knowledge areas:

Language & Literacy

Children will work on skills such as naming all letters in the alphabet (upper- and lowercase), assembling sounds in order, reading and writing short words, and engaging in early reading, writing, vocabulary, and communication.

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Math

Through large group math instruction, small group math, math workstations, and daily math routines, children learn concepts similar to those they will become more familiar with in kindergarten. Through exploration, investigation, and modeling, children begin to discover numbers, patterns, sorting, ordering, and many other math concepts.

Sample Activity: Counting Beans

Milestone: Recognizing numerals 1-10.

Desired Outcome: The students can count and recognize numerals up to the number 10.

Nature and Science

This subject features hands-on learning experiences for children to explore, discover, and investigate themes including Animals, Health and Feelings; Weather/Seasons; and Plant Life Cycles.

Social Studies

Learning more about yourself, your family, your community, and the wider world.

Sample Activity: Make a Map of the School!

Milestone: Looking at Spatial Representation and Map Skills

Desired Outcome: Describes and represents the inside and outside of familiar environments such as home, school, or playground.

Creative Arts

Music, visual arts, movement, and drama are used to develop ideas and express feelings.

Physical Development and Health

The ability to use fine and gross motor skills to explore your environment, while learning to understand health and nutrition.

Critical Learning Skills

There are six Critical Learning Skills that are essential to the learning and development of children. These include using self-regulation; the ability to follow routines; to sustain attention; to take different perspectives; to follow complex directions; and to communicate effectively.