The primary goal of our Early Childhood Program at Saint Joseph School is the formation of the WHOLE CHILD through the utilization of developmentally appropriate activities.
For the spiritual development of each child, the program is designed to lead the young person from wonder to discovery; from investigation to affirmation. This program helps the child in the process of discovering, affirming, and developing his/her inherent goodness and relationship with God. This philosophy supports the child in the process of becoming and encountering persons, places, objects, and events.
For the intellectual and physical development of each child, the curriculum provides the opportunity for the young person to develop and perfect a wide range of skills with which to meet future educational challenges. We seek to provide an environment in which each child learns from daily interactions with life experiences in an atmosphere which recognizes the child as an individual; responds to innate curiosity, and fosters a creative approach to problems.
For the psychological and emotional development of each child, we are concerned with providing a preschool experience from which children will associate fun with learning and will leave each day feeling very good about themselves. We seek to develop self-confidence by optimizing chances for success while providing the space to fail without fear.
For the social development, the Saint Joseph Early Childhood Program offers a place where each child freely interacts with adults and other children in the process of learning respect and developing the quality of caring for others.
Finally, in a world which is becoming increasingly competitive, we provide a place for every child "to be a child" ... free to play and explore and imagine during the course of the child-oriented activities of the day.
Together, through a firm commitment to PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION ... TEACHER/TEACHER, TEACHER/CHILD, TEACHER/PARENT and CHILD/CHILD, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
GOALS - OBJECTIVES
TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR:
1. Growth in awareness of God's love as experienced in family, parish and community.
2. Development of a positive self-image and appreciation for his/her own unique gifts and those of others.
3. Development of social interdependence with adults and peers.
4. Development of motor skills; gross and fine, which will lead to coordination and proficiency in action and movement.
5. Experiences in a caring and safe environment which will enable the child to communicate effectively with others.
THE CHILD NEEDS:
1. Time to be a child.
2. To be surrounded by adults who "recognize and understand" individual differences - developmental as well as others.
3. Structure which supplies reasonable limits and certain predictability as well as the flexibility demanded by this age group.
4. An environment that fosters natural development and growth.
5. Freedom in which to explore the environment.
6. To make mistakes and learn from them.
7. A setting that provides warmth, continuity and security.
The Four-Year Old Program incorporates the developmental needs of the children to present a variety of learning experiences. The four-year old child is beginning to enjoy independence. He/she is more aware of friends and family, and is curious about all new situations. A variety of lessons are structured to encompass all of the curricular areas, the objectives of which are designed to expand the child's awareness of new experiences, learning situations, and language.
To enhance the development of the whole child, social skills are taught through modeling and an environment of acceptance and caring. Motor skills are encouraged through a creative arts program which challenges the child to complete his tasks through the use of a variety of media and expression.
Songs, finger plays and stories strengthen language skills. As the child works, teachers help him/her to verbalize his/her learning.
Four-year-old children are finding their independence. They use self-help skills and free-choice activities to promote this mastery. Our program goal is to prepare the child for kindergarten, fostering motivation and confidence to learn.
THE THREE-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM
The precious age of three is a time of unlimited energy, exuberance and curiosity. We, at Saint Joseph School, will provide your child with activities that will provide for the consistent, developmentally appropriate growth of your child's abilities. A daily routine will be followed which includes calendar, music, snack, story time and group games. Creative and free-play activities are provided to develop the most important developmental area for the three-year-old preschoolers, that is, socialization. Included in our total program is a time for a structured group lesson. Areas that are covered in groups are nursery rhymes, colors, counting, shapes, senses, and name recognition.
Our Three-Year-Old Program is structured to build a feeling of self-worth so that each
child will proceed to the next stage of his/her learning experience with enthusiasm and
confidence. Saint Joseph School preschoolers will leave each day saying, "Guess what I
have learned!"
ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
1. Four-Year-Old Program: Children must be four years old by October 31.
2. Three-Year-Old Program: Children must be three years old by October 31.
3. All children must be completely toilet trained.
4. Birth Certificate.
5. Certificate of Baptism, if applicable.
6. Official Record of Immunizations and completion of Health form.
7. Social Security Number.
8. Non-Refundable Registration Fee.
Early childhood educators are striving in countless ways and means to assess the needs of
young children in today's society. These needs fall into many categories, such as physical,
social, emotional, and intellectual. They cover various areas of development such as
cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. We sometimes become so complex in our technical
jargon, that we lose sight of the simplistic, everyday needs of the young children with whom
we live. The following list is offered as a brief reminder of some of the needs of the young
children whatever their sex, race, or status in society may be. This list by no means covers
all the needs of our youth, but it does include some of the very essential elements which
contribute to the wholesome development of all young people. It is therefore, offered to
each individual who communicates with, or influences in some way, the life of any young
child. Let us all remember that young children need:
YOU: OPPORTUNITY: UNDERSTANDING: GROUP PARTICIPATION: CONFIDENCE: HEALTH: INITIATIVE: LOVE: DISCIPLINE: RESPECT: ENCOURAGEMENT: