Early Childhood Education

Our Preschool/Pre-K/Transitional Pre K classrooms are arranged into “Learning Centers”. The programs are based on an age-appropriate, hands-on approach to learning where the teachers become the child's guides instead of implementing a rigidly structured day. The child chooses which “Learning Center” he/she is most interested in and works in that area until his/her interests shift to another area.

Each “Learning Center” focuses on a different area of your child's development and the Preschool/Pre-K/Transitional Pre K curriculum. They include Language Arts, Math and other manipulative materials, Science, Social Studies, Computer, Religion, Dramatic Play, Art, Music and Movement and Sign Language. The children also have the opportunity for “Free Play” outside, weather permitting.

Important information such as classroom curriculum, special announcements, reminders and calendars will be posted outside of each classroom door. Calendars and letters will be sent home (in your child's file folder) to notify you of special projects, homework, holidays/days off or other newsworthy items. Please take advantage and be sure to check the Preschool/Pre-K bulletins, calendars and letters. Please remember to also check your child's file folder everyday for these important items!

DO YOU KNOW THE COLORS?
When looking outside your child's classrooms for the different events and calendars, we have color-coded the different classes to make it a little easier. We have done this for the last couple of years and it's worked well both for parents as well as teachers.
The Preschool is color-coded “yellow”.
The Pre-K A.M. and P.M. sessions are color-coded “green”.
The Transitional Pre-K session is color-coded “blue”.

PARENT/GUARDIAN CLASSROOM VOLUNTEERS
St. Joseph the Worker Preschool/Pre-K welcomes with open arms, the time that parents/guardians volunteer to help out in the classrooms. *Come spend the day with your child in his/her classroom, and see the environment in which they learn, and explore as they do. The children love introducing “their” parent/guardian, and spending the day with them. All parents leave saying what fun they've had, and what they've learned including the ways young children learn. Please feel free to sign up. Due to classroom size, we ask volunteers to limit to one per day per class. There will be a “sign-up calendar” outside your child's classroom or see the classroom teacher to sign up if the sheet is not available outside. During the year sign up notices are placed outside of the classrooms when we will especially need to have a couple of parents in the class (ex; observations for Progress Reports, Kindergarten Screening time, holiday parties, etc…), please look for these notices in your child's file folder. We ask that all parent/guardian volunteers uphold a professional, Christian-like manner when volunteering with the children. We believe that respecting a child's reputation is just as important as respecting a child's physical well being! Siblings will not be permitted in the classrooms during classroom volunteer times.