Spectrum's Pre-Elementary Program 

Teachers: Shelly Forss, Stephanie Koclanis, Linda Montgomery and Amanda Groves

Click here for the 2010-2011 Pre-Elementary Handbook

Click here for Pre-Elementary 2010-2011 School Supply List

Preschool classes, referred to as Pre-Elementary, are available for children age 3 prior to September 1st of the school year. All Pre-Elementary children must be toilet trained. Three day or five day morning classes are offered. Hours are from 8:30 until 11:10 a.m . Pre-Elementary classes provide a warm, supportive beginning to the social interaction and skill development of early childhood education. All day Pre-Elementary programming and before and after care is available for parents needing childcare.

The Pre-Elementary curriculum is child-centered and focuses on social interaction. Academic areas are introduced through activity centers and "work time". Those children who demonstrate readiness are encouraged to pursue learning activities through their play. Staff works with children in developing a personalized education program.

Sample Pre-Elementary Activities

Calendar Activities
Calendar Activities help children to explore beginning math and science concepts.

Sharing
Children bring theme related items to talk about with their classmates to encourage language development.

Work Time - “Plan, Do, Review” ( High/Scope Philosophy)
Children begin to explore and develop the Seven Intelligences by choosing from different activity areas in the classroom. They create written and verbal action plans for their day. Teachers facilitate the implementation of the activities the children have chosen. Teachers then lead recall activities when “work time” is over.

Arts Integration
Early Childhood is full of arts-integrated activities and choices. Classroom teachers and Specialists work together to support this.

Math, Language and Weekly Theme Related Activities
Throughout the day, children participate in hands-on activities that encourage active learning while providing skill development experiences appropriate for each child’s learning style.

Snack Time, Recess Time, Outdoor Activities and Field Trips are also part of the regular curriculum.

The High/Scope Early Childhood Classroom

Spectrum School adopted the High/Scope Philosophy for our early childhood program in the early 1980’s and all of our teachers are trained in the High/Scope philosophy.

The High/Scope educational approach involves:

• Active learning: students have direct experiences with people, objects, events and ideas
• Learners construct their own knowledge through personal experiences
• Children make choices and follow through on plans and decisions
• Adults provide support and expand children’s thinking with diverse materials and nurturing interactions.

High/Scope approach is consistent with best practices recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and state guidelines for developmentally-based programs. The Plan-Do-Review sequence is proven through research to improve children’s scores on measures of developmental progress. The 58 High/Scope Key Experiences are social, intellectual and physical experiences that are essential to young children’s optimal growth and are divided into ten categories that comprise social development, visual and performing arts, reading, and math and science. Studies continually demonstrate that children in High/Scope classrooms show high levels of initiative.

Children are assessed in the High/Scope classroom. With key experiences in mind, teachers observe and record a broad range of behaviors over time, which gives a more accurate and authentic picture of a child’s true capabilities than assessments administered on a one-time basis.  Instead of sharing abstract scores, families are given rich narratives with anecdotal information illustrating what their children are doing now and how they will continue to grow.  Please visit www.highscope.org for more information.

Music Together Preschool®

Spectrum School is the only school in the region to use the Music Together® program. Our Music Specialist is trained as a Music Together® Teacher. Music Together® is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement.

Music Together® classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.