Learning approach and  program features

Hively Avenue Preschool is an active, hands-on learning environment.   Our students have access to two different floors in our building.  Our preschool environment supports curiosity for the wonderful world God has created and opportunities to explore and learn using a wide variety of mediums.

Features

We participate in "Minds in Motion," a program of physical activities that prepares a child to be focused and ready to learn through a balance and coordination movement maze.

We introduce preschool children to a letter of the alphabet each week.  We love to layer our learning. Our activities, songs, crafts and stories reinforce the letter of the week.

We introduce children to colors, numbers and shapes and we work on pre-reading, pre-writing and writing skills.  We introduce formation of numbers and letters using materials from Learning Without Tears.

We have large, dedicated play spaces that allow children to learn and discover through daily hands-on play opportunities.

We have a weekly worship time where we introduce the children to Bible stories and Godly character-building traits.

We help develop a child's social and emotional abilities through learning hand-on skills and peaceful techniques to deal with challenges and conflicts.

Our class sizes are small, which allows each child to receive individual attention from a trained, experienced teacher.

Goals

• To provide a safe, supportive and nurturing atmosphere where each child feels he/she is special, unique, and a deeply loved child of God.

• To introduce each child to basic learning concepts (letters, numbers, colors, and shapes) as well as social skills to help lay the foundation for future learning.

• To use active, hands-on learning to encourage growth socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.

• To teach each child how to cooperate with others, resolve conflicts, and develop healthy relationships.

• To encourage and support parents as they launch their children into the school years.

More features

• We take the children on at least two field trips each school year; one in the fall, and the other in spring. We also host special themed days in the building throughout the year. Evening family fun nights are planned to encourage families to be actively involved in their child’s education.

• We have frequent visits from a local children's librarian who leads our students in songs and shares wonderful books.  

• Parent/Teacher night is held in the fall. Parent/Teacher conferences are held in the spring.

• We work with the PACE program (Preschool Assisting Children’s Education) to offer speech therapy screening to our preschool-aged children who demonstrate a need and qualify for such services.

• Our students participate in a Christmas program as well as an awards program at the end of the school year.

• We help to grow a child's home library by providing a wide variety of books to take home throughout the year.