• Course Description:  Our program is the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) which provides a high quality preschool experience for 4-year olds.  The standards that our children learn are Virginia's Early Learning and Development standards. They focus on 6 areas of development for young children which are Approaches to Play and Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Communication, Language and Literacy Development, Health and Physical Development and Cognitive Development.  The curriculum that we use is Tools of the Mind.  This curriculum is aligned with our Early Learning and Development standards to support the development of all children.

     

    Instructional Philosophy: 

    In preschool, we learn through experiences. Learning experientially allows children to explore and discover new things with their classmates and teachers. The preschool program has many components to help support academic and the social emotional development of students.  Most activities are hands-on and we work to meet the needs of each child.

    Center time is an important component of our program that allows students to engage in make believe play. Make believe play fosters role playing with peers. Our daily routine is organized and children are taught the rules and procedures to become cooperative members of the learning community. 

    A typical student day includes the following: 

    • Breakfast

    • Circle time

    • Heggerty/FUNdations (literacy/pre-reading skills)

    • Hands on Math

    • Make Believe Time/Center time

    • Lunch

    • Free play

    • Hands on Science/Social Studies

    • Rest time

     

    Major Course Goals:  Our teaching team will provide a program of study using the Early Learning and Development standards where our children feel loved and safe.  We hope to develop a differentiated  and inclusive classroom where all children can learn.  We will use a wide variety of teaching strategies and educational materials to enhance the learning for all children.  All of this will prepare our children to enter kindergarten ready to learn.

     

    Major Course Projects & Instructional Activities:  The instructional activities in our program are developmentally appropriate for our very you learners.  Children learn through doing so many of our activities are hands-on experiences.  We must build up the children’s  fine motor skills before they can write. Before we can expose the children to a new concept, we must build their background knowledge and vocabulary.   

     

    Course Assessment Plan

    We will assess our children in the areas of literacy, math, social emotional and self-regulation 2-3 times a school year for the children to show what they have learned and how they have progressed over the year.

     

    Classroom Expectations:  We expect that children come to school every day and on time and to be open and willing to learn.  We expect children to be curious.  

    Our classroom rules are to be kind, be a friend, be safe, take care of our classroom, and to do your best.

    Our school expectations are that each child will come to school ready to:

    • Be kind and respectful

    • Learn and do our best

    • Take care of our school

     

    Supplies and Materials Needed:  At preschool we provide all the materials and supplies that your child will need to learn.

     

    You can reach me at my email: jcunderwood@mail.dps.k12.va.us or at 434-799-6497.  Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:15am-3:45pm