St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Preschool

St. Catherine of Siena Preschool believes that it is important to provide an environment that gives the early learner the freedom to play, explore and experiment, and discover the wonders of God’s love and presence in their day.

The program is designed to meet the developmental needs of young children 3-5 years of age. The children develop a positive self concept through a balance of self-directed and teacher-guided activities. There are opportunities for parallel play and large group interaction.

Teachers plan lessons based on the following areas:

• Spiritual: Bible stories, parables, prayers, caring for each other, exploring God’s kingdom
• Social/Emotion: communicating needs and feelings, interacting with peers, respecting others space and differences, coping with challenging situations
• Physical: fine and gross motor skill activities, health and safety practices
• Language and communication: promoting a growing vocabulary; promoting recognition of separate and repeating sounds in language; developing understanding of letter knowledge; expressing self through drawings, scribbles, letter formations.
• Cognitive (Math, Science, Creative expression through music and art): using numbers and counting in classroom; manipulating length, weight, measuring, comparisons; noticing and understanding patterns; practicing predicting, observing, classifying; creating and responding to music through song and movement; using a variety of sensory and art materials for creative expression.

The goal of early childhood education is to help a child develop abilities required for success in primary grades and beyond. Practical, hands-on knowledge of the world around them is the foundation for more academic learning. Much of this knowledge is learned through play. Learning to manage feelings, developing self-confidence, co-operating and resolving conflicts in the environment of strong Catholic values is the heart of St. Catherine of Siena Early Childhood Center.

We respect families as the primary and most important providers of care and nurturing. We believe that parents and teachers are partners in children’s care and education.