(Not all programs are available at all locations)
Program Locations:
Harvie Road
Our goal is to offer an educational program as an alternative to the public system’s Junior and Senior Kindergarten where children can learn through creative play, social interaction and academic preparation. As children are not required to attend school until grade one, children have the option to be enrolled full time in our Junior/Senior Kindergarten program. We also offer “A/B” day enrollment. Our curriculum incorporates the Ontario Ministry of Education Kindergarten curriculum, AND MORE. From an academic perspective, a child enrolled in our program will be fully prepared for entry to the school system at the grade one level. Our kindergarten program is and always has been a play-based learning environment.
Some of the benefits of this program are:
- Small Class Size
- Low teacher child ratio 1:10 as opposed to possibly 1:21 in the public system
- A seamless day providing increased consistency for your child
- Individualized program and educational curriculum
- Naps if your child still needs them
- Lunch and snacks provided
- Longer hours available (no additional before and after school care required)
- Supervised playground (at all times)
- Literacy program & Jolly Phonics
- Social Skills Program (Dina Dinosaur)
- We follow the Ontario Curriculum so your child is well prepared for grade one.
Room Structure:
Our Kindergarten Program runs from 8-5pm daily. Children in our Kindergarten program will combine with our school age room between the hours of 7am-8am and 5:15pm-6pm.
2 E.C.E. teachers teach the kinder program with a maximum of 20 children ages 4 & 5 years.
Room Schedule:
We have a flexible schedule that will reflect your child’s interests, abilities and needs. Your child will be provided times for quiet and busy play, sleep/rest time, outdoor and indoor activities, and structured and free play. We do many small group activities. Please see the schedule that is posted on our parent information board.
Meals and Snacks:
We provide a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack and a hot lunch daily. We also provide 2% milk and water for your child. Menus are posted on our parent information board and on the parent section of our website. To help promote good dental hygiene, we will give milk and formula in cups or bottles. We do not serve juice on a regular basis. We serve whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, organic whenever possible, lean meats and vegetarian meals too. We have a wonderful cook who prepares fresh meals and snacks daily.
Rest time/Sleep time:
Children in our Kindergarten Program will have one hour of “quiet time” each day. Children have the opportunity to have a nap in our preschool room if they need one.
The Program:
In keeping with our emergent curriculum philosophy, we have a flexible, play based program that will reflect your child’s interests, abilities and needs; that will allow your child to develop at his or her own pace. We follow the Ontario Curriculum set out by the Ministry of Education.
Areas of learning:
- Literacy (both whole language and phonics)
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Dramatic Play
- Social Skills, including conflict resolution
- Science and Discovery
- Creative Arts
- Music and Movement
- Clay and Dough
- Sensory Exploration
- Environmental Studies including organic gardening
All children are also involved in The Incredible Years-Dinosaur Classroom Curriculum called Dinosaur School. This is an evidence based curriculum that promotes social, emotional, and academic competence in children.
It helps
- Increase children's social skills.
- Increase children's understanding of feelings.
- Increase children's conflict management skills and decrease negative attributions.
- Increase academic engagement, school readiness, and cooperation with teachers.
Book Backpack Program:
Every week you and your child will have an opportunity to share a traveling backpack of books. The traveling backpacks will usually go home every Monday or Tuesday. The contents of each may include: a variety of children’s books, French books, a book for parents, a response notebook, and an inventory card that lists the contents of the backpack. The children’s books can bring joy to the entire family. After reading and discussing the books with your child, invite him or her to record impressions and responses in the notebook titled “Reading Journal.” The format for written communication in the notebook can be dictation to you, pictures, or inventive spelling-it doesn’t matter. This program is designed to foster literacy through reading and writing.
Child Care Waiting List
If you wish to be placed on our child care waiting list, please CLICK HERE to fill in our online form. For information on waiting list length, please call the centre at 705-733-2052.