8 Weeks - 59 Months
License #- C01WA0010
OUR MISSION
As a ministry of St Rita Catholic Church, it is the mission of St Rita Catholic Preschool to educate our children in a safe and loving environment while providing opportunities for them to encounter Christ, share His love and become well-formed disciples.
PURPLE ROOM
8 WEEKS - 18 MONTHS
In addition to holding and cuddling the infants, our teachers are always interacting with them to encourage their mental and physical development. The Infant Class is based on the understanding that babies need consistent love, attention, praise, concern and caring; they also need significant people in their daily lives who are well prepared and knowledgeable in sound principles of child development. Learning is seen as a developmental process that occurs naturally and progressively within a stimulating and nurturing environment. St. Rita Catholic Preschool offers a wide variety of interesting play experiences geared toward each child’s developmental level. Infants are provided with sufficient opportunities to explore, manipulate and come to a better understanding of the world through their own efforts.
ORANGE ROOM
10 MONTHS - 32 MONTHS
Our orange room focuses on helping children learn to socialize and interact with each other. Toddlers enjoy hands-on learning through a variety of sensory activities. Toddlers learn by experiencing the environment through their senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching), by physically moving around, and through social interaction. The children are given ample opportunities to practice newly acquired skills and to experience feelings of autonomy and success. Opportunities are provided for multi-sensory experiences aimed at delighting, as well as sparking and satisfying curiosity. Flexibility and spontaneity throughout the day help in strengthening each child’s individual capabilities at various stages of development. Although a significant part of their development is learning and acquiring social skills, toddlers are not able to understand the concept of sharing. Age-appropriate toys are available at all times in order to encourage self-directed play and imagination. Simple art projects are introduced to toddlers, while songs, stories, and finger plays are recited often in each age group. Weather permitting, all toddlers and the older infants have daily outdoor playtime.
BLUE ROOM
20 MONTHS - 47 MONTHS
Our blue room children are introduced to cognitive skills and practice making decisions. Science and discovery activities stimulate curiosity as the children learn valuable lessons about themselves and the world around them. Art and music activities encourage individual expression. Three year olds are no longer toddlers but, at times, they will behave like toddlers and at other times, their language and motor skills will deceptively mimic the four year old. This is a distinct period of development with its own unique challenges and accomplishments. Three year olds are usually more cooperative than toddlers, but can easily revert back to toddler behavior when feeling tired or upset. The Preschool Program and afternoon play periods are designed to encourage the development and practice of self-help skills (dressing, feeding, toileting and washing themselves, as well as picking up toys), fine motor skills (puzzles, pegboards, etc.) and language skills (through poems, rhymes, finger plays and musical activities). As they begin to form relationships with peers, they are given plenty of time to practice their socialization skills through indoor and outdoor play. They learn to respect, work and play with others in a positive environment. Age appropriate activities will be presented to children individually, in small groups and large groups. Creative art is another avenue provided where self-expression and initiative are explored through various materials.
GREEN ROOM
30 MONTHS - 59 MONTHS
Our green room is language arts and math fundamentals to promote excitement about learning new concepts. For these active learners are lesson plans are filled with activities to help each child grow, socially, intellectually, and physically. This group is exposed to a variety of experiences and an increased opportunity for fine motor skills. Scissors, manipulatives and cooking are greatly enjoyed by the four year old. Attention span and memory skills begin to mature (through games of color recognition, object size and shape), as does the development of basic math concepts and problem solving skills. Four year olds learn through active participation with adults, other children and materials, while enjoying indoor and outdoor play. Four year olds are learning to make choices through planned activities. Teacher prepared learning centers will include housekeeping, blocks, science, math, manipulatives, music and art. Through weekly activities, the four year olds are introduced to the alphabet. Math concepts include patterning, sequencing, opposites, shapes, likes and differences, and counting. Other media, such as social studies, art, cooking, and computers, reflect the letter theme of the week. _______________________________ The Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards for Four-Year-Olds create a common framework and language for providers of school readiness and VPK programs. Based on collaboration with a state panel of experts, public input from citizens across Florida, and national and state expert reviewers, Standards for Four-Year-Olds reflect the latest research on child development and developmentally appropriate practices for 4-year-old children. Standards and benchmarks are organized into five domains. – Physical development – Approaches to learning – Social and emotional development – Language, communication and emergent literacy – Cognitive development and general knowledge Benchmarks are available for two domains – Language, Communication and Emergent Literacy and the Mathematical Thinking section in Cognitive Development and General Knowledge – to help explain what Florida’s children should know and be able to do by the end of prekindergarten.