Our preschool, of course, is part of a larger elementary and middle school at St. Stephen Catholic School, continuing through 8th grade. Our grade school students build on the strong foundation begun in preschool, and develop the skills and self-confidence to excel and mature through later grades. We believe that our rigorous curriculum, from preschool through 8th grade, prepares our students academically, spiritually, morally, physically, and socially to be the leaders of tomorrow and to succeed in the future. We are proud of our proven track record of success.
Our Approach
In our preschool class at St. Stephen Catholic School, we believe that children learn by participating. That’s why we provide our preschool students with a play-based program involving hands-on, fun-filled experiences. Our approach emphasizes a practical learning environment, which encourages the growth of your child’s mind, body, and spirit. This focus on participation extends to each element of our preschool program including artistic and creative expression, physical coordination and development, social development and growth, and language and math readiness. We want our preschool experience to prepare your child for success in kindergarten and provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of successful learning.
Our Curriculum
Academics - Language skills begin with reading, story telling, puppetry and word games, through which children learn letter recognition and reading readiness. In our science activities, our children begin to explore their physical world through sensory play, exploring properties, meteorology, astronomy and biology. Math skills evolve through working with patterns, sorting, categorizing and manipulatives. Children will also build their number recognition skills.
Faith Formation - Roman Catholic values, virtues and compassion form an essential part of the curriculum. We nurture your child’s early spiritual development and growth through ongoing religious education. Preschool students learn about God through stories, prayer, songs and artwork. The lessons of God’s love extend throughout each curriculum area. Children are expected to treat each other with kindness as they learn about the example of Jesus.
Art & Music - We encourage creative self-expression in our students through painting, gluing, modeling with clay and play dough, and artistic exploration using other media. Exposure to a variety of music and musical instruments introduces musical skills. Dress-up, puppets and imaginative play help cultivate your child’s creativity.
Physical Skills - Our program emphasizes large- and small-motor skill development and coordination through indoor and outdoor play. We challenge and enhance children’s love for exuberant physical play.
Social Skills - We believe that gentle guidance help develops our students’ abilities to respect others, accept routines, appreciate differences, play cooperatively, and develop independence and self-confidence. Skill development emphasizes positive behavior, success in a group setting and the formation of happy peer-relationships in a warm and loving environment.