Welcome!
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the American School of Madrid and more specifically, the Lower School.
Our division is made up of over 400 students who span in age from 3 to 11 years old We have students from around the world and students who have attended ASM for many years. Together, the Lower School students take care of each other, their school, and their community Our school is a place where children make lifelong friends work to solve problems, and can be creative The four pillars of our mission statement help to guide our work and our community.
In addition, the Lower School strives to ensure children experience childhood. Through our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) program, our students have opportunities to freely design their own play experiences.
More information about what you can expect this year for your K1, K2, or K3 learner can be found in this grade level guide. Additionally, please be sure to review and continue to reference our Lower School Learning Program Site, located on the ASM website There you will find all of the details and information about our school procedures and policies.
Of course, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact your child’s teachers or the Lower School Office We are here to help you
I wish you and your child a wonderful year in the Early Childhood Center!
Warmly,
Jen Munnerlyn Lower School Director
ASM Philosophy and Beliefs
Mission Statement
At the American School of Madrid, we empower lifelong learners to take on challenges and thrive, care for others in our diverse international community, and think globally and creatively toward a better future.
ASM Learning Beliefs
At the American School of Madrid, we believe that important learning
● Should be purposeful and relevant
● Involves real-world experiences, risk and failure, self-reflection, and choice.
● Is a continuous process.
● Requires pushing through challenges and perceived limits.
● Is facilitated by skillful, caring teachers.
● Requires students to actively own their own learning
● Takes place within a positive, supportive school community
● Is supported by perseverance, problem-solving, self-reflection, time management, empathy, and collaboration.
● Requires creativity by teachers and students.
ASM’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
We, at the American School of Madrid, stand for the rights of every individual to safety, belonging, and freedom from discrimination.
We as teachers, students, parents, administrators, staff, and board members hold ourselves accountable for actively working toward justice, repairing harm, and growing as lifelong learners
We commit to recognizing and affirming all community members, with particular regard for those who are marginalized by identity including, but not limited to: race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, national origin, citizenship status, physical abilities, neurodiversity, socioeconomic status, and age
Incidents of racism and all forms of bias or discrimination that result in the assault on an individual’s dignity and self-worth do not belong in our school From revising schoolwide systems to defining individual responsibilities, we will continuously apply a critical and equity-based lens to improve our school’s policies and practices This includes the development and application of clear and consistent consequences for when acts of injustice occur.
As a community bound by the primary objective of learning, we believe that our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice will empower not only our students but all members to courageously advocate for a more just world
How do we teach important topics in the Lower School?
1. The ASM DEIJ statement informs Lower School curricular decisions. This means we make sure to teach Lower School students about important and sometimes difficult topics, in age-appropriate ways. This includes but is not limited to child safety and protection, identity development, puberty, family systems
2. Lead teachers, with the input of the administration, determine what and how content will be developed to address age-appropriate issues within our grade-level curriculum
3. We recognize that part of our job is to partner with parents around tricky topics, because of the age of the children in our care Staff will always communicate with parents regarding those topics, and how we will share about them, prior to doing so.
4 If we believe a topic might cause discomfort for our students or parents, or if something comes up as a teachable moment, and we haven’t had time to vet or plan for teaching that topic, staff will pause and check in with our Lower School Leadership Team team before moving forward That team includes the Lower School Director, the counselors, and the teacher leaders.
5 If needed, counselors are trained and available to speak with students or parents about issues that arise and need to be addressed in a one-on-one setting.
This process, therefore, ensures that we:
● Maintain a team approach (no teacher makes a decision to cover a tricky topic on their own).
● A developmentally appropriate stance (we teach in ways that respect the ages of the children and we communicate clearly with parents about what we are doing).
● Make our DEIJ statement come alive school-wide.
Who’s Who in ECC?
Homeroom teachers and teaching and learning assistants
K1-Gabriela Encalada & Gabi Salla
K2R- Alex Rios & Lorena Madrigal
K2D- Sarah Diaz, & Alma Castillo
K3M- Shannon McGuinness & Jennifer Trejo
K3G- Belen Garcia & Diana Barroeta
K3S- Stefanie Sprenkle & Celia Precioso
ECC Specialists
Movement, music, and mark making- Jim Shedden & Uge Fuentes
Spanish- Eva Cuesta & Naty Rosano
Counselors
Melissa Marsh and Oceane Langreney
ASM’s Early Childhood Center (ECC)
In ASM’s purpose-built ECC space, our 3, 4, and 5-year-old children thrive. Age-appropriate activities, classrooms, and engagements occur in a large, multi-use space. In addition, as the developmental milestones of this age range often overlap, students in K1, K2, and K3 benefit from a shared space where they can see and interact with each other throughout the day.
3-4-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
The development of a 3- and 4-year-old includes a growing attention span and increasing verbal skill ability. Children at this age become better able to follow instructions and express their own needs and thoughts. While the transition from toddler to preschooler can often be a bit bumpy… you may notice your child is all about living life to the fullest and making the most of every opportunity to learn, play, and grow. Get ready your 3- and 4-year-old’s skills and knowledge will continue to develop by leaps and bounds as they get ready to enter kindergarten. (VeryWell Family, 6 Sept 2019 )
Click for the full article: Including physical, emotional, and cognitive development
3-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
4-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
5-Year-Old Child
Development Milestones
The development of a 5-year-old is fraught with emotional extremes and contradictions. At this age, many children are still straddling the not-too-distant past period of toddlerhood and preschool years and the "big kid" phase of development to come
A 5-year-old may be able to exhibit much more self-control than a toddler, and most children this age will be able to sit for periods of time in a classroom and listen to a teacher's instructions.
At the same time, a child this age is still learning to regulate their emotions, and will still be prone to meltdowns over something as small as a spilled glass of milk. (VeryWell Family, 6 Sept. 2019.)
Click for the full article: 5-Year-Old Child Development Milestones including physical, emotional, and cognitive development 5-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
Early Childhood Program of Learning
The Lower School curriculum is structured to not only address specific overall standards and grade level benchmarks but to also integrate the content and skills that facilitate understanding and the ability to make connections in our world.
In the Early Childhood program, students are engaged in project-based learning opportunities which allow them to deeply explore topics as they ask questions, test theories and learn through hands-on experiences.
K1 and K2 students develop important, transferable skills through grade-level projects as teachers monitor, document, and guide their learning Student growth is assessed using a continuum of widely held developmental objectives These objectives indicate a child’s readiness to move into more formal learning tasks in the areas of numeracy and literacy in K3.
The K3 curriculum continues a project-based learning approach in science and social studies, allowing our older early childhood students to continue to develop important cognitive, social-emotional, and critical thinking skills In addition, our K3 curriculum includes CCSS (Common Core State Standards-aligned) reading, writing, and math workshops which ensure students are building developmentally appropriate numeracy and literacy skills.
Finally, one of the most important aspects of the ASM Early Childhood program is that we value and include time to play. Research shows that children require time to play in order to operationalize what they are learning Play is work for young children. It is through play that students build understanding, test theories, take risks, and learn from mistakes. Play is also an important time for children to develop social skills. Teachers in our K1, K2, and K3 classrooms observe and learn from children’s play every day It is through these observations of student growth that teachers are best able to plan for the next steps in a child’s learning journey.
Communication of Growth and Achievement
In the Lower School, student growth is communicated via a process that ensures parents are aware of growth and development every day.
Grade Level Guides
Grade Level Guides provide detailed information about the overall program at the grade level including what students are expected to learn and be able to do during the year.
Student, Parent, and Teacher Learning Conferences
Two times per year, students, parents, and teachers meet to celebrate and discuss student goals, progress, and next steps.
Digital Learning Portfolios on Seesaw
Students and teachers use Seesaw as a digital portfolio to celebrate and document student learning and to strengthen the home and school connection for our families Students will use Seesaw to share their creativity, show their understanding, build technological skills, develop pride in their work, and reflect on their learning. In addition, teachers will share regular announcements to parents via email through weekly newsletters
Report Cards
Three times per year, student growth is summarized and shared with families via our Lower School report card This report card represents students' performance in relation to standards, benchmarks, and widely held developmental expectations.
Throughout the year parents will be invited on campus to participate in their child’s learning life. These opportunities will be a mixture of celebrations, presentations, learning engagements, and the opportunity to see classrooms in action.
Getting Started in Early Childhood
We help students settle into the Early Childhood at ASM by taking the time to get to know our students. We believe building relationships is the primary goal of the first weeks of school.
We help students settle into school with “Meet and Greet” in-take meetings These meetings allow the child and parents to visit the teachers before the first day of school and remove some of the first-day nervousness Adults work together to begin to share information about the child and their needs. These initial conversations carry on over the course of the year as parents and teachers work together to support students' individual and holistic growth and development
Parents can support this time of transition by being positive, helping children be as independent as possible at home (getting dressed, packing and carrying their own bag, etc.), and setting up routines so the child is ready for the school day. Additionally, we ask parents to try and be on time at school, as this helps students start the day as part of the community and develop that sense of belonging in our classrooms
K1, K2, and K3 curriculum and routines are discussed during the intake meetings. Across the year, we will have scheduled times when we host parents and students in Learning Conferences. There is no school on conference days. Instead, parents and students will sign up for times to visit with classroom teachers, specialists, and additional language teachers about growth, goals, and progress. If at any time a parent has a concern or feels they need more information, we encourage them to contact teachers to set up a time to meet Our doors are always open
Pick-up and Drop-off
ECC students can be dropped off at 8:35 A.M. in the Lower School Commons where an ASM staff member will supervise students until school starts. The teachers ring the bell and open classroom doors at 8:45. Students who arrive at school after 9:00 A.M. should check in at the Lower School Office for a tardy pass. At 3:45 P.M., parents can pick students up directly from the classrooms.
Early Childhood Center Education Guidelines
The Lower School Program is committed to children’s whole development and, to this end, we make time every day to be outdoors- regardless of the weather In Early Childhood especially, learning involves being outdoors, working with messy materials, and free and frequent movement.
For that reason, we ask that ECC children wear our ASM uniform to school in K1, K2, and K3. The uniform is comfortable, easy to clean, and appropriate for the busy day of learning students engage in at our school.
Beginning in August 2022, uniform options for ECC match the offering for the MS/HS Physical Education program (However, parents are welcome to use older editions of the school uniform ) These uniforms are purchased online through our vendor and delivered directly to the family’s home address.
Toileting
ASM requires students to be independent with toileting for admission to our program However, for any number of reasons, children may have an occasional accident. It is important for your child’s protection and safety (and our own) that parents understand what we do when there is a need for assistance after a toileting incident.
A child who is independent with toileting can:
1. Communicate to the teachers that they need to go to the bathroom.
2. Alert themselves to stop what they are doing to go and use the bathroom.
3. Pull their own clothes down and get them back on without assistance.
4. Wipe themselves after using the toilet, including after a bowel movement.
5. Get on and off the toilet by themselves.
6. Flush the toilet.
7. Wash and dry hands.
8. Awaken during nap time should they have the urge to use the bathroom.
ASM Staff Role/Responsibility with Toilet Support:
● If a child calls for help with wiping when on the toilet, a teacher or teaching & learning assistant (TLA) will go into the bathroom, stand outside the stall, and instruct for proper hygiene
● If a child has an accident, a teacher or TLA will help the child get his/her change of clothes from the locker and move to the bathroom area The child will change him/herself to the extent possible. The teacher or TLA will assist as necessary.
● In every case, the teacher or TLA will ensure another adult is present in the area. No child or teacher will be alone when a child is changing.
If a child is struggling with toileting independently, the teacher, counselor, and Lower School Director will reach out to the family to determine a plan of action. If needed, the school reserves the right to require parents to seek medical support and/or to modify attendance in order for the child to become fully toilet-trained before rejoining a classroom.
ECC Field Trips
In the ECC, we make learning come alive by connecting to the local community and engaging in real-life learning. Each year field trip opportunities are designed by teachers to ensure the curriculum is enhanced and students’ current interests (and available opportunities within the community) are considered.
It is important for students to be on time to school to attend a field trip. Coordination of late-arriving students requires involvement from the Lower School Director and the grade-level team leader In some cases, if a child is tardy to school, joining the field trip late will not be an option.
Early Childhood Center Areas of Learning
Classroom Community
ASM believes that in order to be successful in and out of school, students need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control and a set of academic competencies academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors To live this belief, the Lower School utilizes a student-centered, social, and emotional learning approach to teaching and discipline. The principles that guide this approach are:
1 Teaching social and emotional skills is as important as teaching academic content
2. How we teach is as important as what we teach.
3. Great cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.
4 How we work together as adults to create a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our individual contribution or competence.
5 What we know and believe about our students individually, culturally, and developmentally informs our expectations, reactions, and attitudes about those students.
6 Partnering with families knowing them and valuing their contributions is as important as knowing the children we teach.
OPAL: Outdoor Play and Learning
Children in the Lower School are guaranteed a high-quality play experience. In fact, we believe that the time spent playing is just as important as the time spent learning inside the classroom setting Play provides opportunities for children to develop skills in physical activity, socialization, cooperation, coordination, resilience, creativity, and imagination. Of course, it is also the most enjoyable part of a child’s day!
The ASM Play Landscape, consisting of Don Quijote Park, Sancho Panza playground, and the Lower Field is different from a regular playground. Our students have 100s of items to play with (in a fantastic natural setting) rather than simply a playground with a few items to play upon
Our OPAL program is grounded in the theory of loose parts which states that “it’s the loose parts in our environment that empower our creativity. Loose parts are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials, therefore can be used in any way that children choose and can be adapted and manipulated in many ways Loose parts can be natural or synthetic. Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways ”1
Staff at ASM are trained by OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) to offer high-quality play experiences for children.
Play is not what we do after learning. OPAL is learning time!
At ASM we believe that play is a process that is:
1 Freely chosen by the child
2. Directed by the child
3 For the child’s own motivations and reasons
4 Offered and available in all weather conditions 1
Project-Based Learning
At ASM, we engage K1 and K2 students in a developmentally appropriate, play and project-based curriculum model. This format allows students to develop critical thinking skills, acquire and practice language, use authentic math and problem-solving skills, work together to expand social skills, and follow their interests. Our project-based units are hands-on, promoting inquiry around engaging and exciting topics children are naturally interested in learning about
Sample Project-Based Investigation Topics
Open Exploration
Open Exploration is a common time between K1 & K2 where children can freely move around the 3 classrooms During this time, they establish positive relationships with peers and teachers They have ownership of the spaces by choosing open-ended and student-centered activities, which builds independence and autonomy
Early Childhood Skills Developed Through Project-Based Learning and Open Exploration Time:
Cognitive
● Demonstrates positive approaches to learning
● Remembers and connects experiences
● Uses classification skills
● Uses symbols and images to represent something not present
Social-Emotional
● Regulates own emotions and behaviors
● Establishes and sustains positive relationships Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations
Early Childhood Center Reporting Student Progress Process
Understanding the Developmental Continuum
Each of the ASM Widely Held Objectives can be considered with K1, K2, and even K3 children in mind. Here is an example of one objective with descriptors of how that objective would be met by students in K1-K3 as they progress in our Early Childhood Center. Children will develop at different times and rates in these early childhood years across this continuum
Three times per year, teachers in K1 and K2 review documentation about student learning to identify how students are developing along this continuum for each objective in relation to identified expectations Teachers assign a report card grade for each standard as a way to summarize student growth at each particular reporting time in our year
Lower School Report Card Key: 3 - Meets, 2 - Approaches, 1 - Does not yet meet
ELA: English Language Arts in the Early Childhood Center
K1 and K2 students explore and develop language and literacy throughout the day, every day Without being limited to a specific time slot, our K1-K2 students use language and literacy skills, with the support and modeling of the adults around them all day throughout every classroom activity.
Best practices in early years teaching and learning support a child’s language development, including phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge, an understanding of concepts of print, and the development of emerging writing skills across the whole school day. In our K1 and K2 classrooms, students engage in a variety of activities, often tied to the project the class is investigating, which allow them to practice and develop early literacy skills.
The curriculum incorporates the latest best practices that support children’s language and vocabulary, phonological awareness, knowledge of the alphabet, concepts of print, emergent writing skills, and more through various engaging activities that happen throughout each day
English Language Arts skills students develop in K1 and K2 include:
Language
Listens to and understands increasingly complex language
Uses language to express thoughts and needs
Uses appropriate conversational and other communication skills
Literacy
Demonstrates phonological awareness, phonics skills, and word recognition
Demonstrates knowledge of the alphabet
Demonstrates knowledge of print and its uses
Comprehends and responds to books and other texts
Demonstrates writing skills
In K3, children learn the foundations of emergent literacy through authentic and meaningful reading, writing, and word study experiences aimed at increasing independence and agency
Our learners develop literacy skills, strategies, and competencies in order to master the globally recognized expectations outlined in the Common Core State Standards The English literacy teaching and learning experiences in the Lower School are designed to prepare students for life
outside the classroom and are directed not only by the above-mentioned standards but by student interests and needs as well.
The Lower School utilizes a balanced literacy workshop approach when teaching English Language Arts which looks like rich language and print-based learning opportunities across the school day: read-aloud, reading and writing workshops with independent practice, explicit and systematic phonics/word study instruction, interactive writing, shared reading and writing, and guided reading instruction This research-based approach allows teachers to identify where each learner is on the continuum of literacy development and then match learning experiences to their individual areas of focus in whole and small group settings, as well as in peer partnerships and one-on-one teacher/student supports.
Kinder 3 - English Language Arts Teaching and Learning
Domain Strand
Reading Foundational Skills
Areas of Focus and Development
Develop Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition, and Oral Fluency
Literature With Prompting and Support: Identify Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Gather Knowledge and Generate Ideas, and Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding around Literature / Narrative Texts
Informational Text
Writing Text Types and Purposes
Production and Distribution of Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
With Prompting and Support: Identify Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Gather Knowledge and Generate Ideas, and Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding around Informational / Nonfiction Texts
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose narrative, informational, and opinion pieces across the year
With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and explore a variety of digital tools, and publish writing
Participate in shared research and writing projects, and recall information from experiences or gather information
Range of Writing (beginning in Grade 3)
Speaking and Listening Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Language Conventions of Standard English
Develop understanding through conversations about kindergarten topics and texts, ask and answer questions, seek help, and get information through collaboration with adults and peers
Describe, draw, speak, and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking (many letters, frequently occurring nouns, verbs, prepositions, understand and use question words, form regular plural nouns), capitalize, punctuate, and developmentally spell when writing
Knowledge of Language (beginning in Grade 2)
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words at the kindergarten level
Mathematics in the Early Childhood Center
K1 and K2 students engage with mathematics concepts throughout the learning day. These opportunities are often real-world applications, where a child is trying to solve a problem or understand a concept and therefore begins to explore mathematics. Teachers guide explorations in math centers by offering opportunities for math to be used during project investigations Most importantly, children develop the essential mathematical process skills of problem-solving, reasoning, communicating, making connections, and representing numbers and amounts in play settings at ASM.
K1 and K2 Student Math Skills include:
Uses number concepts and operations
Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes
Compares and measures
Demonstrates knowledge of patterns
Mathematics
Children in ASM’s lower school develop their mathematical understandings, skills, and practices through a constructivist math workshop approach which prioritizes a large block of time for differentiation to match instruction to students’ abilities
ASM’s math program aims for all students to master globally recognized content standards as well as mathematical practice standards Our approach to math teaching and learning is supported by the utilization of core curricular resources, one of which is Everyday Mathematics
K3 Mathematical skills include:
Sequential counting and classification
Comparing numbers
Early addition
Early base ten
Comparing attributes of numbers and shapes
Problem-solving
Communication of mathematical thinking
Music, Movement,
and Mark-Making (MMM)
Early Childhood students have a special, dedicated, daily class called Music, Movement, and Mark-Making. It is a dynamic, interdisciplinary program that encourages students to develop their music (singing, listening, and instrument playing), mark-making (artistic), and movement (physical and gross motor) skills.
Research has shown that there is a strong correlation between academic success and the relationships students have with their teachers. Close relationships between teachers and students have many advantages Not only do we see higher language, literacy, and math proficiency, but we also recognize how these relationships transform the physical structure of the brain to support social-emotional learning.
Skills Students Develop in MMM:
Physical
● Demonstrates traveling skills
● Demonstrates balancing skills
● Demonstrates gross-motor manipulative skills
● Demonstrates fine motor strength and coordination
The Arts
● Explores the visual arts
● Explores musical concepts and expression
● Explores dance and movement concepts
● Explores drama through actions and language
Spanish Language Program
At ASM in the Lower School all students in K1- Grade 5 benefit from learning Spanish
In K1 and K2, students are immersed in the Spanish language through a play-based curriculum that emphasizes oral language development and early engagement with the alphabet, reading, and writing.
Beginning in K3, students are placed in a specific language program based on their abilities and on their background knowledge of the language.
Native Spanish Program- K3
The Native Spanish program is for native speakers and follows the curriculum established by the Spanish Ministry of Education. Students in this program appropriately express themselves in a variety of situations both linguistically and culturally. Students learn both Spanish language and culture through social studies
The Native Spanish program includes:
● A Native Spanish teacher
● Curriculum mandated by the Ministry of Education
Skills students develop in K3 Native Spanish:
- Use language and intonation adequately to communicate
- Read short texts aloud with good pronunciation and adequate fluency while paying attention to the punctuation signs: period, comma, exclamation, and question marks
- Explain what occurred in the text
- Write letters and syllables to compose words
- Distinguish vowels from consonants
- Know by heart the alphabet and alphabetical order in a series of words written
Spanish as a Foreign Language Program - K3
At ASM in the Lower School, the Spanish as a foreign language program is for all students in the Lower School who are not native Spanish speakers
The main objective of this program is to introduce students to the Spanish culture and enable them to achieve a level at which they will be able to participate in everyday activities using the Spanish language with sufficient fluency and accuracy
The Spanish as a Foreign Language program includes:
● A trained Spanish teacher
● Units designed to engage students in conversations about everyday life The following topics will be covered throughout the year: school, family, nature, the country of Spain, and its celebrations/traditions.
● Students learn through role-plays, games, songs, stories, and creative work
Skills students develop in K3 Foreign Language Spanish:
- Oral communication skills
- Vocabulary development
- Appreciation and knowledge of Spanish culture
Technology Integration
ASM uses the ISTE Standards to guide technology integration across subjects and in the daily lives of students to enhance learning. The main objective of our technology integration is to enhance student learning and empower students to innovate and problem-solve Students have access to 1:1 devices and a Promethean board.
Learning Support in Early Childhood
Counselors- Melissa March and Oceane Langreney
Learning Support Teachers- Margaret LeGrand, Meredith Bosco, Richard Marshall, Katrina Bruening, Camila Reina
COST Teaching and Learning Assistants: Toni Jimena-Fragoso and Taylor McGilbra
Due to the differing developmental growth of children ages 3-5, there is no formal academic learning support provided in Early Childhood. However, as needed, our support team will work
with students on behavior, social-emotional growth areas, and if necessary EAL: English as an Additional Language.
Academic-based support begins in Grade 1 after the first 6-12 weeks of school
Behavior and Social-Emotional Development
The Lower School is committed to each student’s success in a learning environment within a caring, responsive, and safe environment that is free from discrimination, violence, and bullying Our school works to ensure that all students have the opportunity and support to develop to their fullest potential and share a personal meaningful bond with people in the school and community.
Each student in the Lower School has a right to:
● Learn in a safe and friendly place
● Be treated with respect and dignity
● Receive the help and support of caring adults
Behavior Expectations in Early Childhood
Young children are learning how to manage their emotions and express their feelings and needs. In addition, from a social and emotional standpoint, children of this age are just beginning to understand someone else’s perspective and to learn to resolve conflicts.
In general, hitting or other physical actions at this age are often not malicious Instead, children’s behaviors are often normal (and temporary) and part of the developmental process as language and cognitive skills develop
As needed, teachers will work with counselors to develop behavior plans These plans will support students (and their families) as children become better able to manage their behaviors.
Learning Commons/Library
Early Childhood students use the Lower School Learning Commons space to explore and check out books Students also engage in read-alouds and lessons with our librarian Students are encouraged to check out books based on interest as this promotes an early love of reading.
Parents are also able to check out books for home reading. There are titles available in the Learning Commons in a variety of languages which also supports the development of children’s mother tongue language.
2024-25 Yearly Calendar
