for Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten: tips and tricks to help navigate the admissions process.
VENTURE
ke just yesterday that you brought r little bundle of joy. In the blink of an me for your child to start school, and sure where to begin!
e process of selecting a school can be ng, this will be an exciting adventure ou and your child as you embark on ey together. It is a new beginning for s well as developing friendships, e, and independence.
the most important factor in n a school is finding the right fit for s personality, individual and family d developmental stage.
This publication is meant to serve as a guide while you go through this process.
Becky Groves & OUR JK/K LEADERS
Director of Lower School
Dr. Yaa Agyekum
Assistant Director of Lower School / Director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning Master of Education, University of Virginia
Ed.D., Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership, College of William & Mary
“At Steward each student is known as an individual. Our greatest joy is nurturing each child’s growth over time, as they gradually unfold into the people they are meant to be.“
- Becky Groves
JK/K
READINESS
Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten:
Finding the Right Fit for Your Child
rd School’s junior kindergarten/kindergarten gram challenges and supports children using ased methods and best practices. Within a turing community, our youngest Spartans play, nvestigate, and problem-solve.
ves (director of Lower School) and Yaa Agyekum director of Lower School/director of the Center vancement of Learning), and a team of dedicated faculty collaborate to ensure that students explore, grow, and actively participate in all facets of campus life.
Advice and Tips for Parents
To help parents know what to look for in a top JK/K program, Ms. Groves and Dr. Agyekum suggest parents look for the following:
Parents of prospective JK/K Steward students often inquire about age requirements, readiness, daily schedules, and our teaching methods. We’re here to help! We have answers to FAQs online about the application process and school life, and additional helpful information is on the next page. a structured program an evidence-based curriculum support for your child’s social-emotional development a school that encourages children to be well-rounded academically and socially
JK/K READINESS
Age Requirements
Children must be age 4 by August 31 to apply for junior kindergarten and age 5 by August 31 to apply to kindergarten at Steward.
School Readiness
Students entering our program should be able to: follow directions learn with others in the classroom transition from one area of the school/classroom to another use the restroom independently engage in age-appropriate interactions with their peers complete self-care tasks (i.e., putting on a jacket, opening items during lunch/snack time, and carrying personal items such as a water bottle)
MOTOR SKILLS
Students should be able to: use pencils/crayons to write/color with some level of control use scissors to cut appropriately be in the beginning stages of letter and number formation independently take care of toileting tasks
COMMUNICATION
Students should be able to: express their needs/wants follow directions given by a teacher or other adult state their name and age
SOCIO-EMOTIONAL
Students should be able to: separate from their parent(s) engage with other children transition from one task to another pay attention to teachers make it through a full, structured day
LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
Junior Kindergarten language arts instruction focuses on establishing the foundational pre-literacy skills necessary for future growth and success in reading and writing. Throughout the year, lessons build on repeated concepts and increase in difficulty and complexity. These concepts include alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, print concepts, listening comprehension, oral language, and writing. Our program is also enhanced by “play workshop,” which leads into our reading and writing workshops in kindergarten.
Kindergarten faculty engage students in a structured literacy program that encourages critical thinking through the use of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, a multi-sensory method that combines sight, hearing, touch, and movement. Phonics skills are taught explicitly and sequentially while also nurturing children’s love for the written word. In kindergarten, readers are introduced to a wide variety of books and are matched to texts that support their progress as beginning readers. Emphasis is placed on phonemic awareness, letter/sound correspondence, and the acquisition of sight words. Kindergarten students put their growing phonics skills to work as they express their ideas in writing workshop.
MINDFULNESS,
DISCOVERY, & PLAY
Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes begin each day with a morning meeting, which sets the stage for the day. Morning meeting builds classroom community while also incorporating academic threads such as calendar skills and numeracy. Mindfulness practices occur throughout the school day as students build self-regulation skills.
“All instruction is provided through multi-sensory approaches in order to support learning through multiple pathways. Specials provide students with an opportunity to break from the classroom and enjoy P.E., art, music, character education, technology, Spanish, library, coding, and theatre. We intentionally weave together classroom instruction with what is done in our specials classes. For example, junior kindergarten students who learn about different types of apples during a science lesson might also read ‘10 Apples Up on Top!’ and complete an engineering project in which they are tasked with stacking as many apples as possible. This activity connects concepts taught in reading, math, and science,” noted Dr. Agyekum.
A True Community
Thanks to Steward’s small class sizes, te students in all divisions make meaningfu with one another.
“Teachers get to know their students’ pe and they know their students’ families, Groves. “These close connections give s opportunities for deeper learning.”
Since Steward is a JK-12 school, we have activities throughout the school year in students have opportunities to interact in all three divisions. Our JK/K/Senior Bu for example, pairs each of our youngest a senior student at the beginning of the year. They team up at school events thr year, including Convocation. Seniors serve as informal mentors, and all buddies benefit from the friendship and empathy that the program encourages.
At Steward, the early childhood experience is designed to meet the unique developmental needs of four- through six-year-olds, as well as challenge them intellectually, nurture them emotionally, and prepare them for a lifelong love of learning.
Each student is engaged on a deeply individual level. Through intentional opportunities to play, research, investigate, problem-solve, build, and reflect, students’ natural curiosity is fostered, and the foundation for rigorous academics is set. Our program also provides children with time to develop skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives like mindfulness, empathy, responsibility, and stewardship.
INSPIRETHEFUTURE.
Students also take full advantage of our 37 acres for learning outside the classroom in our gardens, as well as on our fields and playground. Hands-on learning also takes place in our Bryan Innovation Lab, the only one of its kind in the city.
We
Inside and outside the classroom, students learn and grow, innovate and problem-solve, and explore the topics that define our time.
