Early Childhood
In our Early Childhood Program, we understand important developmental milestones and encourage inquiring young minds to develop at their own pace. Our nurturing team of faculty and staff values the joy and curiosity each child brings.
Fostering a Love of Learning
Knowing that we are often the first school experience for many of our youngest students, our early childhood teachers create a safe and loving environment for preschool and junior kindergarten students to confidently explore and thrive. Students are exposed to hands-on activities, sensory tables, singing and dancing, and a constant rotation of books, puzzles and games. With the introduction of circle time and small group activities, our teachers lay a foundation for lifelong learning, providing the building blocks for communication and logical thinking skills. As the students engage with one another and their teachers, they are taught self-awareness, how to manage and communicate strong feelings and how to work together. We believe these critical skills are a necessary part of healthy child development and will support positive relationships throughout the children’s lives.
Preschool at Grace
Children Ages 3+ Years Old
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Full Day Extended Care Available
Jr. Kindergarten at Grace
Children Ages 4+ Years Old
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Full Day Extended Care Available
Student/Teacher Ratio
Preschool
Our youngest students in preschool learn about the world around them through stories, songs, rhyming activities, arts and crafts, number games, dramatic play and peer relationships. Play-based learning supports positive attitudes towards education, keeping the children engaged while encouraging their natural curiosity and vibrant imaginations. Through child-initiated and teacher-supported activities, our preschool students make observations about their surroundings. Positive social interactions and problem solving are further facilitated through the development of conversational and cooperative skills. The students are able to effectively learn and practice basic social skills, like sharing and taking turns. Preschool students are given ample time to explore the early childhood playground each day, where they can run, climb, jump, swing, play in the sand and enjoy the outdoors, weather permitting.
Jr. Kindergarten
As the students move into jr. kindergarten, many of the same pre-literacy, logical thinking and self-awareness skills from preschool are encouraged and developed, and they continue to enjoy dramatic play and physical activity. Kindergarten readiness skills are introduced and the students spend more time working in small groups based on developmental readiness. Their growing thirst for knowledge is met with a greater number of counting, adding and subtracting, alphabet games, measuring, patterning, comprehension activities and hands-on experiments. Jr. kindergarteners delight in learning to write using the research-based Handwriting Without Tears curriculum — a major milestone for each child. Students learn about themselves, families, neighborhoods and communities in greater detail, giving them a better understanding of the social world around them. Teachers take time to observe the students’ differing developmental schedules and instruct them accordingly. Jr. kindergarten students graduate ready to begin full-day kindergarten and the next phase of their educational journey.
Preschool & Jr. Kindergarten Curriculum
Communication/Pre-reading Skills
Reading of stories, poems, rhymes, morning message and songs ⭑ Dramatic play ⭑ Alphabet games ⭑ Handwriting Without Tears curriculum ⭑ Writing using inventive spelling ⭑ Sequencing story cards ⭑ Rhyming & comprehension activities
Math and Logical Thinking Skills
Shapes ⭑ Counting, adding and subtracting ⭑ Graphing ⭑ Measuring ⭑ Patterning ⭑ Sorting, ordering and number games ⭑ 1:1 correspondence with counting
Social Studies and Social Skills
Learning about ourselves, our families and friends, our neighborhoods and communities ⭑ Cultural awareness ⭑ Fire and police safety/Community helpers ⭑ Manners ⭑ Development of conversational and cooperative skills ⭑ Holidays
Science
Plants ⭑ Animals ⭑ Insects ⭑ Seasons ⭑ Weather ⭑ Oceans ⭑ Our environment/Habitats ⭑ Magnets and other scientific concepts ⭑ Our bodies ⭑ Hands-on experiments ⭑ Sand & sensory tables
Music & Art
Singing, dancing and exploring the use of rhythm instruments ⭑ Listening to classical, children’s and multicultural music ⭑ Exploration of art media: paints, playdough, clay, crayons, markers, chalk, etc. ⭑ Creating with paper, cardboard, yarn, fabric, beads, etc. ⭑ Attending concerts, plays and puppet shows
Movement
Learning to use our bodies in a given space through: games, balancing, playground equipment, creative movement, music and movement ⭑ Throwing and catching ⭑ Hopping, running, skipping, jumping, etc. ⭑ Team and class games
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Large and small block play ⭑ Construction materials ⭑ Puzzles and pegboards ⭑ Playdough ⭑ Geoboards ⭑ Scissors and writing implements
Development of Religious and Moral Values
Role modeling, creative drama and social play ⭑ Prayers and blessings at meals ⭑ Weekly chapel services ⭑ Learning to communicate and talk through problems and conflict ⭑ Learning to care and share by example ⭑ Focus on character keys ⭑ Telling and hearing appropriate Bible stories
Preschool 3 to Grade 5
Coed Independent Day School
3601 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA 22305-1731
Office: (703) 549-5067 • office@graceschoolalex.org
