Early Childhood Prekindergarten - 3 Year Olds Program
	Mission The mission of Holy Spirit Episcopal School is to provide a unique and outstanding high school preparatory education which combines the best traditions of learning with relevant and contemporary programs that promote excellence in scholarship, richness of soul, godly character, and physical well-being. Core Values   A heart stands for our loving, nurturing, joyful environment, which is essential to the healthy development of our students.   A sunburst represents our spirit of optimism and a commitment to diversity, which prepare our students for the larger world.   An open book symbolizes our strong, research-based academic programs, which combine traditional and experiential learning methods.   A leaf signifies enrichment and growth through offerings that allow each student to follow their unique path.   These elements are bound together by the symbol of the cross, in recognition of the strong core of faith-based character that we strive to build in every member of our school community.     Introduction The early childhood program is staffed by degreed educators dedicated to the education of young children in a developmentally appropriate program. The goal of these classes is to create a Christian atmosphere in which a student grows in self-esteem and knowledge. Each child is viewed as a unique individual with a personal pattern and timing of growth and development. Holy Spirit provides experiences that meet children's needs and stimulate learning in all developmental areas—physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Many activities are provided to develop language and literacy through meaningful experiences. Children choose many of their own activities from among a variety of learning activities prepared by the teacher, including dramatic play, blocks, science, math, games and puzzles, books, recordings, art, and music. Daily outdoor activities are planned so children can develop large muscle skills, including running, jumping, and balancing. The outdoors also provides an opportunity and place for students to express themselves freely while they learn about their environment. Children develop small muscle skills and strength through daily classroom play activities, such as pegboards, puzzles, painting, cutting, and similar activities. There are daily opportunities for aesthetic expression and appreciation through art and music. The early childhood environment exists for children to learn through active exploration and interaction with other children and adults. The early childhood programs are organized around learning centers that provide activities to involve and challenge the student. Each program has the following permanent learning centers: art, block building, music, housekeeping, language, science, and math. With learning centers, the classroom becomes a laboratory where children explore and experiment in the various areas. The centers make possible both small group instruction areas and quiet nooks where children can work and play. The curriculum covers activities that encourage children to think for themselves, to grow in independence, to work out simple problems, and to express themselves creatively. The early childhood program gives students the freedom to develop naturally at their own pace. The aim of each class is to enable students to develop positive self-images through important accomplishments. Through this nurturing environment, the children gain language and social skills, grow in problem solving and creativity, lengthen attention spans, advance in coordination and motor skills, and grow in maturity and confidence. The language arts program includes phonemic awareness and pre-reading skills. Literary techniques are used to stimulate the students’ interest such as reading orally to the children, listening to poetry, participating in choral reading, and dramatic play. These activities integrate reading, writing, and the development of language. The goal of the math program is to develop understanding of and insight into the patterns of mathematics through the use of concrete materials or manipulatives. The activities are designed to help young children see relationships and interconnections in mathematics and to enable them to deal flexibly with mathematical ideas and concepts. By using the Math Their Way program, students are presented math concepts through systematic calendar instruction. The daily real-life application of math becomes a part of the ongoing routine of the classroom, outdoor play, and those transitional moments that occur during every school day. Social studies and science are studied through highly motivational thematic units. The three-year old students study their family, seasons, holidays, and pets. They develop successful patterns of interaction with peers and adults, gain self-control, and acquire and practice social values. Co-curricular classes include chapel, library, music, and gross motor.