We recognize that all children need individualized learning experiences offered in a play-based learning environment by teachers who are skilled in building strong and nurturing relationships. RPS Preschool offers a variety of preschool options (including morning and afternoon) and services for young children and their families.
Our 3 year old Explorers class is specifically designed with young preschoolers in mind as they begin to explore and learn new language and social skills through play in a group setting. Children will learn about themselves, others and the world around them. They will play in meaningful ways in a safe and welcoming environment focusing on all areas of learning: approaches to learning, social and emotional skills, creative arts, language and literacy, math, and physical skills. Children must be three years of age by 9/1/2019.
Our 3-5 year old Pathfinders class provides children an opportunity to learn in a group of multi-age peers. These classes allow older children to use leadership skills and younger children to learn from the modeling of older children in a natural environment. These classes allow older children to strengthen and enhance skills, while the younger children develop new skills by observing and playful interactions. Children must be at least 3 years of age by 9/1/2019.
Trailblazers is for children headed to kindergarten the following school year. These classes will support and challenge children in an individualized learning environment as they learn the language, social and problem-solving skills that will prepare them for kindergarten success. Children must be at least 4 years of age by 9/1/2019.
Early exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) helps children develop thinking and reasoning skills and creates excitement about these studies. STEM is all about exploring, observing, predicting, and questioning and your preschooler will be encouraged plan, create and problem solve with help from our teachers. We will tap into your child’s imagination and understanding of how things work and discuss STEM vocabulary and systems. Children will put their ideas into action, reflect on them, and think about other ways to do things in a play-based early learning environment. Children must be at least 4 years of age by 9/1/2019.
- Drop Off: Children are met by their teachers at a designated outside door and wait for their classmates to arrive, then together they proceed to their classroom as a group.
- Greetings: Students will learn to recognize and locate their name on an assigned locker and will hang up and put away backpacks and seasonal outdoor wear. Next, they may be asked to identify an item that begins with the letter of the day, trace a picture with their finger to develop fine motor skills, or find their name on an activity board while they wait for their turn to wash hands as they prepare for the day.
- Small Group Instruction: Children participate in small group instruction with curriculum activities focusing on language, literacy, math, social and emotional skills, and motor skills. During this time teachers will provide a variety of instructional materials and guide them in discovery, exploration, and manipulation of items in the environment. Examples of these would be art, science, math, small muscle, and language and literacy activities.
- Children's Circle Time: We will be increasing our vocabulary by learning new songs and rhymes. Children will be encouraged to speak during sharing time. We will build on our social skills by listening to stories and sharing.
- Snack and Conversation: Children are encouraged to pour their own beverage and count out their snack while engaging in conversation with other children and teachers.
- Outside and/or Gym Time: Everyone benefits from fresh air and some time to run, climb, or just be active. Outside and/or gym play encourages gross motor skill development as well as balance, body and space awareness, and provides opportunity to explore the world around us using our scientific minds.
- Free Play: During this time the children will be involved in a number of early childhood activities. Some activities include: Sensory tub (using different mediums), small muscle manipulative, discovery center, computers, play dough, creative art, quiet corner, and dramatic play. This is also the time in which we are working on improving social development and communication skills.
- Clean Up: Clean up time teaches responsibility by picking up after ourselves and putting away toys, books, or games. Then we wash our hands.
- Goodbye: Children will ready themselves for the end of the day putting any take home in backpacks, putting on jackets or seasonal wear, and then as a group, practice quiet and respectful hallway passing skills as we go meet parents and guardians or van transportation.