In addition to regular campus visitation this Thursday morning at the Carrollton and Dallas schools, the Carrollton campus, 2435 E. Hebron Parkway, will host a special meeting at 1:00 pm for parents interested in CDA’s Pre-Kindergarten Program.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the well-received pre-K class which premiered on the Dallas campus this year. Both half-day and extended-day formats will be offered in the 2007-2008 school year by the Carrollton and Dallas schools. Due to facility restraints, the pre-K program will not be available on the Flower Mound campus in the immediate future. You may attend the Carrollton meeting even if you are interested in the Dallas location.

An overview of the Pre-K Program is posted below but to gain greater understanding of its merits, we hope you’ll come on March 1^st and meet the teacher. Please e-mail carrollton@coramdeoacademy.org or call 972-862-8657 to let the office know you are coming to the campus visit on Thursday, March 1 from 9:30 until 10:30 am and/or the Pre-K Meeting at 1:00 pm.

The Dallas School, 12727 Hillcrest, Dallas also will offer tours on Thursday, March 1. Come for morning devotions at 8:15 am and stay to observe classes in session. Please contact Mr. Fox at 972-385-6410 to make a reservation.

For more details about any of these opportunities, please see http://www.coramdeoacademy.org/content/pages/visit.php#cvd or call the respective campus. We look forward to meeting you.

Coram Deo Academy Pre-Kindergarten Program Overview

 

Beginning in August, 2007, Pre-Kindergarten will be available on both the Carrollton and Dallas campuses. Coram Deo Academy will offer a half-day program (approximately 8:15 am – 11:15 am) which covers the basic core academics as well as an extended day option (approximately 8:15 am – 2:45 pm) which provides additional enrichment for those parents desiring a schedule in sync with their older CDA student(s).

 

Saxon Early Learning curriculum supplies a comprehensive, fully integrated course that addresses the educational needs of young children. The program incorporates many aspects of a solid pre-Kindergarten curriculum:  social, personal, and emotional development; language and early literacy; physical development and movement; health and safety; math and science. Children are introduced to learning through a combination of predictable routines, a safe, nurturing environment, and high expectations. 

 

The school year is broken down into three instructional segments:  “I Wonder,” “I Discover,” and “I Explore.” These segments provide a supportive framework for progressing through the school year sequentially, moving children from an understanding of their own personal experiences to an appreciation of the wider world. 

 

In “I Wonder” the children are helped to feel comfortable about being in school. They consider new ideas about themselves, their friends, and their family members. The “I Discover” segment includes themes that prepare children for the early primary grades by introducing such topics as weather and seasons, their neighborhood, the wider community, and the world of living things. The “I Explore” segment encourages the children to examine the physical world around them, to begin to understand how living things are found in a variety of habitats, and to appreciate the world of imagination through art, literature, music, and movement.

The start of the day may include participation in corporate worship (as at the Dallas campus) or classroom devotions (Carrollton campus). After worship the children move to a theme-related “Center Time.” Centers are set up with activities that connect to the particular concept being studied that day. Daily calendar activities facilitate discussions about time, seasons, weather, and other events relative to the children’s lives.

 

The Bible lesson of the day includes the reading of Scripture and prayer time. The Bible curriculum begins with Creation and moves all the way through the Old and New Testaments. Children learn from studying character traits displayed by people in the Bible.

 

Literature covers a wide spectrum of fiction and nonfiction selections. Riddles, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, sing-along stories, and photo essays provide opportunities for the children to play with words and sounds. Basic phonemic awareness is emphasized daily when students practice recognizing and blending letter sounds. Letter cards are used to teach the names of letters and picture cards teach the sounds for letters. 

 

As in all grade levels, Coram Deo Academy tailors the program to incorporate age-appropriate activities. Pre-K students have music class and spend time moving to music. Children delight in singing and listening to music and with their high energy levels they love to move a lot!

 

Basic mathematical concepts are introduced in Math. The goal is to create an awareness of the fundamental role math plays in everyday life. Children concentrate on developing skills involving time, the calendar, counting, patterns, and shapes. 

 

Key academic components are concentrated in the morning when young children are at their freshest. Review time is incorporated before dismissal; children are given time to relax and reflect on what they have done and learned in school that day. Formal rest period (i.e., nap time) is offered in the afternoon for little ones enrolled in the extended day option. 

 

In keeping with the CDA teacher/parent partnership, pre-K students receive an assignment sheet each week. This shows what was done in class as well as what you are to do during the “at home” component. Although the homework load is light, it provides valuable reinforcement and excellent training for future years of educating coram deo.