There are two N-2 programs at SJES: N-2/5 and
the N-2/3.
* N-2/5 meets five times a week Monday- Friday.
On Mondays school starts at 9:00 A.M. All other days’
school starts at 8:00 A.M. The school day ends at
11:45 A.M.
* N-2/3 meets three times a week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On Monday school starts at 9:00 A.M. All other days’ school starts at 8:00 A.M. The school day ends at 11:45 A.M.
* SJES offers childcare services for both before and after school hours.
Each N-2 class will have one primary teacher and one assistant. In addition, both classes will have specialized teachers in Music, Motor Development, Chapel, and Library.
N-2 Language Curriculum
Language development is an important focus of curriculum for two-year-olds. Most children begin the school year with a vocabulary of a couple hundred words. Over the course of the school year this vocabulary will grow exponentially as the children become immersed in their school environment. Children are encouraged to “use their words” to communicate their wants, needs, and feelings and they are encouraged to describe the world around them. Children are read to on a daily basis from a wide selection of traditional nursery rhymes, poems, fiction and non-fiction genres.
Also, two year olds at SJES are encouraged to play. Research shows that play is very important for overall cognitive development.
Math Curriculum
Math instruction in the N-2 program involves problem solving and application in “real world” situations where the students become acquainted with the concepts of numbers. The students are given many opportunities throughout a class day to count orally and identify the numerals. Class activities are designed to let the students classify, categorize, and differentiate the different manipulatives and materials. The children learn to identify objects by size, shape, color, and number.
Science Curriculum
The science curriculum at SJES is designed to let the children explore the natural world. The children tend a garden all year long where they become familiar with the life cycle of plants and weather patterns. Classroom pets and other live creatures such as frogs, ants, guinea pigs, caterpillars, butterflies, ladybugs, worms and crickets serve to teach the children the basic principles of biology. Simple experiments are performed throughout the year.
Circle Time
Circle time is an important part of the day where the teacher and students sit down together for a short time to take part in a guided activity such as singing, playing games or listening to a story. At circle time children learn many important socialization skills such cooperation and sharing, following directions, and actively listening.
Art
Art instruction at SJES seeks to give the natural creative impulse in young children many opportunities to manifest itself. Enjoyment and engagement with the artistic process is paramount. The children will draw, color, paint, mold play dough, cut and glue many works of art.
Cooking
Cooking activities are designed to develop small and large muscle control, math and science skills, language skills and social skills. The class will work as a group to prepare something that can be eaten at snack time or taken home to enjoy. Snack time routine is designed to teach the children the basics of good manners and hygiene.
Motor Development
Students attend Motor Development once a week for fifteen minutes (N-2/3) or twice a week (N-2/5). While joyfully moving their bodies, specific motor skills are being practiced which help the children in the development of their eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance and overall muscular strength and fitness. The motor development specialist monitors each individual’s progress.
Music
The N-2 music program is designed to build upon a child’s natural love of music. Through singing, dance and the playing of simple instruments, students explore a wide range of expressive possibilities. In addition to the music taught daily by the homeroom teacher, a music specialist meets with the N-2/3 class once a week and the N-2/5 class twice a week for fifteen minutes. All students have many opportunities to lift their voices in song while praying, playing and thinking.
Spiritual Formation and Growth
Every Monday students attend a chapel service given by a teacher from The Church of the Good Shepherd. The children listen to a short Bible story, sing and pray. In addition to Monday chapel children begin each day with a morning devotional and prayer. Children say or sing a prayer of thanks just before snack. The N-2 spiritual formation program is based on Early Christian Awareness (ECA) materials. The goals for the program include the following: 1) To provide a relaxed, happy Christian environment in the room. 2) To enable the students to experience faith through the caring and nurturing of the teacher. 3) To make students aware of God’s love for them.
Library
Library instruction is designed to kindle a love of reading, books and learning. N-2 students have a weekly library time for fifteen minutes. At the beginning of the year, the librarian may come to the room. When the teacher feels that the children are ready to climb the stairs, the children will start to travel to the library. While at library the children will listen to a story read to them by the librarian and have the opportunity to check out a book.
Outdoor Play
N-2 students have thirty minutes of outdoor play at the playground every day. The children are free to choose how they spend their time at playground. There is a full set of playground equipment with slides, swings and monkey bars, a large collection of riding toys and many implements for the digging and moving of pebbles. Children engage in parallel play as well as cooperative play while learning social skills such as sharing and taking turns.
Learning Centers
Classroom layout is designed to incorporate activity oriented Learning Centers. These centers change throughout the year and include the following: Blocks, Homemaking Corner, Puzzles, Writing Center, Art, Sand and Water Tables, and Library. Students are encouraged to explore and experiment with the materials in the centers, to make discoveries, identify problems and solutions, follow directions, work cooperatively and to manipulate objects with increasing control.
Integrated Instruction
Several learning themes are presented each year. Each theme is integrated into many subject areas. Teachers integrate the themes into the daily language development, science, mathematics, music, cooking and art instruction.
Parent Communication
A parent orientation will be scheduled just prior to the opening of school to introduce the schoolroom, teachers and curriculum to the parents. One scheduled parent conference and one optional conference is provided each year. Newsletters which describe the activities of the class will be sent home on a regular basis. Also, a monthly calendar will be sent home to keep parents informed about the day-to-day activities and lessons at school. Parents and teachers are encouraged to keep up regular contact with each other. Also, parents are always welcome for classroom visits.
There are two N-2 programs at SJES: N-2/5 and
the N-2/3.
* N-2/5 meets five times a week Monday- Friday.
On Mondays school starts at 9:00 A.M. All other days’
school starts at 8:00 A.M. The school day ends at
11:45 A.M.
* N-2/3 meets three times a week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On Monday school starts at 9:00 A.M. All other days’ school starts at 8:00 A.M. The school day ends at 11:45 A.M.
* SJES offers childcare services for both before and after school hours.
Each N-2 class will have one primary teacher and one assistant. In addition, both classes will have specialized teachers in Music, Motor Development, Chapel, and Library.
N-2 Language Curriculum
Language development is an important focus of curriculum for two-year-olds. Most children begin the school year with a vocabulary of a couple hundred words. Over the course of the school year this vocabulary will grow exponentially as the children become immersed in their school environment. Children are encouraged to “use their words” to communicate their wants, needs, and feelings and they are encouraged to describe the world around them. Children are read to on a daily basis from a wide selection of traditional nursery rhymes, poems, fiction and non-fiction genres.
Also, two year olds at SJES are encouraged to play. Research shows that play is very important for overall cognitive development.
Math Curriculum
Math instruction in the N-2 program involves problem solving and application in “real world” situations where the students become acquainted with the concepts of numbers. The students are given many opportunities throughout a class day to count orally and identify the numerals. Class activities are designed to let the students classify, categorize, and differentiate the different manipulatives and materials. The children learn to identify objects by size, shape, color, and number.
Science Curriculum
The science curriculum at SJES is designed to let the children explore the natural world. The children tend a garden all year long where they become familiar with the life cycle of plants and weather patterns. Classroom pets and other live creatures such as frogs, ants, guinea pigs, caterpillars, butterflies, ladybugs, worms and crickets serve to teach the children the basic principles of biology. Simple experiments are performed throughout the year.
Circle Time
Circle time is an important part of the day where the teacher and students sit down together for a short time to take part in a guided activity such as singing, playing games or listening to a story. At circle time children learn many important socialization skills such cooperation and sharing, following directions, and actively listening.
Art
Art instruction at SJES seeks to give the natural creative impulse in young children many opportunities to manifest itself. Enjoyment and engagement with the artistic process is paramount. The children will draw, color, paint, mold play dough, cut and glue many works of art.
Cooking
Cooking activities are designed to develop small and large muscle control, math and science skills, language skills and social skills. The class will work as a group to prepare something that can be eaten at snack time or taken home to enjoy. Snack time routine is designed to teach the children the basics of good manners and hygiene.
Motor Development
Students attend Motor Development once a week for fifteen minutes (N-2/3) or twice a week (N-2/5). While joyfully moving their bodies, specific motor skills are being practiced which help the children in the development of their eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance and overall muscular strength and fitness. The motor development specialist monitors each individual’s progress.
Music
The N-2 music program is designed to build upon a child’s natural love of music. Through singing, dance and the playing of simple instruments, students explore a wide range of expressive possibilities. In addition to the music taught daily by the homeroom teacher, a music specialist meets with the N-2/3 class once a week and the N-2/5 class twice a week for fifteen minutes. All students have many opportunities to lift their voices in song while praying, playing and thinking.
Spiritual Formation and Growth
Every Monday students attend a chapel service given by a teacher from The Church of the Good Shepherd. The children listen to a short Bible story, sing and pray. In addition to Monday chapel children begin each day with a morning devotional and prayer. Children say or sing a prayer of thanks just before snack. The N-2 spiritual formation program is based on Early Christian Awareness (ECA) materials. The goals for the program include the following: 1) To provide a relaxed, happy Christian environment in the room. 2) To enable the students to experience faith through the caring and nurturing of the teacher. 3) To make students aware of God’s love for them.
Library
Library instruction is designed to kindle a love of reading, books and learning. N-2 students have a weekly library time for fifteen minutes. At the beginning of the year, the librarian may come to the room. When the teacher feels that the children are ready to climb the stairs, the children will start to travel to the library. While at library the children will listen to a story read to them by the librarian and have the opportunity to check out a book.
Outdoor Play
N-2 students have thirty minutes of outdoor play at the playground every day. The children are free to choose how they spend their time at playground. There is a full set of playground equipment with slides, swings and monkey bars, a large collection of riding toys and many implements for the digging and moving of pebbles. Children engage in parallel play as well as cooperative play while learning social skills such as sharing and taking turns.
Learning Centers
Classroom layout is designed to incorporate activity oriented Learning Centers. These centers change throughout the year and include the following: Blocks, Homemaking Corner, Puzzles, Writing Center, Art, Sand and Water Tables, and Library. Students are encouraged to explore and experiment with the materials in the centers, to make discoveries, identify problems and solutions, follow directions, work cooperatively and to manipulate objects with increasing control.
Integrated Instruction
Several learning themes are presented each year. Each theme is integrated into many subject areas. Teachers integrate the themes into the daily language development, science, mathematics, music, cooking and art instruction.
Parent Communication
A parent orientation will be scheduled just prior to the opening of school to introduce the schoolroom, teachers and curriculum to the parents. One scheduled parent conference and one optional conference is provided each year. Newsletters which describe the activities of the class will be sent home on a regular basis. Also, a monthly calendar will be sent home to keep parents informed about the day-to-day activities and lessons at school. Parents and teachers are encouraged to keep up regular contact with each other. Also, parents are always welcome for classroom visits.