Our two year kindergarten program is all about providing our youngest children with the foundational skills to be successful Lamplighters. These foundations include a love of learning, inspired curiosity and creativity, Jewish pride, strong social skills, self-awareness and comprehensive literacy and numeracy skills to support Grade 1 readiness.
Teachers in our Foundations program rely on student-centered inquiry- and play-based learning so that children learn to explore, question, experiment, observe and interpret their surroundings. By putting the children in the driver’s seat of their learning, their natural curiosity promotes engagement and a passion for understanding more. Exploring a wide range of curricular areas, including Jewish traditions, coding, technology, arts, structures and environmental sciences, our students feel more excited to come to school each day.
The structure of cooperative play and small group learning also facilitates the development of integral social skills. Our students learn how to be a contributing member of their classroom community and school. Consistent focus is placed on how they, even as JK or SK students, can contribute to their community and around their home environment. It is never too early to learn how to give a helping hand around the house! We encourage reflective collaboration and communication so that they can learn and grow from each interaction.
The Foundations academic program also includes:
- Oral language development through dramatic play and teacher-led read alouds
- A proven and age-appropriate structured literacy program, supported by Sounds-Write Phonics, to provide our children with strong reading and spelling foundations
- Uppercase, lowercase and number formation delivered with the Handwriting Without Tears program
- Hands-on math foundations, inspired by Singapore Math, to promote math curiosity, confidence with numbers and key math skills to prepare them for Grade 1 math.
- Conversational Hebrew and letter recognition for foundational Hebrew language learning.
- Torah stories that get kids engaged in Jewish history, including the lessons learned from Jewish tradition and values.
- And so much more!