St. Joseph Elementary School

St. Joseph Elementary School fosters creativity, independence, and decision making to raise confident, creative, and compassionate kids. Purposeful play in preschool is a student's sense of learning. The preschool program focuses on the academic, social, physical, and emotional well-being of students to prepare them for robust learning in kindergarten.

Preschool uses the OWL (Opening the World of Learning) curriculum to promote early literacy skills and language proficiency in the context of research-based and field-tested content in ELA, science, and social studies. It is designed to develop oral language and early literacy skills for young students in a thematic, center-based classroom.

Building Blocks is the math curriculum used in preschool. Building Blocks weaves mathematical learning into preschool students' daily activities. These hands-on activities are implemented in small groups, morning meeting, whole group, and story time lessons to reinforce informal and formal math knowledge and concepts. The program exposes students to math concepts through asking them to make patterns, count and sort, add items, take items away, build math vocabulary, sequence, recognize numbers, and balance blocks to name a few.

At the preschool level, students' love of God develops through daily appreciation for the gifts and blessings in His world. Students will learn about the Holy Family, recite prayers (Our Father, Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary), and follow in God's teachings. With guidance, students will also practice mindful and reverent prayer with the intention of deepening their faith. God is always at the heart of everyday learning through social, emotional, and academic growth.

Typical Day

8:00- 8:15- Drop-off/ Table Choices & Center Choices

8:15-9:00 - Morning Meeting & Circle Time

9:00- 9:30 - Outdoor Play

9:30-9:45 - Snack Time

9:45-10:30- Center Exploration and Project-based Learning

10:30-11:00- Special (Spanish, art, music, gym, library, STREAM)

11:00-11:30- Outdoor Play

11:30- 12:00- Books, Songs, Wash hands for lunch

12:00- 12:30- Lunch Time

12:30-1:15- Quiet Time on Mat/ Books on Tape

1:15 - 2:00 - Center & Table Activities

2:00 - 2:30 - Afternoon Meeting & Circle time and Departure