Infant
Welcome to Our Infant Program!
Our commitment to early learning and education begins in our infant program with the partnership between our teachers and parents.
Our Teachers
Together, you and your child’s teachers develop a daily schedule that meets the individual needs of your child. This important, trusting relationship continues as your infant grows and his or her developmental needs change. We understand that very young children require an environment that is especially responsive to individual needs. Our loving teachers respond with kind words, warm smiles, and gentle touches to assure your child receives optimum care, attention, and opportunities for development.
Our Curriculum
We use Early Discoveries and Bright Baby® curriculum with our infants. Teachers use monthly themes to create individualized lesson plans to provide developmentally appropriate and engaging activities for your child. Teachers use R-E-I (Relate, Explore and expand, Inspire) to ensure responsive learning.
Relate -Teachers adjust their relationship with each child to meet unique temperament types and individual needs. Teachers strive for high-quality interactions based on respect and use routines as part of the curriculum.
Expand and Explore – Teachers help infants explore materials and people and their reactions. Teachers help children explore, so each infant develops a sense of what he or she is capable of doing. Teachers use expansion to develop language and new ideas.
Inspire – Teachers plan for experiences that set the stage for exploration versus activities that teach one skill. Teachers set the stage for opportunities to develop a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Our Classrooms
We understand that very young children require an environment that is especially responsive to individual needs. In the infant classrooms, you will see teachers singing songs, cuddling, reading stories, engaging in conversation, using sign language, doing yoga activities, and playing with infants. This ‘play time’ is scheduled every day to help children learn and grow physically. We use the
Sign with your Baby learning kit to help teachers communicate with your pre-verbal infant. Baby sign language helps infants that are ready to communicate, but can’t quite bridge the gap to full speech. Through simple signs, our infants are able to communicate their wants, needs, and observations in a manner that adults clearly understand.
Communication with Parents
Every day, you will receive a written, detailed account of your child’s schedule, activities, and development. This open communication is ongoing throughout your child’s experience at New Horizon Academy.
Supporting Children’s Development
Because ongoing evaluation is an integral part of the education process, New Horizon Academy uses the nationally recognized and award-winning Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment for assessing each child’s development. The assessment focuses on children’s strengths and provides an accurate picture of each child’s emerging skills. Our comprehensive assessment system helps our teachers be intentional in their teaching by accurately pinpointing where children are in their development and learning. Our teachers use the results of the assessment to design an individual development plan for each child to promote the school readiness of the child. Information is shared with families during formal conferences twice a year (in the spring and fall). Our center director, assistant director, and/or teachers are available for a conference at any time.
The infant classrooms at New Horizon Academy are places where infants can grow and learn every day by exploring and making new discoveries.
