Private Kindergarten
Welcome to Our Private Kindergarten Program!available at select locations
Our kindergarten curriculum uses an outcomes-based, learning experiences approach to support children’s development of essential foundational skills. This comprehensive approach prepares children to enter first grade with the language, literacy, mathematics, social and emotional, physical, and cognitive skills necessary for success.
Our Teachers
Our licensed teachers create opportunities for exploration to help children build a foundation of literacy, math, and science skills. Through hands-on activities, teachers encourage discoveries in the developmental areas of social and emotional, language (including a handwriting curriculum), small and large motor, sensory, and cognitive development.
Our Curriculum
We use the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys reading curriculum and Expressions math curriculum. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys curriculum supports the Common Core Standards by emphasizing explicit, systematic instruction in the areas of reading, fluency, writing, speaking and listening, and language. The program provides ample practice and application of these skills, using a variety of meaningful resources and activities suited to different types of learners to reinforce instruction and learning. The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Expressions math curriculum is an innovative program that weaves abstract mathematic concepts with everyday experiences of children. This helps children understand math better. We also incorporate science, social studies, and technology curriculum. Our science curriculum uses hands-on explorations to help children learn how to observe, predict, and describe what they sense. Scientific concepts are taught as part of an integrated curriculum. Our social studies curriculum focuses on self-awareness and the world around us. We explore our community through a variety of field trips. Children come to kindergarten with different backgrounds and experiences. Our curriculum encourages children to think independently while respecting the opinions of others. Children learn about themselves, their family, their school, and their community as part of the integrated curriculum. Our technology curriculum exposes children to computers. The children utilize age-appropriate software that corresponds to the themes and curriculum goals. With computers in our classroom, children quickly learn computer skills while reinforcing concepts learned in the themes.
Our curriculum balances teacher-directed instruction with child-initiated explorations and projects to enhance learning opportunities. Teachers use theme-based lesson plans to provide activities to help children become problem solvers and lifelong learners.
Our Classroom
The kindergarten classroom revolves around the following nine learning centers:
• Art
• Sensory
• Blocks
• Math and science
• Language
• Manipulatives
• Large motor
• Music and movement
• Dramatic play
Teachers design hands-on activities to enhance learning opportunities in each learning center. From letter of the week exploration in group time, to one-on-one guided reading opportunities, to educational field trips, to special guest speakers, to active play in learning centers, teachers create a balance of child-initiated and teacher-directed activities and a balance of individual attention with group experiences to ensure that children are developing to their fullest potential.
Communication with Parents
Our private kindergarten program offers daily face-to-face communication opportunities with your child’s teacher. In addition, every day, you will receive a written, detailed account of your child’s schedule, activities, homework to reinforce learning activities, and development. You also receive a bi-weekly newsletter and have access to a Web site for your child’s classroom with photos, updates, reminders, and homework support. 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 Private Kindergarten classrooms at New Horizon Academy are places where children can grow and learn every day by exploring and making new discoveries.
What's families are saying about our Private Kindergarten program
Since she has started kindergarten at New Horizon, I have seen my daughter blossom into a girl ready and eager to learn anything and everything she can. She has always had a reserved, cautious personality and tends to stay quiet in a larger crowd. For her, the experience of kindergarten with a smaller classroom size has been absolutely ideal. She is able to comfortably participate in classroom activities, building a strong sense of confidence that she will take with her into first grade at her new school.
Miss Melissa is able and more than willing to offer individualized attention and provide challenges tailored to each student’s skill level—and does a fabulous job! I, and everyone close to my daughter, am nothing short of amazed with all of the things she has shown us such as science concepts, reading skills and comprehension, and math well beyond her age level. Enriching field trips that tie in and enforce what they learn are just the cherry on top! But while we continue to be impressed by everything she has learned, what she learns was not actually our priority when we decided to enroll in the program.
What we wanted most out of this New Horizon private kindergarten experience was a solid introduction into her school years. Creating a love of learning in a positive, inspiring environment was our top priority. And I can say without a doubt that our #1 priority has not only been met, but exceeded! And now, feeding off of my oldest daughter’s energy and enthusiasm, her little sister cannot wait until she can attend kindergarten at New Horizon!
