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New Horizons Preschool A wonderful beginning for children and parents alike.
1801
O’Malley Road
For over 30 years, New Horizons has thrived inside the double doors of St. John United Methodist Church. As part of St. John, New Horizons Preschool serves families of the church as well as families throughout the community.
Linda Padden, Director Linda Padden has been the director of New Horizons Preschool since 1983. An education graduate of the University of Washington, she taught in the Seattle School District and directed early childhood programs at Bellevue Community College prior to moving to Alaska. Linda and her staff are committed to providing the very best in developmental education for young children.
PHILOSOPHY New Horizons has a relaxed and informal atmosphere where children and parents may feel safe and secure. We invite you to visit us often. You will find a cheerful and stimulating environment where children explore, discover and grow toward their full physical, social, emotional, and intellectual potential. Our developmentally based preschool program is certified by the State of Alaska. The programs at New Horizons are structured around learning centers and play activities that enable children to investigate at their own pace while building important foundations for skills in mathematics, reading, science, art and music. Our curriculum includes an introduction to American Sign Language as a means to enhance language development.
STAFF The New Horizons staff members are active in the National Association for the Education of Young Children and all are experienced early childhood educators. Our teachers have varied and extensive backgrounds including special education, physical education, speech therapy and creative dramatics. The staff participates in continuing education programs to remain alert to the ever-changing needs of today’s families.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT Our classroom volunteers are an especially important part of our program at New Horizons. Our program requires that each family provide a classroom helper about once each month. Parents will need to make other arrangements for siblings on helping days. We encourage parents to share their occupations and interests with us. Musicians, storytellers, chefs, dog mushers and many others have enriched classes at New Horizons. Parents are asked to provide a healthy snack on a rotating basis and we are ever so careful about allergies.
CLASSES Each program at New Horizons provides abundant opportunities for learning in both small and large group settings. Our class offerings include programs for children ages 2-1/2 through 5-1/2. Some educational objectives for each class follow:
v “3’s” Beginning with the 2006-07 school year, New Horizons will have two classes for 3 year olds -- the Ducklings (program for younger 3’s and almost 3’s) and the Teddy Bears. ² “Ducklings” -- Tuesday & Thursday 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. ² “Teddy Bears” -- Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. ¨ Encourage learning through play and exploration in a warm, age-appropriate setting. ¨ Offer a wealth of storytelling, music, and movement opportunities. ¨ Create a variety of art and sensory experiences. ¨ Introduce colors, numbers, and letters. ¨ Provide gross and fine motor experiences in a rich and challenging environment. Daily indoor and outdoor play. ¨ Promote confidence and encourage independence through the acquisition of self-help skills. ¨ Foster social and language development through cooperative play.
v “4’s” and “5’s” In our Rainbow and Penguin classes, we develop kindergarten readiness skills without rushing the child. A.M. and P.M. Rainbow classes include children who will be four by the beginning of the school year. Our Penguin class is for “older” four-year-olds as well as young 5’s. These programs incorporate the activities listed for the “3’s” classes in addition to the following: ² “Rainbows” – Mon/Wed/Fri 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. ¨ Further develop social skills by providing numerous activities for imaginative play. ¨ Learn to sit through a multi-step teacher directed activity time. ¨ Practice sharing, taking turns, and making independent choices. ¨ Master tools for kindergarten readiness: scissors, paintbrushes, alphabet and math manipulatives.
² “Penguins” -- Monday through Thursday 12:45 to 3:15 p.m. Included are those activities listed for the Rainbow group in addition to the following: ¨ Work independently at learning centers. ¨ More practice with sequence and patterning activities. ¨ Continued development of fine motor skills. ¨ Expanded work with numbers and math concepts. ¨ Field trip opportunities. Development of the Total Child
A child’s life is filled with magical moments. Some moments revolve around a story or quiet music; others may revolve around rhythmic activity and dancing, crawling or jumping. New Horizons has an indoor play area used daily to promote gross motor skills. We go outdoors every day to run, climb, swing, and tumble. At New Horizons there is time to grow, time to explore, time to experiment, to discover, to play, and … there is time to be a child.
Tuition Information A $100 non-refundable registration/supply fee is due at the time of registration. Tuition for the 2006-2007 school year will be: Ducklings: $130 per month – 2 half days Teddy Bears: $140 per month – 2 half days Rainbows: $160 per month – 3 half days Penguins: $180 per month – 4 half days
Our school year runs from September through May. Although there is yearly vacation at Christmas and Spring Break, the monthly amount does not vary. |
