Published on October 19, 2021
Warwick School District has launched its first ever Pre-K program for the 2021-2022 school year. This program is designed to build a foundation for Kindergarten success for Warwick’s youngest and eligible learners.
The vision for Pre-Kindergarten services is to continue to provide consistent and rigorous whole-child programming to all students, with a focus on those who demonstrate the most financial need. The goal of this Pre-K program is to lay out structures, supports, and services to enable students to enter into kindergarten successfully.
New to this school year, this program offers a morning and afternoon session. Content being taught is language arts, math, fine motor skills, science, school counseling and digital discovery. All of these content areas act as an introduction to specific skills that will enhance these learners and prepare them for kindergarten the following school year.
As of now, there is only one Pre-K classroom within the district, located at the Kissel Hill Elementary school.
“So far the focus has been on learning school routines and expectations. The Pre-K kids are doing this in an engaging and hands-on way making learning fun,” said Pre-K teacher Mrs. Stacey Yunginger. SEAD (Social and Emotional Learning) has also been a focus since the start of the year. Students have learned about feelings and accepting differences. They participate in a morning circle, (or afternoon for the p.m. group) which is a great time to explore these topics. Students are also diving into a variety of fine motor skills. Drawing lines, mountains and hills, cutting, gluing and playing with manipulatives in the sensory bin are all foundational skills to strengthen fine motor skills.
The Pre-K students will learn all their skills through various themes. Currently they are exploring “All About the Farm.”
“There has been so much growth in such a short time that we cannot wait to see where these kiddos are in June,” stated Mrs. Yunginger.
“The students are eager to learn and excited about their new experiences together. Along with their families, Mrs. Yunginger and the staff in Pre-K are building a strong foundation for each student and family as they experience their first school days in Warwick School District,” states Dr. Melanie Calender, Assistant Superintendent.
Warwick’s Pre-K program has enabled our youngest learners to experience the joy of learning in a school community.
More information on Warwick’s Pre-K program is available here.