“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” ~ Fred Rogers
At Shady Oak, your preschooler or Kindergartner can enjoy childhood in a developmentally appropriate program that allows them to learn through play. Shady Oak’s philosophy is a blend of best practices pulled from Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia and heavily influenced by Fairy Dust Teaching and the teachings of Fred Rogers. All of our practices are supported by brain research. We know that children learn best in places of beauty, and we encourage their learning through their own natural curiosity and sense of wonder.
Early Care 7:30-8:00am
Standard dropoff time 8:00 to 8:30am
School day program from 8:30am until 3pm
3 or 5 days a week.
During the 2024-25 school year, after care will be offered between 3:00 pm and 5:00pm. Inquire with the front office about enrollment in the after school program.
Sprouts Class (Preschool Ages 3-4) 3 or 5 days
Acorns Class (Preschool Ages 4-5) 3 or 5 days
Bridge (See below for criteria for Bridge enrollment)
Kindergarten (See below for Shady Oak Kindergarten Philosophy and Approach)
Bridge
The Shady Oak Bridge Class is for children new to our school who have turned 5 on or before September 1 or children who have had two years of preschool at Shady Oak, with the recommendation of their current Preschool Teacher.
This class is gives children the “gift of time”. It is designed for children that need an extra year before entering kindergarten. Our Bridge Class is play-based with children attending morning in the Acorns Class and then spending the afternoon in our Kindergarten Classroom. Subjects covered in the morning include language arts, math, social studies, science, art and music. In the afternoon your child will be able to participate in enrichment classes with our Kindergarten class . Those experiences include cooking, science experiments, art social studies, story time, etc.
As with all Shady Oak experiences, there is lots of time for outside play and discovery. Emphasis is given to building self-regulation, which involves the prefrontal cortex of the brain. It refers to mental processes through which children learn to regulate and control their own “knee-jerk” impulses and emotional reactions. It means they gradually learn to think and control behavior before they act inappropriately. They gain competence in mentally solving problems so they learn to behave more reliably within acceptable social rules and conduct.
Kindergarten
Shady Oak Kindergarten is for children who are 5 before September 1, with emphasis on being older, since we do have a Bridge Class for younger 5 year olds.
The program provides developmentally appropriate experiences for children by:
· Providing for the education of the whole child including physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs.
· Organizing instruction around each child’s developmental needs, interests, learning styles, and Multiple Intelligences.
· Emphasizing the processes of learning rather than focusing on finished products.
· Recognizing that each child follows a unique patten of development and that Kindergarten children learn best through first hand experiences with people and materials.
· Affirming the importance of play to children’s total development.