Ursuline Academy

pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Ursuline Academy believes that a kindergarten program should provide a quality, well-rounded education that strives to meet the spiritual, physical, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of the whole child. The teachers in the pre-K/K program engage children in developmentally appropriate activities and promote exploration, while surrounding the children with literature and a language-rich environment. The children are encouraged to express themselves creatively through drama and play.

Pre-K/K children exhibit the characteristics of enthusiasm, compassion, innocence, openness, and inquisitiveness. They like to imitate, explore, imagine, and expand their language. Teachers at Ursuline Academy Lower School engage in a variety of multi-sensory activities. The activities are open-ended to encourage different learning styles and levels of thinking.

Ursuline Academy believes that the benefits of coeducation in pre-K/K age children are critical to the complete development of the whole child. Children are challenged to explore a wide range of learning experiences (including blocks stations and drawing/writing stations). Boys and girls gain social maturity through valuable interactive play and shared academic environments. When both sexes work together at a young age, they are better prepared to handle social situations.

Traditions and Core Values

At the pre-K/K level, teachers will introduce children to the identity of St. Angela Merici and Ursuline history. We pray and praise good behavior. Ursuline core values are integrated into daily activities by such things as fostering respect for each other, building a sense of community, and modeling kindness. Teachers provide opportunities for the children to make a connection with Ursuline history through interactions with the Ursuline sisters.

Academic Excellence

A challenging curriculum for pre-K/K children would include open-ended language arts, reading skills, mathematics, social studies, science, foreign language, and an appreciation of the arts, technology, and activities that focus on fine and gross motor skills. Pre-reading and language skills are taught through thematic units, which focus on phonemic awareness and children’s literature.

Social Consciousness

At the pre-K/K level, teachers and children respond to personal, community and global needs through prayer by participating in Serviam opportunities, as it relates to Christian love.