School age (5 years - 12 years)
After School Program
Our goal is to supplement the public school system. Our staff will offer help with daily homework and other ongoing assignments. We will encourage a spirit of dedication to schooling and emphasize the impoortance of success within the public school system. We hope to establish a sense of group within the school age room, even though the children will be of various ages. Within this group, the older children will serve as positive role models for the younger children. We want them to model a positive outlook on education, as well as demonstrate proper schoolwork habits. This modeling will extend beyond the school age room and into the preschool and toddler rooms. We hope to use our school agers as positive role models for the entire school, because children always look up to "the big kids". In this vain, we will create a program where school age children will periodically read to the younger children. This will benefit the younger children, but also offer an opportunity for the school age children to practice public speaking.
Summer Program
Our summer program will vary greatly from our after school program. First, we will develop a set curriculum with weekly themes and projects. These themes will be developmentally appropriate, and will take into consideration the different age ranges and abilities, of our school age children. We will provide hands-on activities and experiences that encourage curiosity, exploration, and problem solving appropriate to the learning styles of the children. These themes and projects will serve as a reminder of the things they've learned throughout the school year, and help the children retain their knowledge. Because of the relatively small number of school age children (nine), we will be able to tailor our educational efforts toward their specific interests.
Another large part of our summer program is field trips. It is important to extend their learning environment beyond our walls, and into the community. These filed trips will include excursions to Crandall Library, The Hyde Museum, World Awareness Children's Museum, The Fun Spot, Gurney Lane, and many more. We hope to balance educational outings with just plain fun trips.