Chapelwood's program emphasizes child development in the following areas:
Social and Emotional Development
Cognitive Development
Physical Development (gross motor and fine motor)
Spiritual Development
Our curriculum was created with particular attention to these four developmental areas for all ages. Keep reading to find out just how we nurture each child so that everyone may reach his or her full potential.
InfantS
A child must be 3 months old by August 31st in order to enroll. Our Infant Program offers children developmental and loving care. Developmental care not only meets the children's basic needs, it also makes sure that children's needs to be held, talked to, and loved are met. The children are given things to look at, listen to, touch, and hold. Our teachers work each day to make sure that the children are thriving and meeting their appropriate developmental milestones. Children in this program experience art both through sight, sound, and touch. They experience language through hearing voices, being read to, listening to music, and learning Baby Signs. Lesson plans are prepared with the developmental needs of each child in mind. All activities are designed to help the children to grow and to learn and to reach their milestones.
The Infant program has a teacher to child ratio of 1:3 for young infants and 1:4 for older infants, with a maximum group size of six young infants and eight older infants.
TODDLERS
Our toddlers are busy and active! They have outside playground play daily and have time to play in the "Treehouse Room" daily. These areas allow them to run, climb and explore with their bodies. Their classrooms are arranged to allow them to explore with various dramatic items so they can imitate and pretend. They have items to manipulate and experiment with to help their hand muscles develop. They have books to look at and are read to every day.
Language development is a very important part of the Toddler program. Teachers use Baby Signs with children to help them to learn to communicate. They also say the words and work with the children to encourage them to use the words themselves. Toddlers are also learning self-help skills. They wash hands several times throughout the day. They learn to pick up the toys before transitioning to the next activity. They learn to put their belongings away upon arrival and after nap. Toddlers are very inquisitive and have a natural love for learning. They are also very busy and must be kept engaged. Our school works to see that their needs are met in the most loving and supportive environment possible.
Our Toddler Program offers a Teacher:child ratio of 1:4.5 with a maximum group of nine children in a class.
Two Year Olds
The classrooms are arranged in Centers to allow the children to explore a variety of activities and interest areas. Our teachers encourage language development each day through circle time by incorporating stories and songs that encourage child participation and response. Two year olds learn self-help skills through hand washing, dressing, picking up toys, and throwing used meal items in the trash. Gross motor development is strengthened through the use of climbing structures, balance beams, riding toys and a special "motor" class each week. Fine motor development is strengthened through the use of crayons, markers, scissors, play-dough, and a variety of manipulative activities that encourage children to use their hands. Two year olds are learning to recognize colors, shapes, names of animals and many objects. They are learning to use their words to communicate their needs as well as with their peers on a social level. Although children toilet-train at their own pace, you and your child's teacher will work together to provide the best environment for success. All children in the two year program participate in Music class, Motor Development class, Spanish class, Science Class, and Gardening. Children enrolled in the two-and-a-half classes will also attend Chapel once per week where they will enjoy hearing age-appropriate Bible stories and songs.
The teacher:child ratio is 1:6 for younger twos and 1:6.5 for older twos. The classes have a maximum group size of 12 young twos and 13 older twos.
Three Year Olds
The classrooms are arranged in Centers to allow the children to explore a variety of activities and interest ares. Learning centers provide opportunities for children to develop self confidence and practice decision-making in each center with guidance. Three-year-old children are introduced to cognitive skills such as sequencing, matching, graphing, similarities and diversity, and language art skills through storytelling and writing. They are learning to recognize letters and numbers. All children in our Three Year Old programs participate weekly in Chapel, Music class, Science and Gardening class, Spanish class and Motor Development class. Outside areas provide a variety of opportunities for the children to run, climb, ride, dig, slide, swing, jump, balance, and most of all, PLAY.
The teacher:child ratio is 1:7 with a maximum group size of 14 children.
pre-kindergarten
Four-year-old classes are arranged in centers to allow children to explore a variety of activities and interests. Learning centers provide opportunities for your child to develop self-confidence and practice decision-making in each center with guidance. Our program is designed to develop a variety of pre-reading and writing skills using the acclaimed Handwriting Without Tears strategies and methods. In addition to weekly Music, Science and Gardening, Motor Development, and Spanish classes, our four year olds also attend Chapel every Wednesday. Pre-K uses the "Everyday Mathematics" Curriculum. Also, they visit and check out books from the church library.
The teacher: child ratio is 1:8 with a maximum class size of 16 children.