Preschool PRIMER

Christ’s Church Nursery School:  The “small by design” environment at Christ’s Church Nursery School provides a pre-school program that is both emotionally nurturing and academically enriching.

Christ’s Church Nursery School

The “small by design” environment at Christ’s Church Nursery School provides a pre-school program that is both emotionally nurturing and academically enriching. CCNS offers a play-based curriculum in an age-appropriate setting. Cognizant of the changing face of kindergarten, the School incorporates the components of literacy across its age groups. The 2s and 3s classes focus on oral language and listening skills, which are the foundations for literacy. Through play, art, and developmental interaction children gain the confidence needed to become engaged learners.

Their dedicated Block Room, a favorite among 4- and 5-year-olds, enables children to think both creatively and scientifically. It also serves as a hands-on learning lab for a myriad of mathematical problems waiting to be solved.

The study of art and artists enlarges the vocabulary of pre-K children. Visits to the Bruce and Neuberger museums are an integral component of the curriculum. The children’s post-visit reflections include their interpretations of the artists they have learned about. They will paint “in the style” of Jackson Pollock or Georgia O’Keefe. Canvasses filled with the splatter dashes of young artists fill the School’s hallways.

Trips to the Square House deepen the children’s understanding of life in the “olden days.” Director Lisa Pearson adds, “And it’s good to have the Rye Arts Center right across the street! This year, the 4s and 5s enjoyed learning about geodes and creating some of their own. Our friends from the Rye Nature Center welcome our older children at their facility and come to the school to make apple cider and share their animals with our 2- and 3-year- olds. This past year we took our 2s and 3s on their first school visit to the Rye Free Reading Room. We take advantage of all the wonderful resources Rye has to offer.”

Pre-K teachers at CCNS give children exposure to print concepts and provide them with many opportunities to interact with the written word. Phonological awareness is conveyed through the use of alliterative language – in poetry, storytelling, and song. Listening to “read-alouds” helps children build “memory muscles,” thus allowing them to increase their attention span. “We use the children’s names as our basis of teaching the alphabet. Phonics and word recognition are an outgrowth of the respective children’s reading readiness abilities — when they are ready,” says Pearson.

Open Houses for CCNS are scheduled for mid-October. Contact Lisa Pearson at 967-5758 or at director@ccnsrye.org for information regarding registration.