Early Learning Standards

Our centers are very involved in the Keystone STARS program. Keystone STARS is an initiative of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning to improve, support, and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania. Each star level builds on the previous level and utilizes research-based best practices to promote quality learning environments.

One requirement of STARS program is for our teachers to integrate the Early Learning Standards into their lesson plans. The Early Childhood Education Standards are research-based standards that identify key learning areas of development for children. The standards guide our teachersto intentionally integrate developmental knowledge with the attitudes, skills, and concepts children need to make progress in all learning areas.

We encourage all parents to look at the lesson plans posted in your child’s classroom. Each week a new theme will be introduced, and the posted lesson plans will detail concepts and activities related to this theme that your child will be working on. As always, if a parent has any questions about these lesson plans, please feel free to discuss them with your child’s teacher. We hope that you will recognize the importance and appreciate the value of these efforts as much as we do.

Please click on the following link to view the Pennsylvania initiative on all aspects of Early Childhood education, including the Early Learning Standards.

www.pakeys.org

Infants Room

Our infant care is based on the needs of every individual child. Our goals are to provide your children with a loving and nurturing environment while offering a variety of stimulating experiences which foster social/emotional development, and gross and fine motor skills. We follow the schedule for each child given to us by the parents. In addition, they receive social stimulation by interacting with the teachers and other infants. The teachers provide a healthy balance between the infant’s individual schedule and reaching their milestones.

Toddlers Room

Our toddler curriculum is based on Social, Emotional, Physical, Self-help and Intellectual development. The children are offered social development through a variety of centers such as: dramatic play, block play and manipulatives. We have a variety of group activities that foster gross motor and social development through our weekly themes. We use these themes to enhance their intellectual development through cause and effect and learning basic colors and shapes.

Pre-School Rooms (3 and 4)

As preschoolers, our children are eager to learn more concepts. We accomplish this with a curriculum that is based on developmentally appropriate practices. We focus on language and literacy, math, science and gross and fine motor activities. They will have fun-filled experiences throughout the day in each area. The teachers also focus on recognizing letters of the alphabet, number recognition, beginning writing skills, science exploration and manipulative activities. Their gross motor skills are enhanced through outdoor play and group activities.

Pre-Kindergarten Rooms(4 and 5)

The focus of our Pre-K curriculum is preparing the children to have a successful kindergarten experience. Our objective is to expand on our preschool curriculum in the areas of math and science concepts, literacy and language refinement, social and interpersonal skills, fine and gross motor activities. We do this with the knowledge and understanding of what will be expected of them in kindergarten. The children that attend Penn Pals will be very well prepared for kindergarten.

Kindergarten half-day Rooms

Our kindergarten curriculum is an enhancement of their day at kindergarten. We focus and reinforce the skills they are learning at school throughout our morning. They are offered center play, circle time, writing, math and science, language and literacy and gross and fine motor activities. To be enrolled in our kindergarten program your child must be enrolled in afternoon kindergarten and we transport to Level Green, Sunrise, McCullough or Harrison Park Elementary.

School Age Rooms

Our school age program is offered both before and after school. We provide transportation to Level Green, Sunrise, McCullough and Harrison Park Elementary schools. The children are offered breakfast before school and a snack when they get back from school. In the afternoon, the children are offered an opportunity to begin their homework at the center. Our teachers provide help to the children if needed. We also offer full-day care for the school-age children on days off from school and in the summer.