The Lakewood Catholic Academy
Early Childhood Education Program

Overview

The Lakewood Catholic Academy Early Childhood Education Program is an excellent opportunity for children aged three to five to develop the skills necessary to be life-long learners.  We provide an atmosphere that is engaging and encourages children's overall development. Our curriculum is age appropriate and fosters growth in all curriculum areas, including religion, math, language arts, social studies, and science.

Our program is distinguished by the Reggio Emilia approach to early child education. Reggio-inspired curriculum supports the development of the whole child, which includes opportunities for cognitive, social-emotional, physical, language, and spiritual development. Our day includes prayer, outdoor exploration, independent and group activities, which nurture a sense of respect for themselves and others.

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary education. It was started by the parents and municipalities of the villages around Reggio Emilia in Italy after World War II. The city of Reggio Emilia in Italy is recognized worldwide for its innovative approach to education.

The Reggio Emilia philosophy is based upon the following set of principles:

• Children are capable, strong, and able to problem-solve, and must have some control over the direction of their learning.
  
  
• Children learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing.
  
  
• Children learn through collaborating and forming relationships with one another and by manipulating materials in their environment, thus providing endless opportunities for expression.

At LCA, our Reggio Inspired early childhood program has adapted this educational philosophy because of the way we view and respect children. We believe that children are important, unique, capable, resourceful, competent, active and able to problem solve. Our program reflects this belief and encourages children to be inquisitive and be innately motivated to investigate answers to their questions.

Parents are a vital component to our Reggio Inspired curriculum. They are viewed as partners, collaborators and advocates for their children. Teachers respect parents as each child's first teacher and involve parents in every aspect of the curriculum. It is not uncommon to see parents volunteering within our classrooms throughout the school.

This philosophy does not end when the child leaves the classroom. Most parents who choose to send their children to our program, incorporate many of the principles within their parenting and home life. Even with this bridge between school and home, many people wonder what happens to Reggio children when they make the transition from this style of education to an American grade school.

As the children move on to LCA’s grade school program, we believe they are better equipped to problem solve, collaborate with their peers, work on projects, and research. The intellectual curiosity that is nurtured in our program is later rewarded as children become lifelong learners.

Our preschool program immerses the children into the LCA school community through interactions with other teachers, specialists, and staff, such as music, art, and library. We participate in several school-wide events throughout the year.

Early Childhood Education Program Hours:

• Half-Day, Mornings: 8:10 – 10:45

• Half-Day, Afternoons:  12:30 – 3:00

• Full Day:  8:10 - 3:00      

Enrollment Options:

• Three-year olds, ½ day, Mornings, Tuesday through Thursday (three days)

• Three-year-olds, ½ day, Afternoons, Tuesday through Thursday (three days)

• Four-year-olds, Mornings, Monday through Friday (five Days)

• Four-year-olds, Afternoons, Tuesday through Thursday (three days)

• Four- and Five-year-olds, all day, three days (Tuesday-Thursday)

• Four- and Five-year olds, all day, Monday through Friday (five days)

Early Childhood Program Tuition for 2012-13:

Half Day, 3 Days per Week (Age 3 & 4):  $170 per month

Half Day, 5 Days per Week (Age 3 & 4):  $260 per month

Three Full Days (Age 4 & 5):  $340 per month

Five Full Days (age 4 & 5): $505 per month

Note: Preschool tuition is not subject to multiple child discounts or to separate parishioner/non-parishioner rate.

Additional Early Childhood Fees:

Registration Fee: $250 per child, with $130 applied to the total tuition bill.
Snack Fee: $50 per child.
SMART Tuition Administrative Fee: $45 per family, per year.

Maximum Enrollment Levels:

State standards dictate a maximum of 12 three-year-olds and 14 four- and five-year-olds per teacher. Classes that exceed these sizes require the presence of a teacher’s aide. Lakewood Catholic Academy adheres firmly to the state standard for enrollment.