by Patty Messer, Executive Director, Grande Innovation Academy and Little Innovator Preschool
So you think your child might be ready for preschool, but you’re not sure which school is best for your child. There are a lot of choices available, and it’s easy for parents to feel overwhelmed. As the Executive Director of the Grande Innovation Academy, we kept this in mind when developing the Little Innovators Preschool. We developed a preschool which would prepare young minds for entering elementary school, laying down the foundation to create open-minded, principled, inquisitive lifelong learners with a strong sense of pride in themselves. Here are a few questions to ask yourself while you do your due diligence:
- Does the school offer small class sizes? The Little Innovators Preschool’s low student-to-teacher ratio provides our staff the opportunity to focus on each child’s needs and provide individual attention.
- Does the preschool focus on education? The Little Innovators Preschool follows the HighScope® model for our curriculum. The HighScope® curriculum uses a carefully designed process — called “active participatory learning” — to achieve powerful, positive outcomes. The Little Innovator Preschool focuses on the whole child – health, fitness, structured activities, intellectual stimulation, extracurricular activities and academic achievements are all considered important elements of a child’s development. Children will think they’re just having fun, but they’re really learning the necessary skills for a seamless transition into elementary school.
- What kind of a facility am I looking for? The Little Innovators Preschool is located in the Grande Innovation Academy’s stand-alone school building. We are not in a storefront. We have large play areas and centers. The classrooms are created to foster gross motor and fine motor skills, and lunch is included.
- Is the facility safe? The Little Innovators Preschool staff, with their small class sizes, gets to know every family. We have a firm child guidance and disciplinary policy. Please download a copy of the Little Innovators Preschool Handbook for additional information.
- Does the school allow for parent involvement? The Little Innovators Preschool encourages parents to contribute to their school by assisting with special projects and sharing their time and talents. Parents are invited to share holidays and other cultural traditions with the children. If you’d like to read more about what to look for in a preschool, or want to learn more about the Little Innovators Preschool, visit our website at www.LittleInnovatorsPreschool.com
