Prince William Academy’s preschool program combines academics with play, art, and positive interaction among our young pupils. All preschoolers, aged 2-4, receive instruction in phonics and numbers, as well as Spanish and another non Latin-based language.
Our preschool curriculum includes Montessori-based and hands-on learning, and provides an excellent foundation for our students as they prepare for our advanced elementary curriculum.
Parents may choose to enroll their children in preschool for half or full days, for 2, 3, or 5 days per week. Before and after care is also available for preschoolers.
For children younger than 2 years, we offer an Infant and Toddler Program.
Our Preschool Programs
Preschool 2s and Young 3s
Our 2s and Young 3s program provides our youngest preschool students with a warm, comfortable, and enriching environment where they can explore new concepts, socialize with their peers, and get the exercise and rest their growing bodies need. We emphasize hands-on activities to enhance children’s ability to think and communicate, and incorporate art activities into every school day, along with plenty of outdoor and gym time. Our 2s and 3s take afternoon naps.
Curriculum
Language Arts
Students recognize their names, letter sounds, sight words, and use of punctuation in a sentence. Students learn to identify upper and lower case letters as well as beginning, middle, and ending sounds. At this level, the students begin writing letters, words, and sentences. Students read sentences and stories with one and two vowel words. Students participate in daily story time, and morning circle time.
Mathematics
Students learn to count and sort items into groups. They learn number recognition and practice writing numbers.
Science
Students explore science concepts related to body awareness, seasons, outer space, plants, and animals with hands-on activities. A science center in each classroom provides opportunities for sensory exploration and experimentation.
Social Studies
Students explore concepts related to patriotism, national symbols, good citizenship, and the importance of following rules and respecting the rights and property of others.
Fine Arts
Students are introduced to the elements of design, the color spectrum, and color mixing. They participate in daily art activities.
Music
Students learn and sing a variety of songs and types of music. They also participate in school-wide musical performances.
Physical Education
In class, students participate in activities that help them improve basic motor skills, and gain an appreciation for the importance of physical activities. They utilize the gym space as well as our preschool playground, which is outfitted with a soft surface and age-appropriate equipment.
World Languages Program
Students in this age group learn basic greetings and vocabulary terms that coincide with the curriculum themes. They also sing themed songs. Teachers utilize visual aids to reinforce vocabulary, and engage students in listening, speaking, and art activities.
Preschool 3s
In our preschool 3s program, daily circle time and the utilization of math and language arts workbooks teach our students letter and number recognition, counting, sorting skills, and new vocabulary. Songs hone listening and comprehension skills. Our preschool program is designed to instill in our students a life-long love of learning, starting with the basic premise that learning is and should always be enjoyable.
Academics are mingled with plenty of outdoor and gym time, art projects, language classes, and music. Some of our three-year-olds take afternoon naps, depending upon their needs and parents’ preferences.
Curriculum
Who We Are
- All About Me- Body Awareness
- Five Senses
- Community Helpers
- Nutrition and Manners (You are what you eat)
- Early American Colonial Life/Indians/Pilgrims
- Teeth and Heart
How We Express Ourselves
- Family
- Communications
- Musical Instruments
- Feelings (Healthy ways to cope with feelings)
- Sports and Games
- Friendship
How the World Works
- Safety and the World Around Us
- Chemical Safety
- Health Safety
- Ocean Life-Water and Fish
- Ways to Travel
Sharing the Planet
- Pets
- Outer Space
- Our Planes/The Globe/Day and Night
- Spring and Growing Things
- Farms and Farm Animals
- Bears/Winter Animals/Penguins
Stand Alone Topics
- Holidays (Fall Celebrations, thanksgiving, Winter Holidays, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine’s Day)
- Music
- Language Arts
Jr. Kindergarten
“My son has been thriving… We are excited about Prince William Academy and are looking forward to the new academic year.” – The Steed Family
Our Jr. Kindergarten program is consistently the most popular at our school–and with good reason. Our Jr. K students learn at a kindergarten level, and leave our program with a jump start on elementary school.
Our Jr. K teachers utilize a language arts textbook from Abeka, which teaches letter knowledge and phonics awareness, and sound and letter associations. Our program strives to prepare students to read. They also utilize math texts which emphasize thinking strategies for problem solving by teaching students that counting and math can apply to every area of their lives.
Our Jr. Kindergarteners explore science and social studies concepts through a thematic system which ties stories and art projects to core concepts. At its core, our program is designed to help our students develop self-confidence as they learn in a cooperative setting, interacting with their peers and acquiring skills to explain themselves and their reasoning.
Curriculum
Language Arts
Students recognize their names, letter sounds, sight words, and use of punctuation in a sentence. Students learn to identify upper and lower case letters as well as beginning, middle, and ending sounds. At this level, the students begin writing letters, words, and sentences. Students read sentences and stories with one and two vowel words. Students participate in daily story time.
Mathematics
Students learn to count through one hundred. They also skip count and write by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100. Students recognize monetary values (coins and dollar bills), telling time, addition facts using numbers 1-10, and basic subtraction.
Science
Our Junior Kindergarten students conduct hands-on science investigations in order to foster a love for scientific study. Students continue to explore science concepts related to body awareness, seasons, outer space, plants, and animals. Beginning in Junior Kindergarten, students visit the science lab a minimum of twice per month. During science lab, students participate in whole group and individual exploratory learning activities.
Social Studies
Students explore concepts related to patriotism, national symbols, good citizenship, and the importance of following rules and respecting the rights and property of others.
Fine Arts
Students are introduced to the elements of design are introduced, as well the color spectrum and how it relates to color mixing. Students learn the elements that form the basis for effective compositions and color schemes, and explore mediums such as collage, tempera, and dot paintings.
Technology
Students utilize their classroom computers for center time and one-on-one learning. The students are able to access content-related activities and websites that support instruction. Students learn how to use a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, touchpad, and other input devices as available.
Music
Students learn and sing a variety of songs and types of music. They also participate in school-wide musical performances.
Physical Education
Formal physical education classes begin in Junior Kindergarten. Students are introduced to the various types of equipment housed in our gym, and learn to use them and the space of the gym properly and respectfully. In class, they participate in activities that help them improve basic motor skills, and gain an appreciation for the importance of physical activities.
World Languages Program
Students in this age group learn basic greetings and vocabulary terms that coincide with the curriculum themes. They also sing themed songs. Teachers utilize visual aids to reinforce vocabulary, and engage students in listening, speaking, and writing activities. They identify basic commands and expand on previously learned vocabulary terms. The students are introduced to art and music, and cover topics including the alphabet, clothing, family, feelings, and counting. Language teachers engage their students in singing songs that develop a child’s musical talent and ear for correct pronunciation and intonation. Three times a year, students participate in special performances for their parents.
