The Children's School at Saint John's

The Children’s School at Saint John’s has an Executive Director & Director, certified teachers and  qualified support personnel. Members of the teaching staff are trained in the area of early childhood education, child development, or health services, and have been selected for their warmth and friendliness, as well as their previous experience.

The children are enrolled in an age-appropriate classroom, beginning in September of each year. They will remain in that classroom for one year and transition as a group to the next age level the following September.

Each classroom is designed to accommodate the age level it serves with appropriate furniture, equipment & supplies, and curriculum used to ensure a safe, yet stimulating place to learn and grow.

The Nursery is available for care of children ages 3 months through 12 years with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 3. The Nursery is licensed for 7 infants per day with 3 teachers. Our Nursery program is designed to provide each child with a feeling of warmth, confidence, and security. The schedule is a very flexible/individual one, which allows the teachers to spend quality time with each child. We believe that through this nurturing interaction, along with encouragement and lots of love, the children will experience a warmth that is essential to their growth and development.

The Toddler Room is available for care of children ages 12 months through 2 years with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 4. The Toddler Room is licensed for 11 children per day with 3 full-time teachers. Within this room, the emphasis will be on initial acquisition of basic self-help skills. The children will participate in open-ended activities where the process is stressed rather than the outcome. Through the use of interest areas the children will experience dramatic play, singing, games, stories, manipulatives, and or projects along with various other activities. The children are encouraged daily in both indoor and outdoor activities with the inclusion of small and large group experiences. 

The Two-Year Old Room is available for care of children ages 2 through years with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 5. The Two-Year Old Room is licensed for 15 children per day with 3 full-time teachers. The emphasis of this age level is to expand language development and to promote social participation in a group setting. The children are engaged in developmentally appropriate activities both indoors and out with the inclusion of small and large group experiences. 

The Pre-School Room is available for care of children ages 3 through 4 years with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 6. The pre-School Room is licensed for 17 children per day with 3 full-time teachers. The emphasis of the Pre-School Room is to provide challenging activities designed to meet the individual needs of children during this active time of growth and development, in addition to promoting enthusiastic and receptive attitude toward school. By combining a diverse, academic program with a healthy, socially-oriented one, we strive to create a stimulating fun-filled day for the children. Within this room interest areas will also be used to engage the children in separate activities throughout the day. The children will participate daily in both indoor and outdoor activities with the inclusion of small and large group activities. 

The Pre-Kindergarten Room is available for children ages 4 through 5 with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 6. The Pre-Kindergarten Room is licensed for 17 children per day. The emphasis of our Pre-Kindergarten Room is to provide the children with an exciting and stimulating environment where everyone feels relaxed and ready to learn and play. Class time and special activities are planned according to themes and supplements including math, science, reading, and art activities, is created on different letters of the alphabet. The curriculum is successful in helping prepare children for Kindergarten. The children also engage in outside and inside activities with the opportunity to be involved in small and large group activities. 

The kindergarten program is state licensed and registered by the Department of Education. It is available for care of children ages 5 through 6 years with a teacher/child ratio of 1 to 10. The program is a stimulating “hands-on” approach to learning. By the use of interest areas within our classroom it will allow for a more individualized experience . The program emphasis is on pre-reading, writing, and mathematics in a small group setting.  

SMALL GROUP/LOW TEACHER/CHILD RATIO

This small program provides for an intimate approach to learning where children can progress independently in an academically and socially enriched environment. Because of the small size and individual attention, the children also progress in a fairly rapid pace throughout the year. Children are challenged and/or receive more one-on-one instruction than in many traditional classrooms ~ leaving here adjusted and well-prepared for first grade.

Maximum Capacity: 18 students

Maximum Teacher/Child Ration: 1 to 10

ENRICHING CURRICULUM

The reading series used in the classroom is Journeysby Houghton Mifflin. It provides the children with an interactive approach to learning by practicing phonemic awareness and phonetic skills. It also provides school and home connections with worksheets every week to make the children better readers. Throughout the school year the children will examine the alphabet, the sounds associated with each letter and familiar words that the children use in their everyday vocabulary. This series makes use of Big Books, audiocassettes, poems, rhymes, shared reading books, and a variety of other materials. The math series, Everyday Mathematics emphasizes the application of mathematics to real world situations, such as number skills and mathematical concepts not presented in isolation, but are linked to situations and contexts that are relevant to everyday life. The curriculum also provides numerous suggestions for incorporating mathematics into daily classroom routines and other subject areas. Our goal is to help each child reach his or her full potential. 

After-School Care at The Children’s School at Saint John’s is offered to children who attend Cynwyd Elementary School,  and who are enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade.

A teacher will walk daily to Cynwyd Elementary during dismissal to walk the children back to our school – please dress your child appropriately on inclement days!

The After-School care program will include a healthy snack, the start of homework, outside play (weather permitting), dramatic play, table games, art activities, and quiet reading areas. Please see attached activity schedule.

After-School Care will follow the schedule for The Children’s School at Saint John’s, which may at times, differ from the Lower Merion School District’s schedule. Please see attached Holiday/Early Dismissal Schedule. In the event that The Children’s School is open and LMSD is closed or has early dismissal, extended hours will be offered at The Children’s School at Saint John’s.