Full-day Kindergarten

Kindergarten Reading and Writing with Jolly Phonics

No philosophy of reading is complete without reference to phonics. Mini-Skool has chosen Jolly Phonics to teach your child in a fun and interactive way. Your child will learn the letter names and sounds with an enjoyable multi-sensory approach. Learning how to blend letters, to read and to write words are all part of the fun of Jolly Phonics.

Low teacher to child ratios at our kindergarten school allow the teachers to spend the extra time with those children who require additional support. If your child is excelling in the program, supplementary learning material is provided to ensure that he or she remains challenged. We want every child to receive the full benefit of our program.

Mini-Skool teachers have taken the time to divide Jolly Phonics into a custom designed two year progressive program, to challenge both JK and SK children. The program is divided into three terms: September-December, January-March, and April-June. Each child in JK receives a personal binder to house their work sheets. SK children receive an accordion file folder to house their various workbooks. As the children progress through the terms, additional supplements to the program are introduced, such as “Jolly Jingle” songs, “Word Baggies”, “Book Buddy Bags”, “Printing Journals” and “Language Arts” journals.

To ensure that the program is successful, we involve parents, and ask that you support and assist your child with their learning. You will be kept informed every step of the way by letters describing the program and Developmental Record reviews during parent evenings, as your child progresses through the terms.

The basic skills for reading and writing covered by the Jolly Phonics program are:

1. Learning the letter sounds (including initial consonant and vowels)
2. Learning letter formation (correctly printing the letters)
3. Blending (forming words by combining letter sounds to make words)
4. Identifying sounds in words (beginning, middle and ending)
5. Spelling and identifying familiar words (“tricky” words)

Introduction to French

At Mini-Skool, we introduce children to the French language in a fun and interactive way through circles, props, charts and stories.

Our teachers will encourage children to become comfortable with using basic french words in everyday conversations. Our focus is on verbal speaking, but your child will receive written worksheets to do at home.

Studies have proven that children who have early French immersion programming function at higher proficiency than those who develop later in their school years. Mini-Skool strives to offer an introduction to French that will give them a head start to future grades.

Kindergarten Math

Mini-Skool is proud to be using an all new program called “Math Works” for our Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten students. The Math Works program is based on all strands of mathematics, with 25 indivitual units covering all the key concepts needed to learn math well. Children are given the opportunity through creative, stimulating and open-ended activities to develop their ability to work with others, improve on their individual math skills, and have other beneficial learning experiences.

The Five Strands of Mathematics are:

1. Number sense and numeration
2. Spatial Sense and Geometry
3. Patterning
4. Data Management and Probability
5. Measurement

Graduation

Your child’s Junior and Senior Kindergarten years each end with a Graduation Ceremony that you will never forget!