Preschool Philosophy
God created children with a natural curiosity for learning new things. They learn through play, movement, experience, language, imitation, and motivation through positive reinforcement. At Immaculate Heart of Mary Preschool, we are committed to providing your child a safe, secure, and loving environment to discover and explore the world God created for us. Our goal is for each child to have a positive first school experience. In doing so, lifelong learners, who are enthusiastic about school, are nurtured and developed.
Curriculum
Our Preschool and Young Fives classes offer a well-rounded curriculum, designed to help your child get used to a school routine, develop strong social skills, gain literacy awareness and recognition of letters and numbers, and further fine and gross motor development, all in a manner that is developmentally appropriate for their age and maturity. Students take part in art and creative projects, participate in songs and movement activities, engage in open-ended and social skill-building free play, and use their imaginations to explore and invent.
We utilize Zoo Phonics, as a fun and engaging way to introduce letters and sounds. Zoo Phonics is a multi-sensory language arts program based on phonics and phonemic awareness, that leads to consistent growth in pre-reading skills.
Each month the children visit our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Room (the Atrium) for 30 minutes. The Atrium is a Montessori space dedicated to the faith formation of our youngest children, with hands-on materials to help make the abstract aspects of our Catholic faith more concrete. They hear a short presentation and then have time to work independently with the hands-on materials there, allowing Jesus time to speak to their hearts.
Preschool 4s and Young Fives also attend Library and Spanish classes.
Daily Schedule
Table Activities
- Check-In
- Puzzles
- Coloring
- Play-doh
- Other small manipulatives
Circle Time
- Prayer
- Story
- Song
- Sharing
- Zoo Friend
Centers, Free Choice, Outdoor Classroom
- Small group activities to meet learning objectives
- Free play inside classroom
- Time in outdoor classroom exploring, engaging in free play, and working on projects/activities
Clean Up, Snack, Quiet Reading
Outside Recess or Inside Activity
- Outdoor play (weather permitting) or inside music and movement activity
Dismissal
- Morning Dismissal: 11:00 a.m.
- Afternoon Dismissal: 3:00 p.m.
Outdoor Classroom
Our Outdoor Learning Environment, an extension of our preschool program, is designed to enhance your child’s learning environment. It offers your child a safe place to get outside, play, explore and learn in a beautiful natural area. We infuse nature into learning so that all children can get firsthand experience of God’s creation.
The area boasts three outdoor classroom areas, plants and trees native to Michigan, and plenty of room for your child to grow physically, socially, and emotionally! Three large garden beds allow for us to immerse the students in God’s creation through the planting and care of many annuals, perennials, fruits, vegetables, and flowers attractive to wildlife including butterflies.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Preschool strives to establish a love of learning that will last a lifetime!
Eligibility
- Children enrolled in our 3s program must be 3 by September 1st.
- Children enrolled in our 4s program must be 4 by September 1st.
- Children enrolled in our Young Fives program must be 5 by January 1st.
- All students must be confidently toilet trained before admission.
- A copy of your child’s birth certificate is required at registration. Your child must also have record of a physical examination health form signed by a physician and an up-to-date immunization record on file. These must be on file for children to start school.
