Noah's Ark Preschool & Kindergarten
405 Frederick Avenue
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-5231
Our Educational Philosophy
At Noah's Ark we acknowledge that God has created each child individually. We offer a coordinated curriculum from ages 3 through kindergarten. We seek to work with families to encourage positive growth and development in every child by:
- deepening each child's knowledge of God
- instilling curiosity and spirit of inquiry about God's world and all that is in it
- encouraging a positive attitude toward school and learning
- practicing fine-motor and gross-motor skills, laying a strong foundation for writing
- developing language, pre-reading, and pre-math skills
- promoting self-confidence and independence
- fostering children's social skills with peers
Pre-K3
This program is for children who are three years old by December 31 who are potty-trained. The class meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings with a teacher-to-child ratio of not more than 1:7. Important goals are to provide a positive first school experience, social interaction with peers and adults and to lay a foundation for more formal schooling through activities designed to stimulate motor, language and cognitive development. Each morning includes time for free play, structured large group and small group work, stories, songs and snack time. Lessons are planned to coordinate with monthly topics and Bible themes.
Pre-K4
This class meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings with a teacher-to-child ratio of not more than 1:9. Students must be four years old by December 31. The program continues all the experiences of Pre-K3 and introduces readiness skills to prepare children for kindergarten. Pre-reading work includes learning letter names, formation, and sounds, reading names, signs, and charts. Math lessons address such skills as counting, calendar, patterns, forming sets, and recognition and writing of numerals. Social studies and science projects are explored in age appropriate ways. Children are steadily guided towards increasing independence throughout the year.
Pre-K5
The Pre-K5 program for older fours and young fives meets Tuesday-Friday mornings with a teacher-to-child ratio of not more than 1:8. Students must be five years old by December 31. These older preschoolers have less free play time and spend more time in structured activities although the approach is consistently creative, varied, hands-on, and stimulating; the use of worksheets is limited. The A Beka curriculum is used for pre-reading, writing and math and adjusted by teachers to coordinate with monthly Biblical and topical themes. Horizons are broadened by regular classroom visitors and walking field trips to interesting locations. In addition, children go to "specials" most weeks, the offerings varying from year to year depending on the gifts and interests of the Pre-K and kindergarten teachers.
Kindergarten
This half-day program meets Monday-Friday morning (and afternoon) and is the perfect "culmination" of the Noah's Ark program. Hallmarks of the Noah's Ark experience - creativity, hands-on-learning, stories, music, field trips, a positive social environment, art, science, social studies, chapel, playground, Bible, prayer, coordination of activities with themes - all continue in kindergarten. The A Beka curriculum is used to lay a strong base for reading, writing, and math in first grade and beyond. Reading is phonics-based. Math is hands-on exposure to graphing, time, money, addition and subtraction, as well as continued work with counting and numerals. Kindergarten students also go to "specials" as described for Pre-K5 and have a regular physical education class. Students must be five years old by September 1.
Mother's Morning Out
This program was created to serve the mothers of young children. In a Christian environment, loving care and creative learning experiences are created for your child, ages 3 months through kindergarten. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The cost is $12.00 per hour.