EARLY LEARNERS

3 - 4 Year Olds

Our Early Learners program invites children to be an active participant in their learning. Their day is full of hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities that provoke creative thinking and are simply a starting point for a child’s imagination. As children express their interests through art, music, dramatic play, and storytelling, their teachers adapt learning experiences to embrace and further these interests. Our daily rhythms offer routines and experiential community building opportunities for children to practice and learn how they fit in communities, how to problem-solve social challenges, and how to play kindly and cooperatively in groups.

OUR

CLASSROOMS

Every detail has been thought through in our Early Learners classroom. Each play area has been designed with learning materials and rotated toys that encourage curiosity, imagination, and developmental growth.

DAILY

RHYTHMS

At RCA, we know that children thrive on routine. While every day is a little different, children know what to expect when they arrive at school, because of the consistent flowing rhythms put in place. From arrival to departure, your child will be learning and growing!

SKILLS

STANDARDS

Every day, while interacting with your child, our teachers are observing how they engage with and respond to different activities. This helps your child's teacher to know exactly how to best challenge and assist your child with future activities.

PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT

Our Early Learners Curriculum is enhanced through programs, practices and activities that go above and beyond your expectations. Each feature is set in place to encourage a healthy and happy environment for every child in our program.

PARENT

CONNECTIONS

Connecting with you each day is just as important to us as connecting with your little one. With our Parent App, you will never be left to wonder how your child's day went.

OUR CLASSROOMS

Personal Lockers

Each child has their own accessible locker in the classroom to store their personal belongings.

Team Tables

Our classroom tables serve as a home-base for your Early Learner, where they build peer relationships with their "team."

Small Group Table

Children participate in small group meetings with their teacher twice a day at our small group table.

Meeting Rug

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Our class comes together as one at the meeting rug 3-4 times each day for large group learning.

The Construction Zone

"The Construction Zone" learning center contains blocks, pretend building materials, play-people, and more!

Home Living Area

Our Home Living Area has a full child-size kitchen, table, dress up station, baby-dolls and more!

STEM Lab

Our STEM Lab Learning Cart encourages kids to explore science, technology, engineering, and math

Creation Station

Our Creation Station Learning Cart has all the materials children need to create their very own masterpieces!

Literacy Lounge

More than a bookshelf! Our Literacy Lounge has early writing materials, a felt board for story-telling, and many picture books to explore!

Music Materials

Our Early Learning classrooms are stocked with a variety of instruments, noise-makers, scarves, and flags to enhance our Music & Movement time.

Fine Motor Manipulatives

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With a variety of rotated materials, children always look forward to working with their hands using our fine-motor manipulative toys.

Bathrooms

Each classroom has 2 child-sized bathrooms that are available throughout the day.

Direct Access to Playgrounds

Children walk directly out to the fenced-in playground area from their classroom door.

Nap Bag & Personal Mat

Each child has a personal mat and nap bag that holds their sheet, blanket, and Book Club book.

DAILY RHYTHMS

Soft Start: Toy Stations

7:00-8:00am

As children arrive, they are greeted with a warm "hello" from their teacher, and invited to participate in a fine-motor toy station at their team table.

Journals

8:00-8:15am

Children practice journaling with their teacher each morning by recording the weather, adding to their personal calendar, and recording their feelings.

Morning Meeting

8:15-8:30am

In Morning Meeting, children sing songs, read, and do a "community project" as a class.

Breakfast

8:30-8:50am

A healthy breakfast with a cold cup of milk starts the day off right!

Outdoor Explorations

8:50-9:50am

For an entire hour, children are able to run, play, jump, skip, and explore the great outdoors on our fenced-in, age-appropriate playgrounds.

Enrichment Classes

9:50-10:20am

Weekly, our children participate in Chapel, Book Club, Fine Arts, STEM, and Life-Skills classes.

Art

10:20-10:40am

Art is a preschool favorite, and that is why our Early Learners classroom does a large group art activity together every single day.

Learning Centers Rotation

10:40-11:40am

Every day of the week, your child will visit a different learning center with their team to explore intentionally focused learning materials and toys.

Math Small Group

10:40-11:40am

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During Learning Center Rotations, your child's teacher will visit with 4-5 children at a time to teach math skills and observe for understanding.

Lunch

11:40am-12:00pm

Our daily-prepared lunch includes the following components: protein, whole-grain, fruit (never canned), vegetables, and milk

Story Time

11:40am-12:00pm

While children are eating, our teachers read them a story that correlates with the curriculum theme.

Nap

12:00-1:00pm

Children bring their nap bag and Book Club book to their personal mat for an hour of quiet time and optional rest.

Afternoon Meeting

1:00-1:30am

Children come together at the Meeting Rug for some songs and group activities after their nap.

Learning Centers Rotation

1:30-2:30pm

Every day of the week, your child will visit a different learning center with their team to explore intentionally focused learning materials and toys.

Literacy Small Groups

1:30-2:30pm

During Learning Center Rotations, your child's teacher will visit with 4-5 children at a time to teach literacy skills and observe for understanding.

Snack

2:30-3:00pm

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Children enjoy a delicious, healthy snack to refuel them for rest of the day.

Bible Lesson

2:30-3:00pm

While eating their snack, our teacher shares the Bible lesson for the day!

Outdoor Team Building

3:00-3:30pm

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Whether through sports or games, our Early Learners take a brain break to get some fresh air and optionally participate in a team-building activity.

Music and Movement

3:30-4:00pm

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During Music & Movement, our Early Learners know it's time to pull out the instruments and make some music.

Soft Close: Toy Stations

4:00-5:00pm

While waiting to go home, children participate in a fine-motor toy station at their team table.

Snack

5:00-5:30pm

A small snack is offered to children at this time to help keep their bellies full until dinner time.

Late Day Gathering

5:30-6:00pm

Children from all classrooms come together for the last 30 minutes of the day.

SKILLS STANDARDS

Social & Emotional

Social-emotional development refers to a child’s ability to identify feelings, self-regulate and build relationships.

Physical & Motor

Physical & Motor development refers to a child’s gross and fine motor skills. To increase strength, muscle control, and coordination, the child requires adequate nutrition and fitness levels.

Language & Literacy

Language and literacy skills refer to a child’s ability to communicate and connect with others through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Math & Reasoning

Mathematics and reasoning skills include a child’s ability to count, understand number sense, manipulate objects, create patterns, sort, compare and measure.

Creative Arts

Creative development is the ability to respond to experiences by expressing ideas and imagination through music, dance, dramatic play, and art.

Social Studies

Social Studies skills refer to a child’s ability to understand oneself in relation to the world. It includes the exploration of roles, responsibilities and cultural traditions.

Second Language

Learning a second language is a complex social and cognitive process. It includes phases from pre-production, where children observe and respond but only with gestures. Over time, the child will progress into speech emergence and then ultimately gain fluency both in second language comprehension and communication.

Science

Science skills include a child’s ability to inquire, predict and evaluate observations. It supports a child’s ability to explore everyday life, physical properties of matter, and to make sense of concepts such as weather, natural habitats, and technology.

Spiritual Knowledge & Growth

Spiritual Knowledge & Growth refers to knowing God, understanding the love He has for all people, and developing a personal relationship with Him. Although we aid children in the process of learning, it is God alone that invites them into a relationship with Him in His perfect timing. This domain is not measurable with human eyes, but only by the One who sees the heart.

PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT

Weekly Themes

Each week, our curriculum focuses on a new theme, resulting in a variety of activities organized in a unified context.

Uniforms

Contributing to the overall sense of community, uniforms create a sense of belonging and unity, which can positively affect children’s attitudes toward school, lead to better learning and improve attendance.

Chapel Service

Every week, our Early Learners attend chapel service to sing praise songs, learn about Jesus, and pray together.

Book Club

Our Book Club offers a weekly opportunity to get out of the classroom, choose a new book to bring to nap, and listen to a story.

Life Skills

Each week in our Life Skills class, children get to participate in activities like cooking, discussing hygeine, or learning about goods and services. They also get to visit the school store to redeem small prizes with their classroom coins.

Fine Arts

In this Enrichment Class, children learn about famous and local artists, authors, and musicians, and then get to participate in creating their own masterpieces as a class.

STEM

Our STEM classes engage children in activities that encourage curiosity in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Screen-Free Classrooms

Research clearly shows the benefits of limited screen time for children of all ages, but especially young children. That is why we never use screens of any kind in our classrooms.

Emergency Procedures

At RCA, we practice emergency drills regularly including fire drills, tornado drills, and lockdown drills.

Secure Environment

Every classroom, hallway, and exit is video-monitored. All visitors must have an I.D. on file, and all staff undergo extensive background checks.

CPR Certified Caregivers

All of our caregivers are CPR and First Aid certified. Certifications are renewed every 2 years!

Cleanliness

All surfaces, toys, and nap accessories are routinely cleaned on a daily and weekly basis. Every child has a space for their personal belongings.

Purified Water

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Purified water is available all day long for children to stay hydrated!

PARENT CONNECTIONS

Connecting with you each day is just as important to us as connecting with your little one. With our Parent App, you will never be left to wonder how your child's day went.

In Person Interactions

Communicate with your child's caregiver each morning to update them on how your child's night was. Ask any questions about their day when you pick up each afternoon.

Parent App

We are proud to use the ProCare App to communicate menus, events, newsletters, and more! Also, use the app to send messages directly to our First Impressions Team.

Parent School Fellowship

The purpose of the RCA PSF is to foster fellowship among teachers and parents and to promote unity, increase parent involvement, be a source of encouragement to the RCA family, and honor God above all things.

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