Preschool/Kindergarten Program
Our Preschool/Kindergarten classes are lead by certified Montessori teachers and experienced assistants. A complete set of the age appropriate Montessori learning materials is available in each classroom, along with ample teacher created materials. The curriculum is individualized to meet each student's needs academically, physically, socially and emotionally, as they progress from the three year-old student through Kindergarten.
Mixed Age Groups
“The groups should contain different ages, because it has great influence on the cultural development of the child. You cannot imagine how well a young child learns from an older child; how patient the older child is with the difficulties of the younger.”
Our Preschool/Kindergarten classrooms are designed for a multi-aged grouping of students, ages 3 to 6 years-old. Students are able to progress at a learning pace appropriate to their individual needs, while still reaping the benefits gained by participating fully in a functional, healthy social group. As the child grows, they accept increasing levels of personal responsibility for themselves, others and as a member of the school community. This directly translates to a sense of independence, confidence in being able to learn and pride in one's role within a group.
Why Kindergarten?
Please check out the following links for information on the benefits of staying in the Montessori Program for Kindergarten:
Why Montessori for the Kindergarten Year
The Importance of Montessori for the Kindergarten Year
Child-Centered Learning
Our Preschool/Kindergarten classrooms offer students learning opportunities in self-care, social interaction, care of the environment, art, sensory exploration, language, math, science and geography. The materials within the classrooms are selected by the teachers, who change them in response to individual student interests and needs, seasonal changes and school outreach focus.
Individualized Curriculum
For students who stay a full-day at school, afternoon programs vary depending on the individual student's physical, social emotional and academic maturity. Our school offers three afternoon programs; one for children that still nap, one that includes a rest time and cross-curricular activities, and our Intermediate Afternoon for Kindergarten and selected 4 year-old students. Depending on the program, enrichment opportunities in art and creative movement are offered. Because our teaching team works hard to keep consistency between our classrooms and programs, students can transfer between environments within the school with comfort and ease, enabling them to participate in the afternoon program that best suits their level of development.
Program Options
Our Preschool/Kindergarten program is available five days per week for full day sessions for the 2022-2023 school year. We also offer a late pickup option in order to meet a variety of family scheduling needs.
Bridges Montessori accepts children ages three and four into the Preschool/Kindergarten program. As our kindergartners embrace a role of leadership and mentoring in the classroom, it is rare the we accept a five year old without previous Montessori experience. After completing our Preschool/Kindergarten program, our students have the skills that allow them to transfer easily to our elementary programs or to the educational program of their parent's choice. Students participating in our Preschool/Kindergarten program enjoy participating in our Montessori Summer Session and have enrollment priority for our Elementary Programs.
