APPLYING FOR JK & K Applying for Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten: tips and tricks to help navigate the admissions process.
PREPARING FOR AN
ADVENTURE
It seems like just yesterday that you brought home your little bundle of joy. In the blink of an eye, it’s time for your child to start school, and you aren't sure where to begin! Though the process of selecting a school can be intimidating, this will be an exciting adventure for both you and your child as you embark on this journey together. It is a new beginning for learning, as well as developing friendships, confidence, and independence. Above all, the most important factor in deciding on a school is finding the right fit for your child’s personality, individual and family needs, and developmental stage. This publication is meant to serve as a guide while you go through this process.
OUR JK/K
LEADERS
Becky Groves & Yaa Agyekum Director of Lower School Bachelor of Arts, College of William & Mary Master of Education, University of Virginia
Interim Assistant Director of Lower School/Director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning
Bachelor of Arts, University of Virginia Master of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University Doctoral Candidate, Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership, College of William & Mary
JK/K READINESS
Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten: Finding the Right Fit for Your Child
The Steward School’s junior kindergarten/kindergarten (JK/K) program challenges and supports children using research-based methods and best practices. Within a loving, nurturing community, our youngest Spartans play, research, investigate, and problemsolve. Becky Groves (interim director of Lower School) and Yaa Agyekum (interim assistant director of Lower School/director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning), and a team of dedicated faculty collaborate to ensure that students explore, grow, and actively participate in all facets of campus life.
ADVICE & TIPS FOR PARENTS
To help parents know what to look for in a top JK/K program, Ms. Groves and Ms. Agyekum suggest parents look for the following:
1. a structured program 2. an evidence-based curriculum 3. support for your child’s social-emotional development 4. a school that encourages children to be well-rounded academically and socially Parents of prospective JK/K Steward students often inquire about age requirements, readiness, daily schedules, and our teaching methods. We’re here to help! We have answers to FAQs online about the application process and school life, and on the next page is additional helpful information.
JK/K READINESS
Age Requirements Children must be age 4 by August 31 to apply for junior kindergarten and age 5 by August 31 to apply to kindergarten at Steward.
School Readiness Students entering our program should be able to: follow directions learn with others in the classroom transition from one area of the school/classroom to another use the restroom independently engage in age-appropriate interactions with their peers complete self-care tasks, (i.e., putting on a jacket, opening items during lunch/snack time, and carrying personal items such as a water bottle)
transition from one task to another pay attention to teachers make it through a full, structured day
MOTOR SKILLS Students should be able to: use pencils/crayons to write/color with some level of control use scissors to cut appropriately be in the beginning stages of letter and number formation independently take care of toileting tasks
COMMUNICATION Students should be able to: express their needs/wants follow directions given by a teacher or other adult state their name and age
SOCIO-EMOTIONAL Students should be able to: separate from their parent(s) engage with other children
Literacy Development Junior Kindergarten language arts instruction focuses on establishing the foundational pre-literacy skills necessary for future growth and success in reading and writing. Throughout the year, lessons build on repeated concepts and increase in difficulty and complexity. These concepts include alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, print concepts, listening comprehension, oral language, and writing. Our program is also enhanced by “play workshop,” which leads into our reading and writing workshops in kindergarten.
Kindergarten faculty engage students in a structured literacy program that encourages critical thinking through the use of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, a multi-sensory method that combines sight, hearing, touch, and movement. Phonics skills are taught explicitly and sequentially while also nurturing children’s love for the written word. In kindergarten, readers are introduced to a wide variety of books and are matched to texts that support their progress as beginning readers. Emphasis is placed on phonemic awareness,
letter/sound correspondence, and the acquisition of sight words. Kindergarten students put their growing phonics skills to work as they express their ideas in writing workshop.
MINDFULNESS,
DISCOVERY, & PLAY Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes begin each day with a morning meeting, which sets the stage for the day. Morning meeting builds classroom community while also incorporating academic threads such as calendar skills and numeracy. Mindfulness practices occur throughout the school day as students build self-regulation skills. “All instruction is provided through multi-sensory approaches in order to support learning through multiple pathways. Specials provide students with an opportunity to break from the classroom and enjoy P.E., art, music, character education, technology, Spanish, library, coding, and theatre. We intentionally weave together classroom instruction with what is done in our specials classes. For example, junior kindergarten students who learn about different types of apples during a science lesson might also read ‘10 Apples Up on Top!’ and complete an engineering project in which they are tasked with stacking as many apples as possible. This activity connects concepts taught in reading, math, and science,” noted Ms. Agyekum.
A True Community Thanks to Steward’s small class sizes, teachers and students in all divisions make meaningful connections with one another. “Teachers get to know their students’ personalities … and they know their students’ families, too,” said Ms. Groves. “These close connections give students opportunities for deeper learning.” Since Steward is a JK-12 school, we have a number of activities throughout the school year in which JK/K students have opportunities to interact with students in all three divisions. Our JK/K/Senior Buddy program, for example, pairs each of our youngest Spartans with a senior student at the beginning of the academic year. They team up at school events throughout the year, including Convocation. Seniors serve as informal mentors, and all buddies benefit from the friendship and empathy that the program encourages.
PARENT
RESOURCES Transition to school A Successful Kindergarten Transition - NEA Parents Resources | NEA Transitioning to Kindergarten | NAEYC 13 Tips for Starting Preschool | NAEYC
Books and articles Social-Emotional Books About Kindness for Kindergarteners | Scholastic These Books Will Help Your Kindergarteners Learn About Manners | Scholastic Books about the First Day of School
Readiness Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten With These 20 Skills | Scholastic 8 Tips to Prepare for the First Days of School | Scholastic
At Steward, the early childhood experience is designed to meet the unique developmental needs of four- through sixyear-olds, as well as challenge them intellectually, nurture them emotionally, and prepare them for a lifelong love of learning. Each student is engaged on a deeply individual level. Through intentional opportunities to play, research, investigate, problem-solve, build, and reflect, students’ natural curiosity is fostered, and the foundation for rigorous academics is set. Our program also provides children with time to develop skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives like mindfulness, empathy, responsibility, and stewardship.
INSPIRE THE FUTURE. Students also take full advantage of our 37 acres for learning outside the classroom in our gardens, as well as on our fields and playground. Hands-on learning also takes place in our Bryan Innovation Lab, the only one of its kind in the city. Inside and outside the classroom, students learn and grow, innovate and problemsolve, and explore the topics that define our time.
We encourage you to see for yourself what makes Steward the ideal place for young children to start their educational journey.
804-740-3394
ADMISSIONS@STEWARDSCHOOL.ORG SCHEDULE IN-PERSON TOUR WATCH VIRTUAL TOUR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION
JK-K ADMISSIONS
Tuition
OVERVIEW
number of 715 Total students in JK-12 (per teacher) 12 Target JK/K Class Size 8:1 Student/Faculty Ratio 28% Diversity 3 Number of maker spaces $ 2.8 M Tuition Reduction of more Including the Bryan Innovation Lab
than $2.8 million given each year
Families may apply for our Variable Tuition program, which customizes tuition based on what individual families can afford. Variable Tuition 13,675 Average rate for Junior Kindergarten $ 18,075 Full Tuition for Junior Kindergarten
$
$
Variable Tuition 13,949 Average rate for Kindergarten
26,470 Full Tuition for Kindergarten
$
of families schoolwide 34% Percentage utilizing Variable Tuition
STEWARDSCHOOL.ORG 11600 Gayton Road | P 804-740-3394 | F 804-740-1464