Caravel Academy is a private college preparatory school that upholds traditional American values such as honesty, personal integrity, and good sportsmanship.

Caravel Academy’s Early Education Program is committed to a developmental model of education that reflects the realities of young children’s growth and responds to the needs of the whole child.  We strive to provide nurturing and supportive environments and programs that address the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and academic needs of young children. We accomplish this with a rigorous curriculum that secures a solid foundation for our young students to succeed as they begin their educational path in life.  Exposure to music, art, gym, and technology skills assist in molding our students ability to appreciate beyond the academics.  Finally, our Character Education Program reinforces life skills revolving around respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, honesty, self-discipline, and cooperation.

We, as a Caravel Family, invite you to come and visit us at our "home away from home!"
  
SINCERELY,

Alison Harper
Early Education Center Director and Director of Curriculum
[email protected]

Early Education Program Overview

The Early Education program at Caravel Academy is dedicated to the optimal development of the whole child.  Our programs focus on the critical areas of child development - personal, physical, intellectual (including academics and communication skills), and social-emotional.  Our three different programs described below address the range of our youngsters' needs and cultures at various stages in their educational life.

Preschool (Age 3)
     Curriculum for our youngest students stresses social awareness.  Children learn to work cooperatively with each other and appreciate themselves as individuals.  Academic skills addressed include colors, shapes, numbers, upper case letters, name recognition, and numerous special units of study.  Additionally, we work on both fine motor (small muscle) and gross motor skills.  To supplement the curriculum, we offer specials in physical education, music, and library.  We offer a three-day or five-day schedule that is available as a full day program (8:15am - 3:00pm) or half-day (8:15am - 11:30am).
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Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4)
     Our Pre-Kindergarten curriculum carefully guides children into systematic number thinking as well as language development.  Math skills are enhanced through the use of Evan Moor's Everyday Literacy:  Math program.  Reading readiness is stressed with activities to strengthen letter recognition and letter-sound relationships, using McGraw Hill's:  World of Wonders.  Science and Social Studies concepts are taught through our weekly themes.  We develop "learning to learn" and social skills, including listening, following directions, and building good character.  Our Pre-K children are provided the opportunity to refine and strengthen fine motor skills to prepare for success in Kindergarten through many handwriting activities.  Caravel provides enrichment by specialists in physical education, music and library in supplementing our curriculum.  We offer a five-day schedule that is available as a full day program (8:15am - 3:00pm) or half-day (8:15am - 11:30am).

Kindergarten (Age 5)
     Full-day kindergarten provides a leveled curriculum for our students implemented through differentiated instruction.  Children in the kindergarten classrooms are taught skills and concepts through a variety of hands-on experiences, social interactions, and formal instruction.  Our kindergarteners are offered academic challenges in a developmentally appropriate setting.  

     A research-based approach to reading instruction centers around the McGraw Hill's:  Wonders  reading series.  During the literacy block, students will engage in oral language, comprehension exercises, word work, fluency practice, writing and grammar instruction.  They also spend the day learning 100 sight words.

     Our mathematics program, Pearson's Envision, encompasses a wide array of skills - e.g. shapes, measurement, time, addition, subtraction, patterns, fair shares, comparison for size and quantity - which are introduced and taught via number stories, games, group activities, and hands-on practice.  Paper/pencil activities are supported by mathematics manipulatives.

     A number of social studies/science-based themes are introduced in kindergarten throughout the year.  A variety of theme-based activities  - whole group, small group, and individual - are used to teach theme content and reinforce concepts and skills taught in other areas in addition to enriching art and technology.  The curriculum is enhanced with "specials" in art, library, music and physical education.