Classrooms
Infant program – 6 weeks to 12 months
Skunks and Fawns
While in Blessed Beginnings care your infant will receive individual attention, affection, love and respect, so that they develop a sense of positive self-concepts and feelings of self-worth. Our infant caregivers not only address your child’s routine needs of being fed, changed, and kept clean and safe, but they also ensure that your child is talked to, held and loved. The educational program for the infants consists of toys and books to look at and listen to, floor play, finger play and constant supervision in developing their own independent actions. Teachers are expected to plan for daily experiences in: language/literacy development, cognitive development, social and emotional development, self-help skills, physical development, math, sensory & science, art, and finger-plays & songs. At Blessed Beginnings, the day revolves around each child’s individual needs and the daily schedule is only a guide. Teacher to child ratio 1:4
Young toddler program(s) – 13-24 months Older toddler program – 25-36 months
Foxes, Chipmunks, Owls, Cubs
Blessed Beginnings believes in encouraging toddler’s interests and praising their efforts, while providing a safe, nurturing environment where they can feel secure and loved. Young toddlers are full of interest and curiosity with the world around them. Our staff help focus their energy on learning activities that help them to get along with peers, and develop independence, a sense of self-worth and self- esteem. Their teachers make efforts to teach simple one and two step directions. Self help is encouraged at this age; we do this by teaching them to wash their own hands, clean up after themselves, use utensils and work on potty training. Educational lesson plans are created to stimulate your child’s development in these areas: Language/Literacy Cognitive Social Emotional/Self Help Physical (both fine motor and gross motor) Their learning environment includes space for imitation and pretend play, books, sensory, art and playing with toys. When children are in learning areas they are engaged with other peers forming friendships and expressing their creativity. Although the toddler programs have schedules they adhere to, a majority of your child’s day is spent socializing through play with other children. Some play is structured by the teacher and some is free for their choosing. Each group has a large group time where they sit in an area together and complete calendar, weather, reading and singing activities. Teacher to child ratio 13-24m 1:5. Teacher to child ratio 25-36m 1:6.
Preschool programs – 37 months - Kindergarten
Weasels, Koalas, Hedgehogs and Pre-K counts programs
The main goal of Blessed Beginnings Preschool programs is to prepare your child for Kindergarten. Our teachers use the Creative Curriculum as the foundation for their educational planning. The Creative Curriculum provides a solid foundation to learn the letters and sounds, mathematics, physical experiences and social emotion development. The curriculum is geared for a range of learning abilities and provides teachers with many activities to encourage learners at their own pace. Your child will participate daily in: Morning routine – calendar time, finger-plays and songs Large Group activities Small group activities – encourages more one on one time Story time Learning areas – also referred to as centers The preschool learning environment consists of space for art, blocks, computer, discovery, dramatic play, library and toys and games. When children are in learning areas, they are engaged socially with their peers and provide valuable insight to teachers. Teacher to child ratio 1:10
Before and after-school program – Kindergarten – 10 years of age
Racoons
Bus/van transportation to and from select schools in: Loyalsock Township, Montoursville, Williamsport and South Williamsport Area School Districts. Breakfast and after school snack are provided daily. We also provide care for in-service and snow days, as well as for any school holidays when Blessed Beginnings is open. Children will complete homework as well as participate in literature circle each day, they will have opportunities to explore learning areas such as: arts & crafts, blocks & construction, math & reasoning, language & reading, science & nature, dramatic play & theater, music & movement and discovery. SACC teachers use Links to Learning Curriculum Framework. Teacher to child ratio 1:12.
Summer School-age program – Kindergarten – 10 years of age
Blessed Beginnings school-age summer program runs all day and serves children who have completed kindergarten up to 10 years of age. It is an extension of our before/ after-care program, however staff concentrate more on the needs of the individual group, creating interesting projects, and taking field trips. School age children also interact with the younger groups.
Curriculum
Blessed Beginnings uses the Creative Curriculum program, a developmentally appropriate support for active learning and promoting children’s progress in all developmental areas, and adjusts the lessons to meet the needs of each child’s educational growth as well as captivate their interest. The Creative Curriculum is a research-based and research-proven curriculum that help the education program create a high-quality learning environment enabling children to become creative, confident thinkers. Teaching strategies offers a crosswalk linking the PA Early Learning Standards to their curriculum that our staff use in the planning of their lessons. The curriculum’s themes are based on subjects that highly interest children and include a variety of learning interests. Children will be introduced to the letters and numbers as their teacher sees fit for their age level. The children will experience: • circle time • center time can consist of but is not limited to: o art o blocks o manipulatives o reading • small group and large group activities • fine-motor skills • indoor/outdoor free play on a daily basis. • Preschool children are given the experience of religion in their curriculum through daily Bible readings. Upon enrollment you are asked to check that your child may participate in a Bible Story. Blessed Beginnings tries to provide educational field trips in our community for our preschool and pre-k children on a monthly basis. You will need to complete a permission slip for your child to participate in these activities. Our children will also have the opportunity to experience different cultures and backgrounds thru guest speakers who visit throughout the year.