Kindergarten

Reading-readiness is taught in small, flexible groupings through a multi-sensory curriculum that focuses on phonics, sight word-acquisition, and a variety of language experiences. The program includes the regular use of emergent readers, literature, poetry, chart stories, storytelling, and individualized journal writing. As topics are explored, students have opportunities to contribute to class-created books. They also dictate their ideas and stories to the classroom teachers and draw accompanying pictures.

Literacy centers allow students to participate in a variety of hands-on, self-directed activities and developmental learning games, which are designed to reinforce and enhance their beginning reading, spelling, and writing skills.

Kindergarten students also participate in the Writers' Workshop program weekly. The goal of the program is for children to write what they know by selecting topics that are personally meaningful and relevant to them. Through focused mini-lessons and individual conferences with the teacher, students enhance their craft as early writers and become independent authors of a variety of literary pieces. The children are encouraged to share their writings with their classmates so as to gain experience in communicating their personal experiences and ideas in a sequential and interesting format.

The Singapore Math program enhances students' higher-level thinking and understanding of real-life mathematical concepts, including time, money, graphing, patterning, geometry (shapes), and measuring. Taught in small, flexible groups, the program allows for each child’s readiness-level to be carefully weighed and considered. The foundation of mathematical thinking is carefully laid concretely, pictorially, and conceptually. These skills are fostered through direct, hands-on interaction with manipulatives (Stern Blocks, Unifix Cubes, counters, and games) and with mathematical connections to the students’ everyday world. Children further explore computational strategies and critical thinking skills through solving word problems.

Social studies allows children to begin to expand their understanding of people in their environment — from self, to family, to school, to community, to country. Citizenship, heroes, community helpers, and seasonal holidays are often the focus of classroom lessons. Students also explore basic geography and participate in our WinterFest performance — a beautiful celebration of friends, family, the holiday season, and the United States through song, dance, and music.

By participating in our Character Education & Service Learning program, Kindergarten students learn responsibility, cooperation, and respect for others. Additionally, as leaders of our school's Annual Toy Drive, the Kindergarteners share the joy of the holiday season by collecting toys for the families of the Lowman School, a local public school that caters to severely disabled children. Kindergarten students also participate in weekly school-wide collection for the Interfaith Food Pantry and other school service learning projects.

The Kindergarten science program encourages children to become “young scientists,” eager to explore the world around them. Our curriculum is designed to nurture their interests through engaging and purposeful activities. Units of study include using the five senses, living things (animals and plants), weather, seasons, and oceanography. They also begin to develop a sense of responsibility for and awareness of the environment by spending time in our Edible Garden. To enhance their studies, our students take a field trip to Tree People to discover the urban forest in the Los Angeles area.

Our fully equipped indoor science lab and outdoor gardens and ecosystems provide a unique setting for hands-on experiments which foster young children’s natural curiosity.

Integral to our Kindergarten curriculum is the social and emotional component. For our littlest Laurence students, the Buddy program reinforces and enhances Laurence's caring and nurturing environment and helps integrate them into our school community. Through this program, they are mentored by 6th Graders through regular, meaningful social interactions which create long-lasting memories.