Early Childhood

Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph’s early childhood program (Prekindergarten - Kindergarten) is a center-based, NAEYC® accredited, comprehensive program designed to provide the best learning experiences for our youngest students. All activities are appropriate for the age and developmental level of the class. Teachers work with each child to ensure that his/her individual educational and developmental needs are being met, with particular focus on the following objectives:

Physical Development	Visual Perception
Fine Motor Skills	Auditory Perception
Gross Motor Skills	Personal Development
Social Development

Early Childhood Program Highlights

Early Childhood Approach

During the early childhood years, children are building relationships and learning to trust adults and peers outside their families. They gain independence and self-control, take initiative, and assert themselves in socially acceptable ways. Children make sense of the world around them through active involvement with their environment, observing what happens when they interact with people, activities and materials. For these reasons, Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph School uses a center-directed approach to learning. Each fully self-contained classroom provides the appropriate centers for children to further their cognitive and social/emotional development, as well as their fine and gross motor skills and their creative and inquisitive nature. Early education classrooms incorporate play and learning centers that include:

Language Arts	Art	Math
Science	Dramatic Play	Reading
Construction	Religion	Sensory

A Child's Daily Activities

The daily activities of your child will include a balance of quiet and active play, large group activities, small group activities, and opportunities to play alone or with others. Each day includes time for self-selected and teacher-directed activities. Children will engage in self-help skills such as toileting, dressing and washing hands, as well as classroom tasks including table-setting and cleaning up.

Early Childhood Curriculum Highlights

Handwriting Without Tears®

Research-based handwriting program providing multi-sensory and developmentally appropriate tools to teaching handwriting

Second Step Social Emotional Program

Helps students harness their energy and potential by teaching them to listen, pay attention, manage their emotions, and be aware of other’s feelings.
When students enter kindergarten with the self-regulation and social-emotional skills taught in the research-based Second Step program, they are set up for success.

Illinois Early Learning Standards

ICSJ faculty plan and implement hands-on and interactive, child-focused lessons throughout the early childhood program
Lessons are student-centered and based on student interest

The early education classrooms are large and bright and they allow ample space for students to move and play freely. All prekindergarten classrooms are equipped with their own water fountains and student restrooms.

ICSJ is proud to have earned our NAEYC Accreditation every year since 2006.