Tuition Based Pre-K

RAVENSWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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Tuition Based Pre-K

Program Description. Our preschool program is play-based. This means that we understand children learn best through play, or, as some people put it, play is children’s work. Children learn and practice play skills in all areas of the classroom. Embedded in our classroom routines, toys, games, and activities is a wealth of learning opportunities helping children build foundations in literacy, math, science, social studies, music, and art. Of equal importance, children start to develop their social and emotional skills so that when they start primary school, they have the self-confidence and ability to learn and work with others.

We use the Project Approach to curriculum, which refers to a set of teaching strategies which enable teachers to guide children through in-depth studies of real world topics. We are also using CreativeCurriculum.net, which is a unique online tool that helps us follow the children’s progress, plan the curriculum, and communicate and collaborate with parents. Our literacy curriculum utilizes strategies and materials through Blueprint for Literacy. This interactive and engaging curriculum follows a balanced literacy framework filled with read-alouds, shared, guided, and independent reading and writing for children. Another component of our teaching involves Everyday Math from the University of Chicago, which is a problem-solving approach to mathematics based on everyday situations, and teaches math concepts through age-appropriate learning activities. Our social-emotional curriculum is based on Positive Discipline, which emphasizes mutual respect, solution-oriented problem-solving, kindness, and firmness in the classroom.

Daily Schedule. A typical day in our program looks like this:

8:00 - 9:00	Arrival Activities: Signing-In and Small Group Activities
9:00 - 9:30	Gathering (Circle Time)
9:30 - 10:20	Playtime
10:30 - 11:10	Specials class (Music, Gym, Art)
11:20 - 11:50	Outdoor/Large Motor Activity Play
11:50 - 12:00	News Time
12:00 - 12:45	Lunch Time
12:45 - 1:10	Journals
1:15 - 1:45	Outdoor Play
1:45 - 2:00	Prepare for Nap/Quiet Time
2:00 - 2:15	Story Time
2:15 - 4:00	Nap/Quiet Time
4:00 - 4:30	Snack Time
4:30 - 5:00	Afternoon Projects (art, cooking, sensory, etc.)
5:00 - 5:30	Outdoor/Large Motor Activity Play
5:45 - 6:00	Clean Up and Go Home!

Special Classes. The Ravenswood Tuition-Based Pre-K receives all of the special classes that are offered to the rest of the school including music, physical education, and art. We also bring in special events and programs and go on numerous field trips throughout the year because of the longer day.

Field Trips. Field trips are part of the educational program support the particular themes that children are learning in the classroom. Parents are encouraged to

Meals. Lunchtime is from 12:00-12:45 everyday. If you would like your child to have a hot lunch provided by CPS and Preferred Meal Systems, you will pay for those lunches separately. Lunch costs $1.85 per day. If you child brings lunch, you can purchase milk for $0.35 per day. Please give the appropriate amount in an envelope to your child's teacher at the beginning of each week. Please contact your child's teacher for more information or any questions you may have. The school lunch menu can be found on our For Parents page. Lunch provides a wonderful time for practicing language, math, and social skills.

Program Specifics

CPS TBPK is a 38-week, full-day program.
See CPS's Early Childhood Education page for more information including eligibility requirements, a 2011-2012 Application Form, and a TBPK parent handbook.
Application Process: For the 2010-2011 school year, a non-refundable two-week deposit of $510 is required with each application. Tuition for the 2010-2011 school year is $9,690, exclusive of meals.
The tuition for children entering 2009 as three year olds and returning in 2010-2011 as four year olds, will remain the same.
Tuition is collected using the SMART Tuition Collection system. There is a 10% discount for siblings.
Applications are also available in the school office and must be accompanied by a two-week deposit; enrollment is first-come, first-served. We will begin taking applications and deposits for the 2011-2012 school year beginning Tuesday, September 7th, 2010. We encourage you to call or stop by the office anytime throughout the year to inquire about available space.
There are 20 available seats in the classroom with one certified teacher and two assistant teachers.
To enroll, children must be three or four years old by September 1st of the current school year and fully toilet trained.
For important program dates, please see our School Calendar page.

Communication. Communication with families is integral to our program. We maintain a secure, password-protected classroom blog to share weekly updates, email daily reminders and send home monthly newsletters. In addition, we communicate over CreativeCurriculum.net, our classroom assessment tool. There is also a message board above our parent sign-in sheets and above the students' cubbies. With CreativeCurriculum.net, parents can access communication boards to interact with us, get personalized activity recommendations for their child and track their child's progress.

Contact Us! If you have questions, please contact: Teachers, Kira Hamann (formerly Ringness) at (773) 534-5994 karingness@cps.edu and Veronica Ayala (773) 534-5434 vnayala@cps.edu or our Principal, Heather Connolly (773) 534-5525 hdconnolly@cps.k12.il.us

To experience the classrooms in action, please call the school office at 773-534-5525 to make an observation appointment.

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