Mission Statement

The Mount Carmel Early Childhood Center is a progressive, play-based preschool for 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds where collaboration, exploration, and play are encouraged in order to foster a child’s natural creativity and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Philosophy

We understand that young children are eager learners, especially during their preschool years! Play is the natural way children learn at this age. Through collaborative play, children construct knowledge by trying out new ideas, they form friendships, and they make sense of their world.

Starting School

At the Mount Carmel ECC, we begin building our community even before our children enter the classroom, connecting home and school. A child’s school year begins with a home visit by the teaching team. During the home visits, children welcome their new teachers into their own familiar, safe environment, building trusting relationships that help with their separation from parents or caregivers. A gradual start to the school year follows with our “phase-in” period, which is tailored to the development and needs of each child, helping them confidently ease into their newfound independence in the classroom.

Curriculum

At the Mount Carmel ECC, every child’s curiosity and creativity is nurtured as they actively explore their environment. In large, bright classrooms, our teachers guide the children as they experiment with a variety of open-ended materials and engage in different centers, both independently and with peers. As the children’s interests emerge, teachers encourage them to delve more deeply, allowing their interests to guide the curriculum and determine the units of study.

Our teachers integrate these concepts in child-inspired units of study. The activities created to support these units teach foundational skills and meet State Standards in math, language and literacy, science, and social studies in more meaningful ways.

The daily schedule is predictable but not rigid. It is organized with appropriate periods of active and quiet time. Extended time periods throughout the day allow the children to become deeply involved in activities of their choice. By examining real life experiences in their community, and engaging in hands-on activities, children make sense of their world and are empowered as learners.

A Typical Daily Class Schedule:

• 8:30 – 10:00 – Arrival and Free Play: Children explore and engage in activities such as dramatic play, block building, art experiences, exploring books, cooking, manipulative play, and the sensory table.
• 10:00 – 10:15 – Morning Circle: Children gather to sing songs, listen to stories, and talk about plans for the day.
• 10:15 – 10:45 – Snack: A social time when children make connections with one another based on the foods that they enjoy. Snack is provided by families.
• 10:45 – 12:00 – Outdoor: Children go out to the yard to run around and explore sand/water, blocks/dramatic play, ball play and engage in gross motor activities.
• 12:00 – 12:25 – Lunch: All of the children sit together and enjoy their lunches sent from home.
• 12:25 – 12:30 – Circle: Half Day children dismiss: Sharing of the morning’s activities and “goodbyes” are said to the Half Day children; Full Day children transition to rest.
• 1:00 – 1:15 – Quiet play: Specific table toys and art materials are explored.
• 1:15 – 2:15 – Rest time
• 2:15 – 2:30 – Snack
• 2:30 – 2:55 – Outdoor/gym play
• 2:55 – 3:00 – Circle: Full Day children dismiss: Singing songs, listening to stories and discussion of the day’s events.

---