Junior Kindergarten
Wheeling Country Day School’s Reggio-inspired Junior Kindergarten invites children to take the next step in their learning journey. Building on the joyful, student-led discoveries of preschool, children deepen early reading and independence while continuing to explore, question, and create. Here, voices are valued, growth is nurtured in every dimension, and care for community shapes each day – preparing children with confidence and curiosity for Senior Kindergarten and beyond.
Junior Kindergarten Schedule
- Five Days
Junior Kindergarten Arrival & Dismissal
- Arrival 8:20-8:40
- Dismissal for Morning Only 12:30
- Dismissal for Extended Day 3:00
About Junior Kindergarten
The nurturing, learning environment continues in the junior kindergarten classroom. The students’ activities and play enhance their socialization skills and continue to establish a familiar school routine. They learn basic concepts to build a background of reading readiness skills. Throughout the school year the children become more independent.
Wheeling Country Day School’s Reggio-inspired junior kindergarten program focuses on the child within the learner. It is an engaging centers-based curriculum that matches the way children develop and learn, meeting their personal learning needs in a hands-on and nurturing environment.
Children need time for fantasy and spontaneous play. Therefore, the classrooms invite pretending and storytelling, which provide the most fertile ground for language growth, both contextual and semantic.
In addition, the campus layout allows children to be active and to follow their natural sense of wonder. They play and learn in nature with found objects that inspire creativity.
Far from curriculum in a box, the program allows the teachers to take their cues from their students, and then actively guide and encourage their curiosity, intellectual strengths, and above-average skills.
Literacy development is a fundamental aspect of our Junior Kindergarten program each year. We dedicate ourselves to providing a rich reading environment where our students explore stories, discover new ideas, and develop their language skills. Through interactive discussions, we delve into concepts like consonant digraphs and letter sounds, empowering our students with foundational reading skills. By sparking their curiosity and love for literature, we nurture their lifelong passion for reading, enrich their vocabulary, and deepen their understanding of the world around them.
The Junior Kindergarten class prioritizes the promotion of creativity and artistic expression. Our students have the opportunity to engage in various art activities that encourage them to explore their imagination and showcase their unique talents. Collaborative projects provide a platform for teamwork and self-expression, leaving a lasting mark for future Junior Kindergarten classes. These activities ignite a sense of creativity, allowing our students to embrace their artistic abilities and express themselves confidently.
At our Junior Kindergarten, math comes to life through hands-on activities that engage our students’ curiosity and critical thinking. Each year, we incorporate everyday objects and manipulatives to make math tangible and relatable. Our students use their fingers as tools for simple addition and subtraction, discovering the beauty of numbers through tactile experiences. Math centers offer opportunities for exploring patterns, constructing numbers with popsicle sticks, and engaging in interactive tasks like lacing beads to match numbers on rocks. Through these engaging activities, our students develop their mathematical skills while nurturing problem-solving abilities, spatial reasoning, and a love for mathematical thinking.
At our Junior Kindergarten, we believe in the power of integrating music and arts into our curriculum each year. Our students have the opportunity to experience performances and learn about different musical instruments and how they create beautiful harmonies. By immersing our students in artistic experiences, we nurture their appreciation for music, theater, and the arts, fostering their creativity, imagination, and cultural understanding.
Junior Kindergarten Teachers & Staff
Gina Bowman
Junior Kindergarten
Liz Hladek
Junior Kindergarten & Early Childhood Coordinator
