Worlds of Wonder
Community of Lifelong Learners
Welcome to ALC Preschool, where children, teachers, and parents come together to establish a community fostering collaboration, support, and collective growth as lifelong learners. We are dedicated to promoting empathy in young minds that recognize their inherent value.
In this preschool setting, partnered with the Lutheran Church, a beautiful synthesis of shared values and the Reggio Emilia philosophy emerges, creating a unique and enriching educational environment. The Reggio Emilia approach, with its emphasis on child-led learning, creativity, and the importance of community, seamlessly intertwines with the Lutheran values of compassion and responsibility. The school's commitment to the Reggio philosophy ensures that children are encouraged to express themselves through various forms of creative expression, fostering a deep sense of curiosity and exploration. The partnership between the Lutheran values and the Reggio Emilia approach promotes a holistic educational experience where children are not only exposed to a values-driven atmosphere but also benefit from an engaging and child-centered curriculum that respects their individuality. Together, these elements weave a tapestry of inclusivity, curiosity, and respect, creating a preschool community that celebrates each child's unique qualities while promoting a sense of shared purpose and understanding.
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2 Year Olds
In our two-year-old classroom, we provide age-appropriate activities carefully designed to nurture children's development. We ensure personalized attention for each child. Our primary focus is cultivating self-identity, fostering social development, instilling self-control, nurturing emotional intelligence, and enhancing cognition and motor skills. This group of children is actively involved in constructing the foundation for a positively enriching early childhood experience.
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3-5 Year Olds
Our 3-to-5-year program continues fostering the development of the skills introduced in the two-year-old program. Our activities for this age group provide a progressive and engaging learning experience as the children transition into the next phase of their educational journey.
Activities for this age group are structured to be fun and educational, offering a dynamic blend that caters to the holistic development of each child. From cognitive growth to social interaction, our program takes a comprehensive approach to enhance their abilities further. We recognize the unique potential within each child and aim to create an environment that encourages exploration, curiosity, and the wonder of learning.
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Extended Day
The extended day program is for families needing extra child care in the morning and evening. Morning starts at 7:00 A.M., and evening runs until 6:00 P.M.
“If I can ask my own questions,
Try out my ideas,
Experience what is around me,
Share what I find;
If I have plenty of time for
My special pace,
A nourishing space,
Things to transform;
If you’ll be my patient friend,
Trusted guide,
Fellow investigator,
Partner in learning;
Then I will explore the world,
Discover my voice,
And tell you what I know
In a hundred languages.”
What Is a Reggio Emilia Inspired Approach?
A Reggio Emilia-inspired approach to learning is an innovative, sophisticated, and inspiring early childhood educational approach that views children as thoughtful, strong, capable, resilient, and rich with wonder and ways of knowing. Children seek out information about the world around them and their place in the world through their own investigations.
In group work, children are encouraged to dialogue, critique, compare, negotiate, hypothesize, problem-solve, and see progress and movement of ideas. They also develop various perspectives that promote a sense of group membership and uniqueness of self. Identity is examined. Graphic arts become tools for cognitive, linguistic, mathematic, and social development.
Children express their understanding of concepts and hypotheses using various forms of representations, which we refer to as languages: print, art, sculpture, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play, among others. The whole child is considered in all learning opportunities.
The benefits of this unique, child-initiated program are endless and priceless. It is far beyond a traditional preschool program.
