Kindergarten Program
We recognize that all children are unique and we continually encourage our students to discover, develop, and be grateful for talents that God has given them. To nurture their potential, we provide a warm and loving environment to introduce kindergartners to outstanding scholastic and specialized programs, such as: art, music, computer, physical education, and more. We understand that children are multifaceted, and we strive to develop our students scholastically, emotionally and spiritually.
Sts. Joseph and John School is founded upon three fundamental principles of our educational mission: Values, Academic Excellence and Service. Our foundation fosters in the minds of our students a devotion to character, a passion for learning and a commitment to public service.
Values: Nurtures the development of character through lessons in ethics, morals, and catholic values.
Academic Excellence: Dedicated to excellence in education and developing a love of learning.
Service: Cultivates the value of giving back to the community and helping others.
Our kindergarten teachers—along with SJJ’s Principal, faculty, staff, and St. Joseph and St. John Neumann parishes—are here to support you and your child in the exciting journey of kindergarten. We cooperatively strive to accomplish the following:
- Develop a strong foundation in faith.
- Cultivate an understanding of Jesus’ teachings by living our faith through our words and actions.
- Help children discover, develop, and be grateful for the talents God has given them.
- Provide an exceptional curriculum.
- Develop a LOVE of learning.
- Provide the opportunity for creative self-expression through play, music and art.
- Nurture a positive self-image in each child.
- Develop each child’s social skills of sharing, helping, and positively interacting with others.
- Teach children to understand and accept responsibility for their choices.
As a strong community of faith and academic excellence, we work to help each child feel valued, heard, empowered, competent, and successful in school.
We are blessed to have such exceptional, dedicated, loving, and experienced teachers and aides in our kindergarten program. In each kindergarten classroom, a full time aide works cooperatively with the kindergarten teacher to help ensure academic excellence. We take pride that our kindergarten teachers and aides are experienced and that all of our teacher aides are certified educational aides.
Full-day Kindergarten at SJJ has been a positive experience for our children. They have blossomed academically, but have also truly grown in their own independence and their friendships. – Kate & Rob-parents of four SJJ students
We feel that our children gained excellent learning skills and took part in fun, creative activities! It is truly a program that encompasses all areas of learning. – Stephanie & Brian-parents of two SJJ students
LOW STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO: 25 students to 2 adults
All Day Program
Our kindergarten program starts at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m.
Curriculum
Our kindergarten curriculum follows the Catholic education principle that we must foster growth of the whole child: intellectual, physical, psychological, social, moral and religious.
Special Programs
We go beyond the basics. Our kindergarteners are able to enhance their skills and knowledge through our special programs: music, art, physical education and computer education.
Lunch
Our nutritious hot lunch program, including milk, is available every day to our students. Children also have the option of bringing their own lunch and buying milk. The kindergarten students enjoy lunch in McGraw Hall.
Recess
Kindergarteners have a morning recess and a recess after lunch.
After-School Care Program
A safe, teacher-operated after-school care program is offered to kindergarteners through 6th graders daily until 6:00 p.m. Children are given time for homework, free-play, computer learning games, and are provided a nutritious snack.
In our kindergarten program, we utilize methods of differentiated instruction to ensure growth and excellence for each student and to provide new experiences that engage blossoming readers, writers, scientists, mathematicians, musicians and artists.
RELIGION
Religion plays a vital role in our everyday life in kindergarten. Our curriculum is organized into four strands:
Message: Learning about our Catholic Faith.
Worship: Participating meaningfully in liturgical celebrations, faith experiences and prayer.
Community: Building family, church, local and work communities.
Service: Living out our faith by caring for and helping others.
Students learn that God is the giver of life. Our senses and feelings help us to explore and discover God’s goodness, love, and power in Creation. Students learn that loving God means caring for and showing responsibility for family, friends, parish, and world communities. We learn and practice age appropriate skills of respect, kindness and manners. Each strand in our curriculum is integrated with each other.
LANGUAGE AND READING READINESS
The curriculum encompasses listening, speaking, viewing and preparation for reading, writing, and research activities. All five senses are incorporated into our language arts modalities: receptive and expressive language, fine and gross motor skills, visual skills, and auditory skills.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is acquired through informal group activities and planned experiences that occur in games and discovery while working with manipulatives. Math skills are developed not only in math class, but also in all other subject areas throughout the day. Our objectives include: counting, recognizing and understanding the meaning of numbers from 1 to 20, graphing, the clock and calendar, money, measurement, sets, shapes, one to one correspondence, and addition and subtraction through ten.
SCIENCE
Science surrounds us in real life and becomes an essential component of our everyday environment. Using our five senses, students learn to experience and explore their natural world through observation, experimentation and discovery. Topics covered include plants, animals, weather, and the seasons of the year.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Social Studies on the kindergarten level focuses on a child’s place in time and space. Students begin to understand that they have a great deal in common with others, yet they recognize their uniqueness. The curriculum assists students in beginning to form concepts about the world beyond our classroom and community.
COMPUTER LAB
Computer Lab is visited weekly and taught by a specialized teacher. The kindergarten computer curriculum focuses on becoming familiar with the keyboard and computer components. Educational computer games are used to reinforce various areas of skill development across the entire kindergarten curriculum.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Physical Education is taught by a specialized teacher weekly in our gymnasium. Our program allows kindergarten students to progress at their own rate in developing physical gross motor skills. Students enjoy a variety of games and activities to increase their development of their gross motor skills.
MUSIC
Music provides our students with an opportunity to sing, dance, and perform using rhythm band instruments and to respond creatively using body movements. A specialized music teacher visits the kindergarten classroom weekly.
ART
Art is an opportunity for our students to express themselves creatively through painting, drawing and constructing. Students use color, line, and form to communicate ideas and feelings. The students visit a specialized art teacher in our art classroom weekly.
DRESS CODE
Kindergarteners follow the school dress code. Girls wear a plaid jumper and white polo. Boys wear navy pants and white or pastel blue polo. Kindergarteners wear tennis or leather dress shoes. Gym uniforms are also now required for Kindergartners. The gym uniform is purchased through the Book Store and includes t-shirt, shorts and 2 options for pants. Tennis shoes must be worn with gym uniforms.
SPECIAL SERVICES
For those children needing additional assistance, we provide a school nurse/health aide, speech and language therapist, school psychologist, and various intervention specialists.
BUS TRANSPORTATION
Bus transportation is coordinated and provided by the Strongsville City School District, Brunswick City School District, Berea School District, and Buckeye Local School District.
SAFETY TOWN
The City of Strongsville offers a Safety Town Program for our students during the summer prior to their kindergarten entrance. We encourage our students to become “safe citizens” and enroll in the program.
Our kindergarten admission age conforms to the State of Ohio entrance age laws. To be admitted, children must be five years old on or before August 1st.
Enrollment for current Little Vikings Preschool families or families of a current K-8 student begins in January. Open enrollment begins in February. For more information about registration or about tuition, please contact the school office at (440) 238-4877.
For more information, please contact our school office. We welcome you to discover the SJJ advantage!
Contact Us
Saints Joseph & John School
12580 Pearl road, Strongsville, Ohio 44136 · (440) 238-4877
Mrs. Shelly Schenek, SJJ Principal