Welcome To Kindergarten at Sweetwater Episcopal Academy.
We are so happy you've inquired about our very special program. SEA Kindergarten students attend school five days a week, full time and participate in all school activities. Kindergarten students at SEA are taught by nine different learning specialists throughout the week, including 2 Kindergarten teachers that each teach two subject areas along with their homeroom lessons/activities. To experience the Kindergarten day in person, please schedule a tour during school hours with Mrs. Kim Bailey, our Admissions Director.

Kindergarten Sample Schedule:

8:00 - 8:30       Morning Calendar Activities
8:30 - 9:35       Reading
9:35 - 9:55       Snack/Recess
9:55 - 11:00     Math
11:00 -11:50    Enrichments:                        
                         Physical Education (M-F)
                         Music (M&W)                        
                         Spanish (T&Th)
                         Religion (W)                        
11:50 -12:15    Lunch
12:15 -12:40    Story Time
12:40 - 1:30     Poetry (M), Art (T) Science (W-F)       
1:30 - 2:20       Library (M), Creative Writing (T) Social Studies (W-F)         
2:20 - 2:45       Handwriting/Language Arts
2:45 - 3:00       Dismissal

Our Kindergarten Curriculum:

Reading:
Kindergarten uses the Grade 1 SRA Imagine It!  reading program.  This reading program completely addresses the five key areas of reading.  The students will understand not just how to read and write, but the meaning and purpose of what they are learning:

Phonemic Awareness
Systematic
Explicit Phonics               
Fluency                                       
Vocabulary                                                
Comprehension                                        

We further enhance our reading program by breaking up into small groups (reading/comprehension with teacher, computers, journal writing, and listening center) twice a week.                  

Math:
Our Math series is Harcourt School Publishers (HSP) Math - Grade 1.  This math program focuses on number sense and operations, addition/subtraction facts to 12, graphing, probability , and numbers to 100.  The program also focuses on geometry, patterns, fractions, measurement, money, and time.  The children are also offered daily opportunities to use various hands-on manipulatives and are given the  opportunity to work in small groups.

Science and Social Studies:
The Science program for our kindergarten study Nutrition, Pumpkins, and the 5 Senses.  We also incorporate the FOSS (Full Option Science System) - Fabrics, Paper, and Animals Two by Two. 

In Social Studies, the units include Citizenship and Government, Maps and Globes, Long Ago and Today, and Australia.

Curriculum Enhancements:
Buddy Reading and Science: Throughout the year, our kindergarten students are paired with the 3rd grade students to share one-on-one reading time and science projects.  They also share many other learning experiences and friendships, including testing whether pumpkins float in the SEA pool during the Fall.

Technology: In kindergarten, the students have frequent visits to the computer lab to engage in basic computer skills.  We also use computer programs such as Pixie, Kidspiration, and DreamBox Math to coordinate with our units.

Academic Enrichment:
SEA Kindergarten students are taught by seven different enrichment specialists throughout the week for Physical Education, Spanish, Art, Music, Library, Computer, Religion. For more information on our Academic Enrichment programs, click here.

Field Trips:
During the school year our kindergarteners will enjoy field trips that coordinate and enhance our curriculum.  We will visit the Publix supermarket and make pizzas at Papa Joe’s during our study of nutrition.  We will also attend a play at a local theater and in the spring, we will visit Green Meadows Farm while we study various animals in science.  At the end of the year, we have our annual cookout for the students and families at Wekiva Springs Park.

Celebrations:
Kindergarten has many celebrations throughout the year that parents assist with and attend. Parents are also invited to read to the class as Parent Readers throughout the year:

September: MiniHawk Triathlon
October: Halloween
November: Thanksgiving
December: Christmas
February: 100 Days of School, Grandparents' Day and Valentine's Day
March: Field Day
April: Easter
May: Cinco de Mayo
May/June: Last Day of School

Musical Performances:
Just like all grades at SEA, Kindergarten performs in two musical programs. We emphasize learning to be comfortable speaking before an audience and singing as a group. Each child has a speaking role and sings. There is a Christmas show in December and a spring show that is lesson-based. The show is coordinated by Ms. Shatley our music teacher and the kindergarten teachers and aides.

 

To download this information as a PDF, click here.