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

Pre-Kindergarten Sample Schedule:

8:00 - 8:20     Student Arrival
 8:20 - 8:55    Circle Time/AM Exercises (M, T, Th & F)        
                       Chapel (W)
 8:55 - 9:45    Math or Science
 9:45 -10:10   Snack
10:10 -10:35  Enrichments:
                         Art (W),
                         Music (T & F)
                         Spanish (M & Th)
10:35 - 11:00  Enrichments
                          Physical Education (M, T, Th & F)
                          Art (W)
11:00 - 11:25   Library (W)
11:00 -11:50    Language Arts or Social Studies                          
11:50 -12:15    Lunch
12:15 -1:05      Outdoor Play
1:05 -1:30        Handwriting (M, T & W)      
                         Show and Tell (Th & F)        
1:30 -1:55        Show and Tell (M, T & W)  
                         Religion (Th)
                         Group Time (F)    
1:55-2:45         SMART Board  Activities/ Centers (M, Th & F)
                         Workshop (T & W),
                         Parent Reader (Th)      
2:45-3:00         Dismissal

Language Arts and Reading
SEA uses the Imagine It Reading Program.  We use this as our basis for our reading program.  We focus on letter recognition, phonics, phonemic awareness, print awareness, comprehension strategies, sight words and letter writing.  We do this through hands on activities, guided reading groups and providing opportunities for higher order thinking skills. We further enhance our reading program by SMARTboard technology, dramatic play and group story writing.

Math
Concrete Experiences are basic to our Pre-K math curriculum.  The students learn to sort and classify by size, shape, and color. Pre-K students begin the study of geometry by learning to recognize and form circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles, to identify and write numerals up to 20, introduction to the days of the week, calendar activities, recognize simple patterns and interpret and explore simple graphs. Students understand the form and function through the use of manipulative and hands-on activities.  At the end of the year students will be exposed to addition, before and after on a number line and counting by tens.

Science
Pre-K uses the FOSS program as the basis for the science curriculum.  It is developed to improve the learning and teaching of  science and to provide students with adequate science education.  The students are taught the development of inquiry and thinking skills.  They learn how to observe carefully, to question, and to conduct small experiments (typically with plants and animals), explore science tools: magnets, magnifying glasses, experience the world through nature walks, gardening, and other explorations, observe insect life, plant growth, and weather, and make conscious use of the five senses to gain information about the world.  Through discussion, class work, and many hands-on activities, the        students are guided to discover, explore, question, and reflect on different aspects of their every day surroundings.

Social Studies
Our social studies curriculum is a comprehensive program that includes citizenship, community, map and globe skills, comparison of children and families of today with those in the past and cultural awareness.  We do this through holidays and creative resources.  Your child will be traveling around the world and experiencing different cultures through crafts, dress up, foods, and literature.

Academic Enrichment
SEA Pre-K 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.

Technology
Pre-K students use SMARTboards daily in their lessons and have access to computers during their center time and during visits to the computer lab.

Community Service
SEA promotes community service in all grades through our Homeroom Outreach program. Last year, Pre-Kindergarten collected cans and bottles and learned about the value of recycling.  With the money they collected, they bought baby supplies for the World’s Biggest Baby Shower, a program for mothers and infants who lack resources.

Field Trips
Pre-K has four field trips throughout the year. In the fall, they visit the Pumpkin Patch and receive a visit from firefighters as part of their fire-safety curriculum. In the spring, they attend the theater and visit PetSmart as part of their curriculum on Pets.

Celebrations
Pre-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: Gingerbread Man Hunt, Christmas
February: 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, Pre-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 Pre-K teachers and aides.