Preschool (PreK4)

Preschool (PreK4) Program Highlights

Your child is challenged to grow academically, spiritually, and socially in St. Joseph School - Fullerton's preschool (PreK4) program. Our curriculum follows the standards of the Archdiocese of Baltimore which directly connects and aligns with the Maryland State Standards for preschool instruction. Our curriculum embeds Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Religion into weekly units and themes. We use multi-sensory hands-on learning to teach fine motor skills, and auditory and visual learning using center time, books, songs, technology, and art. Students also participate in Special classes (Art, Music, STEM, and Physical Education) one day a week.

What does preschool look like at St. Joseph School-Fullerton? Take the virtual tour:


As a parent, you choose St. Joseph School - Fullerton PreK program knowing your child is taking part in a preschool curriculum that prepares him or her for Kindergarten and beyond. 

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PreK4 Program Schedule

Our preschool (PreK4) program meets fives day a week from 8:00 a.m. until dismissal at 2:35 p.m. Our two PreK4 programs are staffed by caring, certified teachers, as well as dedicated instructional assistants. The goal of our preschool program is to prepare your child for Kindergarten and to become a lifelong learner.



PreK4 Requirements

Students must be 4 years old by September 1st and independent when using the restroom.


Subject Areas

Found below is a listing of the areas of study with example content and essential skills.

English Language Arts 

The Reading and Language Arts program standards are through the literacy standards provided by the Archdiocese, which focuses on literacy, reading, and communication. Writing is also aligned with the state standards and is taught through the Learning Without Tears curriculum.

Revised in 2014, the English Language Arts Curriculum for the Archdiocese of Baltimore is designed using the Catholic, College and Career Ready clusters as its foundation. Through literature, this course of study fosters students' Catholic identity, shaping them to be models of Christian living for others. This curriculum is fully integrated with our Catholic faith. We provide students with a curriculum that is rigorous and rich in literature, oral and written language, grammar, writing, vocabulary, informational literature, and multimedia/technology. 

By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills, including: 

  • Exhibiting curiosity and interest in learning new vocabulary (e.g. ask questions about unfamiliar vocabulary)
  • Describing the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts)
  • Actively engaging in group reading activities with purpose and understanding
  • Confirming understanding of a text read aloud or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood
  • Distinguishing shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings

Mathematics

Students use the Pearson EnVision Math program which connects to the K-8 curriculum continuum followed by St. Joseph School-Fullerton. 

Revised in 2013, the curriculum for all elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore includes the following units:

Counting and Cardinality

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Measurement and Data

Numbers and Operations in Base Ten

Geometry

Numbers and Operations

Catholic educators never forget that our schools exist to bring our students to Christ. By continuing to implement new standards that are challenging, we work to fulfill the promise of quality Catholic education that educates the whole child, both mind and soul. By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills, including:

  • Counting groups of objects to 10 in order to solve a problem
  • Subitizing: immediate recognition of the number of a group without counting
  • Manipulating actual, physical objects to represent the problem when working on a solution (e.g. apples to represent apples)
  • Using measurement vocabulary when describing the attributes of objects
  • Recognizing shapes in their real-world environment

Religion

Religion standards are followed through the Archdiocese of Baltimore and are taught through the Loyola Press resources and textbook/student workbook. 

Released in 2011, “Bringing Good News” is the Archdiocese of Baltimore Religion Curriculum for Elementary Schools. This standards-based curriculum serves as a guide, a roadmap for both teachers and students as they embark on a journey, which will provide them with the knowledge and understanding of the faith as witnessed in the teachings and the traditions of the Catholic Church. 

The curriculum is built on the Six Tasks of Catechesis: 

  1. Promoting Knowledge of the Faith
  2. Liturgical Education
  3. Moral Formation
  4. Teaching to Pray
  5. Education for Community Life
  6. Missionary Initiation and is aligned with the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (IFG:ACRE)

By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills including:

  • Identifying self and my family as belonging to God’s family
  • Identifying the Bible as a special book about God
  • Dramatizing the stories about Jesus from the Bible, i.e. The Last Supper, The Christ Child in the Temple, The Good Samaritan
  • Demonstrating how we show our love by using kind words and positive actions
  • Participating in prayer with the family, alone, in class, and at Church
  • Identifying the saints as God’s special friends who are part of the family of the Church in heaven
  • Discovering that God has made each of them special and that individual differences are gifts from God
  • Understanding when we help our family and friends we are showing love to others like Jesus did


Additional Subject Areas

While there are no defined standards in preschool for the following subject areas, Catholic schools offer exploration and introduction to the content that will be learned in future grade levels:

  • Science
  • STEM
  • Instructional Technology
  • Social Studies
  • Physical Education/Health
  • Art & Music
  • World Languages