Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Preschool
Raleigh, NC
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Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Preschool
Raleigh, NC
At St. Francis of Assisi Preschool, our educators implement the curriculum through a Catholic lens. The Gospel teachings and Catholic christian values that are central to our faith are infused into all we do. Children will become more aware of God and the world He gave us through classroom experiences such as stories, songs, and imaginative play. Children are also offered opportunities to encounter real life connections to live out our faith through special events: Little Francis CARES, Come Follow Me, and priest visits.
We believe the faith shared with parents, teachers, and students is nourished by prayer and worship within the total life of the school and parish community. The preschool environment will encourage the children to develop greater self-esteem and respect for others as we strive to help each individual develop to his/her potential. Celebrating our beautiful Catholic traditions and rituals with our preschoolers
Stepping Stones is a consistent, caring, and faith-based before and/or after-school program for enrolled three, four, and five-year old preschool families only. Students generally register at the beginning of the school year and are billed through FACTS. Morning care is available from 8am to 9am. After school care is available from 1pm to 2:30pm. The safety and well-being of the children is our priority; therefore, space is limited.
All of our children participate in a weekly Music and Movement Class. Age appropriate activities allow children to develop large motor skills such as jumping, hopping, skipping and throwing. These activities are intertwined with music, singing and rhythmic fun which also encourages such skills as though related to pre-literacy, self-regulation, self-esteem, and imagination.
In addition to this weekly class, the Music and Movement teacher regularly sets up action based learning activities to welcome children into school These activities are based on scientific research of the brain and work to enhance a different type of large motor skill in combination wtih a cognitive skill. These activities stimulate different parts of the brain and help prepare it for learning. Children are introduced to these activities in Music and Movement class so that they will learn how o execute them and be able to practicewhen they come to school. The overall idea is to prepare children’s brains for more advanced learning all while having fun!
Each week our three, four, and five-year old classes meet for Spanish class. Our Spanish program is dynamic and the children are exposed to different topics every week. Simple vocabulary is learned through songs, games, and stories in a fun and engaging manner. The Spanish teacher also incorporates many cultural activities to expose children and help them learn to value each others’ differences.
Inspired by our patron saint’s love of creation and motivated by our preschool’s ambition to ever advance in providing meaningful, relevant, and essential learning experiences, St. Francis of Assisi Preschool established an outdoor play area in 2017 called Exploration Station!
Exploration Station provides children with a multitude of whole-body sensory experiences in order to develop strong bodies, encourage imaginations in the natural world. This space opens opportunities for our students to explore the natural world by getting dirty, digging for bugs, working together to build something, and generally investigating the wonders that nature provides. St. Francis of Assisi Preschool’s Exploration Station is where a child’s senses are fully ignited, young bodies are challenged, and love of lifelong learning grows!
Little Francis CARES is an opportunity for our young preschoolers to engage in meaningful service activities. CARES stands for Children Acting Responsibly and Engaging in Service. Parent volunteers help by leading a lesson which raises awareness to a local need and then facilitates participation in an age appropriate service project. This program was designed to not only help foster kindness and compassion in our preschoolers but to emphasize the importance of care for all as part of our Catholic faith.