Curriculum
CHILDREN THRIVE HERE
At Saint Mark’s Preschool, we believe children learn best through play, exploration, and discovery. Because young children are naturally curious, our core curriculum, The Creative Curriculum is designed to nurture children’s emotional, social, cognitive, and physical growth by tapping into their own natural curiosity and creativity.
Our experienced teachers craft engaging, play-based lessons that enhance cognitive, social emotional, physical, and language development, which foster creativity, and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Every activity is an opportunity for hands-on exploration and meaningful connection.
We work in partnership with families to support each child’s development as a whole person, one who demonstrates respect for themselves and others, and who is confident, curious, and ready for school and beyond.
Our curriculum is designed for children ages 33 months to 5 years.
CATECHISIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Our Preschool offers Catechesis of the Good Shepherd™, a Montessori approach that emphasizes quiet contemplation of our faith, hands-on learning, and quiet, meaningful play. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Children gather in an “atrium,” a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials that they use.
Cognitive Development at St. Mark's
Cognitive Development
Cognitive development in early childhood is how children think, explore, and make sense of the world around them. In our classrooms, learning is active, hands-on, and full of curiosity.
Through The Creative Curriculum and our play-based approach, children are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, solve problems, and discover new ideas in meaningful ways. Whether they’re building with blocks, sorting colors, exploring nature, or engaging in imaginative play, every moment supports brain development and early academic skills.
Social Emotional Development at St. Mark's
Social Emotional Development
Social-emotional development is the foundation for learning; it helps children understand themselves, build positive relationships, and navigate the world around them with empathy and respect.
Through The Creative Curriculum, our play-based learning approach, and stories, children practice important life skills every day. They learn how to express their feelings, take turns, solve problems, and celebrate differences. Our teachers create nurturing, responsive environments where children feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and discover their unique strengths.
By guiding children to recognize emotions, show kindness, and work cooperatively with others, we’re helping them develop the tools they need to become caring friends, thoughtful classmates, and, ultimately, respectful humans.
Language Development at St. Mark's
Language Development
In early childhood, developing strong language and literacy skills lays the foundation for communication, self-expression, and future academic success.
Through The Creative Curriculum and our play-based approach, children are immersed in a rich language environment every day. Our teachers model conversation, introduce new vocabulary, and encourage children to share their thoughts, ideas, and stories. Reading books, singing songs, engaging in dramatic play, and exploring early writing are all joyful parts of our daily routine.
Our 3-4 year old class focuses on a letter of the week, phonemic awareness, and letter recognition. Our Pre-kindergarten class uses the Heggerty Phonological Awareness curriculum to help build a strong foundation for reading. Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and work with the sounds of spoken language. These short, engaging lessons focus on learning skills including rhyming, blending and segmenting words, and hearing the different sounds that make up a word. Research shows that strong phonological awareness is one of the most important predictors of reading success.
Faith Development at St. Mark's
Faith Development
Faith is at the heart of all we do. At Saint Mark’s Preschool, we nurture each child’s spiritual growth by helping them experience God’s love in meaningful ways every day.
Through Bible stories, prayer, and songs, children learn about God’s goodness, kindness, and love. Each week Father or Sister visit our classrooms to share stories, lead prayer, and help the children deepen their understanding of God’s presence in their lives. These visits are a special time for children to ask questions, build connections, and grow in their faith.
Our goal is to help children develop a lifelong relationship with God, rooted in love, wonder, and respect for themselves and others.
Physical Development at St. Mark's
Physical Development
Physical development plays a vital role in helping young children build confidence, coordination, and independence. At Saint Mark’s Preschool, we provide daily opportunities for children to move their bodies, strengthen their muscles, and develop both fine and gross motor skills. Our weekly dance and art classes further support the physical development of our students.
From climbing, running, and jumping outdoors to drawing, cutting, and building indoors, every activity supports growing bodies and active minds.
Through active play, children not only build physical strength and control but also learn cooperation, patience, and persistence. We believe that when children move, they learn and develop the confidence and energy they need to thrive in all areas of life.