Westminster offers two academic programs for 4-year-olds and those children who are not yet ready to go on to our kindergarten class.  Prekindergarten is primarily for younger 4-year-olds.  Our Transitional Kindergarten is primarily for older 4-year-olds and younger 5-year-olds.  Both programs have only morning classes and meet from 8:10 a.m. to noon.

PREKINDERGARTEN REQUIREMENTS

• Must be 4 years old by September 1 prior to start of school
• Able to function in a group
• Aware of other children's feelings - no hitting, hurting, insulting, etc.
• Able to wait for his or her turn to speak in "circle time" or to take turns with toys
• Score of 4 - 4½ developmental age on the Gesell Developmental Observation
• Able to sit and listen for 5 consecutive minutes and participate in a group for 10-20 minutes when the teacher intersperses passive listening and action/movement
• Able to listen and follow instructions given individually or to a group
• Able to speak and respond to teacher

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN REQUIREMENTS

• Able to function in a group
• Aware of other children's feelings
• Able to wait for his or her turn to speak and take turns during activities
• Score 4½ - 5 developmental age on the Gesell Developmental Observation
• Able to sit and listen for 10 consecutive minutes and participate in a group for 20-30 minutes when teacher intersperses passive listening and action/movement
• Able to listen and follow instructions given individually or to a group
• Able to speak and respond to teacher

Both programs feature development of fine and gross motor skills, meaning of numbers, math manipulatives (sorting, graphing, patterning, etc.), social/personal growth, fun with letters & sounds, oral language development, listening, Bible, art, P.E., library/media, and music instruction.