Learning Environment
"Our center is designed to make every moment of the day enriching."
**Come see our newly expanded facility**
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*Children are placed in classes based on age, developmental needs, and space*
Monarch Class
Our "Monarch Class" is opened to children 18 month to 2 1/2 yrs old.
The classroom was custom built just for their little
imaginations and fun curiosity.
Manipulative center Your little ones imagination will soar.
The class has access to our multipurpose studio (inside the Wilmington school of ballet), our new outdoor playground, and our free expression hallway where all the walls are painted in chalk board!
The children are exposed to music throughout the day, and the teachers sing to them often.The class works on learning respect. Respect for themselves and for others. They are encouraged to share, use their words, and express themselves. One of the ways we encourage their expression is through art.
They also have circle time and follow monthly themes and weekly curriculum that is posted outside the classroom to keep parents informed.
Dragonfly Class
The "Dragonfly" class is opened to children 2 to 3 yrs old. They have a spacious classroom that is broken up into specific centers. They have an area for curriculum time, a gravity wall, train table, library area, kitchen / dress up, science area and art space.
There is a great number of manipulative for hands on learning -including fun color chalk walls, moving gravity walls, critical thinking manipulatives, blocks, old fashion threaded spools, and much more.
As the children move up into the different classes they are encouraged to be more and more independent. Potty training is encouraged in this class (if they are not potty trained already)
Praise and encouragement are the basis in all the rooms!
As with the other rooms the children have monthly themes and weekly curriculum that is posted outside the classroom.
Circle time is a little longer, as their attention spans grow.
Grasshopper Class
The "Caterpillar" class is opened to children 3 to 4 yrs old.
This room also has a very spacious layout that has various centers for the children to use. We just opened this class this year as a way to prepare the children from the transition from toddler to preschooler. This class is very much a full preschool room with the children being encouraged to be independent and working together as a group to learn.
As your child grows into each room they are given more "tools" to help built the foundation for a love of learning now and in years to come.
Chameleon Class
The "Chameleon" class is open to children 4 to 5 yrs old.
This class is the final room they will enter before starting Kindergarten. The class works on all the skills that your child will need to move on to kindergarten.
Being able to carry out tasks, listening to teachers instructions, and following direction are all skills the children will acquire during the year while having fun, being able to express themselves and use there ideas and imagination to be creative.
This Classroom is set up for children to succeed and the children are encouraged to be curious, and ask lots of questions.
Unique Extras our school has to offer...
Movement and Music Room
The Preschool has use of one of the Wilmington School of Ballets spacious studios. Music and movement classes are conducted daily for all age groups. This room has every instrument imaginable for the young child, can be transformed into a jumping gym with an array of bounce houses, an obstacle course with large props, and has a seemingly endless supply of movement tools that encourage physical and mental development. With huge murals that encompass the high walls, this room is a fantasy learning play space for any young child.
Outside Castle Park
Our Outdoor play area was custom built to encourage learning, imaginative play, and discovery. Sand, water, climbing, sliding, an airplane, and a pirate ship are the focus of outside play. We even have the theme park style misters along the fence to keep the little ones cool while they run on hot days. Oh what fun we have outside!!!!!!!!
Curriculum
Faculty and Staff
Center Owner: Elizabeth Hester ~ Civil Engineer, Trained Atlanta Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Walnut Hill School of the Arts, NCSA and Others. NC State graduate, Mother, Music Together Center Director. ( CPR and First Aid Certified )
Director : Christine Kennedy~ Christine graduated in 2001 with an Early Childhood Degree from State University of New York at Cobleskill. After graduating she went on to work as an Early Childhood Teacher in both Daycare and Preschool Settings. She has 2 yrs experience working in the Infant Room as Lead Teacher, and also working with the 3 and 4 year old classes. Christine started at the Wilmington Preschool of Fine Arts in 2006 as a preschool teacher, and then went on to become the Director in 2007. Christine is a Kid Art Trained Instructor, CPR, First Aid and SIDS trained.
Our Teachers:
Sarah Mason (Lead Teacher Chameleon Pre-K Class)*Music Together Teacher, Dance instructor, and Senior Teacher
Ashley Long (Lead Teacher Dragonfly Class)*Afternoon Girls Time teacher
Lindsay Mott(Lead Teacher Grasshopper Class)
*Dance instructor, Zumba Insructor, and Admin. Assistant
Katelin Cook (Teacher Dragonfly Class)
*Girls Time Driver, Afternoon Office Assistant
Kate Sheridan(Lead Teacher Monarch Class)
Sarah Elizabeth Marion (Teacher Monarch Class PM)
*Nap Teacher, AM Assistant
Abbey Lewis(PM Closing Teacher, AM Assistant)*PM Girls Time Teacher, Driver, Nap Teacher
Mindy Collins (AM Assistant, PM Girls Time Teacher)
Sarah Armstrong-McLaughlin (Floater, Specialty Teacher)
Brandy Strickland(Floater, Sub)
Amber Waters(Admin. Assistant)
***The WPFA does extensive background checks on all of it's staff.***
Hours:
WPFA (Learning Garden) Full Day ~ Hours: 7:30AM - 6PM
AM Preschool ~ Hours Mon - Fri: 9AM - 1PM
School Office ~ Hours Mon - Fri: 9AM - 6PM
Saturday Office ~ Hours 9AM - 12PM
Sunday: Closed
Located:
3834 Oleander Dr
Wilmington, NC 28403
