Our Littlest Stars and Suns
Young children are naturally curious, active, and eager to explore the world around them. At the St. Agnes Academy–St. Dominic School Early Childhood Center in Memphis, our nurturing, faith-based program provides children in PK2, PK, and Jr. Kindergarten with a positive beginning to their educational journey.
Our coeducational, child-centered program supports the development of the whole child – academically, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Through developmentally appropriate learning experiences, purposeful play, exploration, and meaningful relationships, children build confidence, develop foundational skills, and discover the joy of learning.
Rooted in the Catholic faith and the Dominican pillars of Study, Prayer, Community, and Service, our Early Childhood program creates a strong foundation for each child's continued growth at SAA-SDS and beyond.
We Believe
- Children learn best in an environment based on respect that fosters self-esteem and builds confidence.
- Children learn best when encouraged to learn and grow within a foundation of developmentally appropriate experiences.
- Children learn best when the needs of the whole child are met.
- Children learn best through play, which encourages curiosity, discovery, and problem solving.
- Children learn best when activities are designed to allow them to make choices and to solve problems.
- Children learn best when we create a partnership with their families.
Designed for Young Learners
Our Early Childhood Center is designed to encourage active, hands-on learning. Classrooms provide children with opportunities to explore, create, solve problems, make choices, and learn through play. Teachers collaborate to create developmentally appropriate experiences that encourage children to try new things, learn from mistakes, and make meaningful connections to the world around them.
Goals For Our Early Childhood Classrooms
- Each child will be respected as an individual, learn to respect others, and learn to embrace differences and diversity.
- Each child will be an important contributor to the learning process.
- Activities will build new knowledge by making connections to previously learned concepts through exploration and creative thinking.
- Children will feel a sense of community in the classroom.
- Children will feel safe to make mistakes and to learn from them.
- Children will develop an awareness and appreciation of languages, cultures, and the world around them.
ECC Curriculum
Two-year-olds learn through new experiences, exploration, and social interaction with their peers and teachers. At St. Agnes Academy–St. Dominic School, our PK2 classrooms provide a safe, nurturing environment with a multidisciplinary approach to early learning.
A language-rich environment and opportunities for hands-on exploration support children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. PK2 students participate each week in Performing Arts, Spanish, Chapel, Physical Education, and Library, while art and technology are integrated throughout the day to enrich their learning experiences.
Our PK program builds on children's natural curiosity through new experiences, hands-on exploration, and a multidisciplinary approach to learning. Students strengthen fine motor skills with manipulatives and other hands-on materials that help children develop letter recognition, print concepts, early numeracy skills, and mathematical language.
Differentiated instruction allows teachers to support each child's individual learning and development. PK students participate each week in Performing Arts, Spanish, Chapel, Physical Education, and Library. Additional experiences expand learning beyond the classroom through our state-of-the-art Distance Learning Center, where students virtually visit zoos, museums, aquariums, and more.
Our Jr. Kindergarten program builds on the foundations established in PK while introducing greater independence and preparation for Kindergarten. Students continue the Zaner Bloser handwriting program, introduced in PK, and expand their language arts learning through McGraw Hill's, World of Wonders curriculum. Small-group instruction and increasingly independent work help students strengthen academic skills, confidence, and classroom readiness.
JK students participate each week in Performing Arts, Spanish, Chapel, Physical Education, and Library. Through our state-of-the-art Distance Learning Center, students also explore the world beyond the classroom with virtual visits to zoos, museums, aquariums, and other educational destinations.
