Early Childhood: Preschool/Kindergarten
At WSA, our Early Childhood program nurtures a sense of wonder and curiosity in the young child, while encouraging reverence and joy for the goodness of life. The warmth and beauty of the classrooms and the mixed age groupings provide an opportunity for children to play and learn in a home-like atmosphere. When the children join our classrooms, they each will engage according to their age and abilities.
In our Morning Garden program, toddlers come with their caregivers and are happy to be with peers in a homelike environment enjoying a rhythmic morning together.
In the Preschool/Kindergarten classes, the two-year olds (participating in a few classes only) are open to their environment and simply take it all in. The 3-year olds (participating in a 4 hour/day program) and the 4-year olds begin imitating the mood, gestures and work of the classroom teachers (and their older friends). The 5 and 6-year olds develop the independence and sense of responsibility necessary to become active members in the class.
At WSA, the Early Childhood experience is rich in storytelling, puppetry, singing, poetry, domestic and artistic activities. Crafts, handwork, games, and regular outdoor play encourage the healthy growth of the child's body. Toys, art materials, and classroom aesthetics emphasize natural, simple materials, encouraging the child's imagination. Through play, each child learns a broad range of cognitive, social, and linguistic skills. These experiences are fortified at home through parent participation and parental understanding of our curriculum which focuses on the healthy development of the child in relationship to nature and environment.
Daily and weekly rhythms provide a familiar environment and support the children as they move wholeheartedly into play and learning. Meaningful activities and artistic work are at the core of each morning. These may include watercolor painting, baking bread and churning butter, handworking (finger knitting, beeswax modeling, sewing, seasonal crafts), housekeeping (waxing, polishing, washing, mending), and making vegetable soup.
Capacities children will develop in our program:
| Social | Physical | Emotional |
| • Manners • Gratitude • Respect • Care of others • Listening skills • Self-control • Flexible thinking |
• Fine motor skills • Gross motor skills • Coordination • Self-care • Competence |
• Wonder • Good habits • Rhythm • Empathy • Aesthetic appreciation • Confidence |
| Language | Math | Science |
| • Imagination • Vocabulary • Story structure (beginning-middle-end) • Recitation • Flexible thinking |
• One-on-one correspondence • Counting • Sorting • Planning • Sequencing |
• Observational skills • Sensory stimulation • Snack preparation • Nature walks • Care of environment |
Hours of Operation
DECATUR CAMPUS, 827 Kirk Road, Decatur 30030
3 or 4 Day Preschool (Mixed Age) - Applicants must be at least 3 years old by August 1 * of year of entry
3 or 4 Day Preschool (Monday-Wednesday or Monday-Thursday, 8:30am - 1pm)
(3 year olds attend for the hours of 9am – 1pm)
Full 3 or 4 Day Preschool (Monday-Wednesday or Monday-Thursday, 8:30am – 3:10pm)
(Only students 4 and older can attend the full-day program; an Extended Day option is available until 6pm)
There are generally 18 students in this class with a teacher and assistant.
5-Day Kindergarten (Mixed Age) - Applicants must be at least 3 years old by June 1 * of year of entry
5-Day Preschool/Kindergarten (8:30am - 1pm)
(3 year olds attend for the hours of 9am – 1pm)
Full 5-Day Preschool (8:30am – 3:10pm)
(Only students 4 and older can attend the full-day program; an Extended Day option is available until 6pm)
There are generally 18 students in this class with a teacher and assistant.
* Note: If your child does not meet the age requirement for enrollment, please contact the Enrollment Director to discuss options that might exist to enroll. All students need to be potty-trained in order to enroll on the Decatur Campus.
Extended Care is available until 6pm each day for children who are 4 or older.
INMAN PARK EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER CAMPUS, 1015 Edgewood Avenue, NE, Atlanta 30307
2, 3, 4, or 5-day Nursery and Preschool (Mixed Age) - Ages range from 2 to 4 year olds.
The hours are from 9am – 1pm for all students; Extended Day is not available.
This program offers flexibility in enrollment. Participants may enroll for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week. Children do not need to be potty-trained to enroll at the Inman Park Early Childhood Center.
There are generally 12 students in this class with a teacher and an assistant. There is also a smaller classroom of 6 to 7 students also available.
Sondi Eugene
Chris Blais
