Children's School

The Children’s School provides young children an environment that fosters appreciation of self, others, and the world around them. It promotes self-motivated learning through discovery and hands-on involvement with their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on meeting individual needs while encouraging respect for others.

While enrolled at QCC's Children's School, children will engage in individual, small group, and large group activities. Experiences are designed to help children develop basic skills, to encourage a working understanding of concepts and to simulate greater facility in language use and communication. Children are challenged to solve simple problems and to practice developing skills in an environment filled with manipulative, creative, and dramatic sensory materials. Behavioral limits are set to provide children with a sense of security; actions are redirected, feelings are discussed, and self-respect is preserved.
 

Quinsigamond Children’s School combines exploration and discovery, opportunities for making choices, and an atmosphere of order, predictability, warmth and mutual trust. Most important children gain feelings of confidence and competence through their interactions with people and materials.

Typical Daily Schedule
 

The times indicated in the schedules provide a general structure needed for program continuity. Times may vary somewhat to accommodate group needs, weather conditions, and walking field trips. Each week, a detailed curriculum is posted. The teachers, children and parents/guardians generate ideas for the curriculum. Themes may provide the basis of curriculum ideas and may be integrated throughout the classroom. The following interest areas are available to the children: art, sand/water, science, manipulatives, language arts, blocks, workbench, writing area, dramatic play and the outdoor learning environment.

Classroom I, Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

8:30 a.m. Greetings, hand washing upon arrival
8:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Open ended indoor activities, occasional outside activities
8:45 a.m. Morning meeting
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Snack (to be cleaned up by 9:45), open ended indoor activities
10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. Clean up and lunch set up
11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Group time
11:20 a.m. to 11:30a.m. Hand washing
11:30 a.m. to noon Lunch
noon to 12:45 p.m. Outdoor experiences
12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m. Toileting, tooth brushing and transition to rest
1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Rest
1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. Books, story boards, puzzles
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Snack, indoor open ended activities
3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Outdoor experiences and departure

Classroom I, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m. Greetings, hand washing upon arrival
9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Snack
8:30 a.m. 10 a.m. Indoor creative learning experiences
10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Group time, stories, music
10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Transition to outside, toileting
10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Outdoor creative learning experiences, Departures

Classroom II 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

7:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Center opens, greetings, hand washing upon arrival, Indoor creative learning experiences
9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Snack offered
10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Clean up
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Group time
10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Toileting, prepare to go outside Outdoor creative experiences
11:45 a.m. to noon Transition indoors, prepare for lunch
noon to 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Toileting, brush teeth, transition into rest
12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rest as required by EEC regulations (more time allowed if needed)
1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Books, story boards, activity box for children  awake
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Snack
1:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Open-ended activities
3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Transition to outdoors, clean-up, toileting Outdoor creative learning experiences
4:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. Quiet activities
5 p.m. Center closes

 

The School, which also serves as an educational site for students in the Early Childhood Education program, is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Additionally, the Children’s School has been accredited by The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children) since 1990.