Programs for Three to Five Year Olds

We offer great programs for children three to five years old geared toward building confidence and a love of learning. At this stage we focus on cognitive and social development in preparation for Kindergarten. We understand the transition for families from having a toddler to a more independent, expressive child with lots of questions about our world. As we interact, observe and plan for your child's development, conferences are held several times throughout the academic year to keep families informed. We do our best to encourage a love of learning as we build a firm foundation for a life of learning.

Child Care - Three Year Olds

Three Year Olds love to explore and our classroom offers excellent opportunities to do so with qualified teachers, an engaging environment and interesting activities. Teachers are trained to use the HighReach Curriculum which offers experiences in all areas of development using a variety topics of interest for your three year old. Activities are planned for the enhancement of language & literacy, math & science, creative expression, social & emotional and health & physical development. Daily group time brings children together to discuss what they know, want to know and have learned about new concepts. We use songs, nursery rhymes, finger plays and stories to build cognitive skills in a fun way.

Our teachers understand three year olds are busy, energetic, independent children who want to "try it all". We provide a daily schedule with the right combination of teacher directed activities, free play, gross motor/outdoor experiences, routine care, meals and rest times. Learning Centers are designed to engage children in block building, dramatic play, math skills, science discovery, art & music expression, and literacy. At this age, we begin taking children on field trips as an extention of what we are discussing in the classroom setting.

At Hester's, our Threes are learning to work and play together successfully with lots of opportunities for positive interaction. Our teachers engage children in thought provoking conversations as they learn through play. We encourage them to keep trying as they practice and master new skills to become more self-reliant. A loving atmosphere with engaging materials creates a firm foundation for learning for our threes. Let us help your active young one become more confident and ready for the next level of learning!

Child Care - Four & Five Year Olds

Our Four and Five Year Old, Pre-Kindergarten classroom at Hester's offers so many experiences for your young child. We realize children at this stage are full of self expression and discovery as they question our world . Our teachers plan for a structured day of learning using the HighReach Curriculum to explore lots of interesting topics with fun activities in all areas of development. Daily discussions build upon what children know, want to know and reinforce what they've learned. Group time supports academic skills and gives children opportunities to share knowledge. We take learning outside of the classroom with more frequent field trips. There are so many ways for children to learn in our classroom!

Our daily schedule consist of teacher and child directed activities with a healthy balance of free play, fine/gross motor use, meal and rest times. We strive to create a culture of education. Learning Centers give children chances to practice skills in problem solving, nature/discovery, literacy, building, creative expressions, fine and gross motor development. Children learn through play as our teachers expand on what they are doing with open ended questions taking advantage of teachable moments. Our teachers dedicate time for individualized observation, skill enhancement and planning to help each child achieve optimal development and kindergarten readiness. Reading and phonological awareness are part of each day.

Four and five year olds are beginning to understand relationships and to build friendships as they become more aware of how their actions affect others. With appropriate behavior expectations, our teacher provide guidance to children as they learn how to work and play cooperatively with each other. We believe an atmosphere in which children and families feel loved and respected make learning conditions ideal. Each year, our graduation events are bitter sweet as we look forward to each child standing tall on an excellent foundation of learning. In our program, we are building future leaders. The possibilities for your pre-kindergarten child are endless!

NC Pre-K Program

Hester's Creative Schools-Vandalia, Greensboro location also offers a NC Pre-K Program administered by the NC Dept of Health and Human Services under the Division of Child Development and Early Education Branch.
The program is free for children whose families meet eligibility requirements. (see www.guilfordchildren.org for more information) Children must be 4 years old before August 31 of current academic school year and must meet one of the following:
-Income eligibility
-Child has limited English proficiency, an identified disability, a
chronic health condition or a developmental or educational need OR
-Child has a parent who is active duty military
Our NC Pre K class is designed to provide high quality educational expereinces to enhance school readiness for four year old children. We follow the Guilford County Public School's calendar and operates 6.5 hours a day, Monday-Friday, 180 days a year

NC PK collage

We use Creative Curriculum to prepare children in the five developmental domains:

-Approaches to play and learning
-Emotional and Social Development
-Health and Physical Development
-Language Development and Communication
-Cognitive Development

Our Teachers meet the following standards:

Educational & Liscensure Requirements
Professional Development
Staff to Child Ratios - 1 to 9
Developmental Screens and Referrals
Evidence-based Curriculum
Formative Assessments
State Monitoring
Nutritional Requirements