Primary School Academics
The child's educational journey starts here as a part of the very special experience that is Westminster School. Caring and knowledgeable teachers create an orderly asethetic environment. Primary teachers develop a relationship with parents and child, vital toward establishing the education, personal fulfillment, happiness, and well being of young children. The primary division curriculum reflects the Montessori content areas of language, mathematics, sensorial, and practical life. Personalized lessons promote a formal sequence of activities appropriate to each child. Practical life offers daily living exercises such as pouring, sponging, tying, and cutting designed to coordinate and strengthen the hand and eye muscles.
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These are foundations for writing and reading. Language activities range from naming objects to writing down observations of the class parakeet. In the mathematics area, very young children might sort out objects, count, or explore the decimal system with the golden beads "Store Game," - "the most wonderful store in the world and you can have anything you wish." Sensorial materials draw the child's attention to complex concepts such as diameter, size, or plane figures of geometry which can be explored and compared to objects in the child's world.
Weekly Programs: PE, Music, Bread Baking, Cooperative Group Games and Film Library occur outside the classroom with Specials teachers.
In addition, 3-Day, 5-Day, and kindergarten children participate in a unique program called NeuroNet. Created by Dr. Nancy Rowe, NeuroNet is designed to increase learning readiness in children by performing exercises that build neurological networks in a child’s brain. NeuroNet teaches young children to automate handwriting, phonemic awareness and math operations skills. When these skills become second nature to young children, they are then free to move on to higher level problem solving and thinking. Westminster teachers work with children 10 to 15 minutes daily performing NeuroNet exercises. These exercises help children practice anticipating and predicting “what will happen next." By practicing both anticipation and prediction skills, children develop the skills needed to learn.
3-Day
The 3-Day option initiates the sequence of learning in Primary for young three-year-olds. Students attend three consecutive half-days per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Currently the School offers either a morning or afternoon 3-Day class option. This classroom is small and contained.
5-Day
The 5-Day option is available for older 3-year-olds and for 4 to 6-year-olds. Classes meet five days a week. All children attend in the morning. Parents of 4 to-6-year-olds may choose a full day program. This multi-age classroom community contributes to a family ambiance. Older children are role models for younger classmates, working with and alongside them. The environment is designed to be a two-year program if needed. Westminster has four 5-Day classes.
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Kindergarten
Kindergarten meets five days per week. Parents may choose half day (mornings) or full day. The kindergarten program is designed to complete the sequence of learning in the Primary Division and prepare the child to enter the Lower School. Afternoons provide an enriching extension of the morning activities.