Pre-Kindergarten A Confident Beginning Starts Here
The Early Years Matter Choosing when and where to begin your child’s independent school education is an important decision. At Sierra Canyon, Pre-Kindergarten students discover the joy of learning while developing the foundational skills, confidence, and independence that prepare them for the years ahead. As part of a vibrant Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 community, our youngest students benefit from the resources, expertise, and opportunities of a leading independent school while enjoying an intimate environment designed just for them. Through purposeful play, hands-on learning, and individualized instruction, children develop the essential skills of logical thinking, cooperative conversation, number sense, and gross and fine motor skills. They engage in interactive experiences that build early literacy and math skills, laying a strong foundation through developmentally appropriate learning. Each day is filled with meaningful opportunities to explore, build friendships, and develop a genuine love of coming to school.
Big Opportunities for Little Learners During the school day, Pre-K students enjoy weekly classes in Art, Music, STEM, Wellness, Spanish, P.E., and Library taught by specialists in each field. They begin learning to transition confidently from their cozy Pre-K environment to classrooms, studios, and athletic fields.
A Place Where Children Feel Safe and Known At Sierra Canyon, your child’s safety is our top priority. Sierra Canyon offers families peace of mind with a secure, beautiful 17-acre campus. Every car entering campus stops at a locked gate, where a security guard verifies visitor information and runs a background check using the visitor’s driver’s license. Our school perimeter is gated and enhanced by extensive video monitoring. For our youngest learners, a dedicated Pre-K area functions as its own “gated community,” providing an extra layer of protection within a secure, enclosed environment designed just for them.
Afterschool Enrichment Classes Sierra Canyon offers a wide variety of enrichment opportunities conveniently located on our Lower Campus. Students can explore their interests afterschool through classes such as Musical Theater, Spanish and French Clubs, Dance, Violin, Cooking, Yoga, Art, Young Ninjas, and various sports clinics. See our current offerings at SCenrichment.org.
Extended Day Care Sierra Canyon offers Extended Day Care from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at no extra charge.
A Community for Children and Families Beginning in Pre-Kindergarten, children become part of a school community that can support and inspire them for years to come. Our youngest learners experience the warmth of a close-knit early childhood environment. Our teachers take the time to know each child—their strengths, interests, personality, and areas for growth—while working closely with parents throughout the year. Through regular communication, classroom celebrations, special events, and opportunities to be part of campus life, families quickly become connected members of the Sierra Canyon community. Friendships grow not only among our students, but among parents and families as well. We encourage you to embrace the welcoming spirit of our community by volunteering in classroom activities, participating in school-wide events, and enjoying the flexibility to walk your child into school whenever you would like.
Purposeful Play and Foundational Instruction At Sierra Canyon, joyful exploration and intentional learning happen together. Our Pre-Kindergarten students are encouraged to imagine, create, collaborate, and ask questions while developing foundational academic and social skills through meaningful, hands-on experiences.
Thoughtful Guidance for Every Child Young children develop at different rates. Our experienced teachers thoughtfully guide each child’s growth, providing the right balance of encouragement, challenge, and support. Because our Pre-Kindergarten teachers are part of the Lower School faculty, they collaborate through ongoing professional development in child development, literacy, mathematics, and best practices in teaching and learning. This shared approach creates a seamless progression as children build important skills and a strong foundation for continued success.
Growing Kind People Our Character Education program helps children understand what it means to be a good friend and community member as they practice kindness, responsibility, honesty, and respect for others.
Ready for Kindergarten. Ready for What Comes Next. The foundation of a Sierra Canyon education begins in Pre-Kindergarten, where curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning take root. Through a thoughtfully designed, developmentally appropriate program, children build strong academic, social-emotional, and creative foundations that prepare them for a lifetime of learning.
Skills for School and Life
• sharing and taking turns
EXPRESSIVE AND RECEPTIVE L ANGUAGE SKILLS
• being a polite listener
• following oral directions
• participating in cooperative play
• s peaking comfortably in front of a group
• respecting rights and properties of others
• i ncreasing attention span
• making and maintaining friendships • problem solving
SOCIAL SKILLS
MATH SKILLS • sorting/classifying/ comparing • number recognition/ number sense
READING READINESS/ COMPREHENSION SKILLS • left to right tracking • sequencing
• patterning and sorting
• sight words
• shapes
• concepts of print
•b uilding descriptive vocabulary
• composing and decomposing numbers
• forming opinions
• beginning addition and substraction skills
• phonological awareness (letter sounds, rhyming, onsets and rimes, sound blending) • recalling details • logical thinking/ inferring
Experience Sierra Canyon for Yourself The best way to discover what makes Sierra Canyon special is to visit our beautiful 17-acre Lower Campus, meet our teachers, and see firsthand the confidence, curiosity, and love of learning that defines our youngest learners. We would be delighted to welcome you and share what makes Sierra Canyon such a special place for your child to begin their educational journey. To schedule a private tour, please call the Admission Office at (818) 821-8121 or email LSadmission@sierracanyonschool.org.
• predicting outcomes