Applying for Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Time for school!

JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN & KINDERGARTEN NAVIGATING THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

PREPARING FOR AN

adventure

Finding the right school is about discovering the right fit for your child’s unique personality, developmental stage, and family needs. This guide will simplify your journey as you take this exciting first step.

At Steward, the early childhood experience is designed to meet the developmental needs of four- through six-year-olds, as well as challenge them intellectually, nurture them emotionally, and prepare them for a lifelong love of learning.

Each student is engaged on a deeply individual level. Through intentional opportunities to play, research, investigate, problem-solve, build, and reflect, students' natural curiosity is fostered, and the foundation for rigorous academics is set.

Our program also provides children with time to develop skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives, such as mindfulness, empathy, responsibility, and stewardship. Plus, thanks to small class sizes, teachers can provide students with differentiated learning pathways and adaptive instruction.

. d E .

M , s e v o r G y k c Be Director of Lower School Master of Education, University of Virginia

Yaa Agyekum, Ed.D .

“At Steward each student is known as an individual. Our greatest joy is nurturing each child’s growth over time, as they gradually unfold into the people they are meant to be.”

- Becky Groves

Assistant Director of Lower School / Director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning Ed.D., Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership, College of William & Mary

“"Engaging in structured play allows children to build early literacy, math, and language skills, alongside critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, play promotes social-emotional development, helping children cultivate self-regulation, confidence, and meaningful friendships.”

- Dr. Yaa Agyekum

Becky Groves (director of Lower School) and Dr. Yaa Agyekum (assistant director of Lower School/director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning) and a team of dedicated faculty collaborate to ensure that students explore, grow, and actively participate in all facets of campus life.

ASKING THE RIGHT

questions

When evaluating early childhood programs, Mrs. Groves and Dr. Agyekum recommend parents look for the following: research-backed strategies that allow learning through guided play an evidence-based curriculum support for your child's social-emotional development a school that encourages children to be well-rounded academically and socially Parents of prospective JK/K Steward students often inquire about age requirements, readiness, daily schedules, and our teaching methods. We're here to help! We have answers to FAQ online about the application process and school life, and additional helpful information is found throughout this guide.

The Steward Junior Kindergarten Experience: Within the Classroom Our junior kindergarten program challenges and supports children in a loving, nurturing community.

Pre-literacy lessons build foundational skills in alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, print concepts, and oral language.

Nature Play occurs daily and serves as a direct bridge into kindergarten reading and writing workshops.

Early math instruction includes number recognition 0-10, shapes, patterns, and measurement.

The Steward Kindergarten Experience: Within the Classroom Our kindergarten program deepens academic foundations from junior kindergarten while continuing to foster a lifelong love of learning.

Through a structured literacy approach, kindergarten students strengthen their phonics skills. Key components include recognizing all letters (both capital and lowercase), identifying corresponding sounds, and writing one-syllable words with increasing understanding of spelling patterns (consonant/vowel/consonant words).

Our program utilizes the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education's (IMSE) curriculum based on the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach — a multi-sensory method combining sight, hearing, touch, and movement.

Students utilize their expanding understanding of how words work to read in early decodable texts. The reading environment is enriched through read-alouds and other opportunities to engage with text.

Math instruction is focused on building a strong number sense for students as they develop an understanding of patterns (addition/subtraction) of numbers 0-10 and identification of numbers 0-100.

The Steward Experience: Beyond the Classroom Our junior kindergarten and kindergarten program challenges and supports children in a loving, nurturing community.

Each day begins with a Morning Meeting to build community, practice mindfulness, and weave in calendar and math concepts.

Learning extends into “specials” classes, which include PE, Art, Music, Theatre (begins in K), Spanish, Library, Technology/Computational Thinking, and Character Education.

Every JK/K student is paired with an Upper School senior for the year through our buddy program. They team up at school events, including Convocation and our Thanksgiving Program, and at a number of gettogethers throughout the year. Seniors serve as informal mentors, and all buddies benefit from the friendship and empathy that the program encourages.

Students utilize our 37-acre campus, including our Bryan Innovation Lab and gardens, for hands-on learning experiences and nature play. Our outdoor explorers venture outside for learning that incorporates the wonders of the natural world. Nature play is integrated into the schedule and also offered to families after school on Thursdays.

Our Spartan parents make the JK/K experience extra special.

We love when parents are part of Spartan life!

RESOURCES FOR

parents & students The Center for the Advancement of Learning (CAL) Steward's CAL is available to help our youngest Spartans through tutoring, Occupational Therapy, speech services, and other learning support methods.

Enrichment Classes Throughout the year, we offer six-week sessions of afterschool enrichment classes.

They include cooking, art, science, sports and more.

AfterSchool Care We know parents are busy and we are here to help! AfterSchool Care is available from 3:10-6 p.m. every day that school is in session and from 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. on half days.

Summer Experience The fun and learning continue in the summer! Steward families receive priority registration for our popular summer program, which includes half- and full-day camps.

Junior Kindergarten Readiness Students entering our junior kindergarten program should be able to: Children must be age 4 by August 31 to apply for junior kindergarten and age 5 by August 31 to apply to kindergarten at Steward.

Be in the beginning stages of letter and number formation Use pencils/crayons to write/color with some level of control Use scissors to cut appropriately Follow one- to two-step directions and transition between tasks Manage basic self-care (putting on a jacket, opening lunch items, carrying personal items such as a water bottle) Use the restroom independently Express their needs/wants clearly Engage in age-appropriate interactions with their peers Make it through a full, structured day

Kindergarten Readiness Students entering our kindergarten program should also be able to: Learn productively with others in the classroom Engage in positive age-appropriate peer interactions Sustain attention for an age-appropriate amount of time Recognize a majority of the letters of the alphabet when presented as capital letters Have an early understanding of the connection between letters and sounds Identify numbers 0-10

JK-K ADMISSIONS Fast Facts

overview

Tuition

Families may apply for our Variable Tuition program, which customizes tuition based on what individual families can afford.*

Number of 705 Total Students in JK-12

12-14 8:1 Student/Faculty Ratio

Variable Tuition Rate 13,050 Average for Junior Kindergarten $ 20,650 Full Tuition for Junior Kindergarten

48 Zip Codes Represented 3 Number of Maker Spaces $ 2.8 M Tuition Reduction

$

Target (per teacher) JK/K Class Size

Including the Bryan Innovation Lab

of More Than $2.8 Million Given Each Year

804-740-3394

$

Variable Tuition 17,260 Average Rate for Kindergarten

$

29,200 Full Tuition for Kindergarten of Families Schoolwide 33% Percentage Utilizing Variable Tuition *Variable Tuition is calculated by a third-party processor based on a financial application. It never covers 100 percent of tuition.

ADMISSIONS@STEWARDSCHOOL.ORG SCHEDULE IN-PERSON TOUR WATCH VIRTUAL TOUR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION

Links & Resources l.ead.me/tss-jkkresources

STEWARDSCHOOL.ORG

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11600 GAYTON ROAD