Early ZIS, Wädenswil
Program The Early ZIS program, for children who have turned two by August 31, is designed as a preparation program for children who will begin their formal schooling at Zurich International School. The goal of the program is to promote children’s healthy emotional, social, physical, and cognitive growth and development by providing an active learning environment supported by qualified teachers. The program caters for the different developmental levels of children by providing a large variety of play and focused group experiences through the medium of the English language. Children are given the opportunity to follow their own interests and inquiries in an exploratory fashion. Each day children will participate in: – arts and craft activities – storytelling – circle time – both indoor and outdoor play. The children will also participate in planned: – movement sessions – music sessions – forest visits – visits from the librarian from the Lower School, Wädenswil Campus on a weekly basis.
Facilities Early ZIS is housed in a large, well-resourced, open-plan ground floor facility with access to a fenced outdoor play area. A section of the indoor space is designated for children to use wheeled toys such as bikes and cars. There is a separate sleeping room for children who attend a full-day program and an area where children sit at tables to eat in a familial atmosphere with friends and teachers. Lunch can be provided from home or ordered through school for a fee. Parents provide snacks for each morning and afternoon session. Additional Support Parents and children have access to support staff from the Lower School, Wädenswil Campus as required, including the counselor, speech therapist, nurse and occupational therapists. Parental Involvement When children first join the program, parents are encouraged to share information about their child with teachers. Teachers give regular updates to parents through brief daily updates at pick-up time, weekly blog posts about the events during that week, parent-teacher conferences during the year, and an on-going portfolio of the child’s development which children will keep at the end of their time in Early ZIS. Parents are invited to join a range of planned celebrations throughout the year such as Easter egg hunts, Grittibanz cooking, Sami Claus visits and individual birthday celebrations. Meetings are held specifically for this age group, giving parents the opportunity to attend information sessions, discuss relevant issues and meet each other. Page 1/2
Zurich International School Steinacherstrasse 140 · CH-8820 Wädenswil · T +41 58 750 25 00 · F +41 58 750 25 01 · info@zis.ch · www.zis.ch Campuses in Wädenswil (Main Office), Adliswil, Baden, Kilchberg