Pre-School
The joy of learning is very much evident in the ISS Preschool. Housed in a separate building with a dedicated playground and a covered gazebo, the Preschool is an active, happy, stimulating place where children from many nations learn to interact cooperatively through study and play. Our small, nurturing environment and experienced staff focus on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of students. We provide a gentle, joyful and secure introduction to school life.
At ISS, the Preschool is designed around a full-day schedule; with a half-day option in our two year old program. The day is divided into formal learning experiences and supervised unstructured play. During the formal learning opportunities, our highly skilled and fully credentialed teachers follow developmentally appropriate standards covering eight different domains of learning; Cognition, Social-Emotional Development, Physical Development and Health, Language and Literacy, Creative Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Structured Physical Education is taught by our P.E. specialist and even our youngest students visit the school library weekly. Using these standards and providing students with a well-rounded preschool experience ensures maximum growth of all of our children ages 18 months through five years, stressing that all stages are crucial to a child’s development.
All of our teachers have a keen understanding of age-appropriate content and approaches which emphasize the growth of the child as a whole. We encourage early learning through discovery and inquiry, the development of social skills and self through play, creative experiences and physical activities. As a team, our teachers plan interdisciplinary units, centered on a theme, that is meaningful and engaging to students. While the ISS preschool is comprised of three groups of children, ranging from 18 months to four years, the adults collectively take responsibility for all of the children, creating a family environment. ISS is a safe and nurturing place to learn and grow.
Communication with all stakeholders is essential and a priority here at ISS. We believe that our partnership is integral to their success. Teachers communicate both formally and informally with parents to keep them up to date with their children’s progress and daily experiences. A report card is sent home four times a year detailing the learning focus for the quarter and student progress. In addition to chronicling their learning, children create Portfolios which they share with parents at end of year. The families’ understanding of what their children are learning and how they can support them is one of our top priorities. Furthermore, parents are always welcome in Preschool to lend a hand, and share in the fun, learning and laughter.
Through a balance of standards-based instruction and opportunities to play and explore, our preschool ensures that your child is provided with a high-quality early learning experience. Understanding the social development as well as the academic development of children in this stage of their learning ensures a framework, which coupled with clear goals and good communication, results in students being well-prepared socially and academically to enter Kindergarten. We invite you to come and visit. We are sure that you and your child will be enchanted.