A Day in Our Program

Colorful toys on a green table in a classroom

What does a day in the Little Spartans Early Learning Program look like? 

Students will be involved in special activities such as group speech and social emotional groups. We combine classrooms for large motor time, which provides an opportunity for students to learn and interact with their peers in another classroom, outside or in the gym. 

Morning Session | 9:00 - 11:30 AM

Afternoon Session | 1:00 -3:30 PM

Preschool students looking up to teacher

Our Classrooms

Blended Classrooms

  • Up to 15 students
  • Up to 10 students who pay tuition and do not require special education services
  • Includes students that require special education services

Instructional and Self-Contained Classrooms

  • Up to 10 students
  • All students require intensive special education services

 

What does the schedule mean?

Table Work

Students will have daily table work that reinforces both fine motor skills as well as concept development. Activities include a daily writing practice, puzzles, sorting, coloring and cutting, and a variety of manipulatives to explore.

Learning Circle

This is a structured time that includes jobs, sharing time, music and movement, and a theme related book or activity. During learning circle, the students participate in teacher led, child centered, large group activities. The activities relate to the theme and introduce new concepts, reinforce previously learned concepts, and concentrate on language development.

Snacks

We have a daily snack. We encourage families take turns providing fresh fruits or veggies for the class.

Our snack policy mirrors that of the school: we are a PEANUT and TREE NUT free zone! Due to a history of significant food allergies, NUTS and products containing nuts are not permitted in all classrooms. Please inform your student's teacher directly of any food related allergies or restrictions. Only pre-packaged foods are considered safe (with the exception of fresh fruit and vegetables, of course).
 
A list of some snack foods your student might enjoy at school includes:
 
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Raisins
  • Apple sauce
  • String cheese
  • Pudding packs
  • Pretzels, wheat thin crackers, goldfish crackers, graham crackers, or animal crackers
  • Cereals
  • Fig newtons
  • Sun chips
  • Veggie straws
  • Fruit cereal bars

Bathroom

Potty training can be an exciting and challenging time in both your and your child’s life. At Sycamore's Little Spartans Early Learning program, we define successful independent toileting as having the ability to lower their underpants (as well as deal with other clothing), completing the act of urinating and/or defecating in the toilet, wiping themselves, flushing , re-dressing themselves, and washing hands. Our goal is to teach Activities of Daily Living skills to all students. We realize that “accidents” will happen. “Accidents” by definition are unusual incidents and should happen infrequently.
 
Children must be potty trained with no pull-ups.

Sensory and Motor

Each day there will be a time to develop gross motor and motor planning skills either in the gym or outdoor

Learning Centers

This is a large part of the day where many different centers are set up in the room that target all areas of children’s development. The centers also reflect the unit of study that the children are engaged in and encourage them to make choices, ask questions, problem solve, and build strong child and teacher relationships. Centers include but are not limited to blocks, sensory table, art, science exploration and dramatic play.
 
  • Inclusion time for special education students
  • Exposure to a larger class size
  • Exposure to language models, social models, and independent skills