A Creative and Individualized Program
Monday through Friday Morning with an Extended Day Option
(For children age 5 years old at the start of the school year)
Kindergarten students at Groton Community School benefit from the individualized attention made possible by our exceptional smaller group size and teacher child ratio. We follow the Groton-Dunstable Public School guidelines for Kindergarten entrance age: five years old by August 31st of the year entered, unless there is additional space and children are tested for readiness. Five-year-olds are more independent in accepting responsibility, making choices, and cooperating. Kindergarten children develop both a sense of empathy for others and a concern for fairness. Their fine and gross motor skills are typically well-developed, as are their abilities to count, sort, identify letters and initial sounds, and understand and recognize a growing collection of sight words. While still offering choices and opportunities for creative expression, the Kindergarten program has greater individualized expectations for the children to complete specific, structured curriculum activities. In addition to our Groton Community School Curriculum, the Kindergarten Class takes advantage of Handwriting Without Tears®, Telian-Cas (Lively Letters), Daily 5 Literacy Framework, and Eureka Math curriculum components.
Although our Kindergarten is a Half-Day morning program, many Kindergarten families also take advantage of our Extended Day Program before and after class as well.
Highlights of our Kindergarten Program include:
In our GCS Kindergarten, children and families experience:
- Innovative, nationally accredited curriculum and learning environment
- Smaller class size and a close-knit environment with exceptional teacher-child ratio
- Individualized attention and assessment including initial screening
- Enhanced reading literacy instruction including the Telian-Cas Lively Letters and Daily Five Programs
- Formalized writing literacy instruction through the Kindergarten Handwriting Without Tears ® Program
- Opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of math concepts through the Eureka Math Curriculum
- Experiential weekly foreign language sessions (French)*
- Field trips in the community to expand learning experiences*
- Intergenerational musical experiences at Rivercourt Extended Care Center
- Global outreach through participation in such programs as Be Like Britt
- Hot lunch program in the spring to aid in the transition to elementary school*
- Weekly visits to the GCS Children’s Library
- Confidence building school-wide announcements led by the Kindergarten Class
- Continued emphasis on peace and kindness through school-wide activities
If you would like to give your child the gift of another year to experience the richness of our GCS philosophy, consider our Kindergarten program!
Click to read GCS Kindergarten Testimonials