PHILOSOPHY
Star of the Sea Preschool is a Catholic School directed by Ms. Eulalia Halloran and under the guidance of the school Principal Mr. Terrence Hanley. Its goals include promoting the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual development of each child.
Recognizing that childhood is a critical period in human development, Star of the Sea Preschool provides an environment in which children can grow and develop at their own rate, develop a positive self-image, learn to express emotion in an appropriate way, act on their environment, develop a sense of responsibility, and learn to trust those around them.
Each child is seen as a unique individual with particular interests, strengths and needs. By providing a nurturing environment where specially designed materials and activities lead to problem solving, independence, creativity and discovery, we hope to build a strong foundation for each child’s future.
Through loving guidance and unconditional acceptance, we hope to establish conditions for the development of self-discipline, self-respect, and self-confidence, all essential components
for embarking on their journey.
CURRICULUM
Star of the Sea Preschool is a Catholic multi-age pre-primary curriculum guided by the principals and methodology of Maria Montessori. We believe that children learn best when they
have the freedom to explore their environments, select materials that are self-correcting and given time to learn and absorb the concepts being investigated. The teacher is seen as a guide for the learning that occurs, and provides learning tasks or jobs based upon observation of the child. Life-long learning occurs most efficiently when the individual child’s interest and development determine the materials being offered for exploration.
In the classroom, there are four main subject areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math and Language. Along with these basic subjects are the Cultural Subjects, for example Art, Music
and Science. In addition, the curriculum provides time for large and small motor development, basic Religious/Spiritual preparation and focus, and large group gatherings for problem-solving classroom challenges, acknowledging special events, holidays and people, and building community.
The Star of the Sea Preschool faculty and administrators work closely with the Elementary staff to insure a smooth transition to the Kindergarten at Star Elementary as well as with other public and private schools.