Preschool and PreKindergarten

ELC 3s Program
Early discoveries lead to lasting skills at Villa’s Early Learning Center (ELC). The ELC 3s program provides girls and boys with a joyful initial classroom experience and a solid foundation for the future. The three-year-old experience helps to prepare young children to enter the classroom with ease and eagerness. It is a warm and nurturing environment where the children gain independence and confidence.

Villa’s Early Learning Center utilizes a theme-based program throughout the year which includes math activities, literacy lessons, and art projects to enhance the children’s fine motor skills. Preschool centers are designed to teach the children how to play, share, and socialize with their peers. The teacher introduces the tasks at each center, and the children are given the opportunity to choose their work/play centers each day.

The children are introduced to one letter a week along with a series of well-planned activities that empower early formation of uppercase letters. Alpha-friends help to make a connection between the letter name and sound the letter makes.

Students also develop their understanding of numerals 1-10 and explore math concepts such as sorting, shapes, patterns, positional words, measurement, comparing quantities, estimating data, and combining sets.

PreK Program
The Villa Maria PreK program is dedicated to fostering independence, a lifelong love of learning, faith-centered values, and mutual respect among adults and peers, while developing the foundational skills essential for kindergarten readiness. Each day, students engage in center-based learning that encourages exploration and skill-building. By further strengthening the foundation of uppercase letters introduced in the ELC 3s program, PreK also enjoys using Alpha-friends to introduce each letter and sound, while their handwriting curriculum supports proper letter formation. Each child receives a special alphabet homework booklet with a letter each week, and by the end of the year, they have a completed alphabet book to celebrate and document their progress.

Students also develop their understanding of numerals 1-20 and explore math concepts such as sorting, shapes, patterns, positional words, measurement, comparing quantities, estimating data, and combining sets. Each day includes a play center focused on fine motor skills, dramatic play, or building.

Fostering independence, children participate in daily classroom responsibilities upon arrival, during snack, and lunch. Each week, they increasingly contribute to the classroom community in meaningful ways. In the second half of the year, each child has an opportunity to be the “Student of the Week,” taking on all classroom jobs, creating a personal bulletin board, and presenting it to the class—a favorite activity that encourages confidence and self-expression. As the year progresses, students also participate in independent, teacher-free centers designed to help them accomplish multistep directions and reinforce autonomy in their learning.

Faith Formation
Additionally, teachers emphasize social and emotional growth through stories, role-play, and lessons in faith formation, where children learn the importance of kindness and compassion, following the example of Jesus.

School Liturgies
Early Childhood classes are invited to attend monthly school liturgies and prayer services in Sacred Heart Chapel throughout the year. Parents, as an important part of our faith community, are invited to attend as well.

Added-Value Classes
Classes in Spanish, music, physical fitness, art, and library are part of the weekly schedule in both the ELC 3s and PreK programs. Known as “Added Value Classes,” these classes are led by teachers from the academy who are experts in their respective fields. They provide students with opportunities for hands-on learning and fun.

We value education and want our daughter to be academically challenged, confident, kind and to experience many friendships. Villa’s all-girl experience partnered with the strong Catholic values and traditions are instrumental in forming the young lady she will become. Villa teachers focus on accommodating the needs of the individual student as well as building a strong school community and sisterhood.” – The Cappiello family