2-DAY . 3-DAY . 5-DAY
MISSION STATEMENT
The Aquin Catholic School System is a faith community founded in Christ where all individuals are given the opportunity to develop both their moral character and learning potential.
PHILOSOPHY
The Aquin Catholic School System, in agreement with the Bishops of the United States--
"strives to relate all human culture eventually to the news of salvation, so that the life of faith with illumine the knowledge which the students gradually gain of the world of life, or mankind." (Christian Ed. 8) Here, therefore, students are instructed in human knowledge and skills, valued indeed for their own worth but seen simultaneously as deriving their most profound significance from God's plan for His creation. Here, too, instruction in religious truth and values is an integral part of the school program. It is perceived and functions as the underlying reality in which the students’ experiences of learning and living achieve their coherence and deepest meaning.
OUR PROGRAMS
Our Children's Pre-School Center addresses the development of the whole child. We feel that young children learn and grow best in an environment that responds to their physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual needs. We believe children build positive self-concepts through interaction with a rich, varied environment; other children; and warm, supportive adults. Our program will offer a balance of free choice and structured activities in large group, small group, and individual settings. We believe children develop a positive self-concept when they are respected, lis-tened to, and loved. Children enhance their sense of initiative and competence when they choose activities based on their abilities and interests. Our Children's Pre-school Center has been designed to provide exciting and appropri-ate learning experiences for your child. Our curriculum includes language arts, sci-ence, mathematics, music, art, drama, and movement education.
TWO-DAY PROGRAM
Children must be three years old by September 1. This class meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Enrollment is limited.
This program is designed for the child who has had limited or no pre-school or child-care experience. Children will be encouraged to socialize, take turns, share, and learn about the feelings of others. Art, music, and movement education experiences will help the children develop large and small muscle skills. Language and literature experiences will lengthen attention spans and create enjoyment in the world of books. Each child's natural creativity and urge to experiment and discover will be a part of every day's pre-school activities.
THREE-DAY PROGRAM
Children must be four years old by September 1. This class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Enrollment is limited.
This program is designed for the child ready for a traditional pre-school experience. The children will continue to develop their large and small muscle skills through vari-ous study units. They will build skills in sharing, cooperating, and recognizing the feelings of others. The children will be working on the goals of recognizing their first and last name, their address, their phone number, and their birthday. In addition, the children will be encouraged to print their first name. We will help each child de-velop the emotional skills involved in listening, self-control, following directions, and finishing tasks.
FIVE-DAY PROGRAM
Children must be four years old by September 1. This class meets on Monday through Friday afternoons from 12:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Enrollment is limited.
The five-day program is designed for the older four or five year old child who, in preparation for kindergarten, would benefit most from a daily program of enrich-ment, free choice, and structured experiences. We welcome children who either have or have not participated in pre-school programs and would benefit from an addi-tional year of growth before entering kindergarten. The children will be encouraged to focus on more in-depth study units. Special pro-jects in art, science, music, cooking, and drama will be offered. Language art activi-ties will focus on listening, speaking, and development of emerging literacy skills. The children will be exposed to printing letters, printing their first and last names, and numbers. Additional reinforcement of each child's first and last name, address, phone number, and birthday will be emphasized. The children will be urged to ex-plore, describe, compare, and investigate their world. Mathematics will be explored through the children's use of manipulatives and objects from their every day world.
GENERAL INFORMATION HEALTH
All children enrolling in the Children's Pre-school Center must be potty trained (no pull-ups). They must also be able to perform personal bathroom hygiene. The State of Illinois requires each child to present proof of a comprehensive physical exam upon entering pre-school. (If this is your child’s second or third year of pre-school in Illinois, a physical exam is not needed.) In addition, it is required that all age-appropriate immunizations be up-to-date at the time of entering pre-school. For the child entering pre-school for the first time, the “Certificate of Child Health Examination” is the form that should be used for your child’s physical. This “Certificate of Child Health Examination” form contains immunization and physical examination sections that need to be completed and signed by the health care provider. It also contains a medical history section, which must be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian. Furthermore, as part of the physical exam, a Lead Questionnaire needs to be filled out. If, from the Lead Questionnaire, it is deemed necessary for the actual Lead Test to be given, then that will be required as well. The above two forms are available in the school office and at all Stephenson County physician offices. If your child’s physical and/or immunization requirements present a financial hardship, please contact the Stephenson County Health Department, 235-8271, for further information and assistance. The pre-school physical/immunization form is due on or before the first day of school.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Upon enrollment of a child for the first time in the Aquin Catholic Schools, the school shall be provided within thirty days with
(1) a certified copy of the child's birth certificate or
(2) an affidavit explaining the inability to produce a copy of the birth certificate.
The certified copy of the child's birth certificate must be the one obtained from the County Seat in which your child was born. It cannot be the one issued from the hospital. We will make a copy of your original birth certificate for your child's school file and return the original birth certificate back to you.
BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE
It is necessary for you to present a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate to school for your child’s sacramental records. We will make a copy of your child’s original baptismal certificate and return the original certificate back to you.
