LCDS Preschool & Kindergarten offers a Junior Kindergarten program for those children who are academically ready to attend Kindergarten but will not be old enough in the coming school year to attend Kindergarten due to their birth date falling after December 31st. The children will be introduced to the Kindergarten curriculum and will allow them to develop their skills at there own pace. With early exposure to the Kindergarten curriculum, the children will be able to master those concepts in their Kindergarten year.
Junior Kindergarten children begin class 15 minutes earlier than the preschool children to work on specific Junior Kindergarten curriculum goals; more class time is provided for extra work (if needed) throughout the half day schedule. The daily classroom routine is designed to introduce all of the children to the Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines.
Junior Kindergarten children will be introduced to the concepts provided in the Kindergarten curriculum set out by Alberta Education. The Kindergarten curriculum overlaps the goals and guidelines laid out for the Preschool children; the expectation is the Junior Kindergarten & Kindergarten children have already had exposure to these goals or will have by the end of the school year. Our goal for all children in our program is to be Kindergarten ready.
A maximum of 6 Kindergarten & Junior Kindergarten children are enrolled in each daily class; combined with the preschool children to a maximum of 17 children/day/class. The Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten children attend together in a small group setting with a maximum 1:6 teacher to child ratio.
*If there is a demand for more Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten spots, the maximum number of children may change without notice.
Please see Preschool Development Skills for more details on the goals and expectations for children.
Children who are 4 years old and will turn 5 between September 1st and March 1st are eligible to participate in the Junior Kindergarten program at LCDS. Children enrolled in the Junior Kindergarten Program will commit to attend 4 or 5 half days / week with the Kindergarten children.
* Children entering the Junior Kindergarten Program will be required to perform some basic testing prior to being accepted to ensure they are ready for this program.
* Junior Kindergarten is not funded by the Alberta Government; regular monthly fees for 4 or 5 half days/ week/month will apply.
More information on curriculum and education guidelines can be found on the Alberta Education Website, Kindergarten Curriculum
