The Danville Community School Corporation is now enrolling students for its Little Warrior Learning Center (LWLC) preschool program for the 2019-20 school year.
Housed inside Danville’s North Elementary School, the mission of LWLC is to provide educational and play-based opportunities that enable children to develop new skills while building peer relations and growing into individual learners.
North Elementary Assistant Principal and Preschool Director Ceara Jackson said LWLC has been a great addition to the Danville Community School Corporation. She said the play-based program provides hands-on educational opportunities that connect learning with community involvement, enabling a rich learning experience.
“I am proud of the amount of growth our preschoolers have had this year, both academically and socially. Preschoolers are learning important skills while building strong relationships with peers and adults throughout North Elementary,” Jackson explained. “Our preschoolers learn how to be part of the ebb and flow of the school in the lunchroom, the hallway, and throughout the building while still maintaining the preschool atmosphere of learning through play.”
LWLC is a preschool program for 3- and 4-year-old children offering both full and part time options. Childcare is also available for families whose children attend the full day program.
Snacks are provided and hot breakfast and lunch are also available in the cafeteria.
In the classroom, High Scopes curriculum incorporates intentional, play-based teaching and daily learning centers. Instruction focuses on literacy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and social and emotional content.
“We also added the curriculum Handwriting Without Tears, which is being used in grades kindergarten through third grade in Danville schools.” Jackson added. “ At LWLC, one of our goals is to bridge important skill gaps between pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.”
Handwriting Without Tears uses a multisensory approach teaching letter, number and shape recognition, and writing in a developmentally appropriate sequence that merges active participation with purposeful play.
The fun doesn’t stop there at LWLC, Jackson said.
“Our monthly and weekly in-house field trips are exciting and engaging for the students,” she explained. “This year we had visitors from the community, including local police and fire departments, and Danville Public Library.”
In addition to outside visitors, Jackson said preschool students enjoy time in the library and gym each week. They also interact with other students to better prepare them for their own school experience.
“A favorite activity of mine has been the reading buddies program we have started this year,” Jackson said. “A second grade class comes down each week to read theme-based books to our preschoolers. They also do fun things throughout the year together such as gingerbread hunts throughout the school.”
“Having those older students as reading buddies is beneficial for both the preschool students and the second grade students,” second grade teacher Jordan Wheeler said.
“The second graders get to be role models and show their love for reading and the preschool students enjoy being read to by someone close in age,” she explained. “It encourages them and shows them what they have to look forward to as they continue their educational journey.”
Preschool students also participate in North Elementary activities such as picture day, the annual Pumpkin Run and Book Character Day. Special events for parents are also hosted throughout the year.
“Every morning, my daughter wakes up enthused to go to LWLC,” Danville Community High School art teacher Heather Henry said. “Because of the days of the week song and many others, she knows exactly when she goes to school. She has learned letters, how to write her name, and so much more through centers and structured play.”
By placing her daughter in a preschool that is housed inside of North Elementary, Henry said she gets the experience of eating lunch at school and feeling like a “big kid.”
“The friendly and structured environment makes it so that you feel welcome and safe to leave your child in the hands of the fantastic staff and teachers,” she added.
LWLC will be in session on teacher workdays, and offers a discount to staff and families with siblings. A full time nurse and counselor are both on site.
For more information, contact Jackson at 317-745-2610. Find LWLC on Facebook @littlewarriorlearningcenter.
