Sutterville Preschool Students

Our Teachers

Sutterville Preschool Teachers

From left to right:
Mrs. Ruffaine, Mrs. Tozer, Miss Helen and Mrs. Jones

We have an incredible teaching team! Two teachers work each day on a rotating basis to provide an exceptional level of instruction to our students. Their love of teaching and dedication to our children shows in everything they do. Not only have all of them been on our teaching staff for between 7 and 11 years, but all of them have children that went through the school. Needless to say, they are tremendously experienced and committed to Sutterville!

Our Classroom

Sutterville's Curriculum

The instructional program at Sutterville Preschool is based upon the understanding that children are individuals and can only develop skills when they are ready to undertake them. Our focused areas of learning are:

  • Physical Development (both large and fine motor skills
  • Social and Emotional Development
  • Intellectual Development
  • Language Development
  • Imaginative and Creative Development

Our curriculum is designed to meet the California Pre-K state standards. Below are some of the more detailed ways we approach the focused areas of learning listed above. This is not a complete listing of our curriculum, but a sampling of our activities. We also use periodic field trips as an enhancement to the daily preschool program. They give children the opportunity to interact in different environments and provide them with “hands on” learning experiences.

Physical
  • Allow children to walk, run, jump, skip, crawl, roll, climb, balance, throw, push and pull through organized and informal non-competitive activities inside the classroom and outside on the playground.
  • Provide puzzles, blocks, scissors, glue, paint, play dough, chalk, felt pens, children’s hammer and nails, beads and laces, sewing cards and other small motor activities.
Social & Emotional
  • Give the child security, love, and a chance to succeed by feeling important about him/herself.
  • Encourage respect for others’ individual space and feelings.
  • Learn to take turns and to share.
  • Learn to live outside the family with independence and self-confidence.
Intellectual Readiness
Mathematics
  • Teach songs and fingerplays about counting and number recognition.
  • Do daily and monthly calendar activities and sing songs about seasons, weeks, days, etc.
  • Teach songs and games relating to spatial relationships, i.e., up, down, left, right, etc.
Reading
  • Develop an understanding of circles, triangles, rectangles and squares.
  • Use story pictures to stimulate analytical thought process, observation skills and memory development.
  • Learn to recognize child’s own name and encourage pre-kindergarten children to write their own names on their projects.
Science
  • Learn about the self and parts of the body.
  • Help the child to observe playground rules.
  • Discuss healthy foods and nutrition.
Community
  • Have police officers, dentists, doctors and fire fighters visit the school.
  • Grow plants, provide touch boxes and scent/smelling trays.
  • Discuss nature and wild animal conservation methods.
Language
  • Follow directions which involve skills such as distinguishing different sounds and story comprehension.
  • Encourage presentation and talking skills through "Show and Tell", finger plays and puppets.
  • Encourage two-way conversations.
Creative
  • Sing songs, make up songs, use simple musical instruments.
  • Encourage use of the imagination through the availability of housekeeping items, dress-up clothes, dolls and accessories, work hat and tools, puppets, pretend phones, keyboards, etc.
  • Provide a large variety of blocks (from very small to very large) and small trucks and houses to be used in conjunction.
  • Allow children to build and experiment with sand, water and dirt.
  • Make art available daily with a variety of mediums.

Daily Schedule

Our daily structure and schedule are the same for both the morning and afternoon programs. All teacher planned activities are repeated for both sessions.

AM Class Program Activity PM Class
9:00-9:45 Transitional Time: Free play with a choice of activities. Outside play when weather permits. Classroom clean-up before circle time. ** This structure provides an opportunity for your child to transition from the home to the school setting. 12:30-1:15
9:45-10:00 Circle time: Discuss the weekly/daily theme, calendar, counting, group participation activity, songs, story, teachers and parents explain activities 1:15-1:30
10:00-10:25 Activity Time: Crafts and Language Arts activities 11:30-1:55
10:25-11:00 Outside Play 1:55-2:30
11:00-11:10 Snack Time 2:30-2:40
11:10-11:25 Second Circle: Music, games, sharing, Story time 2:40-2:55
11:25-11:30 Dismissal 2:55-3:00

Participating Parent Role

Sutterville Preschool is exceptional in part because of the time and love that the parents put into helping our dedicated teachers. As a participating parent, you sign up to work one morning or afternoon session each week. During your work day, you will help with a variety of activities in the classroom from playing with the children to coordinating activities and doing light housework. The participating parent role is a great opportunity for parents to enjoy and engage their children while using their imaginations, interests, and strengths to enrich our program for the benefit of all children.

Parent Commitment to the School

As a cooperative preschool, all parents are asked to attend monthly parent meetings, complete maintenance hours and participate in fundraising activities. It is through these commitments that Sutterville Preschool is able to maintain its non-profit status, keep our tuition rates at an affordable level and still maintain a high standard of learning environment for our children.

Sutterville Preschool can be designated as a charitable choice for United Way. If you would like to support the school program through this avenue, our United Way designation number is: 08549. We thank you in advance!