Welcome to Hillcrest Day School - "A Safe Place and Educational Place for your Child."

ENRICHMENT

Hillcrest Day School facilities believe that children learn by hands on experiences. We provide centers for children where they can learn through play and exploration, but in a well defined area. Through careful planning and proper arrangement of centers, they are able to explore, create, experiment, and manipulate their environment to better understand the world around them.

In the MATH CENTER children learn:
* to identify shapes and numerals
* to relate life experience to math
* to sequence numerals and classify objects one-to-one correspondence
* how to make comparisons to see the relationships of concrete objects

In the SCIENCE CENTER children learn:
* to explore the natural and mechanical world
* to observe orderly sequences and sequences of life
* to formulate and evaluate predictions
* to observe the relationships between and among sizes
* to gather simple data and to draw conclusions
* methods of classifications to classify materials

In the LANGUAGE CENTER children learn:
* to identify letters of alphabet
* to relate objects to words
* word recognition and association
* vowel and consonant sounds and recognition
* tools for later reading pronunciation of words

In the PUZZLE AND MANIPULATIVES children learn:
* to develop perceptual discrimination by shape, color, size, directions, detail and design
* to practice eye-hand coordination
* to practice problem solving
* to experience a sense of achievement and develop self-confidence
* to complete a task and to be responsible for cleaning up after self

In the HOMELIVING CENTER/DRAMATIC PLAY children learn:
* to develop self-confidence
* to act out familiar situations, try on family roles and work out problems and concerns
* to develop muscles, coordination oral language skills, and math readiness

In the LISTENING CENTER children learn:
* a sense of rhythm and tone
* additional memory skills
* differentiation among sounds
* opportunities for self-expression

* an eagerness to hear stories
* new language patterns
* to listen to the ideas of others
* an awareness of environmental sounds

In the BLOCK CENTER children learn:
* to develop eye-hand coordination
* to explore spatial relationships
* to compare sizes and shapes
* to develop large and small muscle coordination
* how to work and plan together
* to become aware of organizing and measuring
* to become aware of problem solving techniques

In the ART CENTER children learn:
* creativeness through planning, designing and constructing an idea
* satisfactory ways of expressing ideas
* experimentation with color, sizes, various textures and configurations
* eye-hand coordination and better fine muscle control for later writing skills
* respect for artistic expressions of others
* to develop their visual and tactile skills

In the BOOK CENTER children learn:
* to respect and care for books
* to imagine events and situations
* storytelling and dictation of stories
* sequencing of pictures
* left-to-right progression
* the interpretation of pictures and details

In the SAND AND WATER TABLE children learn:
* role-playing
* making comparisons
* eye-hand coordination
* measurements and weights
* oral language by interaction with peers
* to complete a task and to be responsible for cleaning up after self.

At our COMPUTER LAB:
Hillcrest Day School has a computer lab equipped with state of the art computers and curriculum. Our computer teacher is a highly trained, experienced person. The children visit the computer lab 2 to 3 times a week. The curriculum coordinates with what they are learning as part of their regular curriculum in their classroom and is also appropriate for their developmental level.

With our EXTRA_CURRICULAR activities:
Hillcrest Day School provides our children with P.E. (physical education) and Spanish class 2 to 3 times a week depending on their age. In addition, you may sign your child up for a variety of extra-curricular activities that are not included in the tuition, such as gymnastics and dance. All of our activities are done on site during regular hours of operation.

On our FIELD TRIPS:
Field trips at Hillcrest Day School are taken once a month during the regular school term for children ages four and older (our pre-kindergarten classrooms). The field trips are taken as part of our curriculum to enhance the children’s learning about their world. For example, when we are learning abut farm animals, we are likely to take our field trip that month to Samuel Farms and see what cows, pigs, chickens, horses and sheep really look like. Parents are always invited to join us.

On our age appropriate PLAYGROUNDS:
Our playgrounds are divided by the children’s age and/or their physical developmental levels. Our playgrounds are designed to meet the physical needs of each child, to help children with their gross motor development. We know that physical growth is not the only type of learning that takes place outside. There are areas for socialization, group games, sports areas where rules are learned and quiet spaces. In addition, we have an on-site pool for children 3 years and older. We also provide swim lessons and free swim for our children. There is a fully certified lifeguard on duty at all times.

Other Activites Offered

Happy Soccer Feet

Dance Classes at Hillcrest Day School!

Jump Bunch!

Cranium Kids!