Where Children Begin a Lifelong Love

of Learning

Educating Children Ages 1 through Kindergarten

Why is NAEYCAccreditationImportant?

NAEYC stands for the National Association forthe Education of Young Children, which setsthe most rigorous standards in early childhoodeducation, health and safety. Daniel IslandAcademy is one of a few schools nationwide thathas achieved NAEYC accreditation since itsopening and maintained it every year since.

Programs that meet these standards provide asafe and healthy environment for children, haveteachers who are well-trained, have access toexcellent teaching materials, and work withcurriculum that is appropriately challenging anddevelopmentally sound.

www.naeyc.org/academy

Our FacilityLocated in the heart of the CharlestonMetro area, Daniel Island Academy isa 17,500 square foot, state-of-the-artcampus with 17 classrooms, amulti-purpose room, and twooutdoor playgrounds. Our large,gated courtyard serves as an outdoorclassroom complete with gardens,water play areas, and outdoormusical instruments.

ALLERGY SAFE ENVIRONMENT – Our school offersan allergy-safe environment for children. All meals andsnacks are provided to avoid the use of commonly knowningredients and foods that may cause an allergic reaction.The facility is meticulously cleaned with environmentallysensitive products to reduce the presence of knownallergy triggers.

Member facility of theLeadership in Energyand EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) forExisting Buildings:

Operation and Maintenance with theUnited States Green Building Council.www.USGBC.org

Our PhilosophyOur philosophy is that each child is an individual who actively learns at theirown pace and in their own style. Our programs are built upon this understandingof child-centered, play-based learning in a relaxed – but structured – environmentthat stimulates curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

Our ClassroomsLearning activities are a key ingredient in any early childhood setting. Withoutthem children miss out on opportunities to develop skills and gain knowledgeduring their earliest years. Our classrooms are designed and equipped for ageappropriate play, based upon research supported by the high standards of NAEYC.We continuously evaluate our classroom programs, materials and equipment bythe ITERS (Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale) and ECERS (EarlyChildhood Environment Rating Scale) standards. The ITERS and ECERS programwas developed by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

TEACHERS AND STAFF - We are professionals in educating and caring forchildren. Throughout the year our teachers attend training and educationalseminars, bringing new and exciting ideas back to the classroom to furtherengage and educate children. Our teachers receive competitive salaries andbenefit packages including health, dental, and retirement. We attract thebest and the brightest and reward those who excel on behalf of your child.

PROGRAM DIA STATE REQ

Full-Day Programs (6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)

Pre-Toddler (12-24 months) 1:5 1:6

Toddler-Young (24-30 months) 1:6 1:7

Toddler-Old (30-36 months) 1:7 1:7

Full-Day Three (36-48 months) 1:9 1:11

Full-Day Four (48-60 months) 1:10 1:16

Kindergarten (age 5 years as of Sept. 1) 1:9 1:19

Half-Day Programs (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)

Half-Day Two (Tuesday and Thursday) 1:6 1:7

Half-Day Three (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) 1:7 1:11

Half-Day Four (Monday – Friday) 1:10 1:16

Mother’s Morning Out (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)

One & Two Year Olds 1:5 1:6

Our ProgramsOur programs include FULL DAY, HALF DAY, MOTHER’SMORNING OUT, and ENRICHMENT CLASSES. Each focuseson active learning through the use of classroom centers, includingliteracy, math, science, manipulative blocks, dramatic play, and creativeexpression. Self help, critical thinking and problem solving skills aretaught at all age levels.

CHILD-TO-TEACHER RATIOS - Individual attention is essentialin a child-centered learning environment. Our school offers lowchild-to-teacher ratios, which are superior to those mandated bythe State of South Carolina.

PLAY-CENTERED LEARNING - Children learn through play.Play contributes to the building of gross motor, fine motor,cognitive, sensory, social and emotional skills. Our curriculum issupported by a stimulating environment both indoor and outdoor,allowing children to explore, problem solve and learn through theirinteraction with their surroundings and other children throughself-directed play. The environment, activities, and socialinteractions are designed to stimulate individuality, positiveself-esteem, communication skills and a lifelong desire to learn.

EARLY LITERACY - One of the most important elements ofour curriculum is a focus on Early Literacy. These skills developin the first five years of life and your child's early experiences withbooks and language lay the foundation for success in learning toread. Miss Becky’s Literacy Adventure is taught weekly in eachfull day classroom by our school Librarian. Each session isinterwoven with the classroom’s lesson plan and includesstory time, music and movement, and dramatic play.

Kindergarten The Best Preparation for First GradeKindergarten is not the time to put a play-based curriculum behind. Ourphilosophy of a child-centered education is the best preparation for anelementary school program. Starting in first grade, most curriculums do nottake in account the different learning styles of children. Kindergarten is oftenthe last year that a child has the opportunity to flourish under a child-centered

curriculum that addresses the varied pace of learningand how each child learns best.

Our Kindergarten curriculum includes an emphasison literacy skills in reading and writing, math andscience, foreign language, art and music, physicaleducation, and health and nutrition. We also makeuse of the latest SmartBoard TM technology andcomputer stations to further engage children’senthusiasm for learning.

Our CurriculumThe Creative Curriculum® encompasses the ongoing cycle of observing, guiding, learningand assessing your child’s progress in the classroom. It is an integrated curriculum usingknowledge across all content areas for a “whole child” approach to learning. It is also aplay-based curriculum in which classroom environment and center activities play anintegral part in the learning process.

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, such as dance, science,music, art and tumbling, are offered outside of the regularclassroom, most often in our Multi-purpose room. Theseprograms encourage children to explore new interests, developnew skills, and make new friends from other classrooms.

LUNCH BUDDIES is our lunchtime enrichment programavailable daily for our Half Day and Mother’s Morning Outstudents. It includes a nutritious lunch, crafts, free play, andstory time. It also serves as an ideal transition between students’regular classes and afternoon enrichment programs.

MOTHER’S MORNING OUT (MMO) is available forfamilies in need of flexible care or to ease a child’s transitionto another classroom when space becomes available. MMOis offered weekdays from 9:00 a.m. until Noon for childrenages 12 to 30 months.

SUMMER OF DISCOVERY is a fun-filled curriculum inJune and July offering a relaxed summertime “discovery” ofinteractive themes. Summer of Discovery is included in aFull Day 12 month program and is optional for Half Dayand Mother’s Morning Out students.

Curriculum Enhancements

SPANISH FOR TODDLERS – Introductory course designed to expose children to a newlanguage. Children learn everyday greetings, colors, numbers, songs, celebrations and storiesin Spanish. Spanish For Toddlers is included for full day 2 1/2 and three-year-old students,and half day four-year-old students.

EXPRESATE – “Express Yourself ” is our Spanish Language course based upon a totalimmersion model with a native Spanish speaker. Expresate is included for full day four-year-old and kindergarten students, and offered as a supplement for full day three-year-olds andhalf day three and four-year-olds.

MISS WENDY’S MUSIC CLASS - Music is an important part of our daily classroomcurriculum. In addition, Miss Wendy’s Music Class is offered weekly in all full day classes asa creative enhancement of the daily learning environment. Lessons are built around the lessonsand skill progress of each class. Children are introduced to basic musical concepts such asrhythm, tempo, dynamics, and patterns. A variety of instruments and props are used to enhancethe creative experience. Lessons include music from new and familiar cultures and genres.Above all, each class is playful and exciting. The goal is to instill a lifelong love of music!

MISS BECKY’S LITERACY ADVENTURE – Our Literacy program is taught by the schoollibrarian in all full day classrooms. Each weekly session is interwoven with the classroom’s lessonplan and includes story time, music and movement, and dramatic play.

Featured ProgramsForeign language, literacy and music classes are enhancementsto our curriculum that are rarely seen in a preschool program.Our curriculum enhancements promote the development oflanguage and literacy in young children to ensure theirsuccess in acquiring early reading skills.

Play is your Child’s Daily “Work”Young children thrive on schedules. A toddler may not be able to tell time yet,but they know one thing usually follows another. It makes them feel safe andsecure to know what is expected of them and what they may expect in their day.

MORNING FREE PLAY – begins the day. The children play independentlyand in spontaneously formed groups as they choose from different learningcenters of developmentally appropriate materials and toys, such as playdough, puzzles, dress-up, puppets, and a wide assortment of building blocks.

CIRCLE TIME – (Large Group) is when the teachers introduce weeklythemes and the day’s events. Discussions on weather, the calendar, and theWorld-Around-Us introduce children to math, science, and letters. Thechildren sing songs, listen to stories, and share their experiences.

SMALL GROUPS – allow teachers to work closely with children across alldevelopmental areas on an activity or project. Daily arts and crafts activitiespromote fine motor skills and encourage creativity.

Your Child’s DayWhat adults consider play is really the work children do throughout theday. Play contributes to the building of fine motor, gross motor, cognitive,sensory, social and emotional skills. Our classrooms support theirdevelopment through the use of learning centers, including music,dramatic play, art, science, manipulatives, and blocks.

LARGE MOTOR PLAY – is outside, weather permitting, where thechildren run, jump, swing, ride bikes and play in the sand. When inside,they play in the Multi-purpose room with age appropriate climbers andmanipulatives.

SNACK AND LUNCH TIME – more than just eating – is a social timetoo. In addition, children are taught to set up and clean up their own meals.

LARGE MOTOR PLAY – is repeated either outdoors or in theMulti-Purpose room.

AFTERNOON FREE PLAY – is the time when children can finish aproject or self-select a new activity, such as sitting down with a book orplaying with other classmates.

STORY TIME – can occur at any time throughout the day, but it isespecially enjoyed at the end of each day to relax with fellow classmatesbefore heading off to home.

Your child’s security and safety are of utmost importance. Parents andcaregivers are required to escort their children through our main lobbysecurity doors and sign in each day with their classroom teachers.

Environment Our school is known for its beautiful children’s gardens that each classroom plants, maintains and harvests.

Teachers utilize the gardens in their outdoor classroom curriculum to engage children on topics such as the environment, ecology, nature and nutrition.

PADIA – Parents Association of Daniel Island AcademyPADIA was formed to improve our children’s development by assisting the school staff and teachers in theseefforts. Throughout the year, PADIA organizes a number of social events, which have included a Fall FamilyFestival, Spring Luau, and special events in the classroom. PADIA also organizes philanthropic efforts on behalfof the school to engage the children and their families in community outreach.

To schedule a private tour, please call 843.971.5961

You may also contact us through our website’s “Information and Tours” link at www.danielislandacademy.com

NutritionA cornerstone to our program is providing proper nutrition for building healthyminds and bodies. Our chef prepares all lunches and snacks to ensure that childrenreceive a nutritious and allergy-safe menu. This includes the serving of organic milkas a standard, fresh or frozen vegetables, and whole grain products. We strive toaccommodate special requests for preferred menus due to religious practices or healthrequirements. Mealtime is not only a time to eat, but a time to learn as well. Weteach “family-style” dining that encourages cooperation and sharing at the table.

The ideals of early childhood development of Dr. George William Brumley were our inspiration in creating the school and its programs.

Dr. Brumley was a renowned pediatrician, medical researcher, philanthropist, and the former co-director of the Division of Prenatal

Medicine at Duke University Medical Center and the Pediatric Department Chair of Emory University School of Medicine.

Please visit our web site at www.danielislandacademy.com

P: 843.971.5961f. 843.375.2111

Daniel Island Academy is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

As a part of the City of Charleston, Daniel Island is located in the center of the region between Mt. Pleasant and North Charleston. Daniel Island is easily accessible from Highway 526 and within a short drive of Historic Charleston and the East Cooper area, including Mt. Pleasant,

Sullivan's Island and the Isle of Palms.

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