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Our Programs:
TOPS programs include:
The age limits for TOPS programs conform to those set by the State of California. December 2 is the cut-off birth date for age eligibility.
2's Programs:
Monday/Wednesday OR Tuesday/Thursday: 9:20am - 11:55am
TOPS Two Year Old Program offers an intimate grouping of two year olds as a first school experience. Children have an opportunity to explore and create in a setting designed with two year olds in mind.
We offer:
- warm, nurturing relationships
- low child to adult ratios
- developmentally appropriate activities
- music and stories in small groups
- emphasis on problem solving
- nutritious snack
Our focus is on socialization, including relationships with teachers, parents and children as we learn and play together. Children can be spontaneous in their choice of activities and have the opportunity to learn through hands on experiences. Children gain confidence as they transition from: dependence to independence, home to school, trust in parents to trust in teachers.
Because of their unique needs, the two year olds are in a classroom separate from our other multi-age groupings. This first TOPS year is a quiet, supportive transition to the next preschool age group. We foster the development of the whole child – social/emotional, physical and intellectual.
Eligibility: Children must be 2 years old by December 2 to enroll. However, a child must have attained their second birthday before they are able to attend TOPS. We are licensed for children 2 yrs. and older.
Parent Involvement: Parent participation is essential in a cooperative school. Regularly scheduled parent participation is determined by the number of days per week the child attends school – 2’s parents participate approximately 6 times in the 10 month school year.
In addition, all TOPS parents are required to
- 1) work one Saturday morning maintenance workday per year, and
- 2) serve on the Executive Board or other parent committee.
There are also fundraising events and parent education evenings which parents are encouraged to attend.
3's and 4's Programs:
- 3's program: Tuesday/Thursday: 9:00am - 12:00pm
- 4's program: Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 9:00am - 12:00pm
The TOPS Preschool program focuses on the development of the whole child – social, emotional, physical and cognitive – by offering a play-based curriculum rich in creative age-appropriate activities. Through play, young children learn about themselves and their world.
Every morning each child gathers with a small bonded circle group and his/her teacher. During this time the child participates in music, movement, story time, and cognitive activities.
At TOPS, children are encouraged to be independent thinkers. The staff provides the children with a framework for problem solving and teaches conflict resolution skills.
TOPS offers a varied curriculum during the morning play period. Children may choose among the following activities:
- Art: TOPS encourages free exploration of various artistic media and techniques including collage, painting, printing and drawing. The focus is on the process, not the product, of art activities.
- Cooking: Using recipes, the children create their own nutritious snack, often related to a story or a seasonal theme.
- Music/Movement: In this area, imaginative building with blocks, music, and dancing abound. The two story playhouse is a lively setting for dramatic play and creative expression or story time.
- Language: TOPS offers opportunities for children to explore a variety of language-related activities such as dictating stories, learning new songs and finger plays, and playing language-based games. A listening center is available to the children. There are also quiet areas for enjoying our rich library of children's literature.
- Science/Nature: Children are guided through a self-discovery curriculum. Live animals, nature walks, science displays, simple experiments and math games are among the varied experiences offered at TOPS.
- Outdoor Play: The classroom doors are open to the expansive playground where children enjoy our climbing structures, wheel toys, sand boxes, and water play. There is a garden, trickle stream, tree house and opportunities to experience outdoor art activities, games and manipulatives.
- Puzzles and Games: A variety of table toys are available to the children of all developmental levels. Puzzles, unifix cubes, pegboards and geo-boards are some of the favorites. Children are challenged by sequencing, matching, sorting, patterning and classification activities.
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- Eligibility: Children must be 3 or 4 years old by December 2 of the Fall they wish to enroll.
- Parent Involvement: Parent participation is essential in a cooperative school. Regularly scheduled parent participation is determined by the number of days per week the child attends school – 3’s parents work 10 days per year, while 4's parents work 11 days per year. A limited number of reduced (50%) participation contracts are available.
- In addition, all TOPS parents are required to
- 1) work one Saturday morning maintenance workday per year, and
- 2) serve on the Executive Board or other parent committee.
- There are also fundraising events and parent education evenings which parents are encouraged to attend.
DK Program:
- Monday through Friday: 9:00am - 12:00pm
In the Developmental Kindergarten classroom children learn through play and especially with “hands on” activities in small groups. The children are expected to participate in circles and one to two teacher-directed activities each day where our “academics” are integrated through activities that are relevant and of interest to our present class. During the non-teacher-directed activities time, the children choose from a variety of curriculum including pre-reading, reading, writing, manipulatives, pre-math, building, math, science, free art, and dramatic play. Artistic experiences are provided to allow children to explore and express their natural, spontaneous, creative nature. Children are encouraged to figure out how things work, interact with each other respectfully, try out new roles, experiment with ideas, build on their experiences and solve real problems. DK is a 5-day program, from 8:45 am to 12 noon.
It is our goal in DK that children:
- Experience a safe, supportive social and emotional environment.
- Work through whatever fears or barriers may be in the way of their experiences in DK
- Grow in their self-esteem, independence, individual strengths, and curiosity.
- Experience joy
- Continue to develop a curious nature about the world around them: the process of asking questions, thinking about and discussing problems and finding out answers.
- Gain an increasing control of their large and small muscles.
- Have opportunities to extend their ability to focus.
- Engage in interesting, appropriate experiences that stimulate their social, emotional, creative, intellectual and physical development.
- Use written, spoken language and mathematical concepts in concrete and meaningful ways, i.e. academics
- Continue to develop respect for themselves and others through positive adult guidance.
- Discuss and resolve problems among themselves with minimal adult interaction.
Parents are invited to volunteer in the classroom from 9:30-11:00 a.m. if they wish. DK does not have mandatory participation, other than helping at two maintenence work days and volunteering on a TOPS committee, such as fundraising, maintenance and special events, or serving on the TOPS Executive Board.
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- Eligibility: Children must be age-eligible for kindergarten (5 years old by December 2) in order to qualify for the DK program.
- Parent Involvement: Parents of DK children are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the classroom. We need parents to drive on the monthly field trips.
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- In addition, all TOPS DK parents are required to
- 1) work two 4-hour maintenance workdays per year, and
- 2) serve on the Executive Board or other parent committee.
- There are also fundraising events and parent education evenings which parents are encouraged to attend.
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After School Programs:
TOPS offers two optional after school programs:
- Lunch Bunch Program from 12:00-12:30 p.m. This program offers a lunch and short play period, and is available only to our 3 year old students.
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- Playgroup Program from 12:00-2:30 p.m. This popular program is a group of multi-aged children who bring their lunch and enjoy an enriched, outdoor/indoor play experience and story time, with snack provided. Children in the 3, 4 or DK class are eligible to attend.
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