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Kindergarten
Kindergarten at UIS offers an environment in which children are encouraged to question, explore, and draw conclusions about who they are and how they fit into the world around them. The emotional growth of the child, including interactions with peers and adults, is central to the curriculum design. With class sizes of approximately eighteen students, the program fosters the recognition of the contributions of each child, the development of a positive self-concept, and the exploration of differing cultures. The curriculum includes a strong English/Language Arts emphasis – including letter recognition, print/book awareness, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, inquiry, as well as writing and grammar; math; art; music; Spanish; physical education; and, a literature-based library program. Social studies and science concepts are presented through units of study that integrate various areas of the curriculum around a unifying theme. All segments of the program emphasize teaching the whole child, learning through hands-on exploration, and developing independence within the classroom and school-wide community. UIS encourages a strong partnership between home and school and invites parent participation in each child’s education. Every student is encouraged to embrace the joy of learning and to develop integrity, responsibility, and concern for others.