Early Childhood

Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph’s Early Childhood Program is a NAEYC® accredited, center-based program that offers exceptional learning experiences for young children. Our Pre-Kindergarten program is designed as a two-year sequence for 3 and 4-year-olds that supports children in their growth and readiness for Kindergarten, which they are eligible for upon turning 5 by September 1.

Each year of Pre-Kindergarten offers a thoughtfully distinct curriculum that builds on developmental and academic skills. Students engage in differentiated, hands-on learning experiences within a nurturing classroom environment led by two certified co-teachers. This co-teaching model allows for small group instruction, personalized attention, and intentional support of each child’s individual learning journey. Teachers focus on key educational and developmental goals tailored to where each student is in their progression:

Physical Development	Visual Perception
Fine Motor Skills	Auditory Perception
Gross Motor Skills	Personal Development
Social Development

Your child’s daily schedule at Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph School is designed with NAEYC® best practices in mind, ensuring a balanced mix of quiet and active play, large and small group activities, and opportunities for independent or social play. Each day includes self-selected and teacher-directed activities, fostering autonomy and skill development. Children practice self-help skills such as toileting, dressing for outdoor play, and washing hands while engaging in classroom tasks like table-setting and cleaning up. Outdoor play, twice a day on our playlot with a play structure, promotes physical activity, social interaction, and gross motor development. NAEYC® guidelines emphasize the importance of a balanced, play-based environment, ensuring children have meaningful, developmentally appropriate experiences throughout the day.

Early Childhood Program Curriculum Highlights

Responsive Classroom: All ICSJ teachers are trained in Responsive Classroom, a research-based approach to teaching that prioritizes social-emotional learning, positive community building, and developmentally appropriate practices—creating a warm, inclusive environment where every child feels seen, valued, and ready to learn.
Handwriting Without Tears®: A research-based program providing multisensory, developmentally appropriate tools for teaching handwriting. This aligns with NAEYC®'s focus on fostering fine motor skills and individualized learning.
Illinois Early Learning Standards: ICSJ faculty design hands-on, interactive, and child-focused lessons aligned with these standards, ensuring that learning is centered on students' interests. This approach follows NAEYC®'s recommendation to provide developmentally appropriate, child-driven learning experiences.
Heggerty Phonemic Awareness & CKLA: Students develop phonological awareness and early literacy skills through engaging, developmentally appropriate activities. In addition to Heggerty, the CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) program supports phonics instruction through structured, systematic lessons that build literacy skills. Both approaches align with NAEYC® principles by promoting language development in a supportive and creative environment.
Stepping Stones: Our Pre-Kindergarten program uses the Stepping Stones Pre-K math curriculum, a research-based program that introduces foundational math concepts through play, exploration, and real-world connections. The curriculum supports number sense, pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and problem-solving in developmentally appropriate ways that build confidence and curiosity in young learners.
RULER (SEL) Program: All ICSJ teachers are trained in RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER helps the ICSJ community:
- Understand the value of emotions
- Build emotional intelligence skills
- Create and maintain a positive school climate
  NAEYC® recognizes the importance of emotional development in early childhood, making this program an integral part of our curriculum.

Additional Kindergarten Curriculum Highlights

SAVVAS enVision Math: This interactive, standards-based math program emphasizes problem-solving and conceptual understanding. It uses visual learning and engaging activities to help students develop a strong foundation in mathematical reasoning, number sense, and critical thinking skills.
Amplify Science: The Amplify Science program provides hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences that foster a love for science. Through exploration and experiments, students develop a deep understanding of scientific concepts and learn to think critically and solve problems.
CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts): The CKLA program in Kindergarten builds strong foundations in language arts through a combination of phonics, vocabulary development, listening, and comprehension skills. The curriculum is carefully designed to promote literacy, communication, and a love for reading.
Sadlier Religion: Sadlier Religion in Kindergarten fosters spiritual growth and helps children develop a strong understanding of Catholic values and teachings. Through engaging lessons, students learn about God’s love, prayer, and the importance of living in a faith-filled community.
SAVVAS Social Studies: The SAVVAS Social Studies curriculum provides a dynamic, age-appropriate introduction to the world around us. In Kindergarten, students begin to explore concepts such as community, citizenship, geography, and cultural identity through engaging stories, activities, and discussions. The curriculum emphasizes the development of social awareness, responsibility, and respect for diversity, helping children understand their role in the classroom, school, and broader community.

The Early Childhood classrooms are large and bright and they allow ample space for students to move and play freely. All Pre-K classrooms are equipped with their own water fountains and student restrooms.

ICSJ is proud to have earned NAEYC Accreditation since 2006.