Our Program & Curriculum
Academic School Year & Holidays:
The Academic/Fall Program is in session from late August through early June. The Summer Program is in session from mid June through August.
Banyan Day School is a non-denominational school that will observe certain holidays and is open for child care year round, with exception to observed holidays, holiday breaks and one week in August. The school closes for two weeks during the December Holiday Break and one week in August.
Tuition is not prorated during holidays, vacations or school breaks.
Dress Code:
Students are required to wear uniforms. The uniform consists of Navy Blue pants, shorts, skirt, or skort; White, Navy Blue or Yellow knit shirt with school logo. The children may also wear the School T-shirt on Wednesdays & Fridays (School T-shirt sold at the School office).
Attendance:
A child's success at school is dependent upon regular and consistent attendance. Class begins promptly at 8:30 a.m.. The children are expected to be at school no later than 8:20 a.m.. The Kindergarten children are expected to attend in a consistent and timely manner. Grades will be affected negatively by tardiness and unexcused absences.
Our Program:
Banyan Day School provides care and education to children ranging from Toddlers (one year old) through Kindergarten. Children are placed according to chronological age in an age appropriate class.
Banyan Day School’s program and curriculum are based on an integration of various ideas and approaches. The program incorporates and borrows ideas from Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development as a basic measure of what each age group should be exposed to and able to accomplish in various academic and social areas as well as play activities. They also provide a general overview of children’s basic mental development at different ages and stages of growth.
Our program is structured, working with an accelerated curriculum and it is “Teacher Directed”. We provide our teaching staff with our "curriculum goals and objectives" for each age group, a "curriculum guide" stating the skills to be mastered within each age group and a "topics and themes guideline" to be incorporated each week and/or month in lessons/activities, thus creating a uniform curriculum throughout the school. Our program and curriculum encourages its teachers to completely create and plan their daily lessons, and to incorporate their own ideas, creative flare and teaching style.
In every class , both Phonic and Whole-Language concepts and ideas are integrated to provide a program that will enable children of varied learning abilities and perspectives to learn from different approaches. Writing letters, numbers, names and words is taught through the use of art as well as traditional writing strategies. Music, songs and stories are incorporated daily to facilitate learning and retention.
Pre-K and Kinder also incorporate computer based activities as part of their learning centers.
The students are allowed “self-directed activities” periods. Each class includes a group of Centers comprised of the following:
BLOCKS, LEGOS, TRANSPORTATION
MANIPULATIVES / FINE MOTOR/ FINGER TOYS
EYE-HAND COORDINATION/ PUZZLES
ART/ WRITING/ PLAYDOUGH
SCIENCE
LIBRARY/ READING CORNER
COMPUTER (PK & K)
SOCIAL/ HOUSE KEEPING
Bilingual (Spanish/English):
Spanish language classes are offered daily to the children starting in the THREES through Kindergarten. We facilitate the learning of the language by studying topics of interest and creating activities that involve audio, visual and physical participation.
Kindergarten:
Our Kindergarten program offers an accelerated curriculum, which includes Language Arts (reading & writing), Math, Social Sciences, Music, Art, and Computer Instruction. Our Kindergarten curriculum also integrates Whole Language, Phonetic and Traditional instruction, as well as Learning Centers that encourage and develop cooperative and independent learning.
Our ultimate objectives for all of our students are:
*To help children grow socially while challenging their cognitive skills.
*To teach children to work and play cooperatively and independently.
*Aid in the development of a sense of responsibility through independence and activities that allow for self-expression and discussion.
*To provide an environment that fosters self-confidence and an enthusiasm to learn.
Call our office today for more information, for any questions and for space availability: 305-447-1233
Banyan Day School does not discriminate in its admission policies on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic origin, gender or any other legally protected status.