The Tyrone Area School District has two high quality preschool programs that have been nationally recognized. Many school districts from around the state have traveled to Tyrone to observe its preschool programs in action.
The K4 Preschool Program, which serves four-year-old children, meets four days per week. Children attend either a morning or afternoon session. Students participate in a variety of fun activities, games, centers, and songs that help develop early literacy, math, science and language skills. In addition to classroom experiences, children have the opportunity to participate in special subjects classes. Fun, educational field trips also enhance this wonderful program by providing students with a variety of experiences.
Families that are involved in the K4 Preschool Program also benefit from home visits. Parents and children participate in the home visits by working with the teacher as she models activities they can do with their children to reinforce important early learning concepts. Resources and materials are left in home for the parents and child to work, learn and grow together.
New this year is the K3 program that serves three-year-old students. There are, currently 19 families participating in the program. Families involved in the program participate in home visits and story hours. Children come to story hour at the elementary school every other week and receive home visits from the parent coach on the alternate weeks. Early literacy and math skills are the primary focus of the program. The story hour component gives the children an opportunity to become familiar with a preschool setting. They experience stories, songs, crafts, and social interaction with their peers. The program works hard to make every family’s first school experience positive therefore, creating involved families and children ready to learn.
The preschool staff at Tyrone Area Elementary would like to encourage all families to read to their children everyday! Get your kids interested in and excited about reading. Try using a variety of books (fiction, informational books, poetry, nursery rhyme books, wordless books, alphabet books). Also, help children understand what you are reading to them. Have them make predictions about the book before you read it. Stop and ask questions during reading. After the story is over, discuss your favorite parts, favorite characters, what the story reminded you of. All these strategies will help children understand the story and relate to it. Enjoy spending time with your child while you take a new adventure in a book.
If you have questions about the TASD K3 or K4 Preschool Programs, call Tyrone Area Elementary at 684-1342.
