VPK
VPK
Welcome to VPK Mini Manatees!
Welcome to VPK at MACS! Our VPK classroom is a place where our youngest learners can explore, play, create, make friends, and discover just how much fun learning can be.
We know that starting school is a big milestone for children and their families. Our goal is to create a classroom where every child feels safe, welcomed, and excited to come to school each day.
Through play, hands-on experiences, stories, songs, movement, learning centers, and small group activities, students begin building the academic, social, and independence skills that will help prepare them for Kindergarten and beyond.
Learning Through Play and Discovery
There is a lot of learning happening while our VPK students are having fun!
Language and Literacy
Students build early reading and communication skills through conversations, read-alouds, phonemic awareness activities, alphabet and letter sound activities, books, and early writing experiences. We encourage students to express their thoughts and needs, ask questions, and develop a love for books and storytelling.
Mathematics
Math is everywhere in VPK! Students explore numbers, counting, shapes, patterns, comparing, measuring, and spatial relationships through hands-on activities and everyday classroom experiences.
Growing and Moving
Young children need plenty of opportunities to move! Throughout the year, students develop physical skills through activities involving movement, balancing, coordination, and fine motor development. These experiences help strengthen the skills children need for everything from playing on the playground to drawing and writing.
Conscious Discipline and Our Classroom Family
Creating a safe and welcoming classroom community is an important part of VPK at MACS. Our classroom behavior plan and discipline practices are based on the Conscious Discipline program by Dr. Becky Bailey.
Conscious Discipline helps children develop important social skills and life values. Throughout the year, students work on anger management, helpfulness, assertiveness, impulse control, cooperation, empathy, and problem solving. These skills are connected to values such as integrity, respect, compassion, responsibility, and working together with others.
Our teachers help students learn how to build one another up, communicate during conflicts, solve problems, and take responsibility for their actions.
Most importantly, we want our VPK classroom to feel like a classroom family where every child feels safe, valued, and welcome.
A Day in VPK
VPK days are busy, active, and full of variety! Our daily routine gives children opportunities to learn with their teachers, explore independently, play with friends, and get outside and move.
Throughout the morning, students participate in:
Small group activities and learning centers:
Morning Meeting
Large group activities
Read alouds
Phonemic awareness activities
Snack
Recess
Pack up and preparation for dismissal or lunch
Mrs. Jen and Mrs. Sandi work with students throughout the morning in both large and small group learning experiences.
Building Skills for Kindergarten
VPK is about much more than learning letters and numbers. It is also a year for learning how to be a student!
Throughout the year, children practice communicating their thoughts and needs, working with others, solving problems, developing independence, and building the academic and physical skills they will continue to use as they grow.
All of these experiences help our students become more confident and prepared for their next adventure in Kindergarten.
What to Bring Each Day
Students should bring a refillable water bottle every day.
Students staying until 11:15 a.m. should bring one healthy snack. Students participating in the extended day should bring two healthy snacks.
Teachers will communicate any additional classroom needs with families throughout the year.
Staying Connected
Communication between home and school is an important part of a successful VPK year.
Our teachers communicate with families through student binders, ParentSquare, and the Concierge App.
Families are encouraged to reach out with questions, concerns, or information that may help us better support their child. We want families to feel connected to what their child is learning and experiencing at school.
Big Beginnings at MACS!
VPK may be the beginning of a child's school journey, but it is a year filled with BIG growth!
Our students learn, play, explore, make friends, solve problems, and discover new things every day. We want our VPK students to grow academically and socially while developing confidence, independence, and a love of learning.
We can't wait to watch our littlest MACS students learn and grow!
Helpful Links and Resources:
- CDC Learn the Signs/Act Early
- Division of Early Learning Standards
- Vroom
- Division Florida Early Learning
