FAQ

FAQ

How long is Pre-K?

DFT Pre-K is a full day program with the same hours as grades K-5; 7:40 am - 2:55 pm.

Do students eat breakfast and lunch during Pre-K?

Yes, our classes eat both breakfast (7:45-8:15 am) and lunch (10:20-10:50 am). Pre-K students may pay for or receive free/reduced price breakfast and lunch options (if they qualify through application), or may bring breakfast and/or lunch from home.

What do Pre-K students do during their time at school?

We have a very busy day! Each day of the week, we start with a morning meeting and a shared writing which focuses on an element of print awareness. We also sing songs, do fingerplays, count, practice letters and letter sounds and do calendar/weather at this time, and reinforce positive behavior choices through Conscious Discipline practices and Second Step strategies. We have mealtimes in the cafeteria and practice good manners and socialization. We spend time outside in outdoor play, working on gross motor skills, socialization and cooperation. Once a week, we go to the library to practice book browsing and selection, and to check out one book to take home. We have a group literacy time where we work on phonemic awareness skills (beginning, middle and end sounds in words, rhyme, syllable segmenting and blending, etc). We use the Handwriting Without Tears program to practice fine motor skills and letter formation. A large part of our day is in free-choice Centers. We spend this 45 minutes (2x a day) in centers designed to support the unit of study we are working on, and to give students a hands-on, independent approach to learning. Center materials and activities change and rotate weekly/monthly depending on the center. Centers include the Construction zone (blocks and building), Pretend and Learn (dramatic play), ABC (letter work), Math/Manipulatives (number work), Sensory table (exploration of a variety of textures and concepts of volume), Science (discovery through observation and interaction), Chromebooks (technology to listen to stories read, and practice skills), Reading (classroom library to look at books and retell stories), Writing (variety of materials for practicing letters and words) and Art (variety of materials for self-expression through creation). We have multiple story times each day with themes that relate to social studies and/or science, as well as work on vocabulary. We incorporate a group math time, and also math/literacy stations (small group work). We also go to Specials for 30 minutes a day; including art, PE, and music. As you can see, we have a very full schedule! It is very important that children have adequate sleep at night, although we do have a limited quiet/rest time for 20 minutes each afternoon.