Scappoose School District understands that a child's learning process begins at birth, with parents and caregivers being their most important teachers. It is our mission and vision to promote early learning opportunities through outreach to parents of young children. We desire to provide quality preschool programs that prepare students for entry into kindergarten.

Purpose

Scappoose aims to provide a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for the development of children. We believe early education provides a vital foundation for all future learning. We endeavor to instill a deep love of learning in children that will serve them throughout their lives while preparing them for their next educational experience.

Beliefs and Values

• We value children and the importance of their parent/caregiver in the learning process. We plan to use a collaborative approach to teaching, which incorporates both children and parents. To foster close, responsive, and trusted connections between caregivers and the school, we center the natural development of each child in our philosophy and practice. 

• We value community. We emphasize and encourage family and community engagement. Many opportunities will exist for families to connect and form friendships beyond the classroom. We strive to build community between children, among our preschool and kindergarten classes, families, and the larger community beyond our school.

• We value differences. Enrollment is available without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or ability. The community we strive to create is one that honors our differences and recognizes them as strengths. We aspire to teach our children to work together to construct positive solutions when conflict or challenges arise. The classroom environment will be one that prioritizes care, connection, collaboration, and community. 

• We value play. Scappoose celebrates that children are naturally curious, therefore the core of our instructional plan is daily opportunities for children to learn important concepts while they play both in the classroom and in nature. We understand that when children play, they explore their own ideas and concepts, learning what no one else can teach them. In the preschool classroom and our outdoor environments, opportunities abound for each child to learn from hands-on experience in an environment that promotes a child’s complete engagement. 

Goals

As we work with children we will:

• Consider what is known about child development and learning, what is known about each individual child, and what is known about the social, linguistic, and cultural contexts in which each child lives.

• Focus on the whole child with consideration of all domains of development. Staff will be knowledgeable of this developmental continuum and prioritize children setting the pace of their individual learning within it.

• Work to develop each child’s sense of self as the foundation of their social emotional growth.

• Create opportunities for children to interact with interesting challenges in their environment through inquiry and play as a way to build their brains.

• Celebrate the ways children learn from each other, and create space for peer interaction as a tool for learning.

• Work to build secure attachments with each of our students because we know that a warm and nurturing relationship with their teacher supports the development of empathy, self-regulation, and a strong self-concept.  

• View and work with every child in the context of their culture, their family, and their community.

• Commit to connecting with families and caregivers, valuing their diverse perspectives and cultural knowledge as assets, and to working with them as partners in their child’s education.

Practices

The educational programming and curriculum we aspire to use is developmentally appropriate and evidence-based with the goal of creating life-long learners who will engage in future challenges with confidence and determination. We believe in using current research about learning and the child’s brain development, our experience as educators, and what we know about the experiences of our children and their families, as we plan our preschool program. 

Scappoose School District follows an educational approach that is consistent with the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Their research has shown that young children learn best through active play and exploration of their environment; appropriate examples and support from caregivers;  and nurturing, responsive, and respectful relationships with others. Teachers and support staff will structure the classroom and curriculum to allow for individual differences in children’s abilities and interests. Children's curiosity and problem solving skills will guide learning through exploration and discovery. In our classroom, children will direct their own learning. They will learn through touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing. They will form relationships with one another and materials in the classroom. Teaching staff will provide support, coaching, and encouragement as children grow and progress at their own pace. Development will be continually assessed to help teachers individualize the program to suit each child’s needs and to effectively partner with parents and caregivers. 

Beyond play-based learning we are focused on developing Pre-K through 2nd grade alignment practices related to early literacy skills, social-emotional learning, school routines, and life skills.

We are committed to this mission and vision because young children inspire us with their curiosity, playfulness, and sense of wonder about the world around them. We see the core of our work as celebrating and understanding the strengths and great capacity of young children; working to sculpt their minds so they become powerful thinkers for an ever-changing world.