IDEAL Preschool

At IDEAL Preschool, the program will provide each student with a challenging education where emotional and cognitive intelligences are of equal importance. Your children will be intrinsically motivated and will continue to develop into passionate learners.  Our teaching team models and encourages all children to become optimistic thinkers, compassionate people, goal oriented risk takers, and innovative problem solvers.

At IDEAL Preschool the program is a “brain compatible” environment that facilitates the full development of the eight intelligences.  The teachers know that for the brain to develop fully, the preschool must provide five
elements:

	Trust and belonging – Each child feels that he/she belongs, can contribute, is considered important by the teacher and his/her peers, and is challenged by high, consistent expectations. Only positive statements and directions are used in the preschool.
	Meaningful content – Teacher’s present academic lessons with enriched language, using the eight intelligences along with clear goals and a relevant purpose for learning a skill.
	Enriched environment - The IDEAL Preschool is conducive to higher level thinking because the learner feels comfortable and never threatened. Every object and person   is strategically placed to allow the child to be “set up for success” and feel empowered. The children are made to feel that they are important members of the group and contributors to their learning.
	Intelligent choices – IDEAL Preschool structures many choices into the Pre-K student’s day. Building on the trust theme, the teacher outlines parameters and opportunities for choice. Students may choose which activities to do to accomplish the goal, how   to do a task, how to reflect on an activity and how to transfer what they learned. The choices provide opportunities to grow in the different intelligences.
	Adequate/Productive Time – Teachers show Pre-K children how to learn new information and only present curriculum that is relevant to the student’s development. The IDEAL preschool  teaching team places emphasis on helping students make connections taking the focus off rote information (fact drills) and placing it on the making of relevant products and the solving of problems. Projects and activities are the most important elements in our multiple intelligence school program. Our teachers are trained in Multiple Intelligence and take pride in their profession. The ratio of Preschool students to teachers is 6 to 1.

Elementary and Middle School

Mathematics
The mathematics program involves the students exploring concepts in a relevant way.  They have the opportunity to work both individually and collaboratively and to gain confidence in the challenge of problem solving.  Students are assessed and presented with mathematical concepts that fit their mastery level regardless of their grade.. For example, it is common for a third grade student to be working at a fourth or higher-grade level.  At IDEAL and  Dream School, specialized teachers are often subcontracted to instruct small remedial groups or extremely advanced groups to help students reach their individual potential.

Science
The science program recognizes the natural curiosity children have about their environment.  It provides opportunities for discovery and experimentation in life, earth and physical sciences.  The program teaches students to apply scientific procedures and technology to solve problems.  Our goal is that the students will search for answers and apply what they have learned to the other areas of the curriculum.

Language Arts
The Language Arts program balances thinking, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, and aims to cultivate in children an enthusiasm for language-based activities.  Reading groups at IDEAL Dream School are formed based on achievement levels.  Students are presented curriculum material according to their ability, rather than their assigned grade level.  For example, advanced readers are placed in reading groups with students from higher grades to accelerate their reading.  At IDEAL and  Dream School, specialized teachers are often subcontracted for reading specifically in instruct small remedial groups or extremely advanced groups to help students reach their individual potential. Writing  is an integral part of IDEAL's Language Arts program.  At all levels, proper sentence structure, phonetic rules, punctuation and clarity of ideas are emphasized.

Social Studies
The social studies program provides opportunities for students to understand themselves in relation to their family, community, country and world.  Through the study of the history of our country and multicultural awareness, the knowledge and celebration of differences is encouraged.  The program provides opportunities for geography and map skills to be developed from grade to grade.  An awareness of the earth's limited resources and how they are used, developed and shared is highlighted to promote social responsibility.

Computer
The program starts the students on their journey to their future world of computers with a rudimentary adventure inside the "box" of switches, hard drives, video cards and cable connections.  The basic class proceeds on to the platform of Microsoft applications.  The word processing program, Microsoft  Word, that us used for classroom communication; the spreadsheet application, Microsoft Excel, which will allow them to present graphic depictions of numeric values; and even the "art explosion" and presentation tools of Power Point are part of the daily curriculum that the students learn to use with ease and understanding. At Dream Middle School students use a Neo "laptop" computer during all of their core classes every day. These incredible tools are used for note taking, writing assignments, speardsheet applications and managing their complete agenda.

Creative Arts
The creative arts include visual art classes, music, drama and violin.  These classes are held in the artistic IDEAL village.  The program promotes a variety of hands-on activities to encourage students to explore freely and express their imaginative ideas.  Students gain self-confidence by taking risks, completing tasks and exhibiting their artistic talents.  At IDEAL the arts activities are often related to the academic curriculum to reinforce the relationship of the arts to every area of learning.

Emotional Development
Emotional development is an integral part of the IDEAL and Dream curriculum.  The "Heart to Heart" sessions encompass the five domains of Emotional Intelligence: knowing one's emotions; managing emotions; motivating oneself; recognizing emotions in others; and handling relationships.  The goal of the program is that the students will more fully understand, appreciate and learn skills enabling them to develop strong social skills and good mental health throughout their lives.

Physical Education
The primary goal of the physical education program is to aide each child in developing skills and understanding of physical movements.  The programs encourage an appreciation of a variety of physical activities, fitness and health issues and stress the importance of participation, discipline, support, teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Yoga
The art of Yoga is taught to the students in Dream Middle School. Yoga has been shown to increase flexibility and strength, improve circulation and posture, reduce stress levels, mobilize joints, regulate moods and emotions, release tension in the body, ease backache, enchance balance and coordination, improve self confidence, self awarness and empathy and strengthen the immune system.

Foreign Language
The study of Spanish is introduced to students in kindergarten.  The language is learned in the same way that the students acquired their first language; by listening, speaking and finally, reading and writing.  The goals of the program are in appreciate another culture and to facilitate the use of the language in the real world.