This month, many of the children whom we have watched grow from infancy will be donning their cap and gown as they walk across the stage to receive their prekindergarten diploma.

Our end of the year programs celebrate the accomplishments of our advanced prekindergarten classes over the past school year. It is always a bittersweet moment: a mixture of the overwhelming sense of accomplishment and the uncertainty which comes when starting the next chapter in one’s life.

Engaging with our Platinum Learning for Life™ Curriculum, these children have come to identify many letters and numbers through hands-on learning activities. Daily reading opportunities have exposed graduates to classic children’s literature as a model for their own written stories expressed through pictures and letter formations. Participating in scientific discoveries through an inquiry-based learning approach and mastering beginning mathematical thinking skills, these children have developed a thirst for knowledge and a desire to engage with the world around them.

Weekly learning themes with varied topics have introduced children to new vocabulary words in both English and Spanish with activities teaching specific Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) learning guidelines. Independent and small group activities coupled with whole group instructional time has provided children with varied approaches to learning. Graduates of our Kindergarten Readiness Academy™ have established friendships in their classrooms and discovered what it means to be a part of an early learning community.

Regular trips to The Atelier™ have exposed children to famous works of art and engineering marvels. Through age-appropriate stories, these children have met famous leaders from throughout history who exemplified the various characteristics which have been identified as goals in our Communities of Character™ curriculum. Each month’s character development focus has enabled children to discuss what it means to be responsible, how to demonstrate kindness, and how to apply self-regulation techniques.

The rhythm of the daily activities of these Stepping Stone School graduates has been balanced with academic education, creative imagination, and social interaction developing well-rounded and well-prepared children for kindergarten.