Early Childhood Program

Giving Your Child the Early Education you never imagined.

A Day of Adventure You Never Imagined

Enriching Young Minds

Children ask a million questions! Through the Early Childhood (EC) Program at St. Richard’s Episcopal School, each student’s boundless curiosity is fostered through classroom lessons, learning opportunities and field experiences with the intention of creating focus on community. Using brain-based research and proven instructional practices, our curriculum lays a solid foundation in math and literacy skills—instilled alongside the Five Pillars for Success.

The result? Knowledge and values for a lifetime.

Kids never stop asking “Why? ” and “How?” That passion for discovery will fuel a lifetime of achievement.

The Five Pillars for Success

Global Readiness Pre-Kindergarten children examine their place in the world via their immediate neighborhoods and community. Junior Kindergarten students explore the natural world of land and sea and space, while Kindergarten students “travel” the continents to discover the plethora of world climates, customs and cultures.

Faith Today’s families attending St. Richard’s are diverse in faith, nationality and ethnicity. Our unique “mini chapel” program exposes our youngest students to long-held Episcopal religious values common to many faith traditions. Older EC children also attend weekly chapel.

Classic Curriculum Our curriculum instills foundational literacy skills through multidisciplinary methods differentiated for all types of learners. Music, art exploration and world languages are incorporated

throughout the school day and technology is used as a tool to promote the skills of our 21st-century students.

Leadership Early Childhood classes participate in dynamic field experiences that broaden their knowledge of their environment—be that in the family, neighborhood, community, hiking in the woods or while viewing great works of art. Focus on leadership promotes a tight-knit community, in which each child gains confidence and independence.

Civic Responsibility All members of the St. Richard’s School family are expected to model good manners and the highest standards for behavior at all times. From the example set by older students and teachers, our youngest students learn an individual and collective responsibility for their actions.

Imagine A Day Of Learning Unlike Any OtherYoung minds are like a sponge, absorbing knowledge at an astonishing rate.

Kindergarten Exploring our Big Wide World

Junior Kindergarten Exploring our Natural World

Pre-Kindergarten Exploring our Community

Our approach to nurturing kids’ natural instinctsWithin its Pre-Kindergarten, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten EC programs, St. Richard’s emphasizes those skill areas that are most natural to and appropriate for children ages 3-6.

Pre-Kindergarten children explore their immediate communities: family, neighborhood, school, and a plethora of local institutions and organizations—all within the safety and guidance of our highly trained faculty.

Junior Kindergarten Students explore our natural world and their relationship with the living things all around them. Weekly science labs enable students to discover elementary concepts in biology and chemistry.

Kindergarten students are introduced to the larger communities of our global world, building an understanding of the depth and breadth of international cultures. Children even board our fictional

Dragon Airways to travel from continent to continent, learning about their big wide world.

“The characteristics of learning readiness are developed rather than taught, and only

through numerous concrete interactions with the world can a young child prepare to

benefit from formal instructions later.”

David Elkind, noted child development specialist and author

Dynamic Field Experiences

From the highly-acclaimed Indianapolis Museum of Art… to the world renowned Children’s Museum… to the fascinating Conner Prairie Interactive History Park and the Indianapolis Zoo…

…our youngest students take part in a vast array of our region’s most enriching experiences—experiences that broaden their literary and artistic horizons.

You’ll find St. Richard’s children out in the community:

• planting and tending a community garden

• discussing a world-famous piece of artwork

• listening to a children’s symphony concert

• helping bake bread at a local cafe

• watching firefighters prepare for the next emergency

• role-playing as a TV news anchor or meteorologist

Every day brings a new adventure to your child!

“Play is not our only creative drive; it’s a fundamental

mode of learning.” David Elkind

Program Highlights• 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

full-day curriculum is available along with part-time options

• Year-round enrichment at an exceptional value

• Swim lessons

• Weekly field experiences

• Emphasis on aesthetic development with broad cultural exposure

• Four weekly French lessons

• Capstone project celebrated by the entire school community

• Flourishing community partnerships

• Proactive teacher-parent relationships

Now the wonder doesn’t end at 3:00 p.m., it can last all summer long!

Help you need. All day, every day.

We’re innovating new ways to meet the growing needs of busy parents who are committed to ensuring their children become life-long, self-directed learners. Through our new full-day and year-round options, St. Richard’s can expand your child’s enrichment far beyond the traditional school-day program.

With our proven track record for educational excellence alongside unique partnerships with top cultural institutions and renowned artisans across Indianapolis, you can’t imagine what we’ve fit into one day’s learning adventure for your child...

During aftercare, all Early Childhood students will participate in a group learning experience. Eight weeks will be dedicated to learning how to swim, life-long sports (golf, tennis, bike-riding), art lessons, and a focus on music appreciation and dance. If your child stays beyond the last school bell, he/she will surely enjoy and benefit from the exposure to these developmentally appropriate and stimulating activities.

The Year-Long Journey We Dared To Imagine

Expand Your Child’s World and Learning Opportunities

According to research published by the Families and Work Institute in 1996, the brain of a three year old is two-and-a-half times more active than an adult’s. Researchers further note that it is the depth of human interaction and wide variety of experiences that enable children to build the neurological networks that maximize cognitive skills in reasoning, language, thinking, physical movement, and emotional development.

The Early Childhood Program at St. Richard’s helps children develop to their fullest potential in these key areas by ensuring that each day’s activities include a balance of work, rest, and play.

“When our Junior Kindergartener brings home artwork inspired by Mark Rothko or Native American sand paintings, quizzes us on our knowledge of anything from the solar system to the life cycle of insects, is eager to share with us the latest song he has learned in his French or music classes, performs in front of the school during assemblies or chapels, or narrates his latest class fieldtrip or playground adventures over dinner… we know that everyone at SRES is truly passionate about what they do, and that teachers and students continually work together to sustain a strong community of shared teaching and learning experiences each and every day.”

—Aaron Dziubinskyj, current parent

“We were sure Finn was ready academically for Kindergarten but we had some concerns with his placement socially and followed the staff recommendation to try Junior Kindergarten. The family atmosphere at St. Richard’s has allowed him to boost his confidence and self-esteem and he’s thriving both academically and socially. We have been very pleased with his teachers’ efforts—which go beyond the simple classroom experience. We know that the seeds being planted by the EC Staff at St. Richard’s will sustain a lifetime of learning and that Finn will be prepared to become a successful “Grader”. We couldn’t be happier in our decision to join the St. Richard’s family.”

—Patrick and Kara Shirmeyer, current parents

Imagine how far your child might go.

Since its founding more than 50 years ago, St. Richard’s Episcopal School has provided a superior educational experience for students and families of diverse races, creeds, and national origins. Forming students of outstanding scholastic achievement and noble character continues to be our hallmark. We know that building a lifetime of success starts from a child’s earliest years. Our graduates have earned a broad array of honors:

• Academic Olympics State Championships

• Gold Medal winners for a perfect score on the National French Exam

• Middle School “We the People” State Championships

• Typically over $250,000 in merit-based high school scholarships

• 100% attending their first-choice high school

• Acceptance into outstanding colleges and universities

Enroll in the future today!For more information contact the

Admission Office at (317) 926-0425.

33 East 33rd Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46205-3401

strichardsschool.org