Program Information

The Raytown School District's Early Childhood education component is located at New Trails Early Learning Center, next to Blue Ridge Elementary.  Constructed in 2007, New Trails is a resource rich venue for the District's youngest families.

Mission
Where students excel, families dream, the community is inspired, and where teachers make a difference…through relationships, quality instruction, and rigorous expectations.

Vision
Empowering children and families through education.

Objectives
The Education Team is concerned with the total and unique growth and development of each child.  We shall promote learning through play.

Cognition

• Learn to think critically, reason, solve problems, and form concepts.
• Learn relationships among objects, people and events by constructing system to classify, order, and number.
• Learn time and space concepts.

Social-Emotional Development

• Develop an understanding of and appreciation for social and cultural diversity.
• Develop an appreciation of differing abilities in self and others.
• Develop a positive self-concept, a sense of belonging and self-control.
• Development and express an understanding of feelings and ideas.
• Develop a sense of trust and mutual respect in relationships.
• Develop problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.

Physical

• Develop gross and fine motor skills.
• Begin to develop management and control for their bodies.
• Gain knowledge about care of bodies.
• Establish habits that will ensure a desirable level of health and fitness.
• Develop self-help skills.

Representational

• Represent ideas and feelings, verbal and non-verbal, and symbolic, through various media such as:  music, movement, dramatic play, dance, and art construction.
• Become literate individuals who gain satisfaction as well as information from reading and writing.
• Express ideas in creative ways.

The Well-Being of Families

• Ensure positive interactions.
• Maintain open and consistent communication.
• Participate with all family members.

The Families of children attending the Early Childhood Program shall:

• Become partners in the educational process.
• Engage children in learning at home.
• Maintain frequent and two-way, open communication with teachers.
• Assist in activities at the school when possible.
• Participate in at least two home visits during the school year.
• Visit and observe in their children’s classroom at least one time during the school year.
• Enroll child and younger siblings in the C-2 Parents as Teachers program.

Philosophy
The Education Team's philosophy is to meet the needs of all children we serve.  All children, families, and staff will be respected and valued, and will work cooperatively. Children will have the opportunities to experience meaningful activities, and families will be educated on what is developmentally appropriate and feel comfortable implementing these practices at home.  We will create an environment that is child-centered and encourages cooperation and collaboration among children, their families, and the Educational Team.

Parents' Role in the Program
The Families of children attending the Early Childhood Program will:

• Become partners in the educational process.
• Engage children in learning at home.
• Maintain frequent and two-way open communication with teachers.
• Assist in activities at the school as is appropriate and time allows.

The Parents' Role will be:

• To actively participate in family visits.
• To make sure that your child attends school on a regular basis.
• To read all notes sent home with your child.
• To actively participate in the classroom by volunteering to be a parent helper. As a parent helper, we could encourage you to:
  • Help on field trips
  • Sign up to bring items for parties or other special projects
  • Help in the classroom
  • Help prepare materials at home
• To read books to your child.
• To actively participate in the homework activities with your child.
• To attend Activity Nights and/or Parent Group meetings.