Coloringmagic—Several 3- and 4-year-olds in pre-K class share a table as their teacher, Alyssa Mendez, supervises their coloring efforts at La Petite Academy in Deltona one recent afternoon.
BEACON PHOTOS/JOE CREWS
Patientlywaiting—Teacher Johanna Rojas doles out assignments to 3- and 4-year-old pre-K students on a recent afternoon at La Petite Academy in Deltona.
BEACON PHOTOS/JOE CREWS
La Petite Academy, a nationwide chain of about 450 preschools, with one located in Deltona, has unveiled a curriculum that is heavy on STEM disciplines.
STEM is an acronym meaning science, technology, engineering and math, and all of those disciplines are rolled into all aspects of the preschool and pre-K learning experience at La Petite preschools, company officials announced in a news release.
“Our children’s ability to thrive as tomorrow’s problem-solvers and our country’s competitiveness in the global economy will both be determined by proficiency in the STEM disciplines,” said Dr. Susan Canizares, chief academic officer for La Petite Academy. “The STEM fields are deeply linked to the real world and to how children learn most effectively. By nurturing their natural interest in STEM concepts during the critical formative years, we’re unlocking our children’s potential for success as our future innovators and leaders.”
Connie Wittman, director of La Petite Academy in Deltona, said she’s excited about using the STEM approach.
“We try to incorporate it in all of the classroom discussions, and we’ve seen a lot of improvements in our children,” Wittman said. “Between [the ages of] 1 and 4, the brain is very active and being able to introduce science and math is easier. The kids are very excited about it.”
La Petite’s proprietary Early Innovator program builds on kids’ abilities as natural problem-solvers and is designed to develop the critical-thinking skills they will need in the future, according to the release.
“Early math skills have been associated with later learning abilities, including literacy skills,” the release states. “By integrating STEM concepts and activities throughout the classroom, La Petite Academy is enabling children to build connections among these diverse skills. The approach encourages hands-on learning experiences in which children share discoveries and collaborate on solutions using a variety of tools, materials and discussions.”
The Deltona La Petite has been around for at least 32 years, Wittman said, since it was open when she moved down from Michigan in 1984.
“We have a fairly established clientele, but we welcome newcomers to the area,” she said. And while the academy is licensed for 135 kids from infant through fifth grade, the current enrollment is about 125 students, she said.
“We offer before- and after-school care for students in Deltona schools, where we take them to school and pick them up,” Wittman said. “We help with homework, offer extracurricular activities, have soccer shots once a week, and offer a grow-fit policy where we combine healthy eating with outdoor activities in our large, fenced-in playground. It’s a very secure place.”
Wittman’s facility is at 698 Deltona Blvd. in Deltona. Hours are 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, call 386-574-8799 or go to www.LaPetite.com.
La Petite Academy, headquartered in Novi, Michigan, consists of about 450 schools throughout the United States, including 63 in Florida. In addition to the Deltona location, nearby La Petite Academies are in Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary and Orlando.
- Joe Crews, joe@beacononlinenews.com
