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About First Family AcademyInterview | Map | Mission Statement | Teachers and Staff | Summer Camps Nursery Programs | Preschool Program | Kindergarten Prep | Elementary Programs Calendar of Events:09/01/08 Mon - No School Labor Day
Elementary Programs:First Family Academy offers a full-day Kindergarten program, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade. Off to a great start, our students have gone home, excited to share with their families what they have learned. Just recently, the Pre-K class was walking through the foyer reciting Proverbs 22:6. What was exciting was listening to them recite the very same scripture in Latin!!! The academy has also embraced a classical approach to education, as it teaches Latin instruction and places an emphasis on the arts. New this year, students will have the opportunity to take piano lessons both privately and within a lab setting. As art and music are taught, students will learn about music theory, art/music history, and the composers/artists of each genre. While the academy has chosen the A Beka curriculum, differentiated instruction is taught within the classroom. First Family Academy teachers are committed to teaching concepts in a variety of ways so that all students learn. The classrooms are also designed to promote learning at every level. Furthermore, the school features a computer lab and fully equipped gym Elementary School Printable Documents: Elementary Parent Handbook (click here to download) Early Learning Center:What is so important about Early Childhood Education? The research says it all! What a child learns within the first five years of life is critically important. Did you know that according to the Carnegie Corporation, Kindergarten teachers report that one in three students are not equipped with the fundamental skills necessary for learning? Researchers also report that half of a child's critical brain development is completed by the time he/she begins kindergarten. Sharon Begley stated that, "Children whose neural circuits are not stimulated before kindergarten are never going to be what they could have been". With that said, First Family Academy is committed to the mission of educating young minds. Our Early Learning Center operates year around. FFA is not a daycare. Rather, it is committed to learning. The academy embraces the principle that children learn through play and require proper stimulation. While the school is taking a classical approach to education, the Early Learning Center is also utilizing a Montessori approach, which is reflected in the classroom design. The Infant/Toddler/Two’s Program is designed to provide children a nurturing environment that will stimulate learning. Our staff come with several years of experience, are well trained, and are committed to the wellbeing of each child. Academically, infants and toddlers will learn through a variety of means. Some of the special features of our program include infant signing, music, messy play, and literacy. Infants are constantly changing; therefore, the curriculum will assess a child’s development based upon the infant/toddler milestones established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). From every piece of equipment and toy, the intent is to create an environment that will stimulate their minds. Preschool is geared towards three to four year olds. Through the use of A Beka, children will be introduced to a nationally recognized literacy program. Vocabulary development is very important at this stage, as children will begin to learn the skill of journaling. Because research supports the idea that children learn through play, the classrooms are organized into centers such as reading, science, math, and writing. Furthermore, children are exposed to a print-rich environment which allows students to associate the written language to oral language. Parents are fully aware of their child’s academic progress through our assessment tools and parent-teacher conferences. · Kindergarten Prep: (four/five years of age) are considered Pre-K students. It is imperative that a child receive at least one year of Pre-K instruction prior to their enrollment into Kindergarten. A parent will notice a shift in the classroom design towards more of a Kindergarten environment. By this time, literacy concepts will begin to develop, allowing children to read easy-reader books and master journaling. The Pre-K program also utilizes the A Beka curriculum, along with assessment tools to gauge their academic progress. Our Pre-K teacher is a Kansas certified teacher, who works directly with the Kindergarten teacher, to ensure Kindergarten readiness. Summer Camps: Summer Camps last 5 days (Monday through Friday) 8:30-3:30 (lunch included). A example of camp topics offered (from our 2008 Summer Camp opportunities):
Interview with Senior Pastor, Jerry Johnston and FFA Director, Shelta CollinsIn an interview with Senior Pastor, Jerry Johnston and First Family Academy Director, Shelta Collins, they discuss the exciting vision and plans for First Family Academy: We are also excited to announce the beginning of our private school which features a full day Kindergarten program, First Grade and Second Grade. In the 2008-2009 school year we will open the grade school through the Third Grade as well. It’s exciting to see our vision for a private Christian school coming to fruition this fall! What type of Curriculum will you be implementing? A Beka Book is the curriculum of choice for First Family Academy. This extraordinary curriculum is designed for toddlers through high school, featuring a full day of learning. Subjects include Language Arts, History, Geography, Health, Safety, Manners, Arithmetic, and Fine Arts. We are also very excited about the Bible component of the curriculum which provides lessons from A Beka’s Salvation Series, Character studies, Book studies, and scripture memory. You just can’t place a value on a child having the exposure to the Bible that the A Beka program offers. Each student will have the freedom to begin and end their day in prayer within the school setting. Can you tell me more about the literacy component? Absolutely! What’s interesting is that both public and private schools across our nation use A Beka Book for their literacy components because it is so effective! Research indicates that many children who have gone through the preschool literacy program are actually reading at a 2nd grade level upon entry into Kindergarten! Accreditation speaks volumes as it says the school meets a much higher standard of quality than required by licensing. Will First Family Academy seek accreditation? Yes! Our plan is to begin the accreditation process through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) after our first full year of operation. It’s the premier association for private Christian schools. Feel free to check out their website at www.acsi.org. Because caring for other people’s children takes special skills, training is very important. What training will you provide for your staff? Training is very important and we will pull from several resources such as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, A Beka curriculum trainers and the Christian Early Childhood Association. Furthermore, we will have an on-site trainer to facilitate all training needs within the school. Can you tell me about the teachers? Sure! For the preschool, we will be looking for Lead Teachers and Assistant Teachers for the Preschool program. It is my intention to exceed the licensing requirement and to seek out degreed Preschool teachers. As far as the Elementary School is concerned, we will only hire Kansas Certified Teachers. What type of food programs will be available to children? Nutrition is a very important part of our program! In fact, nutrition is incorporated into our curriculum. Starting next fall, the academy will serve a variety of nutritious meals that will promote a balanced diet. We are also pleased to announce that the school will serve breakfast, lunch and a snack each day. What can new parents expect when they enter First Family Academy? They can expect to be impressed! First of all, if you haven’t seen the school, you must come by! It’s a state-of-the art facility which is equipped with a gym, theatre and a coffee shop. It’s designed for families to come and be an active part of their child’s education. Furthermore, over the summer, we will be setting up each room with all new equipment, manipulatives, toys, computers and teacher resources!!! Excitement just doesn’t say enough to the feeling knowing each child will be exposed to a facility like none other, with an environment that is designed to promote learning in an innovative way. Again, be prepared to be impressed! What does a parent need to do to get their child enrolled? The process is easy…. You may download the forms directly from our website or just come on by! We’d love to give you a tour and share with you our vision for the school. You can contact the school at 913-312-6010 or call directly at 913-681-3341 ext. 2500. Over the summer, the academy will be open for tours and information. Space is limited!
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